Travel & Culture
A complete two-session B2 lesson built around the contrast between the present perfect and the past simple — the grammar of talking about travel experiences and the specific trips behind them. Includes a featured interactive reading on overtourism, audio scripts, answer keys, and a self-grading workbook.
Can-Do Statements
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Talk about travel experiences and the specific trips behind them.
- Choose between the present perfect and past simple (I've been to Spain. / I went last year.).
- Describe cultural differences and discuss the issue of overtourism.
- Use key vocabulary — itinerary, landmark, local cuisine, off the beaten path, and travel idioms.
- Read and understand an article about overtourism and answer comprehension questions.
- Write a short travel blog or postcard using both past tenses.
Vocabulary & Phrases
This vocabulary set is shared across the lesson plan, the workbook flashcards, and the reading article.
Words & Idioms
- an itinerary · a getaway
- a landmark · to go sightseeing
- local cuisine · a tourist trap
- off the beaten path · to hit the road
- culture shock · to soak up the atmosphere
- heritage · customs · a souvenir
Talking About Trips
- Have you ever been to…?
- I've always wanted to visit…
- Last summer, I went to…
- The best part of the trip was…
- You should definitely try…
- It's well worth a visit.
The Engine of the Lesson
Present perfect vs past simple — experience versus a finished time.
1. Present perfect — experience, no specific time
Use have/has + past participle for life experiences and recent news when the exact time isn't important.
| experience | I 've been to Italy three times. |
| ever / never | Have you ever eaten sushi? — No, I 've never tried it. |
| unfinished time | She hasn't traveled abroad this year. |
2. Past simple — a finished time
Use the past simple when we say (or know) when something happened — yesterday, last year, in 2019.
| finished time | I went to Greece last summer. |
| sequence | We landed, checked in, and explored the old town. |
| question | Where did you go on holiday? |
3. They work together
We often open with the present perfect, then switch to the past simple to give the details.
Trap: time words decide the tense. Use the present perfect with ever, never, already, yet, just, this week; use the past simple with ago, yesterday, last…, in 2019, when.
Loving Places to Death
A fresh, fact-based interactive article on overtourism. It carries the lesson's vocabulary and both past tenses, so it fits perfectly into Session 2 — or set it as homework.
What's inside
- A current, balanced article on overtourism, tourist taxes, and how to travel more thoughtfully.
- Self-grading comprehension questions with instant feedback and a score.
- A "helps local communities vs harms them" sorting task and a vocabulary flashcard deck.
- A discussion box to extend the topic into speaking.
How to use it: project it for shared reading, or assign it for homework before the discussion. Students read, then tap Show My Score on the comprehension quiz and bring the result to class.
Open the Reading →Timed Lesson Stages
Each stage lists timing, teacher instructions, and the interaction pattern.
1. Warm-Up — Best Trip Ever
Ask: "What's the best trip you've ever taken?" Quick pair-share, then collect three or four place names and travel words on the board.
Interaction: Pairs → whole class.
2. Vocabulary — Travel Words & Idioms
Present the shared vocabulary (itinerary, landmark, local cuisine, off the beaten path, hit the road, soak up the atmosphere). Match to meanings, then students slot two into a true sentence about a real trip.
Interaction: Teacher → class → individual.
3. Grammar — Present Perfect vs Past Simple
Write "I've been to Spain" next to "I went to Spain in 2022." Elicit the difference (experience vs finished time). Build the rule and sort time markers (ever/never/yet vs ago/last/in 2019).
- Concept check: "Do we know exactly when? Which tense do we use?"
- Controlled practice: students do the workbook's tense and word-order tasks.
Interaction: Guided discovery → individual.
4. Speaking — The Travel Talk Show
The centerpiece (full instructions in the Activities section). In pairs, a "host" interviews a "guest" about a memorable trip, switching between both past tenses.
Interaction: Pairs (then swap roles).
5. Wrap-Up
Each pair shares the most interesting trip they heard about. Set the reading article for homework if you'll discuss it next session.
1. Review — Have You Ever…? Chain
One student asks "Have you ever…?"; the next answers with a past-simple detail ("Yes, I went…") and asks the next person. Fast tense-switching fluency.
Interaction: Whole class.
2. Reading — Loving Places to Death
Use the interactive reading page (linked above). Students read the article and complete the self-grading comprehension and the "helps vs harms local communities" sorter.
- Pre-reading: students predict why some cities now charge tourists to enter.
- While reading: underline one fact that surprised them.
- After: compare, then tap Show My Score.
Interaction: Individual → pairs.
3. Listening — Back from a Trip
Play Audio 2 (script below). Students complete the workbook's listening task. Play twice.
Interaction: Individual → class check.
4. Writing — A Travel Blog Post
Students write a short travel blog or postcard (80–100 words) about a real or dream trip, mixing the present perfect (experience) and past simple (details).
Model: "I've always wanted to visit Italy, and last spring I finally went. I spent a week in Rome and soaked up the atmosphere in the old squares. I'd never tasted such amazing food — the local cuisine was the highlight. We got off the beaten path and found a tiny family restaurant. I've travelled a lot, but this trip was unforgettable. If you go, hit the road early to beat the crowds!"
- Target: 2+ present perfects, several past simples, shared vocabulary.
- Students self-check against the workbook checklist, then review the flashcards.
Interaction: Individual.
5. Share, Score & Reflect
Students read their post to a partner, who asks one follow-up question. Then they tap Show My Score in the workbook and show you the result.
Speaking Activities
The centerpiece is The Travel Talk Show. Rotate the games below across lessons.
The Travel Talk Show
Pairs (then swap). Goal: tell a travel story using both past tenses naturally.
- One student is the host of a travel show; the other is the guest who has just returned from a memorable trip.
- The host opens with experience questions ("Have you ever…? Where have you travelled?"), then digs into details ("Where did you go? What did you do?").
- The guest answers, switching between the present perfect and past simple, and uses at least three vocabulary items.
- Swap roles. Then a few pairs perform their best moment for the class, who vote for the trip they'd most like to take.
More Activities (rotate these)
Have You Ever…? Chain
Students take turns asking "Have you ever…?" travel questions. The person who answers must add a past-simple detail before passing it on. Quick, competitive tense-switching.
Dream Destination Pitch
Each student has 60 seconds to "sell" a place they've always wanted to visit — what they've heard about it and what they'd do there. The partner asks one tricky question.
Tense Detective
Show mixed sentences ("I have been there yesterday" / "Did you ever try…?"). Teams race to spot and fix the tense error and justify it with a time word. Sharpens accuracy.
Culture Clash
Groups share a real (or imagined) moment of culture shock abroad — a custom that surprised them. They retell it in the past simple and react with "I've never seen anything like it!"
Audio & Transcripts
Tap a transcript to open it. Add your recording in the player, and use the same file in the student workbook's Listening task.
Audio 1My Favorite Trip (model)+
Speaker: I've travelled to quite a few countries, but my favorite trip was to Japan. I went there two years ago with my sister. We spent ten days exploring Tokyo and Kyoto. I'd never seen anything like it — the temples, the food, the trains that arrive exactly on time. We got off the beaten path and stayed in a small mountain town. I've been lucky to see a lot of places, but I've never felt so far from home in the best possible way.
How to use: Play once as a model before the speaking activity. Ask students to catch the present perfects ("I've travelled…, I've never…") and the past simples ("I went…, we spent…").
Audio 2Back from a Trip (listening task)+
Anna: Have you ever been to Portugal?
Ben: Yes! I went there last summer. I visited Lisbon and Porto.
Anna: Lucky you. Did you like it?
Ben: I loved it. I've never eaten such good seafood. We found a little place off the beaten path.
