Talking about your hand and fingers
CEFR: A1
Read/Listen first
This is my hand. I am in a small class with my teacher. We are talking about fingers and simple actions. This is my thumb, and this is my ring finger. These are my fingers, and these are my hands. I am waving hello to my friend. She is clapping for me. We are pointing at the board and praying quietly for a good day.⚡ Learning goals
- I can name the main parts of my hand and fingers.
- I can talk about simple actions with my hands now.
- I can use “this is” and “these are” to talk about my body.
✨ Key language
- This is my thumb. “This is my thumb.”
- These are my fingers. “These are my fingers.”
- I am waving. “I am waving hello.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present continuous with I: I am + verb-ing
Rule: Use “I am” plus a verb with -ing to talk about an action now.Examples: I am waving.; I am clapping.; I am pointing at the board.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “I waving”. — Always add “am”: “I am waving”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Remember “am” after “I”.
Fill with the best answer: ___ waving.
Tip: Start with “I am”.
2️⃣ Present continuous with he/she: is + verb-ing
Rule: Use “he is” or “she is” plus a verb with -ing for another person now.Examples: She is clapping.; He is pointing at the board.; She is praying quietly.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “She clapping”. — Add “is”: “She is clapping”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Use “is” with he or she.
Fill with the best answer: ___ clapping.
Tip: Start with “He is”.
3️⃣ Singular demonstratives: This is my + body part
Rule: Use “This is my” plus one body part for one thing near you.Examples: This is my thumb.; This is my ring finger.; This is my hand.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “These is my thumb”. — Use “This is my thumb”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Use “This is my” for one part.
Fill with the best answer: ___ thumb.
Tip: Start with “This is my”.
4️⃣ Plural demonstratives: These are my + plural noun
Rule: Use “These are my” with plural nouns like “fingers” or “hands”.Examples: These are my fingers.; These are my hands.; These are my ring fingers.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “This are my fingers”. — Use “These are my fingers”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Use “These are” with plural nouns.
Fill with the best answer: ___ my fingers.
Tip: Start with “These are”.
✍️ Vocabulary
hand
Meaning: the part of your body at the end of your arm.Synonyms: hand, palm.
Chunk/Idiom: raise your hand.
Example: I raise my hand in class to ask a question.
Morphology: noun, singular, body part.
Self-practice: Point to your hand and say, “This is my hand.”
finger
Meaning: one of the long parts of your hand.Synonyms: finger, digit.
Chunk/Idiom: point with your finger.
Example: I point at the board with my finger in class.
Morphology: noun, singular, countable.
Self-practice: Touch each finger and say its name slowly.
thumb
Meaning: the short, thick finger on the side of your hand.Synonyms: thumb, first finger.
Chunk/Idiom: thumbs up.
Example: I give a thumbs up with my thumb to say “good”.
Morphology: noun, singular, body part.
Self-practice: Move your thumb up and down and say, “This is my thumb.”
ring finger
Meaning: the finger where people usually wear a ring.Synonyms: ring finger, fourth finger.
Chunk/Idiom: wedding ring on the ring finger.
Example: This is my ring finger and I can wear a ring on it.
Morphology: noun, compound, body part.
Self-practice: Touch your ring finger and say, “This is my ring finger.”
waving
Meaning: moving your hand from side to side to say hello or goodbye.Synonyms: waving, greeting.
Chunk/Idiom: waving hello to a friend.
Example: I am waving hello to my friend at the door now.
Morphology: verb form, present participle, action.
Self-practice: Wave your hand and say, “I am waving hello.”
clapping
Meaning: hitting your hands together again and again to show you are happy.Synonyms: clapping, applauding.
Chunk/Idiom: clapping your hands for someone.
Example: We are clapping our hands for the singer on the stage now.
Morphology: verb form, present participle, action.
Self-practice: Clap your hands three times and say, “We are clapping.”
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
This is my hand.
These are my fingers.
She is clapping for me now.
I am waving hello to my friend.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Use “are” with “we” and verb-ing.
Choose the sentence that talks about both hands.
Tip: Use “These are” for more than one.
Fill with the best answer:
___ my hand.Tip: Use “This is my” for one hand.
Fill with the best answer:
___ quietly.Tip: Use “I am” plus a verb with -ing.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which action do you use to say hello with your hand?
Tip: Think about the action when you meet a friend.
Which finger usually has a wedding ring?
Tip: Remember the name in the mini text.
Fill with the best answer:
___ my fingers.Tip: Use “These are” for more than one finger.
Fill with the best answer:
___ clapping.Tip: Use “She is” plus verb-ing for her action.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Hello, I am waving with my hand.B: Hi, I am clapping for you now.
A: This is my ring finger, and these are my fingers.
Why this matters:
Naming your hand and fingers helps you describe pain or problems. It also helps you follow simple instructions in class. You can talk about friendly actions like waving and clapping.Verb & Adjective Pack:
waving — I am waving hello to my friend.clapping — We are clapping for the singer now.
pointing — They are pointing at the board in class.
quiet — We are praying quietly with our hands together.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: ___ my hands.
Tip: Use “These are” for two hands.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: She waving at me.
Tip: Add “is” after “she”.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
i am pointing at the board.
Tip: Say the sentence aloud before you type it.