1. Lesson 7: Talking about Your Life (Past Tense)

2. Quick Conversation: Simple Past and Present Tense
What did you do on the weekend?
I played basketball and ate a lot of good food.
Talk about (a) your weekend, (b) what you did last Spring Festival.
What do you usually do on weekends?
I go grocery shopping, I watch tv, and I sleep in.
Talk about (a) what you usually do for Spring Festival, (b) what clothing you usually wear to work (and explain why).

3. Jazz Chant: Personal Questions
Where were you born?
I’d rather not say.
Where are you from?
How tall are you?
How old are you?
How much do you weigh?
How much rent do you pay?
How much do you make?
Why aren’t you married?
I’d rather not say.
Why don’t you have children?
Where were you last night?
Why weren’t you home?
Did you stay out late?
Did you come home alone?
Did you have a good time?
Did you see a good play?
Did you go to a concert?

4. “Personal” Questions
I hope you don’t mind my asking, but… (how old are you)?
May I ask,…(how old are you)?
Can I ask, …(how old are you)?
I’d rather not say.
(I’m sorry/If you don’t mind,) I’d rather not talk about that.
I’m sorry, I’d prefer not to answer that.
I’m sorry, that’s a hard question for me to answer.
Sorry, I don’t know much about (politics).

5. Practice: Personal Questions
In pairs, take turns asking and answering 1 personal question, and then change partners. You must talk to 5 different people, and ask a different question each time.
Suggestions:
weight
boyfriend/girlfriend
how much money your parents make
how much you spend on (clothes/shoes/other things)
like another person in the class?

6. Jazz Chant: “Banker’s Wife’s Blues”
Where does John live?
He lives near the bank.
Where does he work?
He works at the bank.
When does he work?
He works all day
and he works all night,
at the bank, at the bank,
at the great, big bank.
Where does he study?
He studies at the bank.
Where does he sleep?
He sleeps at the bank.
Why does he spend all day, all night, all day, all night, at the bank, at the bank?
Because he loves his
bank
more than his wife,
and he loves his money
more than his life.

7. Simple Past Past Progressive Past Perfect X
I studied my English last night. X
Past Progressive
I was studying when they came.
Past Perfect X
I had already studied Chapter 1 before I began to study Chapter 2.

8. Identify the following as simple past, past progressive or past perfect:
They were walking home when it began to rain.
He ate the whole cake.
From 2007 to 2008, she was traveling around Europe.
By the time I arrived, you had already left.
Did he finish his homework?
What was she looking at when you were there?
Had she found a present by the time his birthday came?

9. Simple Past: I came to China in July 2012.
September 2002
January 2007
October 2007
July 2012 X X X X
I came to China
My son was born
I started my job as a high school teacher
I started my job as a research scientist
Simple Past: I came to China in July 2012.
Past Progressive: I was working as a high school teacher when my son was born.
Past Perfect: I had worked as a research scientist before I became a high school teacher.

10. Sharing Your Life Timelines
You were supposed to prepare a timeline for homework with at least 4 events from your life
In groups of 3 or 4, you will share your timeline
You will explain the events on your timeline, and then make 3 statements about the timeline using (1) simple past, (2) past progressive and (3) past perfect
Your group members must listen carefully and correct you if necessary

11. The Autobiography Game
Groups of 3 or 4
Each group will be given 6 cards
Read the question on 1 card: each person will answer the question (group members must listen and correct the tense if necessary)
Do the same for the other 5 cards

12. Homework
Review speaking with the simple past, past progressive and past perfect.
Make two lists of words to describe your hometown. In the first list, write adjectives which describe the (a) food (b) downtown/countryside, (c) weather (d) transportation (e) houses or buildings, (f) roads, (g) restaurants or hotels, (h) the people. In the second list, write the names of any special places you can visit there.

13. My Hometown - Toronto food - international, multicultural
downtown - noisy, fairly clean
weather – long, cold winters
transportation – crowded, expensive, convenient
houses or buildings – tall, fairly new
roads – busy, wide
restaurants or hotels – inexpensive, numerous, clean
the people – helpful, busy
Special places: CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum

14. * (simple past) Who was your best friend in middle school?
(My best friend was _____ .)
* (simple past) Where did you spend the last Spring Festival holiday?
(I spent the last Spring Festival holiday in/at _____ .)
(past progressive) What sports did you enjoy playing when you were in middle school?
(I enjoyed playing _____ when I was in middle school.)
(past progressive) What activities did you enjoy doing during the last summer holiday?
(I enjoyed verb+ing _____ .)
* (past perfect) Where had you lived before you came to university?
(I had lived in _____ .)

15. More Past Tense Practice
Use the following information to practice simple past, past progressive and past perfect:
October 2007: Joel was born in Toronto
January 2010: Joel broke his leg
September 2011 – June 2012: Joel at kindergarten
October 2011: Joel turned 4 years old
July 2012: Joel came to China
September 2012 – now: Joel at Chinese kindergarten
October 2012: Joel turned 5 years old
E.g. What was Joel doing when he turned 5 years old?
E.g. Had Joel come to China when he turned 5 years old?

16. How many types of movies can you think of?
comedy, action, drama, costume drama, romance/love story, mystery, thriller, horror (scary!), documentary, sports, martial arts (kung fu), biography, war, concert, science fiction, space, propaganda, children’s, animated or cartoon
What kinds of music can you think of?
Classical, Chinese classical, pop(ular), rock, jazz, folk music, Peking opera, rap or hip-hop, children’s, rhythm and blues, blues, hymns (traditional church music)

17. Opinions about Movies and Music
What kind of movies/music do you like?
What (kind of) movies do you watch?
What (kind of) music do you listen to?
I especially like _____.
I like _____ best.
My favourite is _____.