AN UNLUCKY DAY PAST TENSE

 

Exercise 1: The "Unlucky Day" (Contextual Gap-Fill)

Focus: Mastering common irregular verbs (get, have, go, see, take, find).

Complete the story by putting the verbs in brackets into the Past Simple.

Yesterday (be) __________ a total disaster. I (get) __________ up late because my alarm clock (not/go) __________ off. I (have) __________ a quick shower and (run) __________ to the bus stop, but I (see) __________ the bus leaving right as I arrived. I (decide) __________ to take a taxi, but it (take) __________ forever to find one. When I finally (arrive) __________ at work, I (find) __________ out that the meeting (be) __________ cancelled anyway!

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Exercise 2: Sentence Transformation (Negative & Interrogative)

Focus: Using the auxiliary verb "did" correctly with regular and irregular forms.

Rewrite the following affirmative sentences into Negatives and Questions.

1. They bought a new car last week.

   • Negative: __________________________________________________

   • Question: __________________________________________________

2. Sarah stayed at home on Saturday.

   • Negative: __________________________________________________

   • Question: __________________________________________________

3. We ate pizza for dinner.

   • Negative: __________________________________________________

   • Question: __________________________________________________

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Exercise 3: The "Memory Lane" Match-Up

Focus: Recognizing irregular forms and applying them to real-life tasks.

Part A: Match the Present Simple verb to its Past Simple irregular partner.

Present	Past
1. Buy	A. Thought
2. Think	B. Wrote
3. Write	C. Bought
4. Give	D. Left
5. Leave	E. Gave

Reading: The Whispering Attic (A2-B1 Version)

The rain was very heavy. It hit the windows of the old house with a loud noise. Elias moved into his grandfather’s home two days ago. The house was very quiet and he felt a bit lonely.

At midnight, he heard a strange sound. It was not the wind. It was a "thud-scrape" noise from the attic above his room. Elias was scared, but he took his flashlight and walked up the old stairs.

The attic door was open. The air smelled like old metal. He pushed the door and shone his light inside. In the corner, a dusty chair moved slowly. But nobody was there! Suddenly, his flashlight stopped working. It was completely dark. Then, a cold hand touched his face, and a voice whispered:

"You are in my chair."

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 Worksheet: The "Past Simple" Masterclass

1. Grammar Spotlight: Find the Verbs

Look at the story again. Can you find four regular verbs and four irregular verbs?

Regular (-ed)	Irregular (Special form)
1. ___________	1. ___________
2. ___________	2. ___________
3. ___________	3. ___________
4. ___________	4. ___________

2. Task-Based Activity: The Interviewer

Imagine Elias escaped the house and went to the police. Write the questions the police officer asked him using the prompts below.

• Example: (What time / the noise / start?) $\rightarrow$ What time did the noise start?

1. (What / you / hear?) __________________________________________________

2. (you / see / a ghost?) _________________________________________________

3. (Why / you / go / to the attic?) __________________________________________

4. (the door / be / locked?) ______________________________________________

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1. 
   The "What Happens Next?" Discussion: Talk for 1 minute about what Elias did after the hand touched his face. Did he run? Did he scream? Did he fight?

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 Writing Activity: Change the Ending

The story ended in a very scary way. Now, rewrite the last paragraph (30-50 words) to make it funny or happy.

Requirements:

• Use the negative form "didn't".

• Use the verb "gave".

• Use the verb "laughed".

Example Idea: Maybe it wasn't a ghost. Maybe it was his grandfather playing a joke!

created by A.I.

