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The Marlow Bay Cookie Trial

Step into a courtroom drama in the coastal town of Marlow Bay and decide whether Elena Rossi copied a rival’s famous cookie recipe. You’ll examine clues, hear witness evidence, discuss your opinion politely, and build a reasoned verdict using present perfect and past simple.

B2 Upper intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher

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1. Image

Welcome to Marlow Bay, where a courtroom drama is about to begin. Look closely at the bakery, the seaside setting, and the clues that may decide Elena’s fate.

Teacher note: Welcome to Marlow Bay, where a courtroom drama is about to begin. Look closely at the bakery, the seaside setting, and the clues that may decide Elena’s fate.

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2. Vocabulary

  • evidence
    facts, objects, or details that help show what happened
  • witness
    a person who saw something, heard something, or knows something useful about the case
  • prosecution
    the side that tries to prove the defendant is guilty
  • defense
    the side that tries to show the defendant is not guilty
  • verdict
    the final decision made by the jury or judge
  • copy
    to use someone else’s work as if it were your own
  • claim
    to say something is true, especially when it still needs proof
  • allege
    to say someone did something wrong without full proof
  • reasonable doubt
    a fair reason to be unsure about a guilty verdict

Teacher note: Courtroom and opinion language for the Marlow Bay trial.

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3. Grammar

Present Perfect and Past Simple

Grammar focus

Use present perfect to talk about things that are connected to the present, especially recent developments, results, or information that is still important now.

Use past simple to talk about completed actions at a finished time in the past, especially when you mention a clear time such as yesterday, last week, on Thursday, in 2023, two days ago.

In this courtroom case, both tenses are useful:

  • Present perfect for what the investigation has discovered so far
  • Past simple for what someone saw, said, bought, or did on a specific day

Form

Present perfect

have / has + past participle

  • Elena has opened a new bakery.
  • The police have found a receipt.
  • The witness has given a statement.

Past simple

past verb form

  • Elena opened The Blue Door in March.
  • Mia saw the cookies on Thursday.
  • The manager said the kitchen was busy.

When to use each tense

Use present perfect when:

  • the result is important now
  • the time is not finished yet
  • you are talking about recent evidence or an ongoing investigation

Examples:

  • The prosecution has collected three pieces of evidence.
  • The jury has heard one witness statement already.
  • We have not reached a verdict yet.
  • Someone has sent a text message about the recipe.

Use past simple when:

  • the action happened at a finished time
  • the sentence includes a clear past time reference
  • you are describing a specific event in the timeline

Examples:

  • Mia worked at the bakery last summer.
  • She noticed the receipt on Thursday afternoon.
  • Marco made the original cookie recipe in 2022.
  • The lawyer asked three questions during the hearing.

Contrast in the trial story

  • The prosecution has gathered evidence. = the evidence is available now.
  • The prosecution gathered evidence yesterday. = the action happened at a finished time.
  • The witness has spoken to the court. = this matters now.
  • The witness spoke to the court this morning. = the speaking happened at a specific time.
  • Elena has denied the allegation. = her denial is still relevant.
  • Elena denied the allegation during the interview on Monday. = the interview happened at a finished time.

Common time expressions

Often used with present perfect

  • already
  • yet
  • just
  • so far
  • recently
  • up to now
  • this week / this month / today

Often used with past simple

  • yesterday
  • last night
  • last year
  • in 2024
  • two days ago
  • on Friday
  • at 3 p.m.

Examples from the case

  • The jury has heard two witness statements so far.
  • The police found a receipt in the bakery drawer yesterday.
  • Elena has not admitted copying the recipe.
  • The manager said the cookies looked similar on opening day.
  • The defence has argued that similarity is not the same as copying.
  • A customer noticed the new packaging last Saturday.
  • The prosecution has not proved the claim beyond reasonable doubt.
  • The court heard the final statement on Monday afternoon.

