The document provides instructions and materials for an English class lesson about excuses. It includes a poem about a student who was kidnapped and uses that as a example for having an excuse to be late for school. The lesson covers summarizing the poem, putting events in order, acting it out, compound nouns, simple past tense grammar, writing sample excuses, and matching excuses to questions. The goal is for students to learn how to give excuses for being late in English.

1. KIDNAPPED
FINAL TASK : To be able to give an excuse for being late
→ EE : rédiger un court poème, un texte “à la manière de” A2/B1
→ EOC : expliquer et exprimer (justifier) A2/B1
I. Brainstorming (5min) : Excuses and Apologies
Why →
When →
What …. For →
II. Matching exercise (10 minutes) → 7 – 9 – 10 – 1 – 11 – 6 – 4 – 2 – 3 – 8 – 5
III. Ways to express regret → apologize
Expressing Regret – Saying
Accepting Responsibility – Admitting
Repenting – Promising
Requesting Forgiveness – Asking
Why we apologize:
1. re-establishes that you know what the "rules" are
2. re-establish dignity for those you hurt
3. helps you to repair relationships
4. allows you to let people know you're not proud of
what you did, and won't be repeating the behavior
To explain why it’s
not our fault !
Many different situations (list a few)
Lots of different reasons
(list a few)
 Please forgive me
 I hope you can forgive me
 (Please) don't be angry
 Please excuse my behavior
 Sorry
 I am (really / so) sorry
 I don’t know what to say.
 I apologize
 I regret
 Please accept my/our apologies

 ...is/was my fault
 I was wrong
 I take (all) the blame
 (I promise) I won’t do that again

2. Give the example below to explain the preterit.
Ex) I did do my homework because I got home late from football practice.
→ get the students to ask the question for my answer. → Why did you do your homework?
IV. Grammar – Simple Past Tense (handout)
Formation
ALL sentences – NOT just preterit
Be All other verbs
Positive
S+V+Complément.
He was angry because… He forgot to set his alarm.
Negative
S+Aux+not+V+Complement.
We weren’t on the bus because… We didn’t have any money for
tickets.
Interrogative
(MI) Aux+S+V+Complément?
Who was she with last night ? What time did you leave the
restaurant?
Negative Interogative
(MI) Aux+not+S+V+Complément?
Why weren’t you at the concert? Why didn’t they go to the
concert?
VI. Homework : Write the question and the excuse for 5 daily happenings
Use at least 2 adjectives we saw in an earlier lesson
(loud, rude, selfish, absent-minded, messy, lazy, disrespectful, impatient, tidy)
HELP - Word box
School - Work (chores) - Homework - messy room – English notebook - dishes - lamp– Doctor –
Friend’s home – Tired -TV – movie - My dog – Party –sports – concert etc…
Questions Excuse
Why did you miss that goal? Sorry, the sun was in my eyes.
n’t
n’t

3. Describing an image – EOC (5min)
I. Drawing from directions (comprendre un message oral pour réaliser une tache)
Give half of the students the following image, give nothing to the others then have students
with the image describe what they see. The others could try drawing it. You could also send
“the artist” of the class outside of the room and have him/her do it last in front of the group at
the end.
II. Title
Now tell the students that this picture goes with a text.
→ What do you think happens in the text? What is the text about?
→ What could be a title for this text?
Hopefully they’ll come up with something like… KIDNAPPED. Then try to get a
definition from what they say.
How : Take someone
Where : from – a home, a park, a school…
Why : money – revenge - ransom
blindfold
ropes
chains
kidnap (ˈkɪdnæp)
vb, -naps, -napping or -napped, -naps, -naping or -
naped
1. (tr) to carry off and hold (a person), usually for
ransom

4. Understanding a text (chronological order)
III. Reading
Have the students read the poem. Have them cut out the different pieces and put the parts in
the correct order (4 – 2 - 5 – 1 – 3) Last 4 words are missing (10-15min)
→ remind them beforehand how to approach a written document
1. Look at pictures that accompany text.
2. Read the title
3. Look at the form (text, poem, recipe, article, advertisement, etc…)
4. Read the text – take your time
5. Reread the text.
6. Eventually underline all the words you know already (rather than ones you don’t know –
you’re reading for a global understanding in the beginning)
7. Look up any words that you don’t know that block your understanding the text
Kidnapped!!!
By Shel Silverstein
This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
They stopped me on the side walk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took
me,
And plugged up my ears with
cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then
Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why I'm late for
school!!!
1. Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
2. They stopped me on the sidewalk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
3. Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why_____________________
4. This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
5. Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took me,
And plugged up my ears with cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then

