Unit 11: Experience

Aims and Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn how English speakers talk about experience/experiences and practise present perfect tense.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

























































(exist)

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:

Transcript:

Alberto	Hallo Emily! I haven't seen you for ages! How are you?
Emily	Hi Alberto! Yes, It's been a very long time since we last met!
Alberto	I've heard, you've just returned from Africa! What was it like?
Emily	Well, it was very interesting, we visited great places, and met people who were so nice!
Alberto	But it wasn't your first time, was it?
Emily	No it wasn't, you're right!
Alberto	How many times have you been there?
Emily	This was my third time.
Alberto	Wow, and you still find it interesting?
Emily	Africa's really big! And a lot of new countries, cities, and people!
Alberto	And were you not afraid there?
Emily	Afraid? To tell the truth, yes, especially as we got lost in the desert!
Alberto	Lost in the desert? Goodness! Isn't it nicer to sit safely at home?
Emily	Of course, but if you sit at home, where's the thrill?
Alberto	No thrill for me! Just cup of tea and a comfortable chair.

Who has been to Africa?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Who likes thrill?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Emily hasn't seen Alberto for
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What were people in Africa like?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Was Emily afraid in Africa?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
What happened in desert?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
How many times has Emily been to Africa?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
Has Emily visited any other country?
a.
b.
c.

[?]
From the context we can say that:
a.
b.
c.

[?]
By the way Alberto speaks we can say that:
a.
b.
c.

[?]

Exercise 2: Exposed Cloze

Listen to the recording carefully and then fill in the gaps in the text below using the same words.

across
audience
bad
been
birthday
by
classical
have
inspired
know
life
on
opera
out
performance
pitiful
qualities
talking
two
until
was

Recording:

Transcript:

Mrs. Mitnick	Darling, did you hear that Mrs. and Mr. Goldberg were at the opera last night?
Mr. Mitnick	Well, I didn't. What was on?
Mrs. Mitnick	Franco Corelli was there! They said it was his last performance.
Mr. Mitnick	Who's that?
Mrs. Mitnick	How can you not know? Have you never been to music classes? Have you never come across real music?
Mr. Mitnick	Yes, of course Brian Adams, Bill Haley, Dizzy Gillespie.
Mrs. Mitnick	Please, Mr. Mitnick, be serious, I mean classical opera music, music that has spirit!
Mr. Mitnick	I'm sorry, I haven't come across anyone called Francisco Coretti in my life.
Mrs. Mitnick	Franco Corelli! Such a personality! He has been to all countries. He has had a personal audience with the Queen. He has performed in the Vatican at Pope's birthday... and he has waved at me once...
Mr. Mitnick	That was a long time ago, wasn't it.
Mrs. Mitnick	My dear husband, stop talking like that. You have non of his qualities, you have never sung me a song, you have never been on stage and you have never inspired any woman's heart to love music.
Mr. Mitnick	Well, I think I have!
Mrs. Mitnick	What? What do you mean by "I have"?
Mr. Mitnick	Don't you remember, when Jim came some two years ago and we played guitar until the morning and many women came to wave at us and scream!
Mrs. Mitnick	Please, do not mention that pitiful event. Two old, unshaven and drunk men shouted in the garden until Mrs Nowak and her sister came to silence them!
Mr. Mitnick	Oh, it wasn't that bad! We performed well, we sounded just a little out of tune.

Mrs. Mitnick	Darling, did you hear that Mrs. and Mr. Goldberg were at the [?] last night?
Mr. Mitnick	Well, I didn't. What was [?]?
Mrs. Mitnick	Franco Corelli was there! They said it was his last [?].
Mr. Mitnick	Who's that?
Mrs. Mitnick	How can you not [?]? Have you never been to music classes? Have you never come [?] real music?
Mr. Mitnick	Yes, of course Brian Adams, Bill Haley, Dizzy Gillespie.
Mrs. Mitnick	Please, Mr. Mitnick, be serious, I mean [?] opera music, music that has spirit!
Mr. Mitnick	I'm sorry, I haven't come across anyone called Francisco Coretti in my [?].
Mrs. Mitnick	Franco Corelli! Such a personality! He has [?] to all countries. He has had a personal [?] with the Queen. He has performed in the Vatican at Pope's [?]... and he has waved at me once...
Mr. Mitnick	That [?] a long time ago, wasn't it?
Mrs. Mitnick	My dear husband, stop [?] like that. You have non of his [?], you have never sung me a song, you have never been on stage and you have never [?] any woman's heart to love music.
Mr. Mitnick	Well, I think I [?]!
Mrs. Mitnick	What? What do you mean [?] "I have"?
Mr. Mitnick	Don't you remember, when Jim came some [?] years ago and we played guitar [?] the morning and many women came to wave at us and scream!
Mrs. Mitnick	Please, do not mention that [?] event. Two old, unshaven and drunk men shouted in the garden until Mrs Nowak and her sister came to silence them!
Mr. Mitnick	Oh, it wasn't that [?]! We performed well, we sounded just a little [?] of tune.

Exercise 3: Gap Filling

Choose the correct option to fill the gaps in the following sentences.

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Transformation

Using the example as a model, change the structure and make a new sentence.

Exercise 2: Transformation

Using the example as a model, change the structure and make a new sentence.

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Exercise 2: Dictation

Exercise 3: Dictation

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able to speak about things you have done or experienced. And you should be familiar with the present perfect tense.