Unit 19-20

 

UNIT 19

Asta                                               Banditore d’asta                                        Restauratore

Scultore                                       Regista                                                          Cavalletto

Contorno, profilo                       Natura morta                                              Acquaragia

MODALS OF DEDUCTION

1. John potrebbe non venire alla mia festa
2. Carla deve essere in vacanza. Ha postato ieri delle foto fatte a Londra
3. Picasso deve essere stato un artista molto creativo perché inventò il cubismo.
4. Tony non può essere a casa. Le luci sono spente!
5. Daniel deve aver studiato Arte a scuola molto bene. Sa davvero dipingere!
6. Leila non può aver ucciso John. Alle 11.00, che è l’ora del delitto, era a cena fuori con degli amici

INFINITIVE OF PURPOSE

1.      Tim è andato al supermercato ieri pomeriggio per fare la spesa

2.      Sono andato presto a letto ieri per non sentirmi stanco stamattina al lavoro

3.      Mia sorella non ha voluto che io le leggessi le recensioni del film per non rovinarmi la visione

4.      Grazie mille per avermi aiutato!

5.      Oggi il telefono è usato per lo più per mandare messaggi

Unit 20

Anelli da ginnastica   _______________________Arrampicata sul ghiaccio________________________

Pattinaggio artistico________________________Moto trial____________________________________

Staffetta_________________________________Parapendio__________________________________

Salto base_______________________________Rafting______________________________________

Sci di fondo______________________________ Salto in lungo_________________________________

Salto con l’asta____________________________Disco________________________________________

Scherma_________________________________Speleologia subacquea_________________________

Articolazioni rigide_________________________Anoressia___________________________________

Non mangiare tardi la sera__________________Avere una dieta sana____________________________

Trascorrere del tempo fuori________________________Mantenere un peso forma__________________

PAST PERFECT SIMPLE

1.      Non mi sentivo bene perché avevo mangiato troppo cibo spazzatura il giorno prima.

2.      Marco era molto stanco perché aveva corso per un'ora sotto il sole.

3.      La squadra ha vinto la gara perché gli atleti si erano allenati duramente per mesi.

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

1.      Lei stava facendo yoga da soli dieci minuti quando il telefono ha suonato.

2.      Da quanto tempo ti stavi preparando per la maratona prima dell'infortunio?

3.      Stavamo seguendo quella dieta da un mese quando abbiamo visto i primi risultati.

 

 

IDIOMS

1.      Appisolarsi

2.      Stai sempre a giocherellare

3.      Non si scherza con la salute

4.      In perfette condizioni fisiche

5.      Essersi ripreso

6.      Essere sano e salvo

7.      Essere vivo e vegeto

8.      Essere al settimo cielo

9.      Sentirsi poco bene

10.   Avere tantissima energia

11.   Essere il ritratto della salute

12.   Riuscire a smettere un’abitudine dannosa

13.   Un certificato che attesta la buona salute

Reading & Logic Task: "The Marathon Mystery"

Leggi il testo e completa le frasi usando il Past Perfect Continuous dei verbi tra parentesi.

"When James arrived at the clinic, he looked completely drained. He (1) __________ (prepare) for the triathlon for six months. However, he admitted that he (2) __________ (not / hydrate) properly during his long runs. His trainer noticed that James (3) __________ (push) himself too hard without enough rest. By the time he collapsed, he (4) __________ (train) for four hours straight in the heat. It was clear that he (5) __________ (ignore) the warning signs of fatigue."

APPROVAL

I'm fully behind you.

That’s a step in the right direction.

Way to go! / Keep it up!

I couldn't have put it better myself.

How lovely

Brilliant/well done

DISAPPROVAL

I’m not so sure about that

I’d prefer (not)to have

That's out of the question

 I take issue with your approach

.I'm afraid I can't sign off on that

 

The "Doctor-Patient" Dialogue (Writing & Grammar)

Fill in the gaps using the Past Perfect Continuous of the verb in brackets and an Idiom from the previous list.

Doctor: "Come in, Mr. Rossi. You look great! A real (1) _______________ (idiom)." Patient: "Thanks, Doc. I feel amazing. Before our last meeting, I (2) _______________ (struggle) with my weight for years." Doctor: "I noticed. And your blood tests are perfect. I’m giving you a (3) _______________ (idiom)." Patient: "I'm glad. I (4) _______________ (hit) the gym four times a week before I hurt my ankle, but I'm (5) _______________ (idiom) now."

