ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR B2

Verbs that Change Meaning ESL Lesson Plan (B2, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute B2 lesson on Verbs that Change Meaning, built round the theme "Memories, Mistakes and Second Chances".

CEFR B2
60 minutes
Teenagers and adults
Grammar
Gerunds and Infinitives
Verbs that Change Meaning

About this lesson

Who it is for. Upper-intermediate students who know most verb patterns. They treat remember, stop, try and regret as interchangeable with either form (I remember to visit Kandy as a child, I stopped to smoke meaning quit), causing misunderstandings.

Everything the lesson needs is on this page: the language analysis, the timed stages with the teacher's own words and instruction-checking questions, the differentiation, the printable handouts and the answer key.

At a glance

Level: CEFR B2 (Upper-intermediate)
Learners: Teenagers and adults
Length: 60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run "Freer practice" once through without the second round and cut "Feedback and wrap-up" to board-based error correction.
Skills: Speaking and writing
Language focus: Grammar: Verbs that Change Meaning (remember, forget, stop, try, regret, go on + -ing or to)
Framework: PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials: Handout 1 (forum posts: My biggest mistakes), Handout 2 (timeline reference and practice), Handout 3 (further practice), Handout 4 (anecdote cards).
Preparation: About 10 minutes: print Handouts 1 to 4, one per learner, and read the language analysis. The answer key is for you, not the class.

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Google Docs · 60 minutes · PPP (presentation, practice, production)

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Aims

Main aim. To develop students' understanding and use of verbs whose meaning changes with -ing or to + infinitive: remember, forget, stop, try, regret, go on, mean; and to contrast them with verbs where the difference is small (like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start).

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can tell short anecdotes using the verbs accurately, e.g. I'll never forget seeing elephants at Minneriya. I stopped to take a photo. I regret not bringing a better camera.

Subsidiary aim. To develop fluency in telling anecdotes about memories and mistakes.
Subsidiary aim. To practise stress for contrast.

Language analysis

What to know before the lesson: the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language, and the problems learners usually have with it.

Meaning changes

Verb	+ -ing	+ to + infinitive
remember	remember a past action (memory): I remember visiting Kandy as a child.	remember a duty first, then do it: Remember to lock the door.
forget	(usually never forget) a past experience: I'll never forget seeing the sea.	forget a duty: I forgot to call her. (I didn't call.)
stop	finish an activity: He stopped smoking. (He doesn't smoke now.)	stop one activity in order to do another: He stopped to smoke. (He stopped walking and smoked.)
try	experiment, test a solution: Try restarting the computer.	make an effort (maybe difficult): I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
regret	be sorry about a past action: I regret shouting at him.	formal: be sorry to announce: We regret to inform you that ...
go on	continue the same activity: She went on talking.	change to a new activity: After school, she went on to study medicine.
mean	involve: This job means working weekends.	intend: I didn't mean to upset you.

Little or no change in meaning

like, love, hate, prefer, begin, start, continue + -ing or to: It started raining / to rain.

Pronunciation

Contrastive stress: I REMEMBERED to lock it (I didn't forget) vs I remember LOCKING it (I have the memory).

Concept-checking questions

I remember locking the door. Did I lock the door? (Yes.) · Which came first: locking or remembering? (Locking.)
Remember to lock the door. Has the person locked it yet? (No.) · Which comes first: remembering or locking? (Remembering.)
He stopped to buy a drink. Did he buy a drink? (Yes.) · Why did he stop? (To buy a drink.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

Problem	Solution
Confusing remember / forget patterns.	Timeline: -ing = action before memory; to = memory before action.
stop to do misunderstood as quit.	CCQ: "Does he still smoke?"
try -ing vs try to	Contrast: experiment (it's easy to do, but does it work?) vs effort (is it possible?).
regret to overused.	Note: regret to is formal and mainly inform / tell / announce.

Board plan

Left: timelines	Centre: verb + -ing / + to	Right: pronunciation
-ING: action → then memory (I remember locking) · TO: memory → then action (Remember to lock)
remember / forget: memory of past ↔ duty · stop: quit ↔ stop in order to · try: experiment ↔ effort · regret: sorry about past ↔ sorry to announce · go on: continue ↔ next step · mean: involve ↔ intend · like / start / begin: little change
I REMEMBERED to lock it. · I remember LOCKING it.

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Aim: To introduce the topic and personalise it.

Board two questions: What's your earliest memory? What's something you often forget to do?

Pairs discuss (2 minutes). Take two answers and board them exactly as students say them.

