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GENERAL ENGLISH · PRACTICAL ENGLISH · PRE-INTERMEDIATE (A2-B1)

MAN’S BEST
FRIEND
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1 Warm up

These people are talking about having a pet. Read what they say and decide if each one is for or
against having a pet.

"I don’t want to clean "I’m allergic to fur." - Jo "It can help you make "I’m very busy at work
up after it." - Martin new friends." -Katie so I don’t have much
free time." - Agnes

"You will be healthier "It reduces stress." - "Food and medicine are "You get lots of
and live longer." - Maria Anne very expensive." - Eve exercise." - Marcus

Do you have a pet? Why/not?

Can you think of any other reasons for or against having a pet?

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2 Listening
Kim has a new dog, Pep. Listen to the conversation between Kim and her friend George. Put a K next
to the things that Kim talks about and a G next to the things that George talks about.

Positives: Negatives:

getting exercise being allergic

living longer being busy

making friends cleaning up

reducing stress the cost or expense

Listen again and choose the best answer to complete the sentences.

1. Kim and George last saw each other 8 / 15 / 18 months ago.

2. Kim has had her dog Pep for 6 weeks / months / years.
3. Pep has changed Kim’s life in a bad way / a little bit / a lot.
4. Kim walks Pep 2-3 times a day / 3-4 times a day / 1-2 times a day.
5. Kim gets up at 5:30 / 6:00 / 6:30.
6. George’s grandmother was 90 / 95 / 100 when she died.

3 Language point
Study the sentences and choose the best option to complete the rules.

1. I used to sit in front of the computer all day and then watch TV in the evenings. But now I go out
for walks with Pep two or three times a day.
2. I used to think that I was busy too, but the problem was that I didn’t use to have a good daily
routine. Now I get up at six and go out with Pep.
3. Spending time with her really helps me relax. I used to be so stressed.
4. And Pep has helped me make a lot of new friends too. I didn’t use to know any of my neighbours,
but now everyone wants to stop and talk to me.
5. What kind of dog did your grandmother use to have?

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MAN’S BEST FRIEND

Choose one option:

1. The form used to + verb describes things in the past that don’t happen now / still happen.
2. We use this form to talk about changes in repeated actions only / repeated actions and states.
3. The negative and question forms have the same / different spelling to the positive forms.

Study the table.

positive I/you/he/she/it/we/they used to sit in

front of the computer.

negative I/you/he/she/it/we/they didn’t use to sit

in front of the computer.

yes/no questions Did I/you/he/she/it/we/they use to sit in

front of the computer?

short answers Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/they did.

No, I/you//he/she/it/we/they didn’t.

question word question When did I/you/he/she/it/we/they use to

sit in front of the computer?

The words in this form are linked, and in fast natural speech, we use this pronunciation for
used to / (didn’t) use to: /ju:st@/

Now, practise example sentences 1-5 using this pronunciation. Build up each sentence like this.

used to

used to sit

I used to sit

I used to sit in front of the computer all day

I used to sit in front of the computer all day and then watch TV in the
evenings.

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4 Practice

Kim adopted Pep from an animal shelter. Before she went to the animal shelter, Pep lived on the
street. Pep’s life changed a lot when Kim adopted her. Use the verb in brackets to complete sentences
about Pep’s life in the past, using used to / didn’t use to.

1. Now I have clean water to drink. I dirty water. (drink)

2. Now I have lots of food to eat. I much food. (have)
3. Now I have a nice warm home, even in the winter. I cold in the winter. (be)
4. Now I feel safe. I safe. (feel)
5. Now Kim is my friend. I any human friends. (have)
6. Now my fur is clean and soft. My fur dirty. (be)
7. Now if I’m sick, I can see the vet. When I lived on the street, I medical attention.
(have)
8. Now I play with other dogs. I other dogs. (fight)
9. Now I enjoy life. I life. (enjoy)
10. Sometimes I ask myself, "How on the streets?" (live)

5 Speaking

Work in A/B pairs. You are going to talk about some pets that you used to have in the past. Working
alone, choose three pets from your list (A or B) and complete the information in the table for this pet.
You can use the ideas you are given and/or invent your own ideas.

Now work with your partner. Take turns to make yes/no questions and answer in full sentences, like
this:

Did your pet use to live in the house? Yes, it used to live in the house. / No, it didn’t use to
live in the house.

