sunny
It's sunny.
Good weather for going out, meeting up, or getting some fresh air.
Use: Standard and very common in American and British English.
Click to listenBasic English Course 2
Unit 1: Going Out
Learn how English speakers talk about weather, current activities, sports, and simple going-out situations using present continuous, simple present, and common expressions.
Unit Objective
By the end of this unit, students will understand how to describe weather, recognize actions happening now, identify the difference between habits and current activities, and use common going-out phrasal verbs and idioms in context.
Topic cluster 1
Weather and Going Out
Weather words help students understand why people go out, stay in, change plans, or cancel activities.
Open topics
Weather and Going Out
Weather words help students understand why people go out, stay in, change plans, or cancel activities.
01 Weather cards and basic meaning
What we will learn: We will learn how to identify common weather conditions and connect each condition to a natural going-out situation.
cloudy
It's cloudy.
The sky has many clouds. People can still go out, but the weather may change.
Use: Standard, clear, and very common for basic weather talk.
Click to listen
rainy
It's rainy.
There is rain. People often use umbrellas, stay in, or change outdoor plans.
Use: Correct and natural. For rain happening now, It's raining is more common.
Click to listen
pouring
It's pouring.
This means it is raining very hard. A game or outdoor plan may be called off.
Use: Natural and colloquial. Common, but less basic than It's raining.
Click to listen
hot / boiling
It's boiling.
This means it is extremely hot. People may need water, shade, or a break.
Use: Colloquial and more common in British English. In American English, say It's really hot.
Click to listen
cold / freezing
It's freezing.
This means it is extremely cold. People may stay in or invite someone to come over.
Use: Very common in American and British English. Conversational but widely accepted.
Click to listen
windy
It's windy.
There is a lot of wind. Outdoor activities can be uncomfortable or difficult.
Use: Standard and very common. Safe for everyday and classroom English.
Click to listen
stormy
It's stormy.
There are dark clouds, strong wind, rain, or thunder. Outdoor plans often change.
Use: Standard and correct. Less frequent than It's raining, but natural.
Click to listen02 Weather questions and answers
What we will learn: We will learn the two most common questions for asking about weather and the sentence pattern used in answers.
Main questions
How's the weather?
What's the weather like?
Is it raining?
Main answer pattern
English commonly uses It is / It's for weather.
It's + weather adjective/expression.It's sunny today.
It's raining right now.
It's freezing outside.
Topic cluster 2
Present Continuous
Present continuous explains actions that are happening now or around the present moment.
Open topics
Present Continuous
Present continuous explains actions that are happening now or around the present moment.
03 Actions happening now
What we will learn: We will learn how to recognize present continuous sentences and understand why they are used for current activities.
Meaning
Use present continuous when an action is in progress now or around the present time.
Subject + am / is / are + verb-ingExamples in context
I am checking the weather right now.
She is playing soccer.
They are hanging out at the park.
It is raining right now.
04 Negative form, questions, and short answers
What we will learn: We will learn how present continuous changes in negative sentences, questions, and short answers.
Negative
I am not watching the game right now.
She isn't playing today.
They aren't meeting up now.
Questions
Are you checking the weather?
What are you doing?
Is he warming up?
Short answers
Yes, I am.
No, I'm not.
Yes, she is.
No, they aren't.
Signal words
now, right now, today, at the moment, this week.
05 Spelling rules for -ing verbs
What we will learn: We will learn the spelling changes needed when a verb becomes an -ing form.
Normal verbs
play > playing
watch > watching
study > studying
Drop final e
make > making
dance > dancing
come > coming
Double consonant
run > running
sit > sitting
swim > swimming
ie changes to y
lie > lying
die > dying
tie > tying
Topic cluster 3
Simple Present vs. Present Continuous
Students compare habits and current actions so they can understand the time meaning of each form.
Open topics
Simple Present vs. Present Continuous
Students compare habits and current actions so they can understand the time meaning of each form.
06 Habits compared with now
What we will learn: We will learn how to identify whether a sentence talks about a routine or an action happening now.
Simple Present
Use it for habits, routines, and general facts.
I play soccer every Saturday.She goes running on Mondays.Present Continuous
Use it for actions in progress now or around now.
