Used to vs Past Simple
B2 level
Description
Materials
Main Aims
-
To provide clarification and practice of used to, would and past simple form in the context of childhood food memories.
Subsidiary Aims
-
To provide practice of language used for students to use the verb forms 'used to ' ,'would' and past simple in the right place.
Procedure (21-45 minutes)
Our class starts with the teacher writing an example on the board from the text with gaps in places of the verbs. The teacher will ask the students if they know what verb format to put in the gaps (elicit the answer). - "They ________ all ______ around, eating and sighing.” (would stand) - They _____ to bring a Styrofoam cooler of oysters. ( used) The teacher will ask the students if they can fill in the gaps.
- The teacher will do the clarification by asking the students questions (CCQs) about the example above: - Do they still stand around eating and sighing? - Are they talking about a past or future situation?"(past) - Repeat the sentence, they would all stand around eating and sighing? (drilling) *** *White board* - Would / Used to - The teacher will ask the students what these verb forms are (check if they have previous knowledge) and why they are being used or if they can provide examples of their own. If not provide sentences on my own. - We used to live in New York when I was a kid . (happened in the past but they don't happen anymore) - Every Saturday I would go on a long bike ride." (would is used to talk about past actions, however, only 'used to' is possible when we talk about past states. ) - I went to Egypt in 1988 . ( past simple used for past states) - Make sure the students understand the difference between ‘used to ‘ and ‘would’ and how they are not to be used interchangeably. - Example: - We used to live in New York when I was a kid. - We would live in New York when I was a kid. - Students must understand that ' past simple ' is.used for something that only happened once
- Teacher will give students the gap sheet and ask them to solve alone - give clear instructions and timing. * Instruction: I will give you this sheet of paper and I want you to take 2 minutes to solve it on your own. * - Ask students to compare their answers in pairs before feedback. *Instruction: I want you to check your answers with the person next to you. You will do this in pairs. (ICQS: How many people are you going to check your answers with? 2) - Check the answers with the whole class. - Repeat the same thing, give students a gap fill sheet to practice, solve alone, check answers in pairs , then check with the whole class.
- Teacher asks students to write 5 sentences using the verb forms they learned today. After having used the language so many times, first from text, then from the gap filled exercises that they have done, students should have an understanding and be able to formulate their own sentences using it.