For at least one pet, ask and answer questions with question words, like this:

Where did your pet use to live? It used to live in the house.

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Guess which pets your partner used to have: Did you use to have a ....?

Student A used to have a: parrot / donkey / fish / rabbit / lizard / frog / other

Student B used to have a: hamster / pony / stick insect / snake / chicken / other

Pet 1 was a Pet 2 was a Pet 3 was a

It lived: outside / in a
cage / in the house /
other

It ate: meat / fruit and

vegetables / seeds /
other

It was: friendly / shy /

sleepy / other

It cost: a lot of money

/ a bit of money /
very little money

It needed: a lot of
exercise / a lot of
attention / a lot of
special equipment /
other

Problems: allergic /
dirty / dangerous /
other

1. Which pet was the easiest? Which one caused the most problems?
2. Would you like to have any of these pets in the future? Why/not?

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6 Extra practice/homework

Kim’s friend George decided to get a cat. Put the words in order to make sentences about George’s
life before he got a pet. Then match each sentence about the past with a sentence about now.

a / dream / getting / I / of / pet. / to / used /

1.

an / come home / empty house. / from work / I / to / to / used /

2.

anyone / didn’t / have / I / to / to / TV / use / watch / with.

3.

a / be / bit / I / I / stressed. / think / to / used

4.

be / didn’t / healthy. / I / to / use / very /

5.

have / I / money. / more / to / used

6.

all / best / friend / me / My / the / time. / to / used / visit

7.

look / My / nice. / really / sofa / to / used

8.

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Now match the sentences. The first one has been done for you.

Fluff always watches TV with me in the evenings.

Fluff has damaged it.

He’s allergic to cats, so we meet in the pub or at his house.

I finally decided to get a cat from the animal shelter. 1

Now Fluff is here to say hello.

Now I have to buy cat food and pay for her medical care.

Now I’m exercising more because I have to think about Fluff.

Since I got Fluff, I’ve felt a lot happier.

7 Optional extension

Dogs need a lot of things to keep them healthy and happy. Match the words and pictures.

bed brush collar food

kennel lead microchip toy

1. 2. 3. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

1. Do you think all of these things are necessary if you have a dog?
2. Some people even dress their dogs in special clothes. Do you think this is a good idea? Why/not?

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Transcripts

2. Listening

George: Hey, Kim! I haven’t seen you for ages!

Kim: Hi, George! It’s been at least 18 months!

George: You look great!

Kim: Thanks! I feel great.

George: And who’s this?

Kim: This is Pep.

George: I didn’t know you had a dog.

Kim: Well, I’ve had Pep for six months now.

George: I sometimes think about getting a dog.

Kim: Well, you should. It’s amazing. Pep has really changed my life a lot.

George: Oh yeah? How?

Kim: Well, I guess the main change is that I get a lot more exercise now. I used to sit in front of
the computer all day and then watch TV in the evenings. But now I go out for walks with
Pep two or three times a day.

George: I’m not sure I have time to do that.

Kim: Oh, you’ll find time. I used to think that I was busy too, but the problem was that I didn’t
use to have a good daily routine. Now I get up at six and go out with Pep. It’s a great start
to the day and I still have time to work.

George: My grandmother used to have a dog when I was a kid. I really loved that dog. He was my
best friend.

Kim: Yeah, I love Pep so much. Spending time with her really helps me relax. I used to be so
stressed. And Pep has helped me make a lot of new friends too. I didn’t use to know any
of my neighbours, but now everyone wants to stop and talk to me. What kind of dog did
your grandmother use to have?

George: A poodle. You know, my grandmother lived to be 100, and I’m sure it was because she
had a dog.

Kim: Probably. Anyway, I’ve got to go now. Pep needs her exercise. Maybe I’ll see you again
soon...with a dog?

George: Maybe. Bye!

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Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
Go over the introduction to this activity and demonstrate with the first item. Students can continue in pairs.
You may need to elicit/explain the meanings of allergic to fur (animal hair making someone sneeze) and reduces
stress (makes someone feel less worried and more relaxed). When you check answers, ask students to read each
sentence out loud to check their pronunciation. Pose the follow up questions and elicit a few responses from the
class for each one.
Against:
I don’t want to clean up after it;
I’m allergic to fur;
I’m very busy at work so I don’t have much free time.;
Food and medicine are very expensive.
For:
It can help you make new friends.;
You will be healthier and live longer;
It reduces stress.;
You get lots of exercise.

