Phrases for Sharing Personal Experiences

Phrases for Sharing Personal Experiences- Presentation and Speaking

Share your own experiences and those of other people you know on these topics:

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Working for domestic companies

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Working for foreign companies

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Working abroad

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Products from foreign companies

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Service in foreign shops and restaurants

What phrases could you have used in that discussion?

Sharing personal experiences presentation

Brainstorm as many words as you can into the gaps below.
In my ______________ experience,…
A/ An _______________ experience I had related to this was…
An experience which____________________ is…

Fill the gaps below with just one word.
____ couple of days/ weeks/ months/ years ago…
____ few days/ weeks/ months/ years ago…
Just ______ other day,…
An experience of this I had which stands _____ is…
This has only happened _____ me once, but…
I __________ only experienced this once, but…
I was affected _______ this when…
I will never forget _____ time when….

______ my limited experience,…
My first/ last experience ____ this was…

_____ general, I find…
Generally, I _____ found that…
… That’s _____ experience, anyway.
My experience _____ this is….

I ____________ personal experience of this.
I______ like to share my experience of…

Why are the expressions above divided into sections? Label each section.

Why do none of the expressions above have the word “ever” in them?

What are the differences between these expressions?
Some experience/ Some experiences

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013

Personal experiences phrases- practice games

Talk about your own experiences of one of the things below and your partner will guess if it
is true or made up (e.g. because you have no experience of that thing). Each time you
must explain general experiences first and then individual experiences (see the
previous page for suitable phrases for both).

Appearing on television

Attending political speeches

Being drunk

Being interviewed

Bullying

Buying insurance

Crime

Dealing with the police

Dietary supplements

Dieting

Being published

Horse riding

Hospitals

Host families

House parties

Hunting

Insomnia

Martial arts

Meeting artists

Romance

Sailing

Side effects of medicines

Smoking

Stalking

Traditional medicine

Traffic accidents

Volunteering

Voting

Working

Take opposite points of view on things from the list below, using real or made up personal
experience to support your arguments.



A license being needed to cycle on the road.

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Allowing bicycles on trains.

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Allowing your national airline to go bankrupt and disappear.



Another runway for your local airport.



Banning adults cycling on the pavement.

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Banning two children plus an adult on one bicycle.



Fitting all new cars with breathalysers.



Making bicycle helmets compulsory.



Making driving more expensive.



Making flying more expensive.



More government subsidies for train travel.



Police stopping cyclists to check if bicycles are stolen.



Raising the speed limit on highways.



The government subsidising electric cars.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013

Give your real views about transport, supporting what you say however you can.

Possible topics:

Borrowing ideas from other cities/ countries

Comfort

Convenience

Different modes of transport

Ecology

Health and fitness

Investment

Manners

Prices

Private sector – Public sector

Rules/ Laws

Safety

Service levels

Speed

Subsidies

Taxes

The disabled/ The young/ The old/ Pregnant women

Technology

What phrases can you use to pass on other people’s experiences?

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013

Suggested answers


In my ______________ experience,… – personal, limited, general



A/ An _______________ experience I had related to this was… - memorable/
shocking/ typical/ bad/ unforgettable/ amazing/ terrible/ frightening/ sobering/
disappointing/ great/ life-changing



An experience which____________________ is… - I will always remember/ really
influenced me/ is relevant to this debate/ is related to this/ changed my life/ affected
my attitudes/ this reminds me of/ comes to mind/ springs to mind

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2013