Manuals > General English > Rosetta Stone Advantage > Elementary - Book 2 > Lesson 19
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By the end of the lesson, the student should be able to discuss past habits.
Communication strategies:
The student should be able to describe past habits using the following strategy:
1) state what your old habit was and when you did it
2) share some details about what you used to do.
3) compare it to what you do now.
e.g.
Back when I was in in scouts, I used to be very active and go camping a lot, but I’m not so active anymore and I haven’t been camping for a long time. I went canoeing a lot as a scout and I still go canoeing now. I love it and it’s really good exercise. I used to be able to build a campfire. Sadly, I can’t do that anymore. I guess I forgot how to do it. When I was a scout, I would always eat marshmallows when I went camping. I no longer eat them cause because they are just too sweet.
Words and rules:
- The student should be able to use "no longer" e.g. I no longer do that.
- The student should be able to use "used to" e.g. I used to do that as a kid.
- The student should be able to use "would" e.g. I would always do that as a kid.
- The student should be able to use "not any more" e.g. I don't do that anymore.
- The student should be able to use "still" e.g. I still do that.
- The student should be able to name some different things kids do. e.g. blow bubbles
Appropriateness:
Non-verbal behaviour: NA
Register: When talking about our childhood we usually use a casual register.
Social rules: NA
Cultural references: The US and The UK have slightly different school systems. e.g. elementary vs. primary
Track #48
I eat really healthfully now, but I used to eat junk food every day when I was a kid.
Track #49
I have an amazing job now, but I used to be unemployed for a long time.
Track #50
When I was in high school, I used to belong to a baseball club. Now, I’m the manager of a professional baseball team.
Track #51
When my father was young, he used to run for miles, now he is old and fat, and he sits down all day! He can’t run very far anymore.
Because the lesson touches on the topic of childhood habits, you are welcome to introduce some of the following vocabulary if you like.
1) play tag (v)
2) play hide and seek (v)
3) play with Lego (v)
4) ride a tricycle (v)
5) paint (v)
6) climb on a jungle gym (v)
7) play dress up (v)
8) put on a play (v)
9) build a fort (v)
10) plant vegetables (v)
Option 1:
Difficulty ★★
Type:
Let's start - Warm-up discussion
Purpose: Steering the student into the goal of the lesson before opening the book.
Method:
Before you open the book, take turns listing 5 or so things you did in primary school.
e.g. I played dodgeball every day.
Option 2:
Difficulty ★★
Type:
Let's practice - Controlled practice - sentence transformation
Purpose:
Teaching the student how to use present perfect to link the past to the present
Method: Have the student make a sentence about a past habit they no longer do, then add information about how long they haven't done it for using the present perfect tense.
e.g. I used to go swimming all the time. But I don't really have time anymore. I probably haven't gone swimming in over 5 years.
Extra questions you might like to ask in the lesson
- What did you used to do when you were 10?
- What would you do after school?
- What was it like growing up in New York?
- Do you still ski?
- Why did you stop?
A speaking hint you might like to use
AAA (Answer > Add > Ask)
> Feel free to use this speaking hint in the “Let’s Practice” / “Let’s Speak” sections of the lesson
e.g. What was your favorite show as a kid?
ANSWER: Dragonball
ADD:
When I was in primary school I would rush home every day so that I could watch it.
ASK: How about you?
Some grammar that might come up in the lesson
Using "would" to describe a past habit
Let’s start
Match the vocabulary to the pictures.
Top line (L>R)
go on a school trip / go camping / go kayaking
Bottom line (L>R)
do cartwheels / blow bubbles / have a picnic
1) Which of the activities have you done recently?
I went camping last week. I haven’t gone kayaking in about 10 years.
2) What other activities did you do as a child?
I used to play with action figures a lot. I also loved watching cartoon. My favorite cartoon was TNMT.
Let’s try
Past habit / Current habit
Track #48
eat junk food every day / eat really healthfully
Track #49
be unemployed / have an amazing job
Track #50
belong to a baseball club / the manager of a professional baseball team
Track #51
run for miles / sits down all day
Let’s practice
Boyscout (17) Now (31)
very active no
go camping no
go canoeing yes
able to build a campfire no
eat marshmallows no
Expected outcome
Back when I was in in scouts, I used to be very active and go camping a lot, but I’m not so active anymore and I haven’t been camping for a long time. I went canoeing a lot as a scout and I still go canoeing now. I love it and it’s really good exercise. I used to be able to build a campfire. Sadly, I can’t do that anymore. I guess I forgot how to do it. When I was a scout, I would always eat marshmallows when I went camping. I no longer eat them cause because they are just too sweet.
Student (16) Now (25)
study really hard no
eat a lot of junk food yes
take the bus to school no
go on school trips every year no
see my friends every day no
Expected outcome
I used to study really hard when I was a student, but now because I graduated I don’t need to study hard anymore. When I was younger I ate a lot of junk food, and I still do so now. Also, I would always take the bus to school, but I don’t do that anymore because I can drive now. I also used to see my friends every day, but now I don’t see my friends as often. I used to go on school trips every year, but now because I’m in Uni, I don’t go on school trips anymore.
Let’s speak
When I was a kid I loved watching TV, my favorite show was TNMT. My friends and I used to watch it every weekend. We would dress up as our favorite characters and pretend to fight. It was lots of fun. I used to be Donny. My brother would always be Leo, and my friends Sam and Blake were always Raph and Mikey. It was lots of fun. Nowadays, when I see Sam and Blake we still hang out and watch TV, but we don’t watch TMNT anymore. How about you? What did you used to do as a kid?