Task 2: Expressing Opinion (Functional Language)

Read the scenarios and write a response using a phrase of Approval or Disapproval.

1. Scenario: Your friend tells you they have been skipping breakfast and lunch to lose weight quickly.
• Your Response: "_________________________________________________"
2. Scenario: Your gym partner says they have decided to quit smoking and start training for a 5k run.
• Your Response: "_________________________________________________"

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 Reading Activity: The Comeback Story

Read the text and answer the questions using the target grammar.

"By the time the marathon started, Sarah was nervous. She had been recovering from a knee injury for six months. During that time, she had been swimming every morning to keep her cardio up. Her coach had been telling her to take it slow, but Sarah was determined. When she crossed the finish line, she felt as fit as a fiddle again."

1. What had Sarah been doing to maintain her fitness during her injury?
2. What had the coach been advising her to do?

created by A.I.

there, it, they

https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/activities-for-learners/b2v008b-there-it-and-they 

FUTURE BE GOING TO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqLiNV-4gCE&list=RDQqLiNV-4gCE&start_radio=1 

greetings revision

 

Fill in the blank spaces with an appropriate greeting or reply for the situation. Choose the correct tone (Formal or Informal) for each dialogue.

Situation/Style	Speaker A (Greeting)	Speaker B (Reply)
1. Informal (Meeting a friend on the street)	Hey, Maria! (1) ___________________________?	Not bad, thanks. And you?
2. Formal (Introducing yourself)	Good afternoon. My name is Mr. Thompson. (2) ___________________________.	The pleasure is mine, Mr. Thompson.
3. Informal (Phone call)	(3) ___________________________	It's Mark. Are you free this weekend?
4. Formal (Ending a business meeting)	Thank you for your time, Ms. Lee. Goodbye.	(4) ___________________________
5. Informal (Seeing someone after a while)	(5) ___________________________! How have you been?	Wow! It's great to see you, too!
6. Formal (In an office)	Hello, Mr. White. How is everything?	(6) ___________________________ and you?
7. Informal (Checking on someone)	What's up? I haven't seen you all day.	(7) ___________________________
8. Formal (A slightly less common greeting)	Good morning. I trust you are well?	(8) ___________________________. Thank you for asking.
9. Informal (Saying goodbye)	See you later, Tom.	(9) ___________________________. Bye!
10. Formal (Meeting an acquaintance)	(10) ___________________________, Mr. Evans.	Good afternoon, Ms. Kelly. It's a pleasure.

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Possible Answers

Here are some possible answers for the blanks:

1. How are things / How's it going / What's new

2. Pleased to meet you / It's a pleasure to meet you

3. Hello? / Hi? / Speaking. (When answering the phone)

4. Have a good day / I look forward to our next meeting / Goodbye

5. Hi there / Long time no see / Look who it is

6. I am very well / Everything is fine / Things are proceeding well

7. Nothing much / Just relaxing / Oh, I'm okay

8. I am perfectly well / Yes, quite well

9. Take care / Later / Catch you then

10. Good afternoon / Hello

OBJECT PRONOUNS

https://it.pearson.com/content/dam/region-core/italy/pearson-italy/pdf/km0/SSSG%20INGLESE/SSSG%20INGLESE%20Subject%20pronouns,%20object%20pronouns%20and%20possessive%20adjectives.pdf 

https://www.cattaneodallaglio.edu.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Pronomi-personali-e-aggettivi-e-pronomi-possessivi.pdf

ADJECTIVES

personality vocabuary 

feelings vocabulary

WordOpposite (Antonym)

PLEASED Upset, Disappointed, Angry

MISERABLE Happy, Joyful, Cheerful

AFRAID Brave, Confident, Fearless

DELIGHTED Upset, Disappointed, Sad

RELIEVED Stressed, Worried, Anxious

THRILLED Bored, Unexcited, Disappointed

ASHAMED Proud, Honored 

GUILTY Innocent

CONFIDENT Insecure, Doubtful, Timid

TERRIFYING Soothing, Calming, Reassuring

INSPIRATIONAL Demotivating, Discouraging, Uninspiring

ANNOYED Pleased, Delighted, Satisfied

BRILLIANT Dull, Stupid, Terrible (depending on context)

RELATIVES-IN-LAW

 Here is a clear list of common in-law relatives in Italian:

English Relative	Italian Word (Singular)	Plural	Meaning
Father-in-law	Suocero (masculine)	Suoceri	The father of one's husband or wife.
Mother-in-law	Suocera (feminine)	Suocere	The mother of one's husband or wife.
Parents-in-law	Suoceri (masculine plural)	-	Both father-in-law and mother-in-law.
Son-in-law	Genero (masculine)	Generi	The husband of one's daughter.
Daughter-in-law	Nuora (feminine)	Nuore	The wife of one's son.
Brother-in-law	Cognato (masculine)	Cognati	The brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling.
Sister-in-law	Cognata (feminine)	Cognate	The sister of one's spouse or the wife of one's sibling.
Siblings-in-law	Cognati (masculine plural)	-	A mixed group of brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Here are three different exercises for students to practice relatives-in-law nouns (e.g., mother-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law). 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

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1. Matching and Definition (Vocabulary Focus)

This exercise focuses on correctly associating the relative-in-law term with its definition.

Instructions: Match the relative-in-law noun in Column A with the correct definition in Column B.

Column A (Noun)	Column B (Definition)
1. Sister-in-law	A. The father of one's husband or wife.
2. Son-in-law	B. The wife of one's son.
3. Mother-in-law	C. The husband of one's daughter.
4. Father-in-law	D. The sister of one's husband or wife, or the wife of one's brother.
5. Daughter-in-law	E. The mother of one's husband or wife.

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2. Sentence Completion (Contextual Use)

This exercise requires students to choose the correct relative-in-law noun to fit the context of a sentence.

Instructions: Choose the best relative-in-law noun from the box to complete each sentence. Use each noun only once.

brother-in-law     daughter-in-law​     sister-in-law    father-in-law​   mother-in-law   son-in-law​​

1. My brother, Tom, married a lovely woman named Sarah, so she is now my ____________________.

2. When my daughter got married, we gained a wonderful ____________________, who is a great cook.

3. We're having dinner tonight with my wife's parents. I always enjoy talking to my ____________________ about history.

4. Since my son married Lisa, she has become my ____________________.

5. My wife's brother is a firefighter. He's my brave ____________________.

6. Whenever I visit my husband's mother, my ____________________ always serves her delicious homemade cake.

3) Descriptions:

1. My husband's mother ➝ __________

2. My wife's brother ➝ __________

3. My son's wife ➝ __________

4. My wife's father ➝ __________

5. My husband's sister ➝ __________

6. My daughter’s husband ➝ __________

4)Read each riddle and write the correct relative-in-law noun.

1. I am married to your son. Who am I? → __________

2. I am your wife's sister. Who am I? → __________

3. I am your daughter’s husband. Who am I? → __________

4. I am your husband's brother. Who am I? → __________

5. I am the mother of your wife. Who am I? → __________

6. I am married to your brother. Who am I? → ________

Typical British Expressions: Greetings & Health

 

Typical British Expressions: Greetings & Health

Greetings and Questions (Common in the UK)

Expression	Meaning/Context	Typical Response
Are you alright? / You alright?	This is the single most common British greeting. It's a general, friendly 'hello,' not a serious health query.	Yeah, fine, thanks. / Not bad.
Alright, mate? / Alright?	Very informal, often used between friends or colleagues.	Alright. (Often just repeated back)
How's things?	A common variation of "How are things going?"	Good, ta. / Not too bad.
How's life treating you?	Slightly less common, but a friendly way to ask about general well-being.	Mustn't grumble. (Meaning: I shouldn't complain)
How's your tummy?	Used specifically when checking on someone who was recently sick or unwell (used mostly between close friends/family).	Much better, thanks!

