Lesson 4

Autobiography. Use of English

Aims and objectives:

• practicing the vocabulary

• practicing the grammar (tenses)

• developing speaking skills

Equipment: writing paper, handouts

Sequence

I. Warming-up

Who am I?

In this game, the teacher prepares cards with famous people’s names on them. One card is taped on the back of each student. Then everyone pretends they are at a party and asks each other questions to find out their own identities. When someone guesses their own name correctly, the name-tag gets taped to their front and they continue to chat with the party guests until everyone is wearing the nametag on the front.

II. Main part

1. Grammar work

The teacher asks the students to note down the verb tenses they hear and then reads out the text "Profile: Peter Parker” one more time.

The students share their results (Present Simple, Past Simple, Present Perfect). The teacher elicits the difference of using those tense forms to make sure the students understand the idea.

Practice

Ex. 1

Use the Past Simple or Present Perfect.

1)      I (buy) a new tie last week but I (not wear) it yet.

2)      He (already see) that film. He (see) it when he was in London.

3)      "When __ you (meet) Mr. Smith?” "I (meet) him the day before yesterday”.

4)      "__ you ever (speak) to him?” "Yes, I (speak) to him before the party”.

5)      Peter (live) in Greece for the last three years. He (live) in Africa before he (go) to Greece.

6)      I (just have) my lunch. I (finish) eating ten minutes ago.

7)      I (make) five mistakes so far today. Yesterday I (make) three mistakes altogether.

8)      I (never play) rugby in my life, but I (play) football when I was at school.

Ex. 2

Use Present Perfect or Past Simple and add "since”, "for” or "ago”.

1)      He (come) to Athens four years __ .

2)      I (live) in this town __ the last six months.

3)      Peter (work) in Greece __ three years now.

4)      Two years __ I (go) to Spain for my holidays.

5)      He (not finish) his homework yet, although he (start) it two hours __ .

6)      I (play) tennis __ an hour and then I (go) for a swim. I (play) a lot of tennis __ the summer began.

7)      They (stay) in Paris __ several days before they (fly) to Rome.

8)      We (not see) John this morning, but we (see) him a couple of days __ .

Ex. 3

Write each sentence using Past Simple or Present Perfect, and add "since”, "for” or "ago”. Add any other necessary words.

1)      train / arrive / ten / minutes.

2)      he / work / this firm / June.

3)      I / not play / tennis / I / be / boy.

4)      I / work / office / two years; / then / I / go / London University.

5)      they / be / that pub / two hours / now.

6)      I / not speak / Mrs. Smith / Christmas.

7)      three years / Peter / buy / new car.

8)      he / not see / Mary / they / go / a party / last month.

2. Checking on Homework and creative writing

The students demonstrate their completed CVs. The teacher asks them to choose one and write a biography description essay using Present Perfect and Past Simple.

The essays are read out in the class.

3. Relaxation

Imagine that you finished school long ago, and now it’s time for you to get back together after so many years.

Game School reunion

Lexical areas

Habits, jobs, school life

Essential vocabulary

Chewing gum, bike sheds, paper darts, share, fantastic, practical  jokes, detention, chatting, tell tales, actor, businessman, dentist, model, politician, taxi driver, soldier, undertaker, vicar, dustman, TV interviewer, spy, pilot, accident prone.

How to play the game

Play the game with 8–16 players. If you have more than 16 in the class, divide the class into two or more groups.

Copy one role card for everyone in the class / group.

It is important to copy the cards in order, so if you have 9 people in a group, use the first 9 cards, if you have 10, use the first 10 and so on. Also see note below.

Make one copy of the questionnaire for every three or four people. If your class / group is smaller than 16, cut off the questions which are about the role cards you are not using.

You will also need sticky labels or pins for badges. Give out the role cards and ask each student to make themselves a badge with their ‘name’ on. Give them a few minutes to read and absorb the information on the card, then tell them that they are going to a school reunion — twenty-five years on.

They are very curious about what happened to their old school mates, and should try and mingle and find out as much as possible about what people are doing now.

When they have finished gossiping, regroup them into threes or fours and give each group a questionnaire to fill in.

