Wall label
The Stone Breakers Gustave Courbet, 1819–1877 · 1849
An old man and a young boy break stones for a road. Courbet shocked Paris by making poor workers as important as kings and saints in painting. The picture was destroyed in 1945.
Why it's great for language
Two workers crushing rocks — perfect for daily routines and the present continuous.
Set the room
Shape the lesson
The painting adapts to your focus — chosen now: The Stone Breakers .
CEFR level A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
Language focus Pick one thing your students will actually walk out able to do.
Grammar Vocabulary Function
have got / has got (A1–A2) present simple — habits & general facts (A1–B1) 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) how much / how many (A1–B1) like + noun / like + -ing (A1–B1) because — giving reasons (A1–B1) future 'will' — plans & intentions (affirmative) (A1–A2) 'very' as a modifier (with adjectives & adverbs) (A1–A2) indefinite pronouns: something / someone / anything … (A1–B1) be going to — plans, intentions & predictions (A2–B1) will for predictions, offers, requests & willingness (A2–B2) adverbs of frequency (position) (A2–B1) 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) shall for offers & 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) first conditional (if + present simple, will …) (A2–B1) defining relative clauses with who / which / that (A2–B2) present 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.
Make it yours One thing about your class — and the lesson will feel built for them.
Optional — but teachers who add this say the lesson lands better.
Paint my lesson A complete lesson, painted around The Stone Breakers.
