SPEAKING

PART 2 - PAST EXPERIENCES

OBJECTIVES
In this lesson, you will:
• practice Part 2 questions related to the past/past experiences/past events

A. THEORY
Tips for telling a good story about past experiences
• Pay attention to tense: since the experience was in the past, make sure you use verbs in the
past tense correctly.
• Useful opener:
I’d like to talk about the time when I [EXPERIENCE]
Well, there are many things that I could talk about, but I suppose the most exciting experience
was when I [EXPERIENCE]

Using sequencing language

• To show time order in a story, you can use time phrases, time clauses, and time words such as
first, second, then, next, the next step, the last thing ... , in addition, before, and after.
• These items are called “sequence words” or transition words because they mark the transition
from one step to the next.
Sequence words Example use
First, (Second, Third, etc.) First, I arrived at the bus station around 9pm.
Then, Next, After that, Before I then waited in a long line to buy the ticket. Even after that, I
had to wait for another hour for the bus.
Finally, In the end Finally, I got on the bus at around 12am.

B. IN-CLASS PRACTICE
B.1| CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION
Read the answer to the Part 2 prompt below and choose the correct sequencing expressions to
complete the story.

Describe something you did that was exciting

You should say:
- what you did
- where and when you did this
and why was it exciting

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“The most exciting thing I’ve ever done was travelling to Singapore all by myself. I made the trip right
after I graduated. It was quite an eventful experience for the 18 year old me. I 1first/secondly arrived at
Singarpore International Airport at around 6am. The place was so big and crowded that it took me an
hour to find the exit gate. 2Then/Before that, I tried to catch a taxi but there wasn’t any available, so I
had to use the MRT-the Singaporian subway. I almost got off at the wrong stations quite a few times but
3
after that/finally, I arrived at the hotel around 12pm. 4Before/Then, I decided to explore the city on
foot in the afternoon. I spent 3 days there and on the 5first/last day, I went to the shopping district and
bought lots of souvenirs for my family and friends back home. It was the most amazing adventure I’ve
ever had; I visited so many amazing places and enjoyed the opportunity of travelling alone for the first
time.”

B.2| NOTE TAKING

Which exciting experience can you remember? Take down some notes by answering the questions below.

1. What did you do? (list all actions) 2. When, where (with whom)?

3. Why was the experience exciting?

B.3| INTERVIEW
Now, read the prompt below and do the tasks.

Describe something you did that was exciting

You should say:
- what you did
- where and when you did this
and why it was exciting
• Work in pairs.
• Student A: speak for 1-2 minutes about your experience.
• Student B: as you listen, write yes or no beside sentences 1-6.
1 The talk is easy to understand.
2 The speaker often pauses and hesitates.
3 The speaker stays on the topic of the question.
4 The talk is too long.
5 The talk is too short.
6 The talk is interesting.
Swap roles. Student B, you speak for 1-2 minutes about your day and Student A, you listen. Show your
feedback to each other and discuss how you can improve.

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B. 4| FIND SB WHO...
Go around the class and ask your classmates about their experiences.
• Take notes of the names of the classmates who recently had the experiences listed below.
• Take notes of the details of their experiences (where?what activities? how they felt about it?).
• Use the conversation in the box below as an example:

Ask: Did you travel abroad recently?

Answer: Yes, I did
Ask: Tell me about it
Answer: Well, I went to France with my family for a week. We visited lots of famous
attractions and ate lots of good food. It was a rather nice trip

Find someone who NAME OF

NOTE OF STORIES
recently... CLASSMATE

location:

travelled abroad. activities:

feeling:

location:
visited a museum or activities:
an exhibit
feeling:

location:

went to the cinema activities:

feeling:

location:

hung out with friends activities:

feeling:

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C. HOMEWORK
C. 1| TAKE NOTES
Think of a time when you did something rewarding. Make notes using the table below.

1. What did you do? (list all actions) 2. When, where (with whom)?

3. How did you feel about it? 4. Why was this experience rewarding?

C.2| WRITE DOWN YOUR ANSWER

Write your answer to the prompt below, using your notes to help you.

Describe a time you did something rewarding

You should say:
- what you did
- where and when you did this
- how did you feel about the experience
and explain why it was so rewarding

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