The Duolingo Owl Gets Hungry
Grammar: Present perfect and past simple for business narratives
A Business English English lesson exploring technology.
What's in this lesson
A Business English ESL lesson on technology, practising present perfect and past simple for business narratives. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Duolingo Owl Gets Hungry
In 2023, a green cartoon owl became one of the most talked-about brands on the internet. Duolingo's mascot threatened users on TikTok, danced at fashion events, and sent push notifications that read, "These reminders don't seem to be working. We'll stop sending them for now." Millions of people laughed. Many opened the app immediately, out of guilt. That was exactly the point.
Vocabulary
- launched
- freemium
- retention
- brand
Grammar
- Past simple
- Von Ahn launched Duolingo in 2012. — finished event, fixed time
- Present perfect
- The company has grown quickly. — past action, present result
Discussion questions
- Which app do you open every single day?
- Should a company ever make users feel guilty?
- What is the best advert you have ever seen?
The Duolingo Owl Gets Hungry
Grammar: Present perfect and past simple for business narratives
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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