I am playing soccer now.She is running right now.Why do we change the tense?
We do not change the tense only to practice grammar. We change it because the meaning changes. The simple present tells us what usually happens. The present continuous tells us what is happening now.
They play soccer on Fridays. = This is their routine. They are playing soccer now. = The action is happening right now.Same people, different time meaning
They play soccer on Fridays does not mean they are playing at this exact moment. It means Friday is their normal soccer day.
They are playing soccer now does not describe their weekly habit. It describes the current situation: you can imagine them on the field now.
Use simple present when...
you talk about a habit, a schedule, a repeated activity, or a general fact.
They play soccer on Fridays.
It rains in the afternoon.
Use present continuous when...
you talk about an action in progress now, at the moment, today, or around this period.
They are playing soccer now.
It is raining right now.
Transformation meaning
In the workshop, the sentence changes from a routine context to a current-action context, or from a current-action context to a routine context.
Key question
Ask yourself: Is this a routine, or is it happening now? The answer decides the tense.
07 Sports and activity verb patterns
What we will learn: We will learn the verb pattern English speakers normally use with sports, exercise, and outdoor activities.
play + sport/game
I play soccer.
She plays basketball.
They play tennis.
go + -ing activity
We go running.
He goes swimming.
They go cycling.
do + activity
I do yoga.
She does exercise.
They do karate.
work out
This phrasal verb means to exercise or train.
She works out three times a week.
Topic cluster 4
Phrasal Verbs and Idioms in Context
These expressions help the unit sound natural without turning the page into Practice Lab.
Open topics
Phrasal Verbs and Idioms in Context
These expressions help the unit sound natural without turning the page into Practice Lab.
08 Phrasal verbs for going out
What we will learn: We will learn the Spanish meaning, usage explanation, and context examples for the most useful phrasal verbs in this topic.
go out
salirLeave home for a social activity. We are going out tonight.
Click to listenhang out
pasar el ratoSpend informal time with friends. They are hanging out at the park.
Click to listenmeet up
encontrarse / reunirseMeet someone at an agreed place. We are meeting up after class.
Click to listencome over
venir a la casa de alguienGo to someone's home or current place. Do you want to come over tonight?
Click to listenstay in
quedarse en casaNot go out; remain at home. It's pouring, so we are staying in.
Click to listencall off
cancelarCancel a plan, event, game, or activity. They called off the game because of the rain.
Click to listen09 Real weather and going-out idioms
What we will learn: We will learn real idioms connected to weather, plans, and going out. These expressions are not translated word by word.
It's raining cats and dogs.
está lloviendo a cántarosInformal and playful. Use it for very heavy rain, not for formal weather reports. We can't play outside; it's raining cats and dogs.
Click to listentake a rain check
dejarlo para otra ocasiónUse it to politely postpone a plan. It does not need to be raining. Can we take a rain check and meet tomorrow?
Click to listencome rain or shine
pase lo que paseUse it when a plan will happen no matter the situation. We are going to practice soccer, come rain or shine.
Click to listenunder the weather
sentirse mal / estar indispuestoUse it when someone feels sick or low energy. I'm staying in because I feel under the weather.
Click to listenevery cloud has a silver lining
no hay mal que por bien no vengaUse it when something good can come from a bad situation. The game was canceled, but every cloud has a silver lining: we can watch a movie.
Click to listenwhen it rains, it pours
las desgracias no vienen solasUse it when several problems happen at the same time. First it started raining, then my phone died. When it rains, it pours.
Click to listen10
Language Model
Conversation model for reading and analysis
A: What's the weather like?
B: It's sunny, but it's a little windy.
A: What are you doing now?
B: I'm warming up for a soccer game.
A: Are you going out after the game?
B: Yes. I'm meeting up with my friends. I think we are going to have a blast.
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Unit Summary
What this explanation covers
Weather
Students recognize weather language and real idioms such as It's raining cats and dogs, take a rain check, and under the weather.
Grammar
The main tense is present continuous, with comparison to simple present for habits.
Sports
Students understand patterns such as play soccer, go running, do yoga, and work out.
Expressions
Phrasal verbs and idioms are explained in context and also connected to the general expression bank.