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ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR A1

Used To for Past Habits and States ESL Lesson Plan (A1, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute A1 lesson on Used To for Past Habits and States, built round the theme "When I Was a Child".

  • CEFR A1
  • 60 minutes
  • Teenagers and adults
  • Grammar
  • Used To, Would and Be / Get Used To
  • Used To for Past Habits and States

About this lesson

Who it is for. High-A1 learners who know the present simple and some past simple forms (was, had, played). To talk about childhood they use the present (When I was a child I play with my brother) or the past simple only, and they have not met used to. When they try it, they add -s or -ed to the main verb (I used to played).

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 A1 (Beginner, upper end)
Learners
Teenagers and adults
Length
60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run only "Then and now" of the two tasks in "Freer practice" and cut "Feedback and wrap-up" to board-based error correction.
Skills
Speaking
Language focus
Grammar: Used To for Past Habits and States (I used to play ..., I didn't use to ...)
Framework
PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials
Childhood photos (the teacher's and students', if possible), Handout 1 (Grandpa's life), Handout 2 (practice), Handout 3 (then and now chart).
Preparation
About 10 minutes: print Handouts 1 to 3, 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)

Download the PDFWordMake a copy

The PDF prints as it stands. The Word file and Make a copy are for adapting it: your copy is yours to change, and the original stays as it is.

Aims

Main aim. To present and practise used to + base verb for things that were true or happened regularly in the past but not now, in positive and negative sentences (didn't use to).

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can talk about their childhood and compare it with now, e.g. I used to live in Matara. I used to play with my cousins every day. I didn't use to like vegetables, but now I love them.

  • Subsidiary aim. To contrast past and present (I used to ..., but now I ...).
  • Subsidiary aim. To practise the pronunciation /ˈjuːstə/.
  • Subsidiary aim. To develop speaking with childhood photos.

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.

Form

FormExample
Positivesubject + used to + base verbI used to play cricket. She used to have long hair.
Negativesubject + didn't use to + base verbI didn't use to like fish.

Form: notes

  • The main verb is the base form: used to play (not used to played).
  • used to is the same for all persons: I / you / he / she / we / they used to.
  • Negative: didn't use to (no d), because didn't already shows the past.

Meaning

  • Something was true or happened again and again in the past, but not now.
  • I used to live in Matara = I lived there before; I don't live there now.

Pronunciation

  • used to /ˈjuːstə/ (one sound group: "yoos-tuh"). The d is silent.

Concept-checking questions

  • I used to live in Matara. Did I live in Matara before? (Yes.) Do I live there now? (No.)
  • She used to have long hair. Is her hair long now? (No.) Was it long before? (Yes, for a long time.)
  • I didn't use to like fish. Did I like fish before? (No.) Do I like it now? (Yes, probably.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

ProblemSolution
Past form after used to (used to played).Board: used to + base verb; cross out played.
Pronunciation /juːzd tuː/.Drill /ˈjuːstə/ as one chunk.
didn't used toBoard: didn't + use (no d).
Using it for one action (I used to go to Kandy last week).Timeline: many times / a long time, not one time.

Board plan

Left: then and nowCentre: grammarRight: pronunciation
THEN ← → NOW · lived in Matara → live in Colombo · had long hair → short hair · didn't like fish → love fish
+ I used to play cricket. · She used to have long hair. · – I didn't use to like fish. · used to + base verb · not: used to played ✗ · not: didn't used to ✗ · many times / a long time, not one time
used to /ˈjuːstə/ · I used to PLAY · I didn't use to LIKE fish

CEFR A1 · 60 minutes · Teenagers and adults

Procedure: Used To for Past Habits and States, step by step

Warm-up5 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To engage students with the topic.

Show a photo of yourself as a child (or a drawing). Ask: "Who is this? How old was I?"

Students guess. Say: "Yes, it's me! I was 7."

Presentation20 minutes · Whole class, individual, pairs

Aim: To present used to in context and clarify meaning, form and pronunciation.

Part A: Teacher's story (6 minutes)

Talk about the photo: "When I was a child, I used to live in a village. I used to walk to school. I didn't use to like rice! Now I love it." Draw a timeline: then ← → now.

Ask the CCQs.

Part B: Reading (6 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read about Grandpa Somapala. How was his life different? Three minutes."

ICQs: "Who is the text about?" (Grandpa Somapala.)

Students answer the true / false questions. Pairs compare. Check as a class.

Part C: Clarification (8 minutes)

Board two sentences from the text. Highlight used to + base verb.

Board the negative didn't use to. Cross out didn't used to and used to played.

Show that it's the same for all persons.

Pronunciation. Drill /ˈjuːstə/: I used to PLAY. He used to WALK. We didn't use to have a TV.

