WHAT DIFFICULT THING HAPPENED TO THE SPEAKER WHEN HE WAS SEVENTEEN?

Sometimes we remember difficult times that helped us grow. In this topic, we focus on talking about a specific difficult experience in the past. We use the past simple to describe what happened and reported speech to explain what someone said about it. The speaker shares what happened to him at age seventeen and what he learned from the experience.

Examples:

He said he had an accident when he was seventeen.
At seventeen, I failed an important test.
She says she learned a lot from her mistakes.

1. GRAMMAR:

Past Simple + Reported Speech

Use the past simple to describe a past event. Use reported speech to say what someone told you.

Examples:

“I broke my arm.” → He said he broke his arm.
“It was very difficult.” → She said it was very difficult.
“I didn’t know what to do.” → He said he didn’t know what to do.

2. VOCABULARY:

Seventeen – The age between sixteen and eighteen.
Accident – Something bad that happens suddenly.
Lesson – Something you learn from an experience.
Hurt – To feel pain.
Mistake – Something wrong you do by accident.
Fear – A feeling of being afraid.
Courage – Being brave in a hard situation.
Memory – Something you remember from the past.
Speak – To say words.
Understand – To know the meaning of something.

3. USEFUL EXPRESSIONS:

When I was seventeen...
I remember it clearly.
It was a difficult time.
He said it changed his life.
I learned from the experience.

4. SENTENCES:

4.1 Positive Sentences

He learned a lot at seventeen.
She says the experience made her stronger.
It helped him understand more about life.

4.2 Negative Sentences

He didn’t enjoy that time.
I wasn’t ready for it.
They didn’t know what to do.

4.3 Questions

What happened when he was seventeen?
Was the experience difficult?
Did he learn something important?

4.4 Answers

He had a hard experience at that age.
Yes, it was a very difficult moment.
He learned to be brave and patient.

5. CONVERSATION:

Lucas: Hi Mia! Did you hear Paul’s story?

Mia: No, what happened?

Lucas: He said something really difficult happened to him when he was seventeen.

Mia: Really? What was it?

Lucas: He had a car accident and broke his leg. He couldn’t walk for months.

Mia: That sounds terrible. Was he okay?

Lucas: Yes, now he’s fine. But he said the accident taught him to be more careful.

Mia: Wow, I think he’s very brave. That must have been hard.

Lucas: Yes, and now he helps others who go through hard things too.

6. READING:

When Paul was seventeen, he had a car accident. He was riding with his friend when another car hit them. Paul broke his leg and had to stay in bed for a long time. At first, he felt angry and sad. He couldn’t play sports or go out. But slowly, he began to read, write, and think more about life. Paul says, “The accident was hard, but I learned a lot about myself. I became more patient and stronger.” Now, Paul speaks at schools to help students understand that hard times can teach important lessons.