Lesson 22: Plans, Places & People

Focus: Prepositions of Time & Place · The Preposition TO · State vs. Action Verbs · Future Tenses
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Vocabulary: Plans, States & Actions

Context: This lesson focuses on three groups: verbs that describe a mental or emotional state (no -ing!), key words for plans and schedules, and everyday action verbs.

1. State Verbs — Never use -ING with these

To know/nəʊ/Знам
To believe/bɪˈliːv/Вярвам
To understand/ˌʌn.dəˈstænd/Разбирам
To remember/rɪˈmem.bər/Помня
To want/wɒnt/Искам
To need/niːd/Нуждая се / Трябва ми
To prefer/prɪˈfɜː/Предпочитам
To hate/heɪt/Мразя
To belong (to)/bɪˈlɒŋ/Принадлежа (на)
To own/əʊn/Притежавам
To agree/əˈɡriː/Съгласен съм

2. Plans & Schedules (Планове и Разписание)

Decision/dɪˈsɪʒ.ən/Решение (make a decision)
Arrangement/əˈreɪndʒ.mənt/Уговорка / Организация
Intention/ɪnˈten.ʃən/Намерение
Prediction/prɪˈdɪk.ʃən/Предсказание / Прогноза
Appointment/əˈpɔɪnt.mənt/Среща / Час при лекар
Schedule/ˈʃed.juːl/Програма / Разписание
Departure/dɪˈpɑː.tʃər/Заминаване / Отпътуване
To confirm/kənˈfɜːm/Потвърждавам
To promise/ˈprɒm.ɪs/Обещавам
To cancel/ˈkæn.səl/Отменям / Анулирам

3. Action Verbs — CAN use -ING

To arrange/əˈreɪndʒ/Организирам / Уреждам
To prepare/prɪˈpeər/Подготвям се
To pack/pæk/Пакувам
To depart/dɪˈpɑːt/Заминавам / Отпътувам
To stay/steɪ/Оставам / Отсядам

Grammar Lab

Five sections, from prepositions to future tenses. Read every explanation before doing the exercises. Each section has one easier and one harder exercise.

1. Prepositions of Time: AT · ON · IN

In Bulgarian, you use "в" for almost every time expression — "в понеделник", "в 5 часа", "в март". In English, you must choose between three different prepositions. The key is to think about how specific the time is: exact clock time → AT, a named day or date → ON, a longer period → IN.

PrepositionUsed forEnglish ExamplesBulgarian Note
AT Exact clock times · holidays & festivals · special expressions: at night, at the weekend "at 8:00" · "at midnight" · "at Christmas" · "at the weekend" ⚠️ "в 8 часа" = AT 8 o'clock — NOT "in 8 o'clock"
ON Named days of the week · specific calendar dates · parts of named days "on Monday" · "on 5th May" · "on Friday morning" · "on my birthday" ⚠️ "в понеделник" = ON Monday — NOT "in Monday"
IN Months · years · seasons · general (non-specific) parts of the day "in March" · "in 2024" · "in summer" · "in the morning" ✓ "в март" = IN March (same logic!) · "в сутринта" = IN the morning
⚠️ Special exception: AT night (never "in night"), but IN the morning / afternoon / evening.
📝 Easy: Choose the correct preposition — AT, ON, or IN.
1. My birthday is ___ July.
2. The meeting is ___ Monday.
3. The film starts ___ 7:30 PM.
4. She was born ___ 1991.
5. He called me ___ night — I was asleep!
6. We usually go to the mountains ___ summer.
🎯 Challenge: Each sentence has TWO gaps. Type each preposition and separate them with a space (e.g. "on at").
1. She called me ___ the morning ___ Monday.
2. The concert is ___ 8:30 PM ___ Saturday.
3. He was born ___ April ___ 1985.
4. I have a dentist appointment ___ 3:00 PM ___ Wednesday.
5. They arrived ___ Christmas ___ the afternoon.

2. Prepositions of Place: AT · ON · IN

The same three prepositions are used for places, but the rules are different. Picture three images: IN = you are inside an enclosed space. ON = something is resting on a surface, or you are travelling on a large vehicle. AT = you are at a specific point or location, like a stop or an address.

