What the student (wrote): “We used to going to the same beach every summer”.

What is wrong? Should be “used to go” – with the infinitive

Why did the student make the mistake?
The student confused “I used to do” and “I am used to
doing”. The structures and meanings are different. We
use “used to” with infinitive to say that something
regularly happened in the past but no longer happens,
whereas “I am used to doing something” = something
isn’t new or strange for me.
English Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy

What the student said: I did a decision.

What is wrong? She should have said “made a decision”

Why did the student make the mistake
When we use do and make with noun phrases, du
focuses on the process of acting or performing
something, make emphasises more the product or
outcome of an action.
“To make a decision” is a conventional combination
of words- collocation.

Cambridge Dictionary, Practical English Usage

Michael Swan
What the student said: Congratulate

What is wrong? Stress of the word is wrong.

Why did the student make the mistake It is a common mistake of this word’s pronunciation.
Perhaps a student is used to pronouncing the word in
this way.

(250 words approx.)

Activity 1.
Used to do
Pictures of the things Ss used to do in their childhood: read, play tennis, play piano, play with
friends, go to school, eat healthy food, do a lot of homework, go to the same beach every
summer, walk a dog, go to a camp every summer, etc. An example provided: What did you
use to do in your childhood? I used to play piano. Or I didn’t use to ski.
Ss make their own sentences, work in pairs.
Pictures: a plate with vegetables, a camera, a kite, cinema, piano, racket, camp, parents,
bicycle, toys, painting, a text with a pen, garden, fishes, fishing, cat, dog, disco, birthday
party,a tree with children, a child under a table, swing, dolls, snowman, skates, snowboard,
books, museum, theatre. Monitor. Feedback- mistakes on the board.

Activity 2
make
1. Complete the third column of the table below by writing the words and phrases in the
correct row. Work in pairs.
an activity, an appointment, an arrangement
the bed, business, a change, a choice, the cleaning,
a course, a decision, an effort, an excuse,
(an) exercise, a favour, friends, homework,
housework, an impression, a job, a mistake, money,
a noise, a phone call, a plan, progress, a promise,
the shopping, (a) sport, work

Verb Definition Common collocation

Make To create or produce Make an appointment
something (outcome)

Do To perform an activity or job Do an activity

feedback
Words on the foor. To put them on the board into the correct column Do Make