What would you tell the person you were ten years ago?

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

1. What were you like ten years ago?
2. What did you want to be when you were young?
3. What is the best decision you have made?
4. What do you wish you had known earlier?
5. Is there a person you would like to thank?
6. Do you keep old letters or photos?

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

Choose the word that fits.

1. A feeling of sadness about something you did or did not do is a .
2. A suggestion about what someone should do is .
3. Something you do wrongly is a .
4. If you something, you understand how valuable it is.
5. To succeed, you sometimes have to take a .
6. Something useful that you learn from an experience is a .
7. The ability to wait calmly is called .
8. A period of ten years is called a .

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

1. a regret is a feeling of
   joy about the futurehungersadness about the past
2. advice = a suggestion about what someone
   boughtateshould do
3. to appreciate = to understand the
   value of somethingcolour of somethingprice of something
4. a risk = the chance that something
   bad will happengood will stayold will leave
5. patience = the ability to
   wait calmlyspeak loudlyrun fast
6. a decade =
   ten yearsten daysten months

Use these phrases to talk about regrets and give advice.

• I should have...Мені слід було...I should have listened to my parents.
• I wish I had...Шкода, що я не...I wish I had started earlier.
• If I had known,...Якби я знав,...If I had known, I wouldn't have worried.
• I used to...Я раніше...I used to be very shy.
• Don't worry so much about...Не хвилюйся так про...Don't worry so much about other people.
• You'd better...Тобі краще...You'd better take your chances.
• Believe me,...Повір мені,...Believe me, it will be worth it.
• In the end,...Зрештою,...In the end, everything works out.

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

1. The text says that psychologists never use this exercise.
   TrueFalse
2. People often write about relationships and risks.
   TrueFalse
3. Studies suggest that people regret inaction more in the long term.
   TrueFalse
4. The text says the tendency is true for everybody.
   TrueFalse
5. The letter can help us decide what to do differently.
   TrueFalse

1. Would your younger self listen to you?
2. Is it good to have regrets? Why or why not?
3. Which advice would you give to a teenager today?
4. How can we avoid regrets in the future?

Common mistakes: should have + past participle for a regret, wish + past perfect for the past, used to + base form for a past habit, and if + had in the third conditional. ✗ I should studied more → I should have studied more. ✗ I used to went there → I used to go there.

1. I
   should haveshould
   listened to my parents.
2. I wish I
   startedhad started
   earlier.
3. If I
   knewhad known
   , I wouldn't have worried.
4. I
   use toused to
   be very shy.
5. We
   usedwould
   play football every day after school.
6. You'd
   better takebetter to take
   your chances.
7. I
   should have studiedshould studied
   harder at school.
8. If she
   askedhad asked
   , I would have helped her.

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

1. I should studied more. →
2. I used to went there. →
3. If I knew, I would have helped. →
4. I wish I started earlier. →
5. We would live in a small house. →
6. I should of called him. →

Answer in detail. Use should have, wish, used to and the third conditional.

1. What do you wish you had done differently?
2. What did you use to do as a child that you don't do now?
3. What advice would you give to a teenager?
4. What should you have done last year?
5. If you had known then what you know now, what would you have done?
6. What are you used to doing every day?

Three people talk about what they would tell their younger selves. Compare their views. Who has the biggest regret? Who is the most positive? What would you write?

Your teacher will time you.

1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
2. Part 1: say what you used to do and be ten years ago.
3. Part 2: say what you should have done and what you wish you had done.
4. Part 3: give advice to your younger self and to someone now (should, had better, third conditional).

1. What were you like as a child?
2. What did you use to do after school?
3. What is the most important lesson that you have learned?
4. What do you wish you had done earlier?
5. What mistake taught you the most?
6. What would you do differently if you could start again?
7. What are you used to doing every morning?
8. What advice would you give your younger self?

1. Who gave you good advice in the past?
2. Who do you wish you had thanked?
3. Who did you use to play with as a child?
4. Who should you have called more often?
5. Who would you write a letter to?
6. Who has taught you the most?

1. Is it better to learn from your own mistakes or from other people's?
2. Do young people listen to advice?
3. Is it possible to live without regrets?
4. Does age bring wisdom?
5. Is it too late to change when you are old?