Artist profile
James Tissot 1836–1902 · Victorian / Realism
James Tissot (1836–1902) was part of Victorian / Realism — mid-1800s paintings of ordinary people and everyday life, painted as they really looked. Their most famous work is The Ball on Shipboard.
A gentle note
James Tissot's work fits describing people, question forms, storytelling better than "present simple". Try one of those focuses, or pick another artist from the gallery.
Set the room
Shape the lesson
The painting adapts to your focus — chosen now: The Ball on Shipboard .
CEFR level B1 B2 C1 C2
Language focus Pick one thing your students will actually walk out able to do.
Grammar Vocabulary Function
to be (am / is / are) — affirmative, negative, questions (A1–A2) have got / has got (A1–A2) present continuous — events in progress (A1–B1) articles a / an / the (A1–B1) plural nouns (-s) (A1–A2) possessive 's (A1–B1) possessive adjectives (my / your / his / her …) (A1–A2) subject & object pronouns (A1–B1) can / can't for ability, offers, requests, possibility (A1–B1) imperatives (affirmative & negative) (A1–B1) this / that / these / those (demonstratives) (A1–B1) common adjectives — position & word order (A1–A2) coordinating conjunctions: and / but / or (A1–B1) wh- questions (what / where / who / when / why) (A1–B1) how much / how many (A1–B1) like + noun / like + -ing (A1–B1) would like (invitations, wishes, preferences) (A1–B1) because — giving reasons (A1–B1) past simple 'was / were' (A1–A2) future 'will' — plans & intentions (affirmative) (A1–A2) 'very' as a modifier (with adjectives & adverbs) (A1–A2) indefinite pronouns: something / someone / anything … (A1–B1) past simple (regular & irregular) — affirmative, negative, questions (A2–B1) past continuous (A2–B1) past simple vs past continuous (A2–B2) be going to — plans, intentions & predictions (A2–B1) will for predictions, offers, requests & willingness (A2–B2) adverbs of manner (-ly) (A2–B2) countable & uncountable nouns + quantifiers (A2–B1) some / any / no / every compounds (A2–B2) much / many / a lot of / a little / a few (A2–B1) have to / don't have to (obligation & absence of obligation) (A2–B1) must / mustn't (obligation & prohibition) (A2–B2) should / shouldn't for advice & suggestions (A2–B2) may / might — permission & possibility (A2–B2) shall for offers & suggestions (A2–B2) could — ability, requests & suggestions (A2–B2) will be able to (future ability) (A2–B1) present perfect with ever / never / just / already / yet (A2–B2) too & enough (with adjectives) (A2–B1) first / then / next / finally (sequencers) (A2–B1) infinitive of purpose (to + verb) (A2–B2) verb + -ing (like / love / hate / enjoy + -ing) (A2–B2) verb + to-infinitive (want / need / decide + to …) (A2–B2) would like / would prefer / would love (A2–B2) defining relative clauses with who / which / that (A2–B2) question tags — introduction (A2–B2) past simple passive (basic) (A2–B1) reflexive pronouns (myself, yourself …) (A2–B2) possessive pronouns (mine, yours, his, hers …) (A2–B2) 'be' + adjective + that-clause (I'm sure that …) (A2–B1) 'look forward to' + -ing (A2–B2) Duration 30 min 45 min 60 min 90 min
Optional finish End with an art response (students make their own) Learners create their own artwork inspired by the painting's style, subject or mood — and use the target language while planning, labelling and presenting it.
Paint my lesson A complete lesson, painted around The Ball on Shipboard.
