Level 2History

Two Very Different Childhoods

Grammar: Past Simple

A Level 2 English lesson exploring history.

historypast simple

What's in this lesson

A Level 2 (elementary) ESL lesson on history, practising past simple. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.

From the reading: Two Very Different Childhoods

Pelé was born in Brazil in 1940. His family was very poor. They had almost no money. Pelé had no football. He got a grapefruit and played with that instead. He went to school, but he also worked. He sold peanuts on the street as a young boy. Life was hard. But Pelé had a big dream.

Vocabulary

  • childhood
  • grow up
  • poor
  • dream
  • work hard
  • young

Grammar: Past Simple

was / were
Pelé was born in Brazil. — use was for I/he/she/it and were for you/we/they in the past.
had
His family had very little money. — had is the past form of have.

Discussion questions

  1. What did you do after school as a child?
  2. Did you have a favourite game when you were young?
  3. Was your school strict or relaxed?

Two Very Different Childhoods

Grammar: Past Simple

What's in this lesson:

Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.

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