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

Aim: To practise the form accurately.

Give out Handout 2. Say: "Exercise A: complete with used to or didn't use to. Exercise B: correct the mistakes. Six minutes."

ICQs: "used to + play or played?" (Play.)

Pairs check. Check as a class.

Freer practice18 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To use used to to talk about real childhood.

Then and now (5 minutes). Give out Handout 3. Students complete the chart about themselves: where they lived, food, games, school, hair, bedtime.

Tell your partner (7 minutes). Students tell a partner: "I used to live in Galle, but now I live in Colombo. I used to play hide and seek." The partner asks: "Really? Did you like it?"

Guess who (6 minutes). Students write one sentence about their childhood on a slip of paper. The teacher reads them out; the class guesses who wrote each: "I used to have a pet monkey!"

Monitor and note errors.

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To give feedback and consolidate.

Board four sentences from your notes (two with errors). Students correct them.

Quick round: each student says one thing they used to do.

Set the homework.

Homework Ask a grandparent or older person about their childhood. Write 6 sentences with used to and didn't use to: My grandmother used to cook on a wood fire.

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

Differentiation

Support
Give weaker students the then-and-now pictures with verbs. Give the frame: I used to ..., but now I ...
Stretch
Stronger students ask questions: Did you use to ...? They use never used to: I never used to eat breakfast.

Adapting the lesson

ForWhat 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. Run "Then and now" once, with two pairs reporting, rather than hearing every pair. Monitor one half of the room during "Controlled practice" and the other half during "Freer practice".
A class with no photocopierPut the exercises from Handout 2: Practice on the board for learners to copy into their notebooks, and read any text aloud twice instead of printing it. The board plan above is this lesson's minimum - with that on the board, it runs on no paper at all.
An online classSend Handouts 1 to 3 in the chat before the lesson and put the board plan on a shared slide. Use breakout rooms for "Then and now" 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 groupWith young learners, cut the writing at the end and give that time to the speaking task; keep the drilling short, and let them draw or mime where the plan allows it. With adults, keep the writing and ask for a short spoken summary in place of anything drawn or mimed.

Checking learning

8 out of 10 or better on Handout 2. Students use used to + base verb, and didn't use to in negatives. Students pronounce used to as /ˈjuːstə/.

Teacher's reflection

Did the timeline make the "not now" meaning clear? Did students enjoy sharing childhood memories?

Handout 1: Grandpa Somapala

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

My grandpa Somapala is 80. When he was a child, he lived in a small village near Anuradhapura.

He used to wake up at 5 o'clock every day. He used to help his father in the paddy fields before school. He didn't use to wear shoes; he used to walk to school with no shoes! His family didn't use to have electricity, so they used to read with an oil lamp.

Now Grandpa lives in Colombo with us. He has a smartphone and he watches cricket on TV every evening. But he still wakes up at 5!

True (T) or False (F)?

  • Grandpa used to live in Colombo. ______
  • He used to help his father in the fields. ______
  • He used to wear shoes to school. ______
  • His family didn't use to have electricity. ______
  • Grandpa doesn't wake up early now. ______

Handout 2: Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Complete the sentences with used to or didn't use to.

B. Correct the mistakes.

  • I ______________ play with dolls, but now I don't.
  • We ______________ have a car. We walked everywhere.
  • My father ______________ have black hair. Now it's grey.
  • She ______________ like vegetables, but now she loves them.
  • They ______________ live in Kandy. Now they live in Jaffna.
  • I ______________ watch TV. We didn't have one!
  • I used to played football. ______________________________
  • He didn't used to like school. ______________________________
  • She use to live in Galle. ______________________________
  • We used to going to the beach. ______________________________

Handout 3: Then and Now

Name: ______________________________

Tell your partner: I used to ..., but now I ...

When I was a child (I used to ... / I didn't use to ...)Now
Where I lived
My favourite food
Games I played
My school
My hair
Bedtime

Answer Key

Handout 1

Handout 2, Exercise A

Handout 2, Exercise B

Common errors to watch for

  • F · 2. T · 3. F · 4. T · 5. F
  • used to · 2. didn't use to · 3. used to · 4. didn't use to · 5. used to · 6. didn't use to
  • I used to play football. · 2. He didn't use to like school. · 3. She used to live in Galle. · 4. We used to go to the beach.
ErrorCorrection
I used to played cricket.I used to play cricket.
He didn't used to like it.He didn't use to like it.
/juːzd tuː//ˈjuːstə/
I used to go to Kandy last week. (one time)I went to Kandy last week.

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Google Docs · 60 minutes

Download the PDFWordMake a copy

The same document as the one at the top of the page.

Elsewhere in Global English

Pages that help with this lesson in particular, rather than everything we have.

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About this lesson plan

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.

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