Anna: Sounds amazing. I've always wanted to go.
Ben: You should! Have you booked anything for this year?
Anna: Not yet. I went to Italy in spring, but I haven't planned my summer getaway.
Ben: Well, if you go to Portugal, soak up the atmosphere in the old town. It's incredible.
How to use: This is the source audio for the workbook's Listening task. Two voices work best. Play for gist first ("Where has Ben been?"), then for detail. Notice the switch between the present perfect and past simple.
Audio 3Pronunciation — "been" & weak forms (optional)+
Listen-and-repeat. "have" is usually weak and contracted; "been" is short.
I've been to Spain. — Have you ever been? — She's never tried it. — We went there last year.
How to use: B2 students often over-stress "have". Drill the contracted 've/'s and the weak "have you" so their perfects sound natural and fluent.
Workbook & Reading Answers
These match the self-grading workbook and reading page. Both grade automatically; keys are here for board correction.
Workbook Reading — Teaser
- How many people travelled internationally in 2025? — about 1.5 billion
- Barcelona has about 55 million visitors for a city of just 1.6 million residents.
- What did Venice introduce for day-trippers? — an entry fee (access fee)
Listening — Fill in the Blank (Audio 2)
- Ben went to Portugal last summer.
- Ben says he has never eaten such good seafood.
- Anna went to Italy in spring.
Listening — Multiple Choice (Audio 2)
- Has Anna planned her summer getaway? — b) No, not yet
- What does Ben recommend Anna do? — c) soak up the atmosphere in the old town
Grammar — Present Perfect vs Past Simple
- I have visited / 've visited Paris three times.
- Last year, we went to Greece.
- Have you ever tried sushi?
- She hasn't been to Asia yet.
- They arrived yesterday morning.
Word Order
- She has lived here since 2020.
- They went to Rome last year.
Reading Page — Comprehension
- How many people travelled internationally in 2025? — about 1.5 billion
- How many visitors does Barcelona get each year? — about 55 million
- What did Barcelona do to its tourist tax? — doubled it
- What is "slow travel"? — travelling less but staying longer / more thoughtfully
- Venice's entry fee is meant to… — b) reduce day-tripper crowds
- The article's main message is… — c) tourism can help or harm, depending on how we travel
Reading Page — Helps vs Harms (sorter)
- Helps local communities: visiting off-season, staying longer, spending in local shops
- Harms local communities: huge cruise crowds, short day-trips only, pushing up housing prices
Common Student Errors
Watch for these at B2 and correct gently in the moment.
| Typical Error | Correct Form | Why & How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "I have been to Spain last year." | "I went to Spain last year." | A finished time word ("last year") needs the past simple. |
| "Did you ever eat sushi?" | "Have you ever eaten sushi?" | "ever" (experience) takes the present perfect. |
| "I have went to Rome." | "I have gone / been to Rome." | Use the past participle, not the past simple, after "have". |
| "I'm in Paris since Monday." | "I've been in Paris since Monday." | Unfinished time from the past to now → present perfect. |
| "We have visited the museum yesterday." | "We visited the museum yesterday." | "yesterday" is finished → past simple. |
| "a informations about the trip" | "some information about the trip" | "information" is uncountable → no article, no plural. |
Extension & Homework
In-Class Options
- Write a five-line "travel bucket list" of places you haven't been to yet.
- Turn a flat itinerary into a lively blog paragraph with both tenses.
- Use the workbook flashcards to quiz a partner on the vocabulary.
At-Home Practice
- Read the interactive article and complete the comprehension quiz; bring your score.
- Research a cultural festival abroad and write 100 words about why you'd like to attend.
- Finish any workbook tasks and review the flashcards.
How to Measure Success
Ready to run the lesson?
Open the student workbook (self-grading, with flashcards) and the interactive reading article. No login.
Open the Student Workbook Open the Reading