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To present the verbs in context and clarify the differences in meaning.

Part A: Reading (6 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read the forum posts. Whose mistake was the worst? Three minutes."

Pairs compare. Students answer the four questions. Check as a class.

Part B: Noticing (4 minutes)

Say: "Find the pairs of sentences with the same verb but different patterns. What's the difference in meaning?" Pairs discuss.

Part C: Clarification (10 minutes)

remember / forget. Draw two timelines on the board. Ask the CCQs.

stop. Mime: walking, then stopping to drink water. Ask: "Did I stop walking or stop drinking?"

try. Board Try restarting the computer and I tried to open the window, but it was stuck. Ask: "Which one is an experiment? Which one is an effort?"

regret, go on, mean. Elicit the differences from the forum posts.

Show that like, start, begin change little.

Return to the sentences from Stage 1 and check them.

Pronunciation. Drill contrastive stress: I REMEMBERED to call her. I remember CALLING her.

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs, then whole class

Aim: To practise choosing the correct form.

Give out Handout 2. Say: "Exercise A: choose the correct form and explain the meaning. Exercise B: complete the sentences. Seven minutes."

Pairs justify their answers. Check as a class.

Fast finishers do Handout 3 (further practice); otherwise set it for homework.

Freer practice18 minutes · Groups of three, then whole class

Aim: To use the verbs accurately in personal anecdotes.

Give each group a set of anecdote cards (Handout 4). Students take turns to take a card and tell a short story (true or invented) for one minute: "Tell us about something you'll never forget seeing."

ICQs: "How long do you speak?" (One minute.) "Must it be true?" (No.)

After each story, the listeners ask one follow-up question using another verb from today: "Do you regret not ...?" "Did you try ...?" (12 minutes.)

Each group retells the best story to the class (4 minutes).

Monitor and note language use.

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To give feedback and consolidate.

Board sentences from Stage 4 (correct and incorrect). Students correct the errors and explain the meaning.

Ask: "What's the difference between stop smoking and stop to smoke?"

Set the homework.

Homework Complete Handout 3. Then write a forum post (180 words) about a mistake you made and what you learned. Use at least five verbs from today with the correct pattern.

PPP (presentation, practice, production). Stage times add up to 60 minutes.

Differentiation

Support: Give weaker students the reference table and timelines on a card. Focus on remember, forget, stop and try only.
Stretch: Stronger students use need -ing (passive meaning): The car needs washing. They use perfect gerunds: I regret having said that.

Adapting the lesson

For	What to change
A large class (40 or more)	Keep the pairwork in "Freer practice" in fixed pairs rather than a mingle, and take feedback from four or five pairs instead of the whole room. Monitor one half of the room during "Controlled practice" and the other half during "Freer practice".
A class with no photocopier	Put the exercises from Handout 2: Reference and Practice on the board for learners to copy into their notebooks, and read any text aloud twice instead of printing it. Handout 4: Anecdote Cards (cut up) works read out from the front: learners note what they need rather than holding a card. The board plan above is this lesson's minimum - with that on the board, it runs on no paper at all.
An online class	Send Handouts 1 to 4 in the chat before the lesson and put the board plan on a shared slide. Use breakout rooms for the pairwork in "Freer practice" and visit each room once. Have learners type the controlled answers in the chat, so you see every answer at once instead of nominating.
A different age group	With teenagers, shorten the analysis and get to the task sooner. With adults in a work context, keep the forms exactly as they are and swap the lesson's theme for one from their own field.

Checking learning

7 out of 8 or better on Handout 2, Exercise A. Students use the correct pattern for the intended meaning in their anecdotes. Students can explain the difference in meaning between pairs.

Teacher's reflection

Were the timelines clear for remember / forget? Which verb caused the most difficulty?

Handout 1: My Biggest Mistakes

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

FORUM: Tell us about a mistake you'll never forget!

Nimal_92: I'll never forget driving to my sister's wedding in Kandy. Halfway there, I stopped to buy flowers, and when I got back to the car, I realised I had forgotten to bring the rings! I tried calling my brother, but his phone was off. In the end I had to drive all the way back. I still regret not checking my bag before I left.

Hasini_K: I remember lending my laptop to a friend in Grade 10. I told her, "Remember to save my project!" She forgot to save it, and I lost two weeks of work. I tried to stay calm, but I cried for an hour. I went on working all night and finished it by morning.

Ravi_Travels: I stopped eating street food after a terrible night in Bangkok! I tried taking medicine, I tried drinking ginger tea, but nothing helped. I didn't mean to miss my flight, but I did. Moving to a new country means making mistakes like that, I suppose. After that trip, I went on to become a travel writer, so maybe it was worth it!