The object of the game is to complete as many statements as possible.

The group that can answer the most is the winner.

Note: Because of the way the game is constructed, if you play with more than 8 people, you will have to add a piece of information on one role card. For example, if you have a group of nine, no one will have any information about the ninth person, Chris, so you will have to add on one role card (any one except Chris’s own) the information that Chris used to play practical jokes. If you have ten people, the information about the tenth person, Jan, will be missing and you will have to add that onto a role card. And so on up to the 16th person, Glen(da). (Gfen№) used to be accident prone.) It is always the information about the last person that is missing.

ALEX

You are a successful actor.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember: Toni, who used to smoke in the bike sheds in the lunch hour.

Leslie, who used to pull the girls’ hair. Dani, who always chewed gum.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

TONI

You are a successful doctor.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember: Gerry, who always used to have new clothes. Leslie, who used to pull the girls’ hair. Dani, who always chewed gum.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

LESLIE

You are a successful company manager.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Dani, who always chewed gum.

Gerry, who always used to have new clothes.

Terry, who never used to share sweets.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

DANI

You are a successful dentist.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Gerry, who always had new clothes.

Terry, who never used to share sweets.

Sam, who used to have a fantastic 10-speed bike.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

GERRY

You are a successful fashion model.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Terry, who never used to share sweets,

Sam, who used to have a fantastic 10-speed bike.

Phil, who used to throw paper darts at the teacher.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

TERRY

You are a successful politician.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember: Alex, who used to be the teacher’s pet.

Toni, who used to smoke in the bike sheds in the lunch hour.

Leslie, who used to pull the girls’ hair.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

SAM

You are a taxi driver.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Dani, who always chewed gum.

Gerry, who always had new clothes.

Phil, who used to throw paper darts at the teacher.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

PHIL

You are a soldier.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Terry, who never used to share sweets.

Gerry, who always had new clothes.

Sam, who used to have a fantastic 10-speed bike.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

CHRIS

You are an undertaker.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Phil, who used to throw paper darts at the teacher.

Sam, who had a fantastic 10-speed bike. Terry, who never shared sweets.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

JAN

You are a train driver.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Toni, who used to smoke in the bike sheds in the lunch hour.

Alex, who used to be the teacher’s pet. Chris, who used to play practical jokes.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

ROBBIE

You are a vicar.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Toni, who used to smoke in the bike sheds in the lu

Chris, who used to play practical jokes.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

PAUL

You are a dustman.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Chris, who used to play practical jokes. Jan, who used to be late for everything.

Robbie, who used to be the naughtiest in the class — always getting detentions.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

PIP

You are a teacher.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Paul, who always used to come top in class.

Robbie, who was the naughtiest in the class.

Jan, who always used to be late for everything.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

JO

You are a successful TV interviewer with your own chat show.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Pip, who never did any homework.

Paul, who always used to be top of the class.

Robbie, who was the naughtiest in the class.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

SIMON / E

You are a secret agent.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Jo, who was always chatting in class.

Pip, who never did any homework.

Paul, who always used to come top.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

GLEN / DA

You are a jumbo jet pilot.

You’re very curious about what has become of the people you used to know at school. In particular you remember:

Simon / e, who used to tell tales.

Jo, who was very talkative and used to chat in lessons.

Pip, who never did any homework.

You wonder how they’ve changed and what they’re doing now.

Work together to discuss the people you met at the school reunion and to fill in as much of the questionnaire as you can.

ALEX used to and now.

TONI used to and now.

LESLIE used to and now.

DANI used to and now.

GERRY used to and now.

TERRY never used to and now

SAM used to and now.

PHIL used to and now.

CHRIS used to and now.

JAN used to and now.

ROBBIE used to and now.

PAUL used to and now.

PIP never used to and now

JO used to and now.

SIMON / E used to and now.

GLEN / DA used to and now.

4. Speaking

The students get blank CV forms with the task of interviewing each other and filling the forms in. the results are shared in the class.

III. Summary

IV. Homework

Choose one of the CVs of the classmates you’ve interviewed and write a biography report not mentioning the classmate’s name using Past Simple and Present Perfect.

Можливо Вам це буде цікаво