Common mistakes

  • ✕
    The witness has saw the kitchen.
    • ✓
      The witness saw the kitchen.
  • ✕
    We found the receipt just now. / We have found the receipt yesterday.
    • ✓
      We have found the receipt just now. / We found the receipt yesterday.
  • ✕
    Elena copied the recipe already.
    • ✓
      Elena has copied the recipe already. / Elena copied the recipe last year.
  • ✕
    The lawyer asked the question since Monday.
    • ✓
      The lawyer has asked the question since Monday.
  • ✕
    The evidence has arrived on Tuesday.
    • ✓
      The evidence arrived on Tuesday.

Tip for this lesson

If you can point to a finished time, choose past simple. If the result, evidence, or situation is still important now, choose present perfect.

Teacher note: Present perfect and past simple for the Marlow Bay investigation.

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4. Grammar practice

Choose the correct tense for each courtroom sentence.

1.

The defense says Elena _____ several new cookie recipes since she opened The Blue Door.

2.

The police _____ the receipt in a box behind the counter on Monday.

3.

The witness _____ the supplier’s message after the afternoon delivery.

4.

By the time the jury arrived, both sides _____ the bakery photo carefully.

5.

Elena _____ that she bought the ingredients herself, but she has not shown more proof yet.

6.

The prosecution _____ the same recipe details in the notes last week.

Teacher note: Choose present perfect or past simple in the courtroom investigation.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • Q1A. has developed
  • Q2B. found
  • Q3B. checked
  • Q4C. had studied
  • Q5B. has said
  • Q6B. noticed

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5. Image

Look closely at The Blue Door bakery and the clues in the window and on the counter. What might the photo suggest about the case?

Teacher note: Look closely at The Blue Door bakery and the clues in the window and on the counter. What might the photo suggest about the case?

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6. Listening

Your browser does not support audio playback.

Listen to the witness statement. Then answer the questions about what Mia noticed, what she was unsure about, and which details may matter most in court.

Teacher audio script
Mia: I worked at The Blue Door when Elena first opened it, so I know the bakery well. On Thursday afternoon, I was in the kitchen for most of the shift. I saw Elena place two trays of cookies side by side and compare them carefully. One tray looked finished, while the other was still being tested. On the counter, there was a receipt for almond flour, dark chocolate, and brown sugar. I remember that because I had just checked the stock list.

Later, I heard Elena tell a supplier that the new cookie was inspired by a famous seaside recipe, but that she had changed the balance of ingredients. A few minutes after that, I noticed a text message on her phone. It said, "People have noticed the old recipe." I could not read the sender’s name, because the screen turned away from me. I am not saying she copied anything, but I do think the timing was unusual, and the message made me pay closer attention.

Teacher note: Listen to a careful witness statement about the bakery case

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7. Matching

Match each evidence item with the idea it supports.

Column A

Column B

Teacher note: Match each piece of evidence with what it suggests.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • 1. Receipt for almond flour and brown sugarIngredients used in the bakery
  • 2. Text message about the old recipePossible awareness of the rival recipe
  • 3. Photo of cookie displayThe cookies looked similar
  • 4. Witness statement from MiaSomeone saw events in the kitchen
  • 5. Marco’s claimAn accusation, not full proof

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8. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Courtroom Discussion: Build and Challenge an Argument

Roles

  • Student A begins as the prosecution.
  • Student B begins as the defense.
  • After 3–4 minutes, switch roles and repeat with a new angle.

Task

Use the case notes to discuss which evidence is most convincing. Keep your tone polite, but make your reasons clear. Try to support every opinion with one detail from the trial.

Speaking moves to practise

  • From my point of view, ...
  • I agree, but ...
  • I’m not convinced because ...
  • There is strong evidence that ...
  • There is weak evidence for ...
  • Could you explain why you think that?
  • That may be true, although ...
  • I see your point, and I would add that ...

Discussion prompts

  • Which item of evidence looks most reliable, and why?
  • Which detail could be explained in more than one way?
  • Does the receipt prove copying, or only shopping?
  • How much weight should the jury give to the witness statement?
  • Is similarity in taste enough to support the allegation?
  • What part of the case creates reasonable doubt?
  • If you were on the defense, which point would you attack first?
  • If you were on the prosecution, which fact would you emphasize most?