IN — Inside a space

  • Countries & cities: "in Bulgaria", "in Sofia"
  • Rooms & buildings: "in the office", "in a flat"
  • Containers: "in a bag", "in the fridge"
  • Small enclosed vehicles: "in a car", "in a taxi"

ON — Surface or large transport

  • Surfaces: "on the table", "on the wall", "on the floor"
  • Large public transport: "on a train", "on a bus", "on a plane"
  • Floors in a building: "on the second floor"

AT — A specific point or location

  • Transport stops: "at the station", "at the bus stop"
  • Events & venues: "at school", "at work", "at a party"
  • Exact addresses: "at 14 Green Street"
💡 Bulgarian comparison: "на масата" → ON the table ✓ · "на гарата" → AT the station (NOT "on") · "в Лондон" → IN London ✓ · "в такси" → IN a taxi (enclosed!) ✓
📝 Easy: Choose the correct preposition — AT, ON, or IN.
1. My notebook is ___ the table.
2. She works ___ London.
3. He is sitting ___ the bus right now.
4. I am waiting for you ___ the bus stop.
5. The milk is ___ the fridge.
6. The meeting room is ___ the third floor.
🎯 Challenge: Each sentence has TWO gaps. Type both prepositions separated by a space (e.g. "in at").
1. He is sitting ___ a taxi ___ the city centre.
2. There is a clock ___ the wall ___ the living room.
3. The office is ___ the fifth floor ___ the building.
4. She is working ___ her desk ___ a small office.
5. We met ___ the station and got ___ the train together.

3. The Preposition TO — Movement vs. Infinitive

The word TO is everywhere in English, but it has two completely different jobs. Getting them confused does not always cause misunderstanding, but knowing the difference helps you understand grammar explanations and use the language more confidently.

🏙️ Job 1: Movement Preposition (TO = towards a place)

TO shows movement towards a destination. A PLACE (noun) always follows it.

"She is driving to the office." ← place after TO

"I am flying to Paris on Friday." ← city after TO

"Let's walk to the station." ← place after TO

⚠️ Exception: "I am going home." — no TO before home!

VS
📖 Job 2: Infinitive Marker (TO = not a preposition!)

When TO comes before a VERB, it makes the infinitive form. No place follows — a VERB follows.

"I want to eat." ← verb after TO

"She needs to study." ← verb after TO

"I am going to travel next year." ← verb after TO (future plan)

💡 Quick test: What comes directly after TO? → A PLACE (noun) = movement preposition · A VERB = infinitive marker, not a preposition
📝 Easy: Is TO a movement Preposition (P) or an Infinitive marker (I)? Choose P or I.
1. "She walked to the station."
2. "I want to drink some water."
3. "Can you come to the office?"
4. "I am going to call her later."
5. "We drove to the countryside."
6. "It is hard to believe."
🎯 Challenge: Fill each blank with AT, IN, ON, or TO. Think about whether you need a movement preposition (TO), a place preposition (AT/IN/ON), or a time preposition (AT/IN/ON).
1. She is driving ___ the airport right now.
2. I arrived ___ the airport two hours early.
3. Let's go ___ the cinema tonight.
4. I am already waiting ___ the cinema. Where are you?
5. They are staying ___ a hotel ___ the city centre.  
6. The meeting is ___ Friday ___ 10:00 AM.  

4. State Verbs vs. Dynamic (Action) Verbs

Dynamic (Action) verbs describe activities and processes — things you can watch someone doing (eating, running, preparing). These CAN be used with -ing in the continuous form. State verbs describe a condition, feeling, thought, or possession that simply EXISTS in your mind or the world. You cannot really "do" them more or less intensely at a given moment, so they are almost never used with -ing.

❌ State verbs — NO -ING form!

Thoughts & beliefs: know, believe, understand, remember, think (= believe)

Feelings & preferences: want, need, prefer, hate, like, love, agree

Possession: have (= own), belong, own


❌ "I am knowing the answer." → ✅ "I know the answer."

❌ "She is wanting a coffee." → ✅ "She wants a coffee."

❌ "This is belonging to me." → ✅ "This belongs to me."

VS
✅ Dynamic verbs — -ING is fine!

Activities: eat, run, work, study, prepare, arrange, pack, depart


✅ "I am eating right now." (action in progress)

✅ "She is preparing the report." (action in progress)

✅ "He is packing his bag." (action in progress)


⚠️ Have is tricky: "I have a car." (= own → state, no -ing) vs "I am having lunch." (= eating → action, -ing is fine!)

📝 Easy: Choose the correct form — Present Simple (state) or Present Continuous (action in progress).
1. I ___ the answer to that question.
2. Shh! I ___ the news right now.
3. Who does this jacket ___ ?
4. She ___ a new laptop — her old one is broken.
5. We ___ dinner at the moment. Can I call you back?
🎯 Challenge — Error correction: Each sentence uses the WRONG verb form. Type only the correct replacement. Example: "I am knowing him" → type: know
1. "I am wanting a cup of tea." →
2. "Are you believing what he told you?" →
3. "This car is belonging to my brother." →
4. "I am remembering her face but not her name." →
5. "She is not understanding the grammar rule." →

5. Future Tenses: Will · Going To · Present Continuous

In Bulgarian, "ще" covers nearly every future situation. In English, the form you choose tells the listener when you made the decision and how fixed the plan is. Using the wrong form does not always cause confusion, but native speakers will notice — and in exams it matters.

