Unit 1: Good Memories
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
- Introduce themselves and exchange personal information
Students will be able to ask and answer questions about personal background (e.g., hometown, occupation, interests). - Use present and past forms of be to describe experiences
Students will be able to correctly use am / is / are and was / were to talk about current situations and past events. - Maintain a short conversation when meeting someone for the first time
Students will be able to ask follow-up questions and respond appropriately in a first-time meeting conversation.
Unit 1 / Lesson 1A
Level | ESLCO |
Program | ESL Foundations |
Time | Online Lecture: 2 hours Self-study: 5 hours |
Textbook / Digital Pack | Textbook: Pages 2 - 4 |
1A.1 Dialogue / Role Play
Anna: Hi, I'm Anna. Were you in this class last term?
David: Hi Anna, I'm David. No, I wasn't. I was in the evening class.
Anna: Oh, I was in the morning class. The teacher was Mr. Thompson.
David: Really? He was my teacher two years ago. He was very friendly.
Anna: Yes, he was great. Where were you before this school?
David: I was in Canada last year. It was very cold!
Anna: Wow! Were you there for a long time?
David: Yes, I was there for three years. It was a great experience.
Anna: That's nice. I'm happy we are in the same class now.
David: Me too! 
1A.2 Vocabulary
Read each word, say it out loud, check the meaning, and practice it every day.
outdoors
skateboard
New York
grandparents
1A.3 Grammar
Look at each grammar point, read the examples, and try to make your own simple sentences.
Common Errors
Confusing was and were
Why it happens: Learners overgeneralize one form (often was) for all subjects.
I was happy because my parents was there.
I was happy because my parents were there.
They was late. They were late.
Using the base form be or present tense instead of past
Why it happens: Learners forget to change the verb to past tense.
Yesterday I am very tired. Yesterday I was very tired.
We are at home last night. We were at home last night.
1A.4 Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Exercise 2: Multiple-Choice
1A.5 Textbook
Complete pages 2-4 of your textbook for your homework [before class 1A].
1A.6 Speaking Task 1
Meet a Classmate
Instructions:
Record a 1–2 minute audio introducing yourself. Include the following:
- Introduce yourself
- Name, hometown, occupation or school, and one interest or hobby.
- Answer questions about your personal background
- Example questions: Where are you from? What do you do? What are your hobbies?
Optional Sentence Starters
- Hi, my name is… I’m from…
- I work / I study…
- My favorite hobby is…
When you have finished this lesson, don't forget to mark the lesson complete, below: