AS A CHILD, SHE WAS ALREADY A TALENTED CHESS PLAYER

 This sentence talks about someone who had a special ability when she was young. "As a child" means when she was little. "Was already" means it happened early in her life. A talented chess player is someone who is very good at playing chess. Some people show their talent at a young age. They can learn quickly and play very well, even as children.

Examples:

• As a child, she was already good at painting.

• He was a fast runner when he was six.

• I was very shy as a child, but I loved to read.

This topic helps us talk about past abilities and talents using simple past tense.

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GRAMMAR

We use the past simple tense to talk about the past.
We also use "was/were" with adjectives and nouns.

Examples:

• She was already talented at age 7.

• He was a strong swimmer when he was a boy.

• They were good at drawing in school.

• I wasn’t very good at sports.

• Were you good at math as a child?

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VOCABULARY

1. Talented – Having a natural ability

2. Already – Before now or before a certain time

3. Chess – A game played on a board with black and white pieces

4. Child – A young person

5. Young – Not old

6. Game – A fun activity with rules

7. Smart – Intelligent

8. Practice – To do something many times to get better

9. Win – To be the best in a game or contest

10. Focus – To pay attention

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USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

• As a child, I was good at…

• She was already… at a young age.

• He started playing when he was little.

• They were very talented children.

• I wasn’t very confident, but I loved it.

• Did you play any games when you were young?

• She practiced every day.

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SENTENCES

Positive:

• She was already a talented chess player at age 8.

• He was very good at solving problems.

• They were smart kids.

Negative:

• I wasn’t interested in chess as a child.

• She wasn’t confident at first.

• We weren’t good at that game.

Questions:

• Were you good at any games as a child?

• Was she a smart student?

• Did he play chess when he was young?

Answers:

• Yes, I was good at memory games.

• Yes, she was always a quick learner.

• No, he didn’t play chess when he was young.

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LONG CONVERSATION

Anna: Look at this photo. That’s me at 7 years old, playing chess.

Tom: Wow! You look serious! Were you good at it?

Anna: Yes, I was already a talented chess player. I started when I was five.

Tom: That’s amazing. Did you win competitions?

Anna: Yes, I won my first tournament at age 8.

Tom: I didn’t play chess when I was a child. I liked soccer.

Anna: That’s great too! Everyone has different talents.

Tom: Do you still play?

Anna: Yes, I play every weekend. It helps me relax.

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LONG READING

Carla is a famous chess player today. But she started playing when she was a child. At age six, she saw her father playing and wanted to learn. She watched carefully and practiced every day. By age eight, she was already a talented player. Her teacher said she was smart and focused. Carla played in many tournaments and won often. Now she teaches children how to play chess. She says, “You can start young. With practice and passion, you can be great.”

Questions and Answers:

1. When did Carla start playing chess?
   – When she was six years old.

2. Who did she learn from?
   – She learned from her father.

3. What did her teacher say about her?
   – She was smart and focused.

4. What does Carla do now?
   – She teaches children how to play chess.

5. What does Carla say about success?
   – You can start young, and with practice and passion, you can be great.