Final pair challenge

End your discussion with one sentence that sounds like a real courtroom conclusion. Your partner should respond with a short agreement or polite challenge.

Teacher note: Pair discussion for polite agreement, disagreement, and reasons.

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9. Short answer

Write short evidence notes for each question. Use 1–2 sentences.

1.

Which piece of evidence is the strongest? Explain why.

2.

Which piece of evidence is the weakest? Explain why.

3.

What has the prosecution claimed so far?

4.

What did the witness say she saw or heard?

Teacher note: Write brief evidence notes using courtroom language.

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10. AI conversation

Roles set by your teacherRole-play

Who is responsible for what

Stay in your role during the live voice chat. The AI partner follows the other role.

You (student)

Prosecution or defense lawyer

AI partner

Witness Mia, bakery assistant at The Blue Door

What to do

  • Use your microphone and speak like a lawyer in a courtroom.
  • Keep the conversation going for about 5 minutes.
  • Ask polite, clear questions and follow up on Mia’s answers.
  • Stay in role and on topic: the bakery, the recipe, and the evidence.

Students connect here for a live 5-minute AI voice conversation.

Teacher note: Role-play cross-examination in the Marlow Bay courtroom: the student questions witness Mia about bakery evidence and events.

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11. Spot the mistake

Find and correct the six mistakes in the prosecution speech.

Find the mistakes

Mark at least one word to finish this step (when required)

Teacher note: Find and correct grammar and word-choice errors in a trial speech.

Answer key (teachers only)

Students do not see this. Add or update questions and answers below the activity.

  • 1. has copiedcopied
  • 2. buyedbought
  • 3. has sawsaw
  • 4. knewknown
  • 5. waswere
  • 6. In my point of viewFrom my point of view

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12. Writing task

Students write a short verdict note for the Marlow Bay case. They must choose guilty, innocent, or partly responsible, and give at least three reasons using persuasive language and present perfect/past simple where suitable. Encourage balanced language and clear evidence references.

Aim for at least 70 words.

Teacher note: Write a short verdict note deciding Elena’s case and supporting it with evidence.

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13. Board game

Student's turn (preview)

Student

Roll

Teacher

Preview — dice sync when the lesson is live

Roll a die, move along the courtroom path, and complete the task on each space. Work with a partner or the teacher, use the evidence, and try to reach the final verdict at FINISH.

Teacher note: Roll a die, move along the courtroom path, and complete the task on each space. Work with a partner or the teacher, use the evidence, and try to reach the final verdict at FINISH.

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14. Speaking

Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner

Jury Judgment Discussion

As a class, you are the jury in the Marlow Bay case. Decide together whether Elena is guilty, innocent, or partly responsible.

Step 1: Choose your verdict

  • Work in small groups and agree on one final decision.
  • Use the evidence you have seen, heard, and discussed.

Step 2: Give one clear reason

Each student should speak for 20–30 seconds and include:

  • one opinion phrase
  • one sentence in the past simple or present perfect
  • one reason linked to evidence

Useful language

  • I believe that...
  • In my opinion...
  • I’m not fully convinced because...
  • The strongest point is...
  • We have seen that...
  • The witness said that...
  • This suggests that...
  • That does not prove...

Speaking prompts

  • Which piece of evidence matters most in the final decision?
  • What makes the receipt, text message, or witness statement more or less reliable?
  • Has the prosecution proved copying, or only similarity?
  • Does the defence create reasonable doubt?
  • What happened in the past that still affects the case now?
  • Which detail was seen or heard, and why is it important?
  • Why did your group choose this verdict?
  • What would you say to the judge in one final sentence?

Final class decision

After everyone speaks, the class should state the verdict together and give a short reasoned explanation.

Teacher note: Jury-style speaking: announce the judgment and justify it clearly.

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15. Voice message

Record a voice message of up to 45 seconds. Say your final verdict in the Marlow Bay case: guilty, innocent, or partly responsible. Give a clear reason, use persuasive language, and include at least one sentence in the past simple or present perfect. Finish with a short conclusion that sounds like a real jury decision.

Tap to record

Up to 45 seconds

Teacher note: Record a short final verdict message with a clear conclusion.

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