# data[].attributes.body
📱 Phone Habits: Are You Addicted?
Focus: Sentence order + Simple Present + Present Continuous
Topic: Phone habits, screen time & fun addiction
Length: 45–50 minutes

🎯 Lesson Goals

By the end of the lesson, the student can:

talk about basic phone habits

describe what they are doing now

use Simple Present for routines

use Present Continuous for actions happening now

build basic English sentences in the correct order

understand and use: screen time, doomscrolling, notifications, addiction

📱 1. WARM-UP — My Phone

Ask:

How often do you use your phone?

Give choices:

🟢 A little

🟡 Sometimes

🟠 A lot

🔴 All the time!

Then ask:

1. What do you do on your phone?

I talk to everyone about my jobs and I make video calls, calls and attend meetings, and of course I send messages a lot. And I take a glance on instagram.

2. Do you watch videos?

I watch professional videos, I watch tutorials and I watch some personal staff.

3. What Do you see on Instagram?

4. i see boys and food, and architecture and other professionals in my field. I like this.

5. Do you send messages? what app do you use?

i do, i send many messages on WhatsApp and normally I send messages privately on instagram.

6. Do you play games?

I don't play games I am not interested in online games but others.

7. Do you check your phone in the morning?

yes, but I turn off the alarm in the morning so I wake up and I read my book and after I check my cellphone.

Don't correct everything yet. Just get them talking.

🧠 2. VOCABULARY — Phone Habits

📱 Screen time

Time spent looking at an electronic screen, often your phone screen.

Example:

I have a lot of screen time.

Ask:

“How many hours of screen time do you have every day?”

I think I spend probably 10 hours on my phone screen.

😵 Doomscrolling

Using your phone to look at one negative story after another for a long time.

Example:

I sometimes doomscroll before bed.

Ask:

“Do you doomscroll?”

yes but I try to decrease the time on the phone but I change to another screen is my tv. I watch movies/ films/ series.

the handmaid tale

🔔 Notifications

Messages from apps that encourage you to check your phone.

Example:

I get a lot of notifications.

Ask:

“Do you have a lot of notifications?”

📱 Addiction/addict/addicted/

A habit or activity that you cannot easily stop.

Example:

Phone addiction is a problem for some people.

Ask:

“Are you addicted to your phone?”

one is a dessert and the other is a dinner.

🧩 3. SENTENCE ORDER

Tell the student:

Subject + Verb + Object

I + check + my phone.

I + watch + videos.

She + gets + notifications.

He + uses + Instagram.

Now unscramble:

🔀 Put the words in order:

1. phone / I / check / my

I always check my phone in the morning and I am very alert to notifications.

2. videos / watch / I

I watch tutorial videos and professional videos.

3. notifications / gets / Alexandre

4. Alexandre gets notifications all the time and he Neve replies the messages on time.

5. every night / my phone / I / use

I use my phone every night I see video and check on my instagram around midnight.

6. doomscrolling / sometimes / I / do

i am very tired and I am very sleepy more than on Monday.

Answers

1. I check my phone.

2. She watches videos.

3. He gets notifications.

4. I use my phone every night.

5. I sometimes doomscroll.

🔄 4. SIMPLE PRESENT — MY PHONE HABITS

Explain:

Simple Present = things you do regularly.

I check my phone every morning.

I watch videos at night.

I use Instagram every day.

I sometimes doomscroll.

Frequency words

always → usually → sometimes → rarely → never

Ask:

How often do you…?

check your phone?

watch videos?

use social media?

check notifications?

send messages?

doomscroll?

watch TikTok/Instagram Reels?

Student answers:

“I always check my phone.”

“I sometimes watch videos.”

👀 5. SIMPLE PRESENT vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Keep this very simple.

🟢 HABIT — Simple Present

I check my phone every morning.

It happens regularly.

🔵 NOW — Present Continuous

I am checking my phone now.

It is happening right now.

Compare:

I watch videos every day. 🟢

I am watching a video now. 🔵

I check my notifications every morning. 🟢

I am checking my notifications now. 🔵

🎯 6. HABIT OR NOW?