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Responses (British Usage)

Response	Meaning/Context
I'm fine, ta.	Very common, polite response. "Ta" is a highly informal British way of saying "thank you."
Not too bad, you?	Neutral, suggesting things are okay.
Mustn't grumble.	A classic British understatement meaning "I'm doing well, but I don't want to sound boastful."
Could be worse.	Neutral to slightly negative, suggesting things are difficult but manageable.
I'm a bit poorly.	A common way for adults (and especially children) to say they are slightly unwell or sick.
I'm knackered.	Indicates they are extremely tired, exhausted, or worn out. (Not a health issue, but often offered as an explanation for feeling "not great").

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The "Alright?" Loop

In many informal UK contexts, the exchange can be very quick and simple:

• Person A: "Alright?"

• Person B: "Yeah, alright." (or simply "Alright.")

GREETINGS

 

Greetings and Asking About Health

Formal and Professional

Greeting/Question	Context
Good morning / afternoon / evening.	Standard, time-specific greeting.
How are you?	Standard, polite, and universally appropriate.
How have you been?	Used when you haven't seen the person in a while.
I hope you are well.	Polite and professional, often used in written communication.

Standard and Neutral

Greeting/Question	Context
Hello!	Simple and friendly.
Hi!	Casual and friendly.
How's it going?	Very common, slightly less formal than "How are you?"
What's up?	Casual and common, often a simple filler question.
How are things?	Good for asking about general life/work status.

Informal and Casual (Slang)

Greeting/Question	Context
Hey!	Short, informal greeting.
Sup?	Short for "What's up?" (Very informal).
Howdy!	(Mostly US/Southern slang).
Alright?	(Mostly UK slang—can be a greeting and a question rolled into one).
Long time no see!	Used when you haven't seen someone in a while.

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Possible Answers and Responses

Positive Responses

Response	Context/Tone
I'm very well, thank you. And you?	Formal and polite.
Fine, thank you. How about yourself?	Standard, polite.
Great, thanks!	Enthusiastic and positive.
Pretty good!	Standard, positive, and casual.
Can't complain.	Neutral to positive, suggesting things are satisfactory.
I'm good. / Good.	Simple, common, and casual.
Not bad.	Neutral, meaning acceptable or fine.
Just the usual!	Casual, suggesting things are normal.
All good.	Very casual and brief.

Negative or Neutral Responses

Response	Context/Tone
Not so well, actually.	Direct, for when you want to share a negative feeling.
I've been better.	Common way to indicate you aren't feeling well.
A little under the weather.	Polite way to say you are slightly sick.
I'm okay, thanks.	Neutral, might imply things aren't great but you don't want to elaborate.
Just hanging in there.	Implies you are struggling but surviving (casual).

Unit 8 Comparative and superlative forms

 

Comparative and Superlative Translation Exercise (Geographical Lexis)

Translate the following Italian sentences into English.

1. Il Monte Bianco è la montagna più alta d'Europa.

2. Il Nilo è più lungo del Danubio.

3. L'Oceano Pacifico è il più vasto di tutti gli oceani.

4. Le colline toscane sono più verdi delle nostre montagne in estate.

5. Il deserto del Sahara è il più caldo e il più secco del mondo.

6. Questa valle è meno profonda della gola che abbiamo visitato ieri.

7. Il fiume Tevere è uno dei fiumi più famosi d'Italia.

8. I fiordi norvegesi sono tanto belli quanto le coste della Nuova Zelanda.

9. La pianura padana è più grande della maggior parte delle altre regioni.

10. La cima di quella vetta è più difficile da raggiungere rispetto al litorale.

Exercise: Superlative + In or Of

Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct preposition, in or of, after the superlative adjective.

