A selection of English ESL past abilities printables

This Flashcards may help you when revising can/could for present and past abilities. They are related to sports famous people

Present and past abilities

Aim: consolidating past ability - level B2. There is a yellow box to insert modals according to function. Two photos with stories exemplify uses of past modals. Two extra photos are intended for students to create their own story following the model stories. I recommend completing the grammar box first and checking it as a group. Then, cutting up the two stories and work in pairs: each student reads and tells a story to the other. Then, together, they choose a photo and write their own story.

ABC'S OF PAST ABILITY - Modals of the Past

This worksheet was created with  intermediate+ learners in mind, perhaps a mixed-ability group (hence an extra task for fast finishers). It could be used as the first part of a task-based lesson on tenses and storytelling. I chose this text, short, yet rich in typical features of an anecdote, to become a springboard for a further discussion of spoken English grammar, reviewing present and past tenses (including past perfect) and introducing reported speech.

A funny tense review story (reading comprehension and speaking)

With this file you will get PROMPTCARDS with questions to provoke lively discussions NOT about trivia but about values, beliefs, life in general, love, generosity, death etc. Let the students find out more about themselves. Some questions might confront ethical dilemmas in a concrete rather than an abstract form. There are no correct or incorrect answers to these questions. For students to probe, discuss and explain their ideas about life using upper-intermediate and advanced language skills. Example questions: “If you new there would be a nuclear war in one week, what would you do?” “Given the ability to project yourself into the past but not return, would you do so? Where would you go and what would you try to accomplish if you knew you might change the course of history?” This activity is requested by my students once a semester! I hope you will enjoy it as much as they do! *** USE PAGE 3 AS BACK ***

ADVANCED Conversation Promptcards about VALUES, BELIEFS, ETHICS

Another writing exercise for the A2 level My Writings book. Pattern your writing after the sample above. What couldn't you do but you can do now.



There are 12 compositions in all. Bind in a spiral or use individually.



Covers found here:



https://en.islcollective.com/resources/printables/worksheets_doc_docx/creative_writing_my_writings_cover_a2_level/sports-creative-writing/27826



https://en.islcollective.com/resources/printables/worksheets_doc_docx/creative_writing_my_writings_cover_a2_level/sports-creative-writing/27864

Creative Writing: What I Couldn't Do #7 A2 Level

a reading exercise to improve the ability of understanding the concept of a text  and using the way of describing old habits and repeated actions (used to ) 

also it allows the teacher to have an open discussion in the class

Smoking Habit

Another reading activity for mixed ability groups. I got a similar story in an email some time ago. As it struck me hard, I decided to share this great story with my Ss. I abridged it, slightly modified to suit different Ss needs/tastes and added some exercises to practise the Past Simple tense.   

In the uploaded Ws you can find the same text with 6 modifications. Additionally each modification comes in two versions: Version A-for stronger/quicker Ss in the group and Version B for weaker/slower ones. 

Another idea: You can hand out all copies (altogether there are 12 of them) 

The key is included.

A story with a moral 1a cares for coffee drinkers. 

a story with a moral 1a

This is a worksheet to practise auxiliaries. Students have to fill in forms to "be able to" and "be allowed to" in different tenses (past, present and future). There is also a solution. 

Exercises be able/ allowed to

students will be able to practice BE ABLE TO in present, past and future tense

be able to

25 questions to practice conversation about daily routines, personal likes, childhood, abilities, dreams and travels, using present simple, past tense and present perfect.

Conversation Practice

a text about abilities in the past and abilities in the present .

can /could

This worksheet was created as final test on the unit we studied in class. 

section A focus on should, shouldn't and could when giving advice. 

Section B focuses on past simple irregular verbs. 

Section C focuses on adjectives used to describe oneself 

Section D focuses on Past simple regular verbs 

Section E can, could and be able to used for talking about ability. 

I used pictures to make it easier for the kids to understand. This is for  beginner level students of grade 9

Test - Grammar Revision

Culture, intercultural communication, cross-cultural communication

Adjectives to describe feelings, emotions

Adjectives to describe personality and character

Adjectives: Gradable / Non-gradable adjectives

Articles: Definite or indefinite article (a, an or the)

BE + infinitive structures (e.g. he was to become famous)

Clauses of contrast (e.g.  although, while)

Clauses of purpose (e.g. in order to, so that, so as to)

Clauses of reason (e.g. because, because of, due to, as, since)

Cleft sentences (e.g. It's Joey we're looking for)

Comparison: Comparative adjectives and structures

Comparison: Superlative adjectives and structures

Conditional 2 (second conditional) - would

Conditionals: Conditional phrases (e.g. unless, provided that, as long as)

Conjunctions (aka connectives, e.g. and, but, or, so, then)

Contractions (shortened forms, e.g. don't, aren't, etc.)

