If I could change the past

If you could change one thing about the past, what would it be?  Here is a conversation activity and video for intermediate English language learners to practice past modals like should have and would have.

1. Warm up. Everyone introduces themselves and answers the question “What was a bad decision you made?” Answers can be funny, like “it was a bad decision to eat twelve tacos yesterday.” Or “it was a bad decision to wear striped pants with a plaid shirt.”

2. Vocabulary generator.  Introduce (or review) ‘should have’ and ‘shouldn’t have.’ Have the class expand on the statements made in the warm up, like “I should have eaten a salad instead,” or “you shouldn’t have gotten dressed in the dark.”

3. Video. Watch this Bruno Mars video and talk about what it means.

What happened to Bruno’s ex-girlfriend?
What didn’t happen?
What does Bruno want to happen in the future?
Is this possible?

Advice (Photo credit: laughlin)

4.The advice game. Give each person three or four small pieces of paper and have them or her finish this sentence: I need some advice because…  If there are four to six participants, you may want to add some situations of your own: I took my mother’s car without permission and crashed it,or I forgot my best friend’s birthday.  When everyone has written down three or four situations, take all the slips of paper and mix them up. Then have the students sit in pairs in a circle or horse-shoe shape with the papers in the middle. The students take turns being the advice giver. The person who needs advice takes a slip of paper and reads the situation, then asks the advice giver for help. They should add as many details and ad-lib the situation as much as they want. The advice-giver should try to give as many suggestions as possible. After 2 or 3 minutes, switch roles and topics. Keep going until all the situations have been discussed by all groups.

5. Global feedback. With the class, talk about the best advice they heard and the worst advice they heard.

To expand this conversation with higher-level learners, try it in conjunction with The job counselor conversation game.

Conversation objectives: discuss hypothetical situations, ask for help, give advice, build vocabulary through conversation, practice past modals.
Ideal group size: At least six players.
Ideal group level: Intermediate English with learners that have been introduced to past modals.
This post is part of our March Conversation Marathon. We publish a new conversation activity every Tuesday and Thursday during the month of March. To see the complete list of Marathon activities, click here.
For more general conversation topics, click here.  For more conversation games, click here.