Part One: Brainstorming sharing experiences phrases from key words
Brainstorm at least three phrases including each of the words below for sharing (single, repeated or general) personal experiences. Many more than three phrases are possible for some of the words. You can change the grammar of the words as much as you like (e.g. adding -s or –ing).
Couple
Experience
Few
General
Happen
Once
Time
When
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Part Two: Brainstorming sharing experiences phrases from key words hints
Add words from above to the gaps below. There should be at least three for each word above. You shouldn’t need to change the words.
- (I don’t remember this, but my parents told me that) ________ I was a baby/ toddler…
- _______ I was in kindergarten/ primary school/ secondary school/ college/ my first job…
- _________ I was (much) younger,…
- ____________ly, I find/ I have found…
- __________, when I was a junior high school student…
- A __________ days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
- A _______________ of days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
- A memorable/ shocking/ typical/ bad/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/ disappointing/ great/ life-changing/ good/ once in a lifetime _________________ (that/ which) I had is…
- An __________________ (I had) which I will always remember/ really influenced me/ changed my life/ this reminds me of/ comes to mind/ springs to mind/ stands out…
- An unforgettable/ amazing __________________ (that/ which) I had is…
- I (only) have (very) limited ________________ of this, but…
- I don’t have much ___________________ of this (at all), but…
- I have (personal) _____________ of this.
- I have _________________d this.
- I have experienced this a _________ of times, and…
- I have experienced this a ____________ times and…
- I have only experienced this a ___________ times but…
- I have only experienced this a _______________ of times, but…
- I have only experienced this a couple of ________s, but…
- I haven’t __________d this recently/ in the last few years, but…
- I haven’t had any bad/ good ____________________s with this. On the contrary,…
- I hope you never ______________ what I did, which was…
- I used to… all the ____________ and…
- I’ve only experienced this _______ (in my life) but…
- I’ve only had good/ bad ________________s. For example,…
- I… all the __________ and I generally find that…
- In my (limited/ very limited/ only very limited) __________________,…
- In____________, I find/ I have found that…
- It is difficult to believe this (actually/ really) __________ed, but…
- My ________________ experience of this is…
- My first/ last ____________________ of this was…
- Once, ______________ I was walking down the street…
- Something (similar/ like that) _____________ed to me when…
- The first/ last _______ this happened to me was…
- The first/ last time I _______________d this was…
- This has happened to me a __________ of times and…
- This has happened to me a ___________ times and…
- This has only ___________ed to me once (or twice)/ a couple of times/ a few times, but…
- This has only happened to me ________ (or twice), but…
- This has only happened to me a few _________s, but…
- When this (first/ last) ___________ed to me…
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Sharing experiences key words brainstorming and speaking
Brainstorming sharing experiences phrases from key word suggested answers
Couple
A _______________ of days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
This has happened to me a __________ of times and…
I have experienced this a _________ of times, and…
I have only experienced this a _______________ of times, but…
Few
A __________ days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
This has happened to me a ___________ times and…
I have experienced this a ____________ times and…
I have only experienced this a ___________ times but…
Experience
I have (personal) _____________ of this.
I have _________________d this.
In my (limited/ very limited/ only very limited) __________________,…
I (only) have (very) limited ________________ of this, but…
I don’t have much ___________________ of this (at all), but…
I haven’t had any bad/ good ____________________s with this. On the contrary,…
A memorable/ shocking/ typical/ bad/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/ disappointing/ great/ life-changing/ good/ once in a lifetime _________________ (that/ which) I had is…
An __________________ (I had) which I will always remember/ really influenced me/ changed my life/ this reminds me of/ comes to mind/ springs to mind/ stands out…
An unforgettable/ amazing __________________ (that/ which) I had is…
I hope you never ______________ what I did, which was…
I’ve only had good/ bad ________________s. For example,…
My first/ last ____________________ of this was…
The first/ last time I _______________d this was…
I haven’t __________d this recently/ in the last few years, but…
General
In____________, I find/ I have found that…
____________ly, I find/ I have found…
My ________________ experience of this is…
Happen
This has only _____________ed to me twice/ a couple of times, but…
Something (similar/ like that) _____________ed to me when…
When this (first/ last) ___________ed to me…
It is difficult to believe this (actually/ really) __________ed, but…
This has only ___________ed to me once (or twice)/ a couple of times/ a few times, but…
Once
__________, when I was a junior high school student…
This has only happened to me ________ (or twice), but…
I’ve only experienced this _______ (in my life) but…
Time
The first/ last _______ this happened to me was…
I used to… all the ____________ and…
I… all the __________ and I generally find that…
I have only experienced this a couple of ________s, but…
This has only happened to me a few _________s, but…
When
(I don’t remember this, but my parents told me that) ________ I was a baby/ toddler…
_________ I was (much) younger,…
_______ I was in kindergarten/ primary school/ secondary school/ college/ my first job…
Once, ______________ I was walking down the street…
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Sharing experiences key words brainstorming and speaking
Part Three: Controlled practice
Test each other on the phrases above, first reading out gapped sentences then helping your partner brainstorm at least phrases for one of the key words above.
Challenge your partner to use one of the phrases above. Perhaps after asking for further details, try to guess if that was their real experience or not.
Sharing experiences key words brainstorming and speaking
Part Four: Speaking practice
Do the speaking activity that your teacher gives you, using as many different phrases with the words below in as you can. Every time you use a new phrase you can discard a card (if your teacher gave you playing cards) or tick off a box below.
|
Couple
|
Experience
|
Few
|
General
|
|
Happen
|
Once |
Time |
When |
|
Couple
|
Experience
|
Few
|
General
|
|
Happen
|
Once |
Time |
When |
|
Couple
|
Experience
|
Few
|
General
|
|
Happen
|
Once |
Time |
When |
|
Experience
|
Happen |
Time |
When |
|
Couple |
Few
|
Happen |
Experience |
|
Experience
|
Experience |
Experience |
Experience |
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