Brainstorm at least two phrases into each of the gaps below
One or two/ A couple of/ A few _________________________________________s ago,….
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was a __________________________________________________________________________
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was in __________________________________________________________________________
As/ While I was ______________________________________________________________, suddenly (out of the blue/ out of nowhere/ to my surprise),…
I don’t remember (exactly) _________________________________________________, but…
A _______________________________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is…
An ______________________________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is…
My ____________________________________________________ experience of this was…
An experience (I had) which __________________________________________________ is…
In my ___________________________________________________________ experience,…
I have experienced this ___________________________________________________ and…
I (only) have limited experience of this, but ________________________________________
Why are the phrases above divided into two? What are the functions of the two sections?
Brainstorm more phrases with those two functions.
Partial suggested answers (without functions and extra phrases version)
Sharing experiences phrases – Group A ________________________________________
One or two/ A couple of/ A few ______________________s ago,…. – hours/ days/ weeks/ months/ years
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was a ______________________ – baby/ toddler/ young child/ kindergarten student/ primary school student/ secondary school student/ teenager/ fresher/ second year student at university
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was in _______________________ – my late teens/ my early twenties/ a relationship with…/ love with…/ my second year at university/ playschool/ elementary school/ junior high school/ high school/ college
As/ While I was ____________________, suddenly (out of the blue/ out of nowhere/ to my surprise),… – walking down the street/ sitting in a café drinking a coffee/ working abroad/ on holiday in Spain
I don’t remember (exactly) __________________, but… – when/ why I was there/ who I was with/ what I was doing when it happened
A __________________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is… – memorable/ shocking/ typical/ bad/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/ disappointing/ great/ life-changing/ good/ once in a lifetime/ strange
An ___________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is… – unforgettable/ amazing/ odd
My ____________________ experience of this was… – first/ last/ most recent/ most memorable/ most relevant/ best/ worst
An experience (I had) which _______________________________________ is… – I will always remember/ really influenced me/ is relevant to this debate/ is related to this (discussion)/ changed my life/ affected my attitudes/ this reminds me of/ comes to mind/ springs to mind/ I had related to this/ stands out/ I wish I’d never had
Extra phrases with the same function as Group A
Sharing experiences phrases – Group B _____________________________________
In my _____________________ experience,… – limited/ very limited/ substantial/ personal
I have experienced this _______________ and… – (just) once/ once or twice/ a couple of times/ a few times/ quite a few times/ many times/ recently/ in the last couple of weeks
I (only) have limited experience of this, but _________________ – according to a friend of mine…/ once when it did happen to me…/ I’ve found that…/ I’ve heard that…
Extra phrases with the same function as Group B
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Suggested answers
Sharing experiences phrases – Group A – Talking about a single experience
One or two/ A couple of/ A few ______________________s ago,…. – hours/ days/ weeks/ months/ years
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was a ______________________ – baby/ toddler/ young child/ kindergarten student/ primary school student/ secondary school student/ teenager/ fresher/ second year student at university
This happened to me/ I experienced this/ I was affected by this when I was in _______________________ – my late teens/ my early twenties/ a relationship with…/ love with…/ my second year at university/ playschool/ elementary school/ junior high school/ high school/ college
As/ While I was ____________________, suddenly (out of the blue/ out of nowhere/ to my surprise),… – walking down the street/ sitting in a café drinking a coffee/ working abroad/ on holiday in Spain
I don’t remember (exactly) __________________, but… – when/ why I was there/ who I was with/ what I was doing when it happened
A __________________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is… – memorable/ shocking/ typical/ bad/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/ disappointing/ great/ life-changing/ good/ once in a lifetime/ strange
An ___________________________ experience (that/ which) I had is… – unforgettable/ amazing/ odd
My ____________________ experience of this was… – first/ last/ most recent/ most memorable/ most relevant/ best/ worst
An experience (I had) which _______________________________________ is… – I will always remember/ really influenced me/ is relevant to this debate/ is related to this (discussion)/ changed my life/ affected my attitudes/ this reminds me of/ comes to mind/ springs to mind/ I had related to this/ stands out/ I wish I’d never had
Extra phrases with the same function as Group A- Talking about a single experience
(I usually… but) one day…
(Just) the other day,…
I hope you never experience what I did, which was…
I must have been about… years old when…
I once…
I will never forget the time when….
I witnessed…
It was/ seemed to be just an ordinary day, but…
Sharing experiences phrases – Group B – Talking about more than one experience
In my _____________________ experience,… – limited/ very limited/ substantial/ personal
I have experienced this _______________ and… – (just) once/ once or twice/ a couple of times/ a few times/ quite a few times/ many times/ recently/ in the last couple of weeks
I (only) have limited experience of this, but _________________ – according to a friend of mine…/ once when it did happen to me…/ I’ve found that…/ I’ve heard that…
Extra phrases with the same function as Group B – More than one experience
(In general/ Generally,) I find/ I have found…
Like/ Unlike most people, I have found that…
My general experience of this is…
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