Sharing experiences key words brainstorming and speaking

Sharing experiences key words brainstorming and speaking

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 adding –ing).

Couple

Experience

Few

General

Happen

Once

Time

When

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.

1. (I don’t remember this, but my parents told me that) ________ I was a baby/ toddler…
2. ______ I was in kindergarten/ primary school/ secondary school/ college/ my first job…
3. _________________________________________________ I was (much) younger,…
4. _________________________________________________ly, I find/ I have found…
5. __________________________________, when I was a junior high school student…
6. A _____________________________________ days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
7. A ____________________________________ of days/ weeks/ months/ years ago,…
8. A memorable/ shocking/ typical/ bad/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/ disappointing/ great/ life-changing/ good/ once in a lifetime _______________ (that/ which) I had is…
9. 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…
10. An unforgettable/ amazing _____________________________ (that/ which) I had is…
11. I (only) have (very) limited ____________________________________ of this, but…
12. I don’t have much ______________________________________ of this (at all), but…
13. I have (personal) ________________________________________________ of this.
14. I have __________________________________________________________d this.
15. I have experienced this a __________________________________ of times, and…
16. I have experienced this a _____________________________________ times and…
17. I have only experienced this a ___________________________________ times but…
18. I have only experienced this a _______________________________ of times, but…
19. I have only experienced this a couple of _____________________________s, but…
20. I haven’t ___________________________d this recently/ in the last few years, but…
21. I haven’t had any bad/ good ______________________s with this. On the contrary,…
22. I hope you never ___________________________________ what I did, which was…
23. I used to… all the _______________________________________________ and…
24. I’ve only experienced this __________________________________ (in my life) but…
25. I’ve only had good/ bad __________________________________s. For example,…
26. I… all the _______________________________________ and I generally find that…
27. In my (limited/ very limited/ only very limited) _____________________________,…
28. In_____________________________________________, I find/ I have found that…
29. It is difficult to believe this (actually/ really) ___________________________ed, but…
30. My ______________________________________________ experience of this is…
31. My first/ last ______________________________________________ of this was…
32. Once, ____________________________________ I was walking down the street…
33. Something (similar/ like that) _______________________________ed to me when…
34. The first/ last __________________________________ this happened to me was…
35. The first/ last time I ___________________________________________d this was…
36. This has happened to me a _________________________________ of times and…
37. This has happened to me a ___________________________________ times and…
38. This has only ________ed to me once (or twice)/ a couple of times/ a few times, but…
39. This has only happened to me _______________________________ (or twice), but…
40. This has only happened to me a few _________________________________s, but…
41. When this (first/ last) ___________________________________________ed to me…

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…

Part Three: Controlled practice

Test each other on the phrases above:

• read out gapped sentences
• help your partner brainstorm phrases for one of the key words above
• challenge each other to use the phrases above in true sentences

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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Related pages

Sharing experiences page

Key words card games (TEFLtastic classics Part 19)