Speaking Boost · A2 · Lesson 27 of 50
Speaking Boost A2 · Block 6: Stories from the Past

Why do LEGO bricks from 1958 still fit today?

A LEGO brick from 1958 still fits with a brick made today. Learn to talk about your childhood with used to, compare three childhoods, and tell the story of the toy you loved most.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Childhood

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Where did you live when you were a child?
  2. What did you use to play with?
  3. Who was your best friend as a child?
  4. Did you have a favourite toy?
  5. What did you use to be afraid of?
  6. What do you miss from your childhood?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about your childhood.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. My favourite was a red car.
  2. He built a wall from red .
  3. She had a with long hair.
  4. Let's a sandcastle on the beach.
  5. I had a happy .
  6. The children are playing in the .
  7. Our teacher was very .
  8. I have happy of my school.
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. now ↔
  2. naughty ↔
  3. to build ↔ to
  4. A toy that looks like a small person is a
  5. You go up a tree. You
    a tree.
  6. A seat on ropes in a playground is a
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to talk about your childhood.

  • When I was a child, I...Коли я був(ла) дитиною, я...When I was a child, I played outside every day.
  • I used to...Раніше я...I used to climb trees.
  • I didn't use to...Раніше я не...I didn't use to like vegetables.
  • Did you use to...?Ти раніше...?Did you use to have a teddy bear?
  • My favourite toy was...Моєю улюбленою іграшкою була...My favourite toy was a red car.
  • We used to play...Ми раніше грали в...We used to play hide and seek.
  • Those were the days!Були ж часи!Do you remember our school? Those were the days!
  • I have happy memories of...У мене щасливі спогади про...I have happy memories of my grandmother's garden.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

A brick that never changed

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Why do LEGO bricks from 1958 still fit today?

Many adults used to play with LEGO when they were children. Now they play with their own children, and they often use the same bricks!

The Danish company LEGO started in the 1930s. At first, it made wooden toys. Later, in 1949, it began to make plastic bricks.

In 1958, the company got a patent for the modern brick with tubes inside. This new design held the bricks together very well.

The company kept the size and shape of the brick almost the same. This is why a brick from 1958 still fits with a brick made today.

So parents can give their old bricks to their children. What did you use to play with?

3.2

True or false?

  1. LEGO is a Danish company.
  2. LEGO made wooden toys before plastic bricks.
  3. The modern brick design is from 1958.
  4. A brick from 1958 does not fit with new bricks.
  5. The text says adults never play with LEGO.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Did you use to play with LEGO or similar toys?
  2. Do you still keep any toys from your childhood?
  3. Which toy was the most popular when you were a child?
  4. Do you think toys are better or worse today?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Used to

used to + verb shows something we did often in the past but not now.

I used to play with LEGO. We used to live in a small flat.

Negatives and questions

didn't use to + verb. Did you use to...?

I didn't use to like fish. Did you use to read a lot?

Block 6 review

Use the grammar from this block.

regular Past Simple, time expressions (L26)

Common mistakes: used to in affirmative sentences, but use to after did / didn't. ✗ I use to play → I used to play. ✗ I didn't used to like it → I didn't use to like it.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. I
    with LEGO.
  2. We
    live in a small flat.
  3. you use to have a bike?
  4. I
    like fish.
  5. My favourite toy
    a red car.
  6. When I
    a child, I lived in a village.
  7. She
    climb trees.
  8. They
    go to school by bus.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I use to play outside. →
  2. He didn't used to like school. →
  3. Did you used to have a dog? →
  4. We was happy children. →
  5. I used to going to the park. →
  6. She didn't used to eat meat. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use used to and the Past Simple.

  1. What did you use to play with as a child?
  2. Where did you use to play?
  3. What did you use to be afraid of?
  4. Who was your best friend when you were a child?
  5. What did you use to eat that you don't eat now?
  6. Did you use to have a favourite toy?
5

Three childhoods and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three childhoods

Three people tell you about their childhood. Compare their childhoods. Whose childhood was the most similar to yours? What did you use to do that they didn't?

Person 1

Olena

  • Lived in a village
  • Used to climb trees
  • Played outside every day
  • Had no computer
Person 2

Andriy

  • Lived in a big city
  • Used to play computer games
  • Went to many clubs
  • Had a pet dog
Person 3

Oksana

  • Lived with her grandparents
  • Used to help in the garden
  • Read a lot of books
  • Had a doll
5.2

Mini-talk: when I was a child

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: where you lived and who you lived with.
  3. Part 2: what you used to do and play.
  4. Part 3: what you remember best and why.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Where did you live when you were a child?
  2. What did you use to play?
  3. Who was your best friend?
  4. Did you go to a kindergarten?
  5. What was your favourite toy?
  6. What did you use to be afraid of?
  7. Did you use to read a lot?
  8. What do you miss from your childhood?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. What did your parents use to do when they were young?
  2. What games did your grandparents play?
  3. Who looked after you as a child?
  4. Do your children have the same toys as you had?
  5. Who did you use to play with?
  6. What did your brother or sister use to do?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is childhood today better or worse than before?
  2. Should children play outside more?
  3. Do children play with toys today, or only with phones?
  4. Is it good to keep old toys?
  5. What toys are best for learning?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Talking about childhood

You

Old friend

You meet an old friend (your teacher) and talk about school days:
  • ask where your friend used to live
  • ask what games your friend used to play
  • say what you used to do
  • say what you miss
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use used to and the Past Simple.
Your teacher

Old friend

Says things like:
  1. Hi! Do you remember our school?
  2. We used to play football every day.
  3. Did you use to have a favourite teacher?
  4. Those were the days!
7.2

Toy shop

You

Customer

You want to buy a toy for a child. A shop assistant (your teacher) helps you:
  • say the age of the child
  • say what the child likes
  • say what you used to play with
  • choose a toy and ask the price
You do most of the talking. Use: I'd like... · When I was a child, I used to... · How much is it?
Your teacher

Shop assistant

Says things like:
  1. How old is the child?
  2. What does the child like?
  3. This brick set is very popular.
  4. It's 600 hryvnias.
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

toybricksdollbuildchildhoodplaygroundstrictmemories
  1. This car is my son's favourite.
  2. LEGO come in many colours.
  3. My sister had a beautiful .
  4. Let's a house for the dog.
  5. In my we lived near the sea.
  6. There is a new near our school.
  7. Our maths teacher was very .
  8. I have good of that summer.
H2

Block 6 review: choose the correct form

  1. I my aunt yesterday.
  2. I play football.
  3. you use to have a bike?
  4. She eat fish.
  5. We at home last weekend.
  6. When I a child, I lived in a village.
  7. He a lot.
  8. They on time.
H3

Correct or incorrect? (Block 6 review)

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I used to play outside.
  2. He didn't used to like school.
  3. Did you use to have a dog?
  4. We visited our aunt last weekend.
  5. She use to live in Kyiv.
  6. I cooked dinner yesterday.
  7. They didn't visited us.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. When I was a child,
  2. I used to
  3. I didn't use to
  4. Did you use to
  5. My favourite toy
  6. We used to play
  7. Do you remember our school?

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.