Practice English Using This Dialogue With a Famous Actor

Use this interview with a famous actor to practice speaking and pronunciation skills as well as review important grammar points on tense usage. Read, practice with a partner, and check your understanding of important vocabulary and grammar rules. Afterward, create your own dialogue using provided cues. Vocabulary take time off: to stop working in order to do something elseaverage day: a normal or typical day in someones lifestudio: the room(s) in which a movie is madeshoot some scenes: to record scenes being acted out on a video camerascript: the lines an actor needs to speak in a moviecareer: the job you have for most of your lifefuture projects: the work that you will do in the futurefocus on something: to try to do only one thing at a timedocumentary: a type of film about something that happened in real liferetire: to stop working permanently Present Simple and Present Continuous Tense The first part of  this interview dialogue concerns daily routines and other activities regularly/still taking place.  The  present simple tense  is used to speak and ask about daily routines. The following sentences are examples of the present simple tense. I usually get  up early and go to the gym.How often do you travel for work?She doesnt work from home.   The  present continuous tense  is used to speak about what is happening at a specific moment in time, usually at or around the moment that a conversation is taking place. The following sentences are examples of the present continuous tense. Im studying French for a test right now. What are you working on this week? Theyre getting ready to open the new store. Part One of the Interview Pay close attention to the use of the present simple and present continuous tense in the following interview excerpt. Interviewer: Thank you for taking some time off from your busy schedule to answer a few questions about your life!Tom: Its my pleasure. Interviewer: Could you tell us about an average day in your life?Tom: Sure. I get up early, at 7 in the morning, then I have breakfast. After breakfast, I go to the gym. Interviewer: Are you studying anything now?Tom: Yes, Im learning dialogue for a new film called The Man About Town. Interviewer: What do you do in the afternoon?Tom: First I have lunch, then I go to the studio and shoot some scenes. Interviewer: Which scene are you working on  today?Tom: Im acting out a scene about an angry lover. Interviewer: Thats very interesting. What do you do in the evening?Tom: In the evening, I go home and have dinner and study my scripts. Interviewer: Do you go out at night?Tom: Not always, I like going out at weekends. Present Perfect and Future Tenses The second section of the interview focuses on the actors experiences over time. The  present perfect  tense is used to speak about an event or experience that has already happened (from the past) in the present tense. The following sentences are examples of the present perfect tense. Ive visited many countries throughout the world.Hes made more than fifteen documentaries.Shes worked at that position since 1998. The  future tense  is used to talk about the future and uses forms such as going to and will to do this. The future tense can be used to reference scheduled events, predictions, and even conditional events that depend on the occurrence of other conditions to take place. Going to is often used for future plans and will is often used to make predictions. The following sentences are examples of the future tense. Im going to visit my uncle next week.Theyre going to open up a new store in Chicago.I think Ill take a vacation in June but Im not sure.She thinks he will get married soon. Part Two of the Interview Pay close attention to the use of the present perfect and future tense in the following interview excerpt. Interviewer: Lets talk about your career. How many films have you made?Tom: Thats a hard question. I think Ive made more than 50 films! Interviewer: Wow. Thats a lot! How many years have you been an actor?Tom: Ive been an actor since I was ten years old. In other words, Ive been an actor for twenty years. Interviewer: Thats impressive. Do you have any future projects?Tom: Yes, I do. Im going to focus on making a few documentaries next year. Interviewer: That sounds great. Do you have any plans beyond that?Tom: Well, Im not sure. Maybe I will become a film director and maybe Ill just retire. Interviewer: Oh, please dont retire! We love your films!Tom: Thats very kind of you. Im sure Ill make a few more films. Interviewer: Thats good to hear. Thank you for the interview.Tom: Thank you. Practice Creating Your Own Dialogue Use these sentence pieces to create your own dialogue with a famous actor. Pay careful attention to the time and context provided in order to choose the correct tense and dont forget to use correct punctuation and capitalization when writing your sentences. Try to come up with a few different possibilities for each response. Interviewer: thank you/interview/know/busyActor: welcome/pleasure Interviewer: work/new/filmActor: yes/act/in/Sun on My Face/month Interviewer: congratulations/ask/questions/about/lifeActor: yes/any/question Interviewer: what/do/after/workActor: usually/relax/pool Interviewer: what/do/todayActor: have/interview/today Interviewer: where/go/eveningActor: usually/stay/home Interviewer: stay/home/this/eveningActor: no/go/movies Interviewer:  which/movieActor:  not/say Sample Solution Interviewer:  Thank you for letting me interview you today. I know how busy you are.Actor:  Youre welcome. It was  a pleasure to meet you. Interviewer:  Are you working on any new films these days?Actor: Yes, Im acting in Sun in My Face this month. Its a great film! Interviewer:  Congratulations! May I ask you some questions about your life?Actor:  Of course you can! I can answer almost any question! Interviewer:  Great. Acting is hard work. What do you like doing after work?Actor:  Yes, it is very hard work. I  usually relax by my pool.   Interviewer:  What are you doing today for relaxation?Actor: Im having an interview today!   Interviewer:  Thats very funny! Where do you enjoy going in the evening?Actor: I usually just stay home! Im boring! Interviewer:  Are you staying home this evening?Actor: No, actually. This evening Im going to the movies. Interviewer:  Which movie are you going to see?Actor: I cant say, its a secret!