Answer the questions.

Why did Nimal stop on the way to Kandy? ______________________________
What did Hasini's friend forget to do? ______________________________
What did Ravi stop doing after Bangkok? ______________________________
What did Ravi go on to do? ______________________________

Handout 2: Reference and Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Quick reference

A. Choose the correct form. Then explain the meaning to your partner.

B. Complete with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Did you remember locking / to lock the door? I can't find the key!
I'll never forget meeting / to meet my favourite cricketer.
We stopped having / to have lunch at a café on the way to Ella.
My grandfather stopped driving / to drive when he was 80.
If your phone is slow, try deleting / to delete some apps.
I tried lifting / to lift the box, but it was too heavy.
We regret informing / to inform you that the flight has been cancelled.
After a short break, the speaker went on talking / to talk about climate change.
I forgot ______________ (buy) milk, so we had black tea.
I remember ______________ (play) in the rain when I was little.
She regrets ______________ (not / study) harder for her exams.
I didn't mean ______________ (hurt) your feelings.
Taking this job will mean ______________ (move) to Colombo.
He started his career as a teacher and went on ______________ (become) a principal.

Verb	+ -ing	+ to
remember / forget	memory of a past action	a duty (remember first, then do)
stop	quit an activity	stop in order to do something
try	an experiment (a possible solution)	an effort (something difficult)
regret	sorry about the past	formal: sorry to announce
go on	continue the same activity	do something new next
mean	involve	intend

Handout 3: Further Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Rewrite each sentence using the verb in brackets. Keep the meaning the same.

I locked the door. I can remember it clearly. (remember) → I ______________________________
Don't forget: you must call your grandmother. (remember) → ______________________________
He doesn't eat meat any more. (stop) → He ______________________________
We stopped the car because we wanted to look at the view. (stop) → We ______________________________
Why don't you put the phone in rice? Maybe it will work. (try) → ______________________________
I'm sorry I said that to her. (regret) → I ______________________________
I didn't intend to break it. (mean) → I ______________________________
She finished school and then became a famous singer. (go on) → After school, she ______________________________

Handout 4: Anecdote Cards (cut up)

Follow-up questions: Do you regret ...? · Did you try ...? · Do you remember ...? · Why did you stop ...? · What did you go on to do?


Something you'll never forget seeing	A time you forgot to do something important
A habit you stopped (or want to stop) doing	A time you tried to do something difficult
Something you regret saying or doing	A problem you solved by trying something new
Something you remember doing as a small child	A time you stopped to help someone

Answer Key

Handout 1

Handout 2, Exercise A

Handout 2, Exercise B

Handout 3

Common errors to watch for

To buy flowers. · 2. To save Hasini's project. · 3. Eating street food. · 4. Become a travel writer.
to lock (a duty) · 2. meeting (a memory) · 3. to have (in order to have lunch) · 4. driving (he quit) · 5. deleting (an experiment) · 6. to lift (an effort) · 7. to inform (formal announcement) · 8. talking (continued the same activity)
to buy · 2. playing · 3. not studying · 4. to hurt · 5. moving · 6. to become
I remember locking the door. · 2. Remember to call your grandmother. · 3. He has stopped eating meat. · 4. We stopped to look at the view. · 5. Try putting the phone in rice. · 6. I regret saying that to her. · 7. I didn't mean to break it. · 8. After school, she went on to become a famous singer.

Error	Correction
I remember to visit Kandy as a child.	I remember visiting Kandy as a child.
He stopped to smoke last year. (he quit)	He stopped smoking last year.
I forgot calling her, so she was angry.	I forgot to call her, so she was angry.
I regret to say that to him.	I regret saying that to him.

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Written by RCF English to the RCF English international standard: levelled by the CEFR, original throughout, and suitable for classrooms in any country. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.

Verbs that Change Meaning ESL Lesson Plan (B2, 60 Minutes)

About this lesson

At a glance

Download this lesson plan

Aims

Language analysis

Meaning changes

Little or no change in meaning

Pronunciation

Concept-checking questions

Anticipated problems and solutions

Board plan

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs, then whole class

Freer practice18 minutes · Groups of three, then whole class

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Differentiation

Adapting the lesson

Checking learning

Teacher's reflection

Handout 1: My Biggest Mistakes

Handout 2: Reference and Practice

Handout 3: Further Practice

Handout 4: Anecdote Cards (cut up)

Answer Key

Download this plan

Elsewhere in Global English

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