Takeaway

You'd Better English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Instructor: Date: ........................................................................................

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Learner: Regional Branch: ....................................................................

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CONTENT
Lets Start! Lets Explore! Lets Practice! Extension Activity Target Words Learning Points

Lets Start!

It's my way or the highway!

Learning Outcome Can Do Statements

Describe routines and regular activities I can talk about rooms and objects in them.
in a wider range of social and work I can talk about past and present habits.
contexts. I can offer advice and solutions.

Ask your partner:

How often do you have arguments?

Who do you argue with? Your friend?
Your family?
What do you argue about?

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Takeaway You'd Better English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Lets Explore!

Vanessa and Marco argue ... who says whatever pops into their head*?

* When you say whatever pops into your head, you say things without thinking first.

Instructions: Read the text aloud.

Vanessa: It's my way or the highway? You'd better take that back, Marco. I never let
other people tell me what to do like that.
Marco: You're so touchy, V. Just take it easy.
Vanessa: I'm being perfectly reasonable. You ought to think before you speak, you
know. My mother would say, If you can't say anything nice, don't say
anything at all.
Marco: My mother used to say that, too. You might want to hear yourself before you
recklessly accuse me of being insensitive. You said my mother was strange!
Vanessa: You have selective hearing, Marco. I meant her advice was strange ...
Marco: Hmm ... you cleverly got out of that one, didn't you? What's this here?
Vanessa: It's my antique sewing machine ... my grandmother used to use it.
Marco: She would make clothes from this? Wow - it's ancient!
Vanessa: There you go again - rudely saying whatever pops into your head!
Marco: Why is it in the kitchen, anyway? Shouldn't it be in a sewing room?
Vanessa: Does it look like I have a sewing room?
Marco: Honestly, I don't know ... you ought to give me a tour.

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Takeaway You'd Better English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

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Takeaway You'd Better English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Extension Activity

Tell me about what you used to do with your family.

Instructions: Complete the following steps. Fill in the Self Assessment.

a) With a partner, talk about what you used to do

Self-Assessment Yes No
with your family when you were a child.
b) Give as many details as you can.
I talk about past habits
c) Ask follow-up questions to keep the
with my partner.
conversation going.
I give details about
what I used to do with
my family.
I ask follow-up
questions.

Target Words

touchy (adjective): easily upset; to accuse (verb): to formally say someone

emotionally sensitive
e.g. You're so touchy today - take it easy.
perfectly (adverb): in a perfect way
e.g. I'm being perfectly calm.
reasonable (adjective): logical; sensible
e.g. I'm being perfectly reasonable.
recklessly (adverb): dangerously;
without care
e.g. You are behaving recklessly.
did something
e.g. You recklessly accuse me of being
insensitive.
cleverly (adverb): in a smart way
e.g. You cleverly got out of that argument.
sewing machine (noun): a machine used for
making clothes
e.g. It's my antique sewing machine.
sewing room (noun): a room used for
making clothes
e.g. Shouldn't your sewing machine be in your
sewing room?

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Takeaway You'd Better English > Level B1.1 Pre-intermediate

Learning Points

Offering Advice

Giving advice in English might seem tricky at first. To talk about what is advisable (what you
think should be done), we use had better, ought to and might want to.

These phrases come before the verb.

Subject + had better + verb: You'd better take that back!

Subject + ought to + verb: You ought to think before you speak, you know.

Subject + might want to + verb: You might want to hear yourself.

Used to and Would

When you talk about regular events in the past, you can use used to or would. These are
alternative forms from the Simple Past + Adverbs of frequency.
My grandmother used to like sewing. She would sew for ours.

Used to is used for actions (study, work, talk, read, etc.) and for states, or permanent
events in the past (be, have, like, think).

Would is used for actions only. We never use it to talk about past condition.

Example:

She used to give me advice when I was sad.

She would give me advice when I was sad.

I used to be reckless when I was a child.

I would be reckless when I was a child.

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