📖 Useful Language
Which Useful Language phrase do we use to start a journey account and say when and where it began?
"(He) set off on …"
In the text: "He set off on 24 June 1893 from Oslo on a ship with 12 men."
What is the past simple of the verb "set off"?
set off (irregular — does not change: "He set off on 24 June 1893.")
"Nansen left Norway in June 1893."
True
Evidence: "He set off on 24 June 1893 from Oslo on a ship with 12 men."
"This word describes the weather when you cannot see clearly because the air is thick with water or mist. Ships sometimes crash because of this."
foggy
(From the text: "the weather was foggy and icy")
How many men did Nansen take with him on his ship?
12 men
Which phrase introduces the first part of a journey — before any problems begin?
"At first, …"
In the text: "At first, things went well, but by November, the weather was foggy and icy."
Change this sentence to past simple: "They build a shelter and wait there for eight months."
"They built a shelter and waited there for eight months."
"Nansen and Johansen crossed the ice on a boat."
False
Evidence: "Nansen and another man, Johansen, decided to cross the ice on skis."
"This two-word phrasal verb means to begin a journey or expedition. It is commonly used in travel writing and accounts. You can use it with a specific date or place. It is NOT the same as 'start' or 'go'."
set off
(From the text: "He set off on 24 June 1893 from Oslo.")
In what month did the weather turn foggy and icy during Nansen's journey?
November
Which Useful Language phrase signals the end of the journey — the moment when everything is resolved?
"Finally, …"
In the text: "Finally, on 17 June, a British explorer found them. They arrived home safely on 13 August, 1896."
A student writes: "Nansen and Johansen decided to crossed the ice on skis." What is the error and how do you fix it?
The error is "decided to crossed" — after "decided to" we need the base form of the verb, not the past participle. Corrected: "Nansen and Johansen decided to cross the ice on skis."
"Nansen was the first person to reach the North Pole."
False
Evidence: "He wanted to be the first person to reach the North Pole." — He wanted to be, but he never succeeded.
"This word describes a person who travels to unknown, dangerous, or unexplored places in order to discover something new. Famous ones include people who went to the North Pole, climbed Everest, or crossed deserts."
explorer
(From the text: "Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian explorer.")
Nansen and Johansen left the ship in March. I will read you the next sentence from the account — finish it word for word: "The two men left the ship in March 1895, but…"
"…there were a lot of problems."
A student writes: "In the end, there was many problem." Name TWO things wrong with this sentence and correct it using the right Useful Language phrase.
Two errors:
Corrected: "There were many problems."
Rewrite this paragraph in the past simple. You have 45 seconds:
"The two men leave the ship in March. There are a lot of problems. They cannot reach the Pole and turn south. The weather is warm so the ice melts."
"The two men left the ship in March. There were a lot of problems. They couldn't reach the Pole and turned south. The weather was warm so the ice melted."
"Nansen and Johansen built a shelter and stayed there for less than a year."
True
Evidence: "They built a shelter and waited there for eight months."
"This phrase means you are moving forward toward your goal successfully — things are going the way you planned and you are getting closer to where you want to be."
make progress / making progress
(From the text: "At first, we made good progress.")
What date did Nansen and Johansen finally arrive home safely?
13 August 1896
Put all five Useful Language phrases in the order they would appear in a well-structured journey account. Explain the purpose of each one in one word.
Write three sentences about Nansen's journey using the past simple. Each sentence must use a DIFFERENT past simple structure: one affirmative, one negative, and one question.
"Nansen returned to Norway exactly one year after he left."
False
Evidence: He left on 24 June 1893. He arrived home on 13 August 1896. That is more than three years — not one year.
"This is something you build quickly when you are in danger and need protection from weather or enemies. It does not have to be a proper house."
shelter
(From the text: "They built a shelter and waited there for eight months.")
Without looking at the text, tell me: what are ALL FIVE events of Nansen's journey in the correct order? You have 30 seconds.