2. Listening

10 mins.
Go over the introduction with the class and the instructions for the first listening activity. In the first activity,
students are listening for some of the ideas from the warmup. Play the recording and then check answers. For
the second listening activity, students will recover more detailed information from the recording. Give students
a minute to work in pairs and recall/predict the correct information. Then play the recording again for them to
check. They can listen twice if they need to. If you have time, students could read the transcript out loud in pairs;
this will help to prepare them for the Language point which follows.
Positives:
K: getting exercise; making friends; reducing stress
G: living longer
Negatives:
G: being busy
Sentences:

1. 18 2. months 3. a lot
4. 2-3 times a day 5. 6:00 6. 100

3. Language point

10 mins.

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Students are introduced to used to + verb to talk about past states and repeated actions that are no longer true.
This form emphasizes that a change has occurred between the past and the present. Go over the examples and
activities to help students formulate the rules. Elicit/explain the meaning of routine if necessary (the way someone
does things every day).

The table is for reference; this is a simple form to construct, as long as students remember to omit the -d for
negatives and questions, as they would for any regular past tense verb. Understanding how the form is pronounced
will help students with both listening and speaking. Drill the five example sentences as a chain drill, as in the
example, starting with used to and adding a bit more to the sentence each time. The schwa sound is unstressed.

1. don’t happen now

2. repeated actions and states (Think, have, be and know are state verbs; sit is an action verb).
3. The positive form has a final -d (used to) while the negative and question forms do not have a final -d (didn’t
use to / did you use to).

4. Practice

10 mins.
Go over the instructions and ask students to read through all the sentences first, to get an idea of the content,
without writing anything. This is excellent exam training for text-based exercises. Students can work alone and
then check answers in pairs, and then with the whole class. Make sure students have spelt and are pronouncing
the forms accurately.
NOTE: If students are finding this difficult, skip the speaking stage and do the extra practice/homework exercises
in class for additional support.

1. used to drink 2. didn’t use to have

3. used to be 4. didn’t use to feel
5. didn’t use to have 6. used to be
7. didn’t use to have 8. used to fight
9. didn’t use to enjoy 10. did I ever use to live

5. Speaking

13 mins.
Go over the context and instructions and set up A/B roles. Make sure students know that they are going to talk
about three former pets (real or imaginary) to practise various forms of used to. Go over the different animals on
both A’s and B’s lists and elicit/explain any unknown vocabulary.
Give students a few minutes to prepare ideas and complete the table. Students could work alone or in A+A and
B+B pairs to do this. Monitor and support as necessary.
Then students recombine into A+B pairs and ask and answer questions to discover the identity of each other’s
pets. They should speak in full sentences, as in the instructions. At least one round of questions should include
question words, rather than yes/no questions. They should not show each other their papers. Again, monitor and
support as necessary and make a note of any errors for feedback later.
Early finishers can discuss the follow-up questions.
Conclude this stage by checking some or all of the questions and answers, or by offering error correction and
feedback.

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6. Extra practice/homework

2 mins to explain.
These exercises can be assigned for homework or used instead of the speaking activity if the class needs more
support. If you use these for homework, make sure that you mark the exercises in a future class, or collect them
from students and mark them yourself outside class. If you prefer, you can make the answers available to students
and they can check their own answers.

1. I used to dream of getting a pet.

2. I used to come home from work to an empty house.
3. I didn’t use to have anyone to watch TV with.
4. I think I used to be a bit stressed.
5. I didn’t use to be very healthy.
6. I used to have more money.
7. My best friend used to visit me all the time.
8. My sofa used to look really nice.
Match the sentences:

1. I finally decided to get a cat from the animal shelter.

2. Now Fluff is here to say hello.
3. Fluff always watches TV with me in the evenings.
4. Since I got Fluff, I’ve felt a lot happier.
5. Now I’m exercising more because I have to think about Fluff.
6. Now I have to buy cat food and pay for her medical care.
7. He’s allergic to cats, so we meet in the pub or at his house.
8. Fluff has damaged it.

7. Optional extension

10 mins.
These exercises are designed as a cooler activity if you have time in your lesson. In this activity, students match dog
accessories and equipment with the pictures. Check answers and then pose the follow-up questions for students
to discuss in pairs or small groups.

1. brush 2. collar 3. bed 4. food

5. lead 6. kennel 7. microchip 8. toy

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