Determiners (words that can come before nouns)

Formal and informal English (politeness or colloquial language)

Future perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Future perfect simple and continuous (progressive) tense

Future phrases (e.g. be about to, bound to, likely to, due to, set to + INF)

Homonyms (two words with the same pronunciation - homophones and homographs)

It as preparatory subject (e.g. it's raining, it's nice of you to)

Linking verbs (aka copulas, e.g. I am a student)

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how to accuse somebody of something in English

how to apologize, say sorry, forgive and express regret in English

how to ask for information and make inquiries in English

how to ask for something, make requests in English

how to blame somebody for something in English

how to defend yourself from criticism in English

how to deny or admit something in English

how to describe things or people in English

how to emphasize important things in English

how to encourage or discourage people in English

how to evaluate people or progress in English

how to express agreement /disagreement in English

how to express approval and disapproval  in English

how to express cause and effect in English

how to express interest in something in English

how to express likelihood, probability in English

how to express likes and dislikes in English

how to express sequence and chronology in English

how to express shock and disbelief in English

how to express sympathy and condolences in English

how to give permission, authorization in English

how to inform somebody about some news in English

how to interpret what was said in English

how to keep a conversation going in English

how to make guesses about something in English

how to make, accept and refuse offers in English

how to order or make a booking in English

how to persuade, convince people in English

how to praise people and express appreciation in English

how to reassure somebody of something in English

how to refuse and object to something in English

how to remind people of something in English

how to rephrase, paraphrase what was said in English

how to say thank you, express gratitude in English

Nouns: Collective nouns (team, class, family, committee)

Nouns: Proper nouns (names of people, cities, companies)

Oxymorons (phrases with words of contradictory meaning, e.g. living dead)

Participles: Past participle (e.g. HAVING DONE)

Participles: Present participle (e.g. DOING)

Parts of Speech (aka word classes, e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

Past perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Phonetics (pronunciation, IPA, phonetic symbols)

Plural nouns: regular plurals with S ending

Prefixes (e.g. A, UN, IM, DIS, MIS, EN, etc. )

Prepositions vs adverbs (e.g. before me, saw him before.)

Prepositions: Double prepositions (e.g. out of)

Prepositions: Participle prepositions (e.g. pending, concerning)

Prepositions: Phrase prepositions (e.g. by means of)

Present perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Present perfect simple or present continuous tense

Present simple tense: S for third person singular verbs

Present simple vs continuous (progressive) tense

Pronouns: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER (reciprocal pronouns)

Pronouns: Possessive pronouns (e.g. my, mine)

Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns (e.g. myself, yourself))

Pronouns: SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, NOTHING, etc.

Pronouns: THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE (demonstratives)

Pronouns: YOU and THEY to talk about people in general

Quantifiers (e.g. some, many, much, any, few, little)

Questions: WH questions (open-ended questions)

Reported speech: reported questions (indirect questions)

There is / there are / there was / there were / there will be, etc.

Verbs: Transitive or intransitive verbs (words that can or cannot stand with objects)

Working with Paragraphs: ordering, titling

Role play, miming, drama activity or improv game

Pictionary (picture dictionary) or picture matching

Writing an opinion essay (persuasive essay)

Learners who are Pre-A1 have just begun learning English and will first learn how to:<ul><li>Say the letters in the alphabet and numbers</li><li>Say hello, talk about names and age</li><li>Name the colors and dates, express likes and dislikes</li></ul>

Absolute beginners who have begun to learn the letters and numbers

Learners taking the A1 Elementary exam should be able to:<ul><li>Introduce themselves and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, things he/she has, people he/she knows.</li><li>Communicate using very basic phrases as long as the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: common adjectives & adverbs of frequency, going to, how much/how many, imperatives, I'd like, 's – possessive, common prepositions of place and time, present simple & continuous, there is/are</li></ul>

A very basic tourist level, which is enough for buying food and a bus ticket

Learners taking the A2 Pre-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand sentences and frequently used expressions (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).</li><li>Complete tasks that are routine and exchange information about familiar matters.</li><li>Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: countable/uncountable nouns, adverbs of frequency, future will/going to, much/many, present perfect, past simple, past continuous, common phrasal verbs, common modals: can/should</li></ul>

A tourist who can do basic conversations about the past, present and future

Learners taking the B1 Intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.</li><li>Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.</li><li>Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.</li><li>Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: question tags, intensifiers: too/enough, future tenses, past tenses, modals, conditionals, wh-questions in the past</li></ul>

Learners who can deal with both familiar and routine situations, in friendly and work contexts

Learners taking the B2 Upper-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.</li><li>Interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without difficulty for either party.</li><li>Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain an opinion on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: perfect tenses, mixed conditionals, modals in the present, phrasal verbs, reported speech, wish, relative clauses</li></ul>

The level where you can be a tour guide for your foreign friends and talk about a lot of topics, even abstract ones, with ease and fluency

Learners taking the C1 Advanced exam should be able to: Express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts. Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, using linking phrases (=words that connect ideas between sentences). Main grammar points to know: inversion, mixed conditionals, modals in the past, all passive forms, phrasal verbs (all patterns), wish/if only for regrets

Learners who can smoothly communicate in every walk of life, read long texts and write well

Learners taking the C2 Proficient exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.</li><li>Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.</li><li>Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.</li><li>Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations</li></ul>

Get here and you are ready to study in English at university

55 Past abilities English ESL worksheets pdf & doc