From Mississippi to the World
Grammar: Past Simple
A Level 2 English lesson exploring culture.
What's in this lesson
A Level 2 (elementary) ESL lesson on culture, practising past simple. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: From Mississippi to the World
"We were so poor," Oprah Winfrey once said, "that I didn't have toys. I used to play with the animals on the farm." Oprah grew up in rural Mississippi in the 1950s. Life was difficult. Her family didn't use to have much money, and they didn't use to have a television. But Oprah had something special — she could read. She used to read every book she could find.
Vocabulary
- used to
- difficult
- neighbour
- escape
- believe in
- grow into
Grammar: Past Simple
- used to — positive
- She used to read every day. — a repeated past habit that stopped.
- used to — negative
- They didn't use to have a TV. — something that was NOT true in the past.
Discussion questions
- A hard childhood or a boring childhood — which is worse?
- Books or television — which helped you more as a child?
- Would you rather grow up in a city or the countryside?
From Mississippi to the World
Grammar: Past Simple
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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