Unit 8: Describing and Narrating

Introduction to Unit 8

This unit is about talking about experiences and past events, expressing time sequences in the present, and expressing past time relations.

NOW GO TO THE FIRST SECTION: Dialogue

Dialogue

The following conversation is between two friends, Theo and Ben, who are sitting in a restaurant and talking about an unusual menu.

Theo: So what do you think of this menu, Ben? Ben: They have some strange dishes. It says ‘snails’ here! Theo: Have you ever eaten snails before? Ben: No, never. ...

Vocabulary

Now let’s look at some of the words and phrases from the conversation in more detail.

Ben says, “They’ve got some strange dishes!”. “Dish” is another way of saying meal or plate of food. “Strange” means that something is odd, different or unusual. Ben is saying ...

Comprehension Questions

Now go back and read the conversation again, and try to answer the following questions about it. After this, discuss your answers with a friend.

What two items on the menu are Ben and Theo talking about? (2 marks) Which has Ben eaten before? (1 mark) Which has Theo eaten before? (1 mark) Who cooked ...

Grammar

The following grammar points are about the present perfect tense and the past perfect tense. Try the accompanying exercises to practise them.

The Present Perfect Tense [See Unit 10 for a summary of the different tenses.] The present perfect is used to refer to a long/extended time period in the past (measured ...

Writing

Practise your written English by answering one of the following writing activities. Try to use new vocabulary and grammar from this unit, and practice reading it out loud – this is a great way to spot mistakes. You could also swap your piece of writing with a friend to correct it. To help you, there are a few ideas of phrases you could use.

Write a short description of a past experience or event. Write a short dialogue telling your friend about an exciting trip you have just been on. Useful vocabulary: I went ...