Tell the student:

H = Habit
N = Now

1. I check my phone every morning.

2. I am checking my phone now.

3. She watches videos every night.

4. She is watching a video now.

5. I usually check my notifications at work.

6. I am checking my notifications now.

7. He sometimes doomscrolls before bed.

8. He is doomscrolling right now.

Then have the student explain why.

🗣️ 7. REAL CONVERSATION — My Phone

Use these questions to recreate the Neil & Becca-style conversation:

A: How often do you check your phone?

B: I check it all the time!

A: How much screen time do you have?

B: I have about ______ hours a day.

A: Do you get a lot of notifications?

B: Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

A: Do you ever doomscroll?

B: Yes, sometimes. / No, never.

A: What are you doing on your phone right now?

B: I'm __________.

😂 8. FUN ACTIVITY — “PHONE ADDICTION TEST”

Tell the student:

Answer YES or NO.

1. Do you check your phone when you wake up?

2. Do you take your phone to the bathroom? 😂

3. Do you check your phone while watching TV?

4. Do you check your phone before sleeping?

5. Do you check notifications immediately?

6. Do you sometimes doomscroll?

7. Do you feel strange when you don't have your phone?

8. Are you checking your phone right now?

Then:

🏆 Your result

0–2 YES: 📵 You are probably not addicted!

3–5 YES: 📱 You really like your phone!

6–8 YES: 🚨 You may have a phone addiction!

🧠 9. FINAL CHALLENGE

Ask the student to complete:

I use my phone every day, I need to talk to my clients

I need to talk to my sister

talk to my dog.

I usually use my phone daily.

I sometimes use my phone at night

I never use my phone in the morning.

I get many notifications every day.

My screen time is about 10 hours.

Right now, I am using my screen time 9 hours.

Then finish with:

“Do you think phones make our lives better or worse?”

For a very low-level student, let them answer with simple language:

“Better, because I have news about the work and the world.

“Worse, because you waste your time.

“I think phones are good because they are technological and make our lives better.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about phone habits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neil and Becca talk about how we spend our time on our phones.

# data[].attributes.body
📱 Phone Habits: Are You Addicted?
Focus: Sentence order + Simple Present + Present Continuous
Topic: Phone habits, screen time & fun addiction
Length: 45–50 minutes

🎯 Lesson Goals

By the end of the lesson, the student can:

talk about basic phone habits

describe what they are doing now

use Simple Present for routines

use Present Continuous for actions happening now

build basic English sentences in the correct order

understand and use: screen time, doomscrolling, notifications, addiction

📱 1. WARM-UP — My Phone

Ask:

How often do you use your phone?

Give choices:

🟢 A little

🟡 Sometimes

🟠 A lot

🔴 All the time!

Then ask:

1. What do you do on your phone?

I talk to everyone about my jobs and I make video calls, calls and attend meetings, and of course I send messages a lot. And I take a glance on instagram.

2. Do you watch videos?

I watch professional videos, I watch tutorials and I watch some personal staff.

3. What Do you see on Instagram?

4. i see boys and food, and architecture and other professionals in my field. I like this.

5. Do you send messages? what app do you use?

i do, i send many messages on WhatsApp and normally I send messages privately on instagram.

6. Do you play games?

I don't play games I am not interested in online games but others.

7. Do you check your phone in the morning?

yes, but I turn off the alarm in the morning so I wake up and I read my book and after I check my cellphone.

Don't correct everything yet. Just get them talking.

🧠 2. VOCABULARY — Phone Habits

📱 Screen time

Time spent looking at an electronic screen, often your phone screen.

Example:

I have a lot of screen time.

Ask:

“How many hours of screen time do you have every day?”

I think I spend probably 10 hours on my phone screen.

😵 Doomscrolling

Using your phone to look at one negative story after another for a long time.

Example:

I sometimes doomscroll before bed.

Ask:

“Do you doomscroll?”

yes but I try to decrease the time on the phone but I change to another screen is my tv. I watch movies/ films/ series.

the handmaid tale

🔔 Notifications

Messages from apps that encourage you to check your phone.