WILL — Snap decisions & predictions

  • A decision made right now, at this moment.
  • "The phone's ringing — I'll get it!"
  • Promises: "I will help you tomorrow."
  • Offers: "Those bags look heavy — I will carry them!"
  • General predictions: "I think it will be cold."

GOING TO — Intentions & evidence

  • A decision made before speaking — already planned.
  • "I am going to buy a new car." (I decided this already)
  • Predictions based on what you can see right now.
  • "Look at those clouds! It is going to rain!"

PRESENT CONTINUOUS — Fixed arrangements

  • A plan that is confirmed and booked — with another person, a ticket, or a diary entry.
  • "I am meeting Maria at 6:00." (already arranged)
  • "We are flying to Paris on Friday." (tickets booked)
📝 Easy: Choose the correct future form. Think about why it is used.
1. "Are you ready to order?" — "Yes, I ___ have the chicken, please."
2. I can't come tonight — I ___ dinner with my parents. We booked the restaurant last week.
3. Watch out! Those bags are right at the edge — you ___ drop them!
4. Next year, we ___ travel to Japan. We have already saved the money and decided.
🎯 Challenge: Type the correct future form of the verb in brackets. The clue in brackets tells you the reason.
1. I already have my tickets. I ___ (fly) to Berlin on Tuesday. (arrangement)
2. Look at those dark clouds! It ___ (rain) very soon. (prediction from evidence)
3. I promise I ___ (call) you tomorrow morning. (promise)
4. She has already decided — she ___ (study) medicine at university. (intention)
5. Wait — I ___ (get) the door! You stay there. (snap decision)

Reading: Future Plans

Read the texts carefully, then choose the best answer (A, B, C, or D). Press Check Answers when you finish each text.
✈️

Text 1: Sophie's Big Decision

Sophie is a twenty-eight-year-old English teacher from Bristol. She has been thinking about her future for months, and last week she finally made a decision. She is going to leave her job at the end of June and travel abroad for a year. She has already booked her flight — she is flying to Bangkok on 14th July at 06:45 from Heathrow airport. Before she leaves, Sophie needs to do several important things. She is meeting her bank manager on Thursday at 10:30 to discuss her savings. She also wants to sell her car and find someone to look after her flat while she is away. Her friends believe she is very brave. Sophie understands that life abroad will be difficult at first, but she does not want to spend her whole life in one city. She prefers to take risks and see new places. "I know I will love it," she says with a smile. In the evenings, she is already learning some basic Thai words at home.

Questions:

1. What decision did Sophie make last week?

2. When does her flight to Bangkok depart?

3. What is Sophie doing in the evenings at home right now?

4. Why doesn't Sophie want to stay in one city forever?

💼

Text 2: David's Very Long Thursday

David is an accountant who works in central London. This Thursday is going to be an extremely long day. His first appointment starts at 8:00 in the morning at a client's office near the river. David is taking the underground to get there because he believes the traffic will be terrible at that time of day. The meeting will probably last about two hours. In the afternoon, David is having lunch with his manager at a restaurant in the city centre. They are going to discuss a new project that starts in February. David needs to bring all his reports to the lunch, so his bag is very heavy today. At 7:30 in the evening, David and his wife are seeing a new play at the Royal Theatre. They booked the tickets three weeks ago. David wants to finish work on time, but he does not know if the afternoon meeting will end early. He remembers how upset his wife was the last time he arrived late to the theatre.

Questions:

1. Why is David taking the underground to his morning meeting?

2. What are David and his manager going to discuss at lunch?

3. Why is David's bag so heavy today?

4. What does David remember about the last time he was late?

Text 1 / 2

Cloze Text: Tom's Busy Week

Choose the correct word or phrase from each drop-down menu. This text tests prepositions of time (AT/ON/IN), prepositions of place (AT/ON/IN), the movement preposition TO, state verbs, and future tenses. There are 14 gaps — gaps 1–7 for Student A, gaps 8–14 for Student B.

Tom's Busy Week

Tom has a very busy week ahead. Monday morning, he is driving work because the underground is not running today. He is meeting a new client nine o'clock the large conference room on the second floor. Tom it will be a productive morning, and he has already prepared all his documents.

Wednesday, he is flying Paris for a two-day conference. The flight at 14:30 from Heathrow. He is staying a hotel near the conference centre. Tom to visit some art galleries in the evenings, but he if he will have enough time after the long meetings.

the weekend, his wife is planning to visit him Paris. They are going to have dinner together at a beautiful restaurant near the river. Tom family time over work, and he knows it will be a wonderful end to a very busy week.

Exercises (15 Sets)

All exercises practise grammar only: prepositions of time · prepositions of place · the preposition TO · state verbs · future tenses. Type your answer and press Check. The correct answer appears if you get it wrong.