ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR A2

Used To in Questions and Contrast with Now ESL Lesson Plan (A2, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute A2 lesson on Used To in Questions and Contrast with Now, built round the theme "How Our Town Has Changed".

CEFR A2
60 minutes
Teenagers and adults
Grammar
Used To, Would and Be / Get Used To
Used To in Questions and Contrast with Now

About this lesson

Who it is for. Elementary students who can make positive and negative sentences with used to. They form questions incorrectly (Used you to play?, Did you used to ...?), use used to for present habits (I use to get up at 6), and don't know how to show that something has or hasn't changed (any more, still).

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 A2 (Elementary)
Learners: Teenagers and adults
Length: 60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run only "Then and now pictures" 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 in Questions and Contrast with Now (Did you use to ...? not any more, still)
Framework: PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials: Handout 1 (an interview with a shop owner), Handout 2 (practice), Handout 3 (old and new pictures of a town, interview cards).
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)

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Aims

Main aim. To clarify and practise Did ... use to ...? questions and short answers, and to contrast past and present with not ... any more / any longer and still.

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can ask and answer about changes, e.g. "Did there use to be a cinema here?" "Yes, there did. But it isn't there any more." "Do people still fish here?" "Yes, they still do.".

Subsidiary aim. To clarify that there is no present form of used to (use usually + present simple).
Subsidiary aim. To develop speaking through an interview about how a town has changed.

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.

Questions and short answers

Question	Short answers
Did you use to play cricket?	Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.
What did you use to eat?	I used to eat rice and curry.
Did there use to be a cinema here?	Yes, there did. / No, there didn't.

Questions and short answers: notes

did shows the past, so the next word is use (no d): Did you use to ...?

Contrast with now

	Meaning	Example
not ... any more / any longer	it was true before, not now	I don't play cricket any more.
still	it was true before, and it is true now	I still live in Galle. She still doesn't eat meat.

Contrast with now: notes

still goes before the main verb, after be: He still works there. It's still open.
There is no present used to: for present habits, use usually + present simple (I usually get up at 6, not I use to).

Pronunciation

Did you use to /dɪdʒə ˈjuːstə/.
Stress still and any more in contrasts: I STILL live here. She doesn't work there any MORE.

Concept-checking questions

There used to be a cinema here, but it isn't there any more. Was there a cinema before? (Yes.) Is there one now? (No.)
He still works at the market. Did he work there before? (Yes.) Now? (Yes.) Has anything changed? (No.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

Problem	Solution
Did you used to ...?	Board: did + use (no d), like did + play.
Used you to ...?	Board the question with did at the front.
I use to get up at 6 (present).	Board: no present used to → I usually ...
Position of still (He works still there).	Board: still + main verb; be + still.

Board plan

Left: questions	Centre: contrast	Right: pronunciation
Did you use to play cricket? → Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. · What did you use to eat? · Did there use to be a cinema? → Yes, there did. · not: Did you used to ✗ · not: Used you to ✗
THEN ✓ NOW ✗ → not ... any more · THEN ✓ NOW ✓ → still · He still works there. · It's still open. · I don't play any more. · present habit: I usually get up at 6 (not: I use to ✗)
Did you use to /dɪdʒə ˈjuːstə/ · I STILL live here · not any MORE

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, whole class

Aim: To engage students with the topic.

Ask: "How was our town different 20 years ago? Ask your parents' generation."

Pairs brainstorm (2 minutes). Take ideas: "There were no supermarkets ..."

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

Aim: To present questions with used to, still and any more in context and clarify the form.

Part A: Reading (6 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read the interview with Mr Fernando, who has had a shop in Negombo for 40 years. What has changed? What hasn't? Three minutes."

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

Part B: Noticing (4 minutes)

Say: "Find the questions. What word starts them? Find still and any more." Pairs compare.

Part C: Clarification (10 minutes)

Board Did you use to sell fish? and the short answers. Cross out Did you used to and Used you to.

Board There used to be a cinema and Did there use to be ...?

Draw the then / now ticks for any more and still. Ask the CCQs.

Board I use to get up at 6 ✗ → I usually get up at 6.

Pronunciation. Drill Did you use to ...? /dɪdʒə ˈjuːstə/ and stress on still.

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

Aim: To practise the forms accurately.

Give out Handout 2. Say: "Exercise A: write questions with used to. Exercise B: still or any more? Exercise C: correct the mistakes. Seven minutes."

Pairs check. Check as a class.

Freer practice18 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Aim: To use the language in an interview.

Then and now pictures (7 minutes). Give out Handout 3. Pairs compare the two pictures of "Lakeside" 30 years ago and today: "There used to be a cinema, but it isn't there any more. The temple is still there."

