Conversation about changes in your life

Catching up (Interchange 1 - Unit 16)

Diane: Hi, Kerry. I haven´t seen you in ages. How have you been?
Kerry: Pretty good, thanks.
Diane: Are you still in school?
Kerry:No, not anymore. I graduated last year. And I got a job at Midatate Bank.
Diane: That´s great news. You know, you look different.Have you changed your hair?
Kerry: Yeah, it´s shorter. And I wear contacts now. Oh, and I've lost weight.
Diane: Well, you look fantastic!
Kerry: Thanks, so do you. And there´s one more think. Look! I got engaged.
Diane: Congratulations!

Describing changes:

With the Present Tense:

I´m not in school anymore.
I wear contacts now.

With the Past Tense:

I got enganged.
I moved to a new place.

With the Present Perfect

I´ve lost weight.

I've changed jobs.

With the comparative:

My hair is shorter now.

My job is less stressful.

PRACTICE:

HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS?

CHECK THE STATEMENTS THAT ARE TRUE FOR YOU. 

IF A STATEMENT ISN´T TRUE, GIVE THE CORRECTINFORMATION.

(     ) 1. I've changed my hairstyle.

(     ) 2. I dress diferently now.

(     ) 3. I've lost weight.

(     ) 4. I moved into my own apartment.

(     ) 5. i got married.

(     ) 6. I'm more outgoing than before.

(     ) 7. I don´t go to many parties anymore.

(     )  8. My life is easier now.

WRITING: 

Write five sentences describing other changes in your life. Compare then in groups. Who in the group has changedthe most?

WORD POWER

COMPLETE THE WORDS MAP WITH PHRASES  FROM THE LIST. THEN ADD MORE EXAMPLES TO EACH CATEGORY.

dye my hair - tingir meu cabelo

gain weight - ganhar peso

get a bank loan - pegar umempréstimo bancário

get a credit card - pegar umcartão de crédito

grow a beard - crescer a barba

improve your English vocabulary - melhorar o vocabulário em inglês

learn a new sport - aprender um novo esporte

learn how to dance - aprender como dançar

open a saving account - abrir uma caderneta de poupança

start a new hobby - começar um novo hobby

wear contact lenses - usar lentes de contato

win the lottery - ganhar na loteria 

Questions about changes:

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom.

• Have you made any recent changes in your life?
• Do you think change is important?
• Do you ever get the urge to refurnish your whole house?
• Do you rearrange the furniture in your house often?
• Do you like to rearrange your room or living-room?
• Do you think change is important in people's life?
• Do you think it is possible for a cold hearted person to change?
• Do you think that it is easy to mend our old ways?
• Do you think it is easy to keep up with the times?
• If you could change anything in your life, what would it be?
• What is the most difficult change you have ever had to make?
• Have you ever decided to get a tattoo?
• Have you ever cut your hair really short?
• What was the craziest change in appearance you have ever made?
• What was the last major change you made in your life?
• Have you ever decided to change the group that you usually hang out (spend time) with?
• What is one thing that you think you will never change about yourself?
• What is one thing you have tried to change, but couldn't?
• If you won a million dollars what things would you change about your life?
• What things would you keep the same?
• Has a friend of yours ever made any major changes that you were proud of?
  • An alcoholic?
  • An unmotivated person?
  • A person who is stuck in their ways?)
• Have you ever converted (changed) over to a different religion?
• Have you ever changed over to a different political party.
• Have you ever dumped a boyfriend or girlfriend? Was the change difficult?
• Have you ever said no to a friend?
• Have you lost a pet, or has a person ever passed away on you?
• Have you ever quit your job?
• Have you ever became depressed and stay indoors for long periods? How did you get out of your depression?
• Have you ever had to change the way you speak, or the way you act? Why?
• Have you ever decided to change the way you dress? If so, why?
• Have you ever decided to change the way you eat, or your form of exercise?

Idioms

• A change of heart – one’s feelings about doing something have changed.
• A change of pace – an addition of some variety in one’s life, routine, or abode
• A change of mind – to have a different opinion or intention than you had before
• Change with the times – to accept and use new ways
• To chop and change – to keep changing what you do or what you plan to do, often in a way that is confusing and annoying for other people
• For a change – as something different
• A change for the better/worse – a positive or negative change

Collocations

• Dramatic changes – very sudden or noticeable changes
• Fundamental changes – basic changes, and more important than anything else.
• Radical changes – great or extreme changes
• Sweeping changes – change affecting many people/things

Conversation Questions

• What are some of the biggest changes that a person goes through?
• Have you made any recent changes in your life?
• Do you think change is important?
• Do you ever get the urge to refurnish your whole house?
• Do you like to change things in your house from time to time?
• Do you think change is important in people’s life?
• Do you think that it is easy to mend our old ways?
• Do you think it is easy to change with the times?
• If you could change anything in your life, what would it be?
• What is the most difficult change you have ever had to make?
• What is one thing that you think you will never change about yourself?
• What is one thing you have tried to change, but couldn’t?
• Have you ever converted (changed) over to a different religion?
• Have you ever had to change the way you speak, or the way you act?
• Have you ever decided to change the way you eat?http://www.englishwithjo.com/english-conversation-change/