TEACHER’S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Growing Up Board Game

Activity Type Introduction

Reading, listening and In this enjoyable board game, students practice 'used to' and
speaking activity, group the past simple by discussing and answering questions about
work childhood memories. This game also provides students with a great
opportunity to practice building a conversation about growing up
and is ideal for teenagers and adults.
Language Focus
Used to Procedure

Past simple Divide the class into groups of three or four.

Aim
To practice 'used to'
and the past simple by
discussing and answering
questions about
childhood memories.
Preparation
Make one copy of the
game board for each
group of three or four.
Enlarge the game board
to A3 if possible. Also,
provide a dice and
counters for each group.
Give each group a copy of the game board, a dice and counters.
The students place their counters on the start square. The first
student to throw a six starts the game.
The players then take it in turns to roll the dice and move their
counter along the board.
When a player lands on a square, the student on their right asks
the player the question on the square about their experience of
growing up.
The player then uses 'used to' and the past simple to answer the
question.
The group then explores the topic by asking follow-up questions
and giving comments.
The first student to reach the finish square wins the game.

Level
Pre-intermediate

Time
30 minutes

Teach-This.com © 2017 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

 USED TO

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Growing Up Board Game

Who used to
How often
What games be your best
did you use
did you use friend? Do
to get into
to play? you still see
trouble?
him/her?

What Did you use Who used

Go Did you
complaints Who did you to ride a to be your
forward use to be a
did your use to fight bicycle? If favourite
good or bad
parents use 4 spaces with? so, where relative?
student?
to have? did you ride? Why?

Oh no! Did you use

to have a
Go back
pet? If not,
to the did you want
start! one?

What did you What used What did you Who did you
Miss
use to love to be your use to be use to play
a
doing in your best school frightened with? What
free time? turn subject? of? did you play?

What did you Who used What did What did you
use to hate to be your you use use to do on
doing in your favourite to look your school
free time? singer/band? like? holidays?

What TV What is your What used Go

programmes best memory to be your forward
did you use of growing biggest
2 spaces
to watch? up? problem?

Go What used What used

forward to be your Oh no! to be your
3 spaces
biggest Go back favourite
dream? toy?

What did
Who used to What food
you use to
do at the Finish! be your idol did you use
or hero? to like?
weekends?

What sports Did you use Where did

did you use to have to you use to
to play? Who be home at live when
did you play a certain you were
with? time? growing up?

What used Where did Who was Did you use

to be your Go back you use your first to get good
favourite 2 spaces to go on boyfriend/ grades in Start
film? Why? holiday? girlfriend? school?

Teach-This.com © 2017 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.