Teacher lesson plan

Used to

Students read a short text about a Moroccan teenager's life then and now, notice the sentences with used to and work out the meaning and form themselves. They practise the form in controlled exercises, write true and false sentences about their own childhood, and use Did you use to …? in a 'Find someone who' speaking task.

Aims

Main aim

To clarify and give practice in used to / didn't use to / Did … use to …? for past habits and states, in the context of childhood then and now.

Subsidiary

To give learners practice in reading for specific information.
To provide fluency practice in asking and answering about childhood in a mingle.
To raise awareness of the weak form /ˈjuːstə/.

Lesson information

Level: A2
Learners: Teenagers, 25 students
Duration: 60 minutes
Lesson type: Grammar
Environment: Face-to-face
Skills: Reading, Speaking, Writing
Topic: Childhood then and now
Language focus: used to / didn't use to / Did … use to …? for past habits and states
Methodology: Inductive (guided discovery)

Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1
Identify sentences with used to in a short text and say whether each situation is still true now.
2
Distinguish finished past habits and states (used to) from present habits (present simple).
3
Form affirmative, negative and question sentences with used to, didn't use to and Did … use to …?
4
Pronounce used to with its natural weak form /ˈjuːstə/.
5
Ask and answer questions about their own childhood using Did you use to …?

Success criteria

Students can say whether a sentence with used to is still true now (e.g. 'Youssef used to live in a village' → he doesn't live there now).
Students can write used to, didn't use to and Did … use to …? correctly, with no -d after did or didn't.
Students can ask four classmates Did you use to …? and answer with Yes, I did / No, I didn't plus one detail.
Students can say used to as one smooth word, /ˈjuːstə/, in the mingle.

Target language

used to — past habits and states

Meaning: Something happened many times (a habit) or was true for a period (a state) in the past, and it is not true now.
Form: Affirmative: subject + used to + base verb
Negative: subject + didn't use to + base verb
Question: Did + subject + use to + base verb?
Short answers: Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.
Pronunciation: used to is pronounced /ˈjuːstə/ in connected speech — one smooth word, with a /s/, not /z/. 'to' is weak /tə/.
Use: Used for past routines and situations, often to compare the past with now. Not used for single events or for present habits.
Examples: We used to live in a small village.
I didn't use to have a phone.
Did you use to play football in the street?

Materials

A photo of you as a child (or any childhood photo)
Student lesson handout or the text projected on the screen
Board and markers
'Find someone who' prompts (in the student lesson)

Anticipated problems

meaning
Problem
Students use used to for one event in the past (*I used to go to Marrakech last summer).
Solution
Draw one cross (✕) and a row of crosses (✕✕✕✕) on the timeline. Ask: 'Once or many times?'. Only many times / a long time → used to.
form
Problem
Students write *didn't used to or *Did you used to …?
Solution
Underline did / didn't on the board and circle use. Say: 'did already shows the past'. Exercise 2 practises this.
meaning
Problem
Students say *I use to get up at 7 for a present habit.
Solution
Contrast on the board: 'I used to get up at 9 (past, not now)' vs 'I get up at 7 (now)'.
pronunciation
Problem
Students pronounce every sound: /juːzd tuː/.
Solution
Drill the weak form /ˈjuːstə/ with back-chaining: 'stə' → 'juːstə' → 'We used to live'.
classroom management
Problem
With 25 students the mingle is noisy and hard to monitor.
Solution
If space is limited, run the task in seated groups of five. Stand in the middle and note errors for feedback.

Lesson procedure

60 / 60 min

Stage & aim	Time	Teacher	Students	Interaction
Lead-in To create interest in the topic of childhood and set the context of 'then and now'.	3′	Show a photo of yourself as a child. Ask: 'How old am I here? What do you think I did every day when I was seven?' Accept 2–3 guesses and tell students if they are right, using the past simple only. Board: Write 'THEN' and 'NOW' at the top of the board.	Look at the photo and guess what the teacher did as a child.	T-S, Whole class
Context: reading for specific information To give students a meaningful text containing the target language before any focus on form.	6′	Pre-teach 'village' (picture) and 'miss' (mime). Set the specific-information task: students read 'Youssef — then and now' and answer the true/false questions. Give 3 minutes. Students compare in pairs, then check answers as a class. Instructions: “Read about Youssef. Are the sentences true or false? You have three minutes. Work alone.” ICQs Are you working alone or with a partner? (Alone.) How many minutes do you have? (Three.)	Read the text individually and answer four true/false questions; compare answers with a partner. ↳ Reading: true or false?	S, Pairs, T-S
Noticing To draw students' attention to the target form in the text.	4′	Ask students to underline every sentence with 'used to' or 'didn't use to'. Pairs compare. Write three sentences from the text on the board under THEN: 'We used to live in a small village.' 'My grandmother used to tell us stories every night.' 'I didn't use to have a phone.' Instructions: “Find the sentences with used to. Underline them. Then check with your partner.” Board: Three example sentences from the text under THEN.	Find and underline the sentences with used to in the text, then compare with a partner.	S, Pairs
Meaning discovery To help students work out that used to describes past habits and states that are not true now.	7′	Pairs answer the four discovery questions about the board sentences: 'Does Youssef live in the village now?' 'Did his grandmother tell stories once or many times?' 'Does Youssef have a phone now?' The fourth question is the rule; complete it together in feedback. Conduct whole-class feedback and draw a timeline (Past ✓✓✓✓ \| Now ✗). Write a quick present-simple contrast on the board: 'I used to play in the street.' vs 'Now I play in a club.' Ask the CCQ 'Which one is true now?' (the second). Ask the other CCQs. Then elicit the rule: 'We use used to for things that happened many times or were true in the past, but are not true now.' Instructions: “Work with a partner. Answer the four questions in 'Discover the rule'. You have three minutes.” CCQs “We used to live in a small village.” Did Youssef live in the village in the past? → Yes. Does he live there now? → No — he lives in Agadir. “My grandmother used to tell us stories every night.” Did she tell stories once or many times? → Many times — every night. “We used to live in a small village.” Where does Youssef's family live now? → In Agadir — not in the village. “I used to play football in the street.” Does Youssef play football in the street now? → No — now he plays in a club. ICQs Do you work alone? (No — with a partner.) How many questions? (Four.) Board: Timeline: PAST ✓✓✓✓ ——— NOW ✗, with 'used to = past, not now'.	Discuss the discovery questions in pairs, then help the teacher build the rule and the timeline. ↳ Discover the rule	Pairs, T-S
Form To clarify the affirmative, negative and question forms of used to.	5′	Students fill the gaps in the form table in the student lesson with sentences from the text. The teacher writes the completed table on the board and checks it together. Underline did / didn't and circle use in the negative and question: 'did shows the past, so we write use — no d'. Model short answers: 'Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.' Board: Key to the table gaps: used to / didn't use to / Did … use to / did / didn't. Form table: + used to + verb \| − didn't use to + verb \| ? Did … use to + verb? \| Wh- question: Where did you use to live?	Complete the form table using sentences from the text; copy the corrected table.	S, T-S
Pronunciation To help students say used to naturally, with the weak form /ˈjuːstə/.	3′	Model 'used to' as /ˈjuːstə/. Back-chain: 'stə' → 'juːstə' → 'We used to live in a village.' Drill chorally, then individually with 5–6 students. Contrast with 'I used a pen' /juːzd/. Board: used to = /ˈjuːstə/	Listen and repeat chorally and individually.	T-S, Whole class
Controlled practice To give accurate written practice of the three forms, including the didn't use to / Did … use to? spelling.	7′	Students complete Exercise 1 individually, then compare in pairs. Monitor and note problems with didn't used to. Students then do Exercise 2 (error correction) in pairs. Check answers as a class, asking students to explain each correction. Instructions: “Exercise 1: complete the sentences with used to, didn't use to or Did … use to and the verb. Work alone. Then check with a partner.” ICQs Do you write one word or more in each gap? (More — used to + the verb.) When do you talk to your partner — now or after? (After.)	Complete nine gap-fill sentences, compare with a partner, then find and correct the mistakes in five sentences. ↳ Exercise 1: Then and now	S, Pairs, T-S
Personalisation: writing To let students use the language to write about their own childhood and prepare for speaking.	6′	Model with your own example on the board: two true sentences and one false sentence about your childhood. Students guess which is false. Students then write their own three sentences. Monitor and help with vocabulary. Instructions: “Write three sentences about you when you were seven. Two are true. One is false.” ICQs How many sentences? (Three.) How many are false? (One.)	Write three sentences about their own life at age seven with used to / didn't use to — two true and one false. ↳ Exercise 3: Two truths and a lie	S
Freer practice: speaking To give fluent spoken practice of Did you use to …? questions and short answers in a real exchange.	12′	Part 1 (4 min): students read their three sentences to a partner, who guesses the false one. Part 2 (8 min): 'Find someone who' mingle. Demonstrate the first question with a strong student ('Did you use to be afraid of the dark?' 'Yes, I did.'). Students walk around, ask questions and write names. Encourage one follow-up question. Monitor and write down good language and errors for feedback. Instructions: “Stand up. Ask: Did you use to …? Write a name when the answer matches the line ('Yes, I did' for used to, 'No, I didn't' for didn't use to). Then ask one more question. Find a different person for each line.” ICQs What question do you ask? (Did you use to …?) Can you write the same name two times? (No.) When do you write a name for 'didn't use to like vegetables'? (When the person says 'No, I didn't'.)	Read sentences to a partner and guess the lie; then walk around asking Did you use to …? questions, answering with short answers and adding one detail. Outcome: students produce a completed list with a name on each line and decide on one surprising fact to share in feedback. ↳ Speaking: Find someone who…	Pairs, S-S mingle
Feedback and error correction To give feedback on the task content and correct common errors from the speaking.	5′	Ask 3–4 students to report one interesting answer ('Amina used to have a rabbit!'). Write 4–5 sentences you heard on the board — some correct, some with errors. Pairs decide which are correct and fix the others. Praise good language. Finish with an exit slip: one true sentence with used to and one with didn't use to. Board: 4–5 student sentences from the mingle (anonymous), e.g. Did you used to play …? I used to go to Fes last week.	Share interesting answers; correct the sentences on the board in pairs.	T-S, Pairs
Homework To consolidate the language in a short piece of personal writing.	2′	Set the homework and show the success criteria: 60–80 words, at least four sentences with used to / didn't use to.	Note the homework task.	T-S

Support & challenge

Support

For learners who need more help

In Exercise 1, tell weaker students to do items 1, 3, 5 and 6 first (all affirmative), then try the negatives and questions.
In the writing stage, let weaker students start from a sentence in Youssef's text and change it (I used to play football in the street → I used to play with my cousins in the park).
Before the mingle, give weaker students a card with the question frame 'Did you use to …?' and the short answers 'Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.'

Challenge

For stronger learners and fast finishers

Fast finishers in Exercise 1 write two more sentences about a family member, one with used to and one with didn't use to.
In the mingle, stronger students ask a past simple follow-up question (Where did you live? What was its name?) and note the answer next to the name.
Stronger students make their false sentence believable and, after their partner guesses, explain what was really true.

Checking learning

Exit slip: each student writes one true sentence with used to and one with didn't use to about their life at age seven and hands it in; check for *didn't used to.
In s10 (feedback): Final concept check: write 'I used to go to Marrakech last summer.' on the board and ask 'Once or many times? Is the sentence right?' (Once — so: I went to Marrakech last summer.)
In s10, if time allows: Quick question round: ask five students 'Did you use to have a pet?' and listen for the short answers Yes, I did / No, I didn't.

Homework

Write a paragraph (60–80 words): 'My life then and now'.

Compare your life at age seven with your life now. Use used to or didn't use to at least four times, and the present simple to talk about now.

Teacher notes

Online adaptation: run the true/false and discovery questions as polls, the noticing task in the chat ('Type one sentence with used to'), and the mingle in breakout rooms of 3–4 for 6 minutes.
If students ask about 'be used to' (I'm used to the noise), tell them it is a different expression with a different meaning, and that you will look at it in a later lesson.

Affirmative (+)	Subject + used to + verb	We ________ live in a small village.
Negative (−)	Subject + didn't use to + verb	I ____________ have a phone.
Question (?)	Did + subject + use to + verb?	____ you ________ play football in the street?
Short answers	Yes, … did. / No, … didn't.	Yes, I ____. / No, I ____.
Wh- question	Wh- word + did + subject + use to + verb?	Where did you use to live?

Used to

Used to

Aims

Lesson information

Learning objectives

Success criteria

Target language

Materials

Anticipated problems

Lesson procedure

Support & challenge

Checking learning

Homework

Teacher notes

Used to

Read: Youssef — then and now

Reading: true or false?

Discover the rule

Exercise 1: Then and now

Exercise 2: Find the mistake

Exercise 3: Two truths and a lie

Speaking: Find someone who…

Plan your own lesson in minutes