Example:

I get a lot of notifications.

Ask:

“Do you have a lot of notifications?”

📱 Addiction/addict/addicted/

A habit or activity that you cannot easily stop.

Example:

Phone addiction is a problem for some people.

Ask:

“Are you addicted to your phone?”

one is a dessert and the other is a dinner.

🧩 3. SENTENCE ORDER

Tell the student:

Subject + Verb + Object

I + check + my phone.

I + watch + videos.

She + gets + notifications.

He + uses + Instagram.

Now unscramble:

🔀 Put the words in order:

1. phone / I / check / my

I always check my phone in the morning and I am very alert to notifications.

2. videos / watch / I

I watch tutorial videos and professional videos.

3. notifications / gets / Alexandre

4. Alexandre gets notifications all the time and he Neve replies the messages on time.

5. every night / my phone / I / use

I use my phone every night I see video and check on my instagram around midnight.

6. doomscrolling / sometimes / I / do

i am very tired and I am very sleepy more than on Monday.

Answers

1. I check my phone.

2. She watches videos.

3. He gets notifications.

4. I use my phone every night.

5. I sometimes doomscroll.

🔄 4. SIMPLE PRESENT — MY PHONE HABITS

Explain:

Simple Present = things you do regularly.

I check my phone every morning.

I watch videos at night.

I use Instagram every day.

I sometimes doomscroll.

Frequency words

always → usually → sometimes → rarely → never

Ask:

How often do you…?

check your phone?

watch videos?

use social media?

check notifications?

send messages?

doomscroll?

watch TikTok/Instagram Reels?

Student answers:

“I always check my phone.”

“I sometimes watch videos.”

👀 5. SIMPLE PRESENT vs PRESENT CONTINUOUS

Keep this very simple.

🟢 HABIT — Simple Present

I check my phone every morning.

It happens regularly.

🔵 NOW — Present Continuous

I am checking my phone now.

It is happening right now.

Compare:

I watch videos every day. 🟢

I am watching a video now. 🔵

I check my notifications every morning. 🟢

I am checking my notifications now. 🔵

🎯 6. HABIT OR NOW?

Tell the student:

H = Habit
N = Now

1. I check my phone every morning.

2. I am checking my phone now.

3. She watches videos every night.

4. She is watching a video now.

5. I usually check my notifications at work.

6. I am checking my notifications now.

7. He sometimes doomscrolls before bed.

8. He is doomscrolling right now.

Then have the student explain why.

🗣️ 7. REAL CONVERSATION — My Phone

Use these questions to recreate the Neil & Becca-style conversation:

A: How often do you check your phone?

B: I check it all the time!

A: How much screen time do you have?

B: I have about ______ hours a day.

A: Do you get a lot of notifications?

B: Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

A: Do you ever doomscroll?

B: Yes, sometimes. / No, never.

A: What are you doing on your phone right now?

B: I'm __________.

😂 8. FUN ACTIVITY — “PHONE ADDICTION TEST”

Tell the student:

Answer YES or NO.

1. Do you check your phone when you wake up?

2. Do you take your phone to the bathroom? 😂

3. Do you check your phone while watching TV?

4. Do you check your phone before sleeping?

5. Do you check notifications immediately?

6. Do you sometimes doomscroll?

7. Do you feel strange when you don't have your phone?

8. Are you checking your phone right now?

Then:

🏆 Your result

0–2 YES: 📵 You are probably not addicted!

3–5 YES: 📱 You really like your phone!

6–8 YES: 🚨 You may have a phone addiction!

🧠 9. FINAL CHALLENGE

Ask the student to complete:

I use my phone ______.

I usually ______ on my phone.

I sometimes ______.

I never ______.

I get ______ notifications every day.

My screen time is about ______ hours.

Right now, I am ______.

Then finish with:

“Do you think phones make our lives better or worse?”

For a very low-level student, let them answer with simple language:

“Better, because…”

“Worse, because…”

“I think phones are good because…”

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BBC Learning English - Real Easy English / Talking about phone habits

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Neil and Becca talk about how we spend our time on our phones.