1. Mount Everest is the highest mountain ______ the world.

2. She is the smartest student ______ her class.

3. The blue whale is the largest animal ______ all.

4. That was the most delicious meal I've eaten ______ a long time.

5. This is the most dangerous snake ______ Africa.

6. He is the fastest runner ______ the team.

7. The Mona Lisa is the most famous painting ______ the museum.

8. Yesterday was the coldest day ______ the year.

9. Brazil is the largest country ______ South America.

10. This is the worst mistake ______ your life.

Exercise: Superlative + In, Of, or On

Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct preposition: in, of, or on.

1. This is the most popular song ______ the radio right now.

2. She gave the best performance ______ the entire show.

3. The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building ______ Earth.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo is the most followed person ______ Instagram.

5. This mistake is the most embarrassing ______ my career.

6. The biggest city ______ the list is Tokyo.

7. The blue diamond is the most expensive item ______ the auction.

8. He's the worst student ______ math class this year.

9. This is the fastest car ______ the planet.

10. The highest concentration of gold is found ______ the ocean floor.

Superlative Prepositions: In, Of, or On

Choose the correct preposition: in, of, or on.

1. Jupiter is the biggest planet ______ our solar system.

2. That was the most important day ______ the whole trip.

3. She is the best tennis player ______ the women's team.

4. This program is the most-watched show ______ television right now.

5. The oldest tree ______ the forest is over 800 years old.

6. The highest tides are always found ______ the coast.

7. New York is the most diverse city ______ the United States.

8. It was the worst movie ______ the last five years.

9. The cheapest flight deal is listed ______ page three ______ the document.

10. The cheetah is the fastest animal ______ Earth.

Exercise: Irregular Comparatives

Complete the following sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct comparative form of the adjective given in parentheses.

Remember the three main irregular comparatives: good (better), bad (worse), and far (farther/further).

1. My grade in the second test was ___________ (good) than my grade in the first one.

2. The traffic jam this morning was ___________ (bad) than yesterday.

3. We have to drive much ___________ (far) to get to the beach this year.

4. His performance in the play was surprisingly ___________ (good) than the director expected.

5. If you continue to ignore your responsibilities, things will get ___________ (bad).

6. The library is only a little ___________ (far) from the school than the supermarket.

7. The pizza at that restaurant is a lot ___________ (good) than the takeaway place near my house.

8. She explained the problem using no ___________ (far) details.

9. The economic outlook for the next quarter is predicted to be slightly ___________ (bad) than the last.

10. Can you give me some ___________ (far) information about the trip?

Exercise: Intensifying Comparatives

Complete the following sentences by choosing the best intensifier (a lot, much, many, or far) and the correct comparative form of the adjective in parentheses.

Remember: $\text{Intensifier}+\text{Comparative Adjective}+\text{than}\dots$

Sentence	Intensifier (a lot / much / many / far)	Comparative Adjective (e.g., warmer, bigger)	Complete Sentence
1. The new car is ______________________ (expensive) the old one.
2. London is ___________ ___________ (big) Manchester.
3. My new job is ___________ ___________ (stressful) my last one.
4. We found the second half of the movie ___________ ___________ (interesting) the first half.
5. Our team has ___________ ___________ (good) players than yours.
6. Learning Chinese is ___________ ___________ (difficult) learning Spanish.
7. The train trip was ___________ ___________ (quick) the bus journey.
8. You have ___________ ___________ (better) options now than you did last year. Exercise: Less vs. Fewer Choose the correct word, less or fewer, to complete each sentence. We have ______ time to finish the project than we originally thought. There are ______ students in the classroom today than there were yesterday. She drinks ______ coffee now because it makes her nervous. The new road has resulted in ______ cars in the city center. If you want to feel better, you should eat ______ sugar. The library has added new books, so now there are ______ empty shelves. I need to save money, so I will spend ______ money on clothes this month. The recipe calls for ______ than ten mushrooms. He worries ______ about his job now that he has a new contract. You need to focus on ______ tasks to be more productive.