Interview (8 minutes). Student A is a reporter; Student B is an older resident (role card). A interviews B: "Did you use to swim in the lake?" "Yes, I did, but I don't any more. It's too dirty." Swap with the second card.

ICQs: "What does the reporter ask about?" (How the town has changed.)

Two pairs perform (3 minutes).

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.

Ask: "Is there a present form of used to?" (No.)

Set the homework.

Homework Interview an older family member about how your town or village has changed. Write 5 questions with Did ... use to ...? and their answers, using still and any more.

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

Differentiation

Support: Give weaker students the question frame Did you use to ...? on a card. In the picture task, give them a list of places.
Stretch: Stronger students use no longer: The cinema no longer exists. They use There used to be + plural: There used to be lots of fishing boats.

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. Run "Then and now pictures" 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 photocopier	Put 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 class	Send 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 pictures" 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 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

10 out of 12 or better on Handout 2. In the interview, students form Did ... use to ...? questions correctly. Students use still and any more correctly.

Teacher's reflection

Did the then / now ticks make still and any more clear? Was the interview realistic and engaging?

Handout 1: Forty Years in Negombo

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Reporter: Mr Fernando, you've had this shop for 40 years. What did you use to sell? Mr Fernando: I used to sell fishing nets and ropes. Most people here used to be fishermen. Reporter: Do you still sell nets? Mr Fernando: A few, but not many. Now I sell phone cards and snacks to tourists! Reporter: Did there use to be many tourists? Mr Fernando: No, there didn't. There used to be only a few small guest houses. Now there are big hotels on the beach. Reporter: Did you use to live above the shop? Mr Fernando: Yes, I did. My family doesn't live here any more. We moved to a house near the lagoon. But I still open the shop at 6 every morning!

Answer the questions.

What did Mr Fernando use to sell? ______________________________
Does he still sell nets? ______________________________
Did there use to be big hotels? ______________________________
What does he still do every morning? ______________________________

Handout 2: Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Write questions with used to.

B. Write still or any more.

C. Correct the mistakes.

you / have long hair? → ______________________________
Where / your family / live? → ______________________________
there / be a park here? → ______________________________
What / you / eat for breakfast? → ______________________________
I lived in Galle as a child, and I ______________ live there.
She used to smoke, but she doesn't smoke ______________.
The old temple is ______________ there. It's 300 years old.
They don't sell newspapers ______________. Everyone reads the news online.
Did you used to play cricket? ______________________________
Used you to live here? ______________________________
I use to get up at 6 every day. ______________________________
He works still at the bank. ______________________________

Handout 3: Lakeside, Then and Now

Lakeside 30 years ago

Lakeside today

Interview role cards

a small cinema · a big lake with clean water · many fishing boats · a train station · a market every Sunday · a temple · no supermarket · no traffic lights
no cinema (a shopping mall) · a small, dirty lake · two fishing boats · the train station (still there) · no Sunday market · the same temple · two supermarkets · lots of traffic


Resident 1 (Mrs Kumari, 70): You used to swim in the lake and buy vegetables at the Sunday market. You still go to the temple every week.
Resident 2 (Mr Rasheed, 65): You used to work at the cinema. You used to take the train to Colombo. You still take the train sometimes.

Answer Key

Handout 1

Handout 2, Exercise A

Handout 2, Exercise B

Handout 2, Exercise C

Common errors to watch for

Fishing nets and ropes. · 2. A few, but not many. · 3. No; there used to be only a few small guest houses. · 4. He still opens the shop at 6.
Did you use to have long hair? · 2. Where did your family use to live? · 3. Did there use to be a park here? · 4. What did you use to eat for breakfast?
still · 2. any more · 3. still · 4. any more
Did you use to play cricket? · 2. Did you use to live here? · 3. I usually get up at 6 every day. · 4. He still works at the bank.

Error	Correction
Did you used to ...?	Did you use to ...?
Used you to ...?	Did you use to ...?
I use to get up early. (present)	I usually get up early.
He works still there.	He still works there.

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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.

Used To in Questions and Contrast with Now ESL Lesson Plan (A2, 60 Minutes)

About this lesson

At a glance

Download this lesson plan

Aims

Language analysis

Questions and short answers

Questions and short answers: notes

Contrast with now

Contrast with now: notes

Pronunciation

Concept-checking questions

Anticipated problems and solutions

Board plan

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, whole class

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, pairs, whole class

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

Freer practice18 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Differentiation

Adapting the lesson

Checking learning

Teacher's reflection

Handout 1: Forty Years in Negombo

Handout 2: Practice

Handout 3: Lakeside, Then and Now

Answer Key

Download this plan

Elsewhere in Global English

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More used to, would and be / get used to plans