Review &Experience Lab
Review Lab · interviews & experience speaking
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Review Lab
A checkpoint, not a test.
Fluency warm-up · Section 1
5 minGet talking — no pressure
Interview your partner: 4 'Have you ever…?' questions in 60 seconds.
Share one surprising thing you've done that your group doesn't know.
Most exciting / Least exciting thing you've done this year. Compare.
Grammar recap · Section 2
8–10 minPresent Perfect toolkit — full recap
You now have the full kit: PP for experience (I've been…), unfinished time (this week, today), and recent news; ADVERBS already / yet / just / still to mark recency; and the PP↔PS switch when adding a specific time.
→ I've just landed a new job — I had the interview last Tuesday.
→ She's never been to Asia. She'd love to go next year.
→ We've already eaten. We had dinner at 6.
→ Have you ever tried surfing? I tried it once in 2019.
More detail
Native pattern: open with PP, extend with PS. Mix idioms for fluency.
Challenge 1.I've ____ ____ ____ — that's been 5 years.
Challenge 2.Have you ____ ____ to Spain?
Challenge 3.I've ____ ____ my report.
Challenge 4.We ____ ____ that film last weekend.
Challenge 5.She's ____ ____ replied to my message.
Vocabulary recap · Section 3
5–7 minRecycle your toolkit
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
the highlight reel
best moments only
"Social media is a highlight reel, not real life."
What's been on your highlight reel this month?
a turning point
moment of big change
"Moving abroad was a real turning point."
Name a turning point in your life.
to find your feet
settle in / become confident
"It took me 6 months to find my feet in the new job."
Where did you last need to find your feet?
to grow into
become comfortable with a role
"I've grown into my new role."
Are you growing into anything right now?
to come a long way
improve a lot
"I've come a long way since last year."
Where have you come a long way?
to look back fondly on
remember happily
"I look back fondly on those university years."
What do you look back fondly on?
Discuss with a partner
- →Tell your partner about a turning point in the last 5 years.
- →Where have you come a long way?
Finish the sentence about you
- I've come a long way since… …
- The real turning point was… …
- I've finally found my feet in… …
Pronunciation polish · Section 4
3–4 minReflective intonation — slow, warm, falling tones
- • I've COME ↘ a LONG way ↘ since 2019.
- • It was a TURning ↘ point ↘ for me.
- • I look BACK ↘ FONDly on it ↘.
- • I've FINally ↘ found my FEET ↘.
How to say it
When talking about meaningful experience, native speakers slow down and use warmer falling tones. 'I've COME ↘ a LONG ↘ way ↘.' Don't rush — these moments are pitched to be heard. Pause after key phrases for impact.
Reading challenge · Section 5
8–10 minFive years in five paragraphs
Five years ago today, I quit my office job. It was the biggest turning point of my adult life — I'd been miserable for two years and I'd just been waiting for an excuse. I've since started two small businesses. The first one failed (I learned more than from any course I've ever taken). The second is still running. I've also moved twice, ended one long relationship and started another. I've made friends I couldn't imagine my life without, and I've lost a few I never expected to lose. I've travelled to 14 new countries in those five years. I've also spent more time at home than ever before, especially in 2020. Looking back fondly on the highlight reel is easy. The truth is messier. But honestly, I've come a long way — and I've finally found my feet.
Challenge 1.What was the turning point?
Challenge 2.How many businesses has the writer started?
Challenge 3.What's the writer's overall feeling?
Q1.The writer's first business failed.
Q2.The writer has lost no friends.
Q3.The writer has been to 14 new countries.
Listening challenge · Section 6
8–10 minThree friends reflect on a year
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Joy:OK — one word for your year so far?
Sam:Turning point. I quit my job in March.
Lia:Mine's 'settling'. I've finally found my feet in the new city.
Joy:Mine's 'growth'. I've come a long way since January.
Sam:What's been your highlight?
Joy:Honestly? Finishing my first half-marathon. I ran it in May.
Lia:Mine was a weekend in Lisbon — proper hidden gem of a year.
Sam:Mine? I haven't picked it yet. The year's not over.
Challenge 1.Sam's one word?
Challenge 2.Joy's highlight?
Challenge 3.Lia's main word?
Skills challenge · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Speaking Part 4 (extended personal turn)
Task
Speak for 2 minutes about a year that changed you — open with PP, extend with PS, close with reflection.
Strategy
Structure: 1) Opening claim (PP) — 'That year I've grown more than any other.' 2) Three specific events (PS) — 'I quit in March, moved in June, started running in September.' 3) Reflection (PP again) — 'I've come a long way / I've finally found my feet.' Idioms in the close = highest marks.
Example
2024 has been a real turning point. I left my old job in February — I'd been there six years. I moved cities in April and started fresh. I've made new friends, learned to cook properly, and I've finally found my feet. I look back fondly on the old version of me, but honestly, I've come a long way.
Fluency builder · Section 8
8–10 minQuick-fire practice
Challenge 1.I've come a ____ ____ since last year.
Challenge 2.It was a real ____ ____.
Challenge 3.I've finally ____ ____ ____.
Challenge 4.I look ____ ____ on those years.
Challenge 5.Social media is a ____ ____.
Q1.Reflective open: 'I / come / long way / since 2020' →
Q2.PP + PS switch: 'I / quit / job — quit / March' →
Q3.Idiomatic close: 'I / find / feet / new city' →
Writing challenge · Section 9
5 minShow what you can do
Your task
Write a 140-word reflective piece: 'A year that changed me'. Use 4+ Present Perfect verbs and 3 vocab phrases from today.
Show model answer
Last year was a real turning point. I've moved cities, I've changed jobs, and I've ended one important friendship. None of it was on the plan. I left my old role in February — I'd been there four years and felt completely stuck. I moved in April to a place where I knew nobody. The first three months were hard; I felt lost. But by autumn I'd found my feet. I've made new friends I genuinely enjoy, I've taken up running, and I've started writing again — something I'd been putting off since university. Looking back fondly is too soon. But honestly, I've come a long way. The version of me twelve months ago wouldn't recognise the person typing this. And I'm OK with that.
Communication lab · Section 10
10–15 minTalk it out
EXPERIENCE INTERVIEW · Groups of 3. Each student is interviewed for 2 minutes about their year, then answers 3 follow-up questions. Interviewers must ask both PP and PS questions ('What have you done…?' / 'When did you…?'). Class votes on the most moving and most surprising story.
Useful phrases
- • I've come a long way.
- • It was a real turning point.
- • I've finally found my feet.
- • Looking back fondly on…
- • I've grown into…
- • The highlight has definitely been…
- AHow has the year been for you?
- B_______________
- AWhen did the change happen?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Aim for confident reflective fluency. ~28 min total
Keep it going · Section 11
Take-homeExtend it at home
Write a polished 150-word reflection: 'A year that changed me'.
Record a 2-minute voice note answering: 'What's been your turning point?'
Listen to a short interview podcast; note 3 Present Perfect + 3 Past Simple uses.
Checkpoint reflection · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've reviewed
- Present Perfect for experiences, unfinished time and recent news.
- Past Simple for specific finished times.
- Adverbs already / yet / just / still tune recency.
- Reflective idioms add register: come a long way, turning point, find your feet.
- Pattern: open in PP → detail in PS → close in PP reflection.