Lesson 23 | Mar. 15
Habits
“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”
Vocabulary
Habit: A regular behavior or routine that one performs often, becoming an automatic action over time.
Routine: A set of actions regularly followed, forming a fixed, habitual pattern of activity.
Discipline: The practice of training oneself to follow rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct defiance.
Willpower: The strength of will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans, often in the face of difficulties or temptation.
Consistency: The quality of always acting or behaving in the same way, maintaining uniformity and reliability over time.
Motivation: The drive or reason behind one's actions or behavior, pushing an individual to achieve goals, desires, or needs.
Self-improvement: The process of making oneself better through personal development, learning new skills, and overcoming weaknesses.
Priority: Putting something first because it is more important than other things.
Prioritize: To decide which things are most important and deal with them first.
Autopilot: Doing things without thinking about them, as if on automatic control.
Subconsciously: Doing or thinking something without being fully aware of it, under the surface of conscious thought.
Proverb
Where there’s a will, there’s a way: A phrase that implies if someone is determined enough to achieve something, they will find a method to overcome obstacles and reach their goal.
Made up their mind: Decided firmly on a choice or course of action after considering it.
Pick and choose your battles: carefully decide which problems or conflicts are important enough to deal with and which ones to ignore.
Phrase
Clause
Idiom
To break a habit: To stop doing something that you do regularly or repeatedly, especially if it is something hard to quit or give up.
Reading Comprehension
In a small, cozy room where the TV light danced on the walls, Sam found his happy place. His habit of watching show after show had become his favorite routine, a way to slip into stories far from his own. Yet, under this happiness, he felt a push to get better at things he cared about, a wish he found hard to follow. The fight between his love for TV and the wish to improve was always there, with putting things off usually winning.
Sam knew that to get anything big done, discipline and willpower had to be his friends. He decided to make his goals more important, putting getting better at things above the fun of watching. This was a big challenge, as his usual way was to delay tasks. Yet, Sam saw that with consistency and a good plan, he could change his life, one small step after another.
Starting on this path, Sam made tiny, doable tasks part of his everyday life, aiming for slow but sure self-improvement. He began by reading just ten pages of a book each day, easy enough to fight his habit of delaying. This little act of discipline slowly became a routine, as if he was doing it on autopilot, tackling tasks subconsciously with less effort. Through these steps, Sam felt a new motivation, a gentle nudge helping him move forward, making each day a tad easier than the last.
Months went by, and Sam's room, once just a place to escape, turned into a spot for growth and learning. His TV, though still on, now showed things that taught him, mixing his old habits with his new goals. This mix became a priority, a balanced way that kept his motivation going. Sam learned that beating the habit of putting things off wasn't about big changes, but about welcoming the power of small, steady actions, showing the lasting power of willpower and habit.
Comprehension Questions:
What was Sam's initial favorite activity, and how did it affect his desire for self-improvement?
How did Sam begin to incorporate discipline into his daily life, and what was the result of this change?
Describe the transformation of Sam's living room and its significance in his journey towards self-improvement.
Call to Action:
Reflect on your own habits and routines. Identify one habit you would like to improve or change for better self-improvement. Set a small, manageable goal to help you make this change, and take the first step towards it today.
Suggestions for Improvement
Subject-verb agreement Person vs. People:
Person is singular and used to refer to one individual. People, on the other hand, is the plural form, used when referring to multiple individuals or a group collectively.
Examples:
Person:
A person is waiting for the bus.
Every person has their own story.
People:
People are gathering for the concert.
Many people enjoy playing sports.
Fill in the blank activity
Instructions: For this fill-in-the-blank activity, read each sentence carefully and decide whether the correct word to complete the sentence is "person" or "people." Consider the context of each sentence to determine whether it refers to an individual or a group. Once you've made your choice, fill in the blank with the appropriate word. Remember, "person" is used for talking about a single individual, and "people" is used when referring to more than one individual or a group collectively. Take your time to think about each sentence, and when you're ready, fill in each blank with your chosen word.
A __________ who practices gratitude daily tends to be happier.
__________ who make time for reading every day can significantly improve their knowledge and cognitive skills.
It takes one __________ 21 days to form a new habit, according to some studies.
__________ preferring to exercise in the morning are said to be more consistent with their fitness routines.
__________ who start their day with a clear to-do list tend to be more productive and organized.
A __________ known for punctuality makes a good impression in professional settings.
__________ who eat breakfast regularly often have better concentration throughout the day.
__________ who engage in local traditions have a stronger sense of identity.
Modal Verb “must”:
Modal verbs in English (like must, can, should) do not require "to" before the base form of the verb that follows them.
Correct: You must make it.
Incorrect: You must to make it.
Verb Choice Go vs. Take:
The verb "go" is used to describe when the speaker is moving or traveling alone. It doesn't suggest that the speaker is bringing someone with them. On the other hand, the verb "take" is specifically used to indicate that the speaker is responsible for transporting another person (in this context, 'her') to a specific location.
Alone: I go to her kindergarten.
Transporting someone: I take her to kindergarten
Singular and Plural Demonstratives:
We use "this" when we're talking about one thing close to us. We use "these" when we're talking about many things close to us.
This: "This phone is new." (Referring to one phone that is close to the speaker.)
These: "These cookies taste great." (Referring to several cookies close to the speaker.)
Article “the":
We use the word "the" in English to refer to specific things or people that both the speaker and listener know about. It helps us make clear exactly which thing or person we're talking about.
"She sets up the meeting room before the weekly team meeting."
"I check the weather every morning before I leave the house."
Verb “am”:
"Am" is a form of the verb "to be," specifically the first person singular present tense. It is a verb used with "I" to describe what someone is or is doing right now.
"I am checking my emails first thing every morning to prioritize my day's work."
"I am starting my day with a brisk walk to energize myself for the tasks ahead."
Lesson Notes
In today's lesson, we focused on the importance of habits in shaping our personal and professional lives. We covered relevant key vocabulary and idioms related to habits throughout the lesson when appropriate. Our discussion emphasized the significance of forming new, beneficial habits while also addressing strategies for breaking those that no longer serve us, such as habit stacking for productivity enhancement.
We distinguished between routines and habits, noting that while routines are sequences of actions, habits are behaviors embedded in our identity. The creation of new habits involves setting clear intentions and cues, whereas breaking old ones requires awareness and behavior substitution, often supported by changes in our environment.
Feedback
In today's lesson, it was really great to see how openly you talked about your own habits and how eager you were to learn new vocabulary. This openness added a lot of depth to our conversation and made it much more meaningful. Your enthusiasm for discovering new words and phrases shows a strong commitment to improving your English skills, which is fantastic.
However, there are a few specific areas where we can focus to help you improve even further. First, when using the modal verb "must," remember that adding "to" afterwards isn't necessary – it's just "must" followed by the main verb. For example, you should say, "I must go," not "I must to go."
Also, when talking about taking your daughter to kindergarten, the correct word to use is "take," not "go." So, you would say, "I take my daughter to kindergarten," to make your sentence clearer and more correct.
Another point to pay attention to is the use of demonstratives like "this" and "these." "This" is used for one thing that is close by, while "these" is for multiple things that are close. It’s a small change but makes a big difference in making your sentences accurate.
Lastly, don't forget to include "the" and "am" in your sentences where they are needed. Leaving these words out can sometimes make your sentences a bit confusing.
I know this might seem like a lot, but I believe in your ability to master these aspects of English. Your progress so far has been remarkable, and with a bit of practice on these points, I'm sure you'll continue to improve rapidly. Your dedication to learning is truly inspiring, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing progress you're going to make. Keep up the great work!
