🎯
📕 A2: Grades 10-12 • FUTURE & AMBITIONS

Setting Study Goals and Building Better Habits

In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your study goals and habits using the present simple and 'how to' + verb.

Setting Study Goals and Building Better Habits
💬 Warm-up
1 What is one study goal you have this semester?
2 How do you usually prepare for exams?
3 What skill would you like to improve?

🎯 Objectives

  • Use present simple to describe study habits and goals.
  • Use 'how to' + verb to explain steps and methods.
  • Use vocabulary: goal, improve, progress, focus, prepare, track, skill, challenge.
In this block:

📚 Vocabulary

1.
goal
"My goal is to read one book every month."
something you want to achieve
2.
improve
"I want to improve my English."
to make better
3.
progress
"I check my progress every week."
how much you improve over time
4.
focus
"I need to focus on my homework."
to give attention to one thing
5.
prepare
"I prepare for class by reading the lesson."
to get ready
6.
track
"I track my grades in a notebook."
to record or follow progress
7.
skill
"Writing is an important skill."
ability to do something well
8.
challenge
"This math problem is a big challenge."
something difficult that tests your ability
🗓️ Friday, 9th October 2026
goal
something you want to achieve
improve
to make better
progress
how much you improve over time
focus
to give attention to one thing
prepare
to get ready
track
to record or follow progress
skill
ability to do something well
challenge
something difficult that tests your ability

✍️ Practice

Guess the missing word.
1. The biggest challenge is staying motivated every day.
2. My main goal is to finish my project on time.
3. Learning a new skill takes time and patience.
4. It is hard to focus when there is noise around.
5. I want to improve my speaking skills by practicing every day.
6. I use a calendar to track my study hours.
7. We need to prepare for the final exam next week.
8. Every month I check my progress in the app.
🗓️ Friday, 9th October 2026
1. The biggest challenge is staying motivated every day.
2. My main goal is to finish my project on time.
3. Learning a new skill takes time and patience.
4. It is hard to focus when there is noise around.
5. I want to improve my speaking skills by practicing every day.
6. I use a calendar to track my study hours.
7. We need to prepare for the final exam next week.
8. Every month I check my progress in the app.

📖 Reading

Lena's Study Goal Plan

Lena is a student in grade 11. She has a big goal this year: to improve her math grades. Math is hard for her, but she believes she can make progress. First, she needs to focus more in class. She decides to sit in the front and take notes every day.

To prepare for exams, Lena makes a study schedule. She studies for thirty minutes each night. She uses a notebook to track her homework and tests. Tracking helps her see her progress every week. Lena also knows that math is a skill she can learn with practice.

The biggest challenge for Lena is time management. She has many hobbies, so she needs to plan carefully. She asks her teacher for tips. Her teacher says, 'You can use a timer to stay focused.' Lena tries it and it works! She feels more confident now.

Lena's plan is simple: set a goal, prepare every day, and track your progress. She believes that with hard work, she can meet her goal. Do you have a study plan like Lena?

Comprehension Questions

1.
What is Lena's goal this year?
To improve her math grades.
2.
How does Lena prepare for exams?
She makes a study schedule and studies for thirty minutes each night.
3.
What does Lena use to track her homework and tests?
She uses a notebook.
4.
What is Lena's biggest challenge?
Time management.
5.
What tip does Lena's teacher give her?
To use a timer to stay focused.

🎧 Listening Practice

Jessica's Study Goals

0:00 / 0:00
Listening context

Comprehension Questions

1.
What is Jessica's biggest goal this year?
To improve her writing skills.
2.
How does Jessica prepare to improve her writing?
She reads good articles every day to learn new words and sentence structures.
3.
What does Jessica do each evening to practice?
She writes one paragraph each evening.
4.
How does Jessica track her progress?
She keeps a journal and reads old paragraphs every week.
5.
What is Jessica's biggest challenge?
Staying focused when there are distractions.

🗣️ Pair Work

Goal Swap

"Share one study goal with your partner and get feedback. Use the present simple and 'how to' + verb."

👉 Think of one study goal you have.

👉 Use 'how to' + verb to explain your plan.

👉 Ask your partner for feedback and suggestions.

👉 Switch roles and repeat.

🚀 EnglishDee Tasks

KEYWORDS: goal improve progress focus prepare track skill challenge
✍️ WRITING

My Goal Plan

Write about 1 study goal. First, state your goal. Then explain why it matters to you. Finally, list 3 specific steps you will take to achieve it.

✅ Checklist:
  • 80 words minimum.
  • Use at least 4 vocabulary words from the list.
  • Use present simple and 'how to' + verb.
  • Include an introduction, a reason, and three numbered steps.
🎙️ SPEAKING

Goal Talk

Record a 45-second talk explaining your biggest study goal. Start by naming your goal. Then tell why it is important. Finally, explain how you will reach it using 'how to' + verb.

✅ Checklist:
  • 45 seconds recording.
  • Use at least 4 vocabulary words.
  • Focus on fluency and clear pronunciation.
  • Begin with your goal, then reasons, then plan.
Helpful Phrases
  • My biggest study goal is...
  • I want to improve my...
  • To achieve this, I need to...
  • This goal matters because...
  • I track my progress by...
  • One challenge I face is...