Intermediate Course (B1-B2) - Viva Vox Education

Unit 1: Tenses in Depth

1.1

Present Perfect vs. Past Simple

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When to Use Each

Past Simple	Present Perfect
Finished action at a specific time	Action connected to the present / no specific time
I visited Paris in 2019.	I have visited Paris. (at some point in my life)
She ate lunch an hour ago.	She has already eaten lunch.

Structure

Past Simple: subject + verb (past form)

Present Perfect: subject + have/has + past participle

Signal Words

Past Simple

yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago, when I was young

Present Perfect

already, yet, just, ever, never, recently, so far, since, for

Exercise: Past Simple or Present Perfect?

I _____ to Japan. (never, in my life)

We _____ to this city in 2018.

She _____ her homework. (a moment ago)

_____ the movie last night?

1.2

Future Forms: Will vs. Going To

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Comparison

	Will	Going to
Use	Spontaneous decisions, predictions, promises	Plans already made, evidence-based predictions
Structure	will + base verb	am/is/are + going to + base verb
Example	"I'll help you with that."	"I'm going to study medicine."
Prediction	"I think it will rain."	"Look at those clouds. It's going to rain."

Exercise: Will or Going To?

I _____ visit my grandparents this weekend. (already planned)

The phone is ringing. I _____ get it. (spontaneous)

Look! That car _____ crash! (evidence now)

1.3

Past Continuous

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Structure

was / were + verb-ing

Uses

Action in progress at a specific past time: "At 8 PM, I was watching TV."
Interrupted action (with Past Simple): "I was cooking when the phone rang."
Two simultaneous actions: "She was reading while he was sleeping."

Past Simple vs. Past Continuous

Past Simple: The action is complete. "I walked to school."

Past Continuous: The action was in progress. "I was walking to school (when it started raining)."

Exercise: Choose the Correct Tense

He _____ when the alarm went off.

The children _____ in the park all afternoon.

She _____ her leg while she was skiing.

Unit 2: Building Fluency

2.1

Modal Verbs: Can, Could, Should, Must

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Overview

Modal	Meaning	Example
can	ability, permission	I can swim. / Can I sit here?
could	past ability, polite request	I could read at age 4. / Could you help me?
should	advice, recommendation	You should see a doctor.
must	obligation, strong belief	You must wear a seatbelt. / He must be tired.
might / may	possibility	It might rain. / She may come later.

Key Rules

Modals do NOT change for he/she/it: "She can speak French." (not "cans")
Modals are followed by the base verb (no "to"): "You should go." (not "should to go")
Negative: modal + not → can't, couldn't, shouldn't, mustn't

Exercise: Choose the Right Modal

You look sick. You _____ stay home today.

Students _____ not use phones during exams.

_____ you pass me the salt, please?

2.2

Conditionals: First & Second

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First Conditional (Real / Possible)

If + present simple, will + base verb

If it rains, I will take an umbrella.
If you study hard, you will pass the exam.

Second Conditional (Unreal / Imaginary)

If + past simple, would + base verb

If I had a million dollars, I would travel the world.
If she were taller, she would play basketball.

Key Difference

1st: "If I have time, I will call you." — (possible, might happen)

2nd: "If I had time, I would call you." — (I don't have time, imaginary)

Exercise: First or Second Conditional?

If she arrives early, we _____ happy. (likely)

If I won the lottery, I _____ a house. (imaginary)

If we _____, we will miss the bus. (real possibility)

2.3

Phrasal Verbs: Everyday Essentials

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What Are Phrasal Verbs?

A phrasal verb = verb + particle (preposition/adverb). The meaning often differs from the individual words.

Common Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
get up	leave bed, rise	I get up at 7 AM.
look for	search	I'm looking for my keys.
give up	quit, stop trying	Don't give up!
turn on / off	start / stop a device	Turn off the lights, please.
find out	discover	I found out the truth.
look after	take care of	She looks after her brother.
put off	postpone	We put off the meeting.
come across	find by chance	I came across an old photo.
run out of	have none left	We ran out of milk.
figure out	understand, solve	I can't figure out this problem.

Exercise: Complete with the Correct Phrasal Verb

I'm _____ my phone. Have you seen it?

This is hard, but don't _____!

We _____ coffee, so I need to buy some.

Unit 3: Reading & Comprehension

3.1

Reading: A Day in London

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Read the Text

Last Saturday, Emma and her friend Lucas decided to spend the day in London. They took the train from their small town early in the morning. When they arrived at King's Cross station, they were excited to explore the city.

First, they visited the British Museum, where they saw ancient Egyptian artifacts. After that, they walked to Covent Garden and watched a street performer juggle fire. "That was amazing!" said Emma.

For lunch, they found a small Italian restaurant near the Thames. Emma ordered pasta while Lucas chose a pizza. They both agreed the food was delicious.

In the afternoon, they took a boat ride along the river and saw Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. By the evening, they were tired but happy. On the train home, Lucas said, "We should do this more often." Emma smiled and agreed.

Comprehension Questions

How did Emma and Lucas get to London?

What did they visit first?

What did Emma order for lunch?

What did they do in the afternoon?