5. IV. Listen to the poem http://www.deezer.com/track/2466574
V. Miming → global comprehension
In groups of 4 or 5 have the students work on roughly 5 lines each and mime their part
to the group (the whole poem can be read and mimed and filmed by a group for extra credit)
VI. Grammar : compound nouns
What are they? Examples : can be separated (high school) or hyphenated (mother-in-law)
noun + noun policeman
noun + verb sunrise
verb + noun breakfast
adjective + noun blackboard
adverb + noun on-looker
adverb + verb input
preposition + verb output
→ Have students look at words that are outlined (sidewalk – backseat – blindfold – shotgun -
kidnapped) and try translating them.
→ Have students look for some
VII. Grammar : Preterit pronunciation (-ed)
Have students pick out the regular verbs – give the 3 different pronunciations (t/d/Id) and listen
to the poem again.
→ Worksheet on –ed pronunciation
VIII. Final task
Remind the students of their final task: To be able to give an excuse for being late
→ EE : rédiger un court texte (poème) “à la manière de” A2/B1
→ EOC : expliquer et exprimer (justifier) A2/B1
→ This could be done over the period of 2 or 3 weeks, at the beginning of each class period.
Little by little you could ask each student why he/she was late to class. They wouldn’t
have to recite their poem, but they would have to use a an expression of regret /
responsibility or repenting and be original.
IX. CE : All my Great Excuses by Kenn Nesbitt
Test to check if students can :
- Conjugate and pronounce verbs in the Simple Past
- Understand a text (poem) – globally and in detail
- Write an excuse

6. Why didn’t you clean your room?
Why didn’t you come to my party on
Saturday night?
Why do you always eat the last ice cream
bar?
Why did you eat all of the chocolate
cake?
Tom is having a party on Saturday. Are
you coming?
You broke mom’s vase!
Be quiet!
Can I use your pen?
Do you want to go to a movie at 10 p.m.?
Why are you crying?
Why did you hit him?
1 I’m sorry. I was hungry!
2 No, the last time you broke it.
3 I’d like to, but I don’t finish work until
midnight.
4 Why me? Everyone is making noise.
5 I didn’t. He is lying.
6 It wasn’t my fault, you missed my football
pass!
7 I couldn’t find the vacuum.
8 He hit me!
9 I’m sorry; I slept over at my grandma’s
house this weekend.
10 Because I’m always hungry!
11 I’m sorry; I am going to sleep over at my
grandma’s house this weekend.
Why didn’t you clean your room?
Why didn’t you come to my party on
Saturday night?
Why do you always eat the last ice cream
bar?
Why did you eat all of the chocolate
cake?
Tom is having a party on Saturday. Are
you coming?
You broke mom’s vase!
Be quiet!
Can I use your pen?
Do you want to go to a movie at 10 p.m.?
Why are you crying?
Why did you hit him?
1 I’m sorry. I was hungry!
2 No, the last time you broke it.
3 I’d like to, but I don’t finish work until
midnight.
4 Why me? Everyone is making noise.
5 I didn’t. He is lying.
6 It wasn’t my fault, you missed my football
pass!
7 I couldn’t find the vacuum.
8 He hit me!
9 I’m sorry; I slept over at my grandma’s
house this weekend.
10 Because I’m always hungry!
11 I’m sorry; I am going to sleep over at my
grandma’s house this weekend.

7. Grammar – Simple Past
Formation
ALL sentences – NOT just preterit
Be ALL other verbs
Positive
S+V+Complément.
He was angry because… He forgot to set his alarm.
Negative
S+Aux+not+V+Complement.
We weren’t on the bus because… We didn’t have any money for
tickets.
Interrogative
(MI) Aux+S+V+Complément?
Who was she with last night ? What time did you leave the
restaurant?
Negative Interogative
(MI) Aux+not+S+V+Complément?
Why weren’t you at the concert? Why didn’t they go to the
concert?
Grammar – Simple Past
Formation
ALL sentences – NOT just preterit
Be ALL other verbs
Positive
S+V+Complément.
He was angry because… He forgot to set his alarm.
Negative
S+Aux+not+V+Complement.
We weren’t on the bus because… We didn’t have any money for
tickets.
Interrogative
(MI) Aux+S+V+Complément?
Who was she with last night ? What time did you leave the
restaurant?
Negative Interogative
(MI) Aux+not+S+V+Complément?
Why weren’t you at the concert? Why didn’t they go to the
concert?
Grammar – Simple Past
Formation
ALL sentences – NOT just preterit
Be ALL other verbs
Positive
S+V+Complément.
He was angry because… He forgot to set his alarm.
Negative
S+Aux+not+V+Complement.
We weren’t on the bus because… We didn’t have any money for
tickets.
Interrogative
(MI) Aux+S+V+Complément?
Who was she with last night ? What time did you leave the
restaurant?
Negative Interogative
(MI) Aux+not+S+V+Complément?
Why weren’t you at the concert? Why didn’t they go to the
concert?
Grammar – Simple Past
Formation
ALL sentences – NOT just preterit
Be ALL other verbs
Positive
S+V+Complément.
He was angry because… He forgot to set his alarm.
Negative
S+Aux+not+V+Complement.
We weren’t on the bus because… We didn’t have any money for
tickets.
Interrogative
(MI) Aux+S+V+Complément?
Who was she with last night ? What time did you leave the
restaurant?
Negative Interogative
(MI) Aux+not+S+V+Complément?
Why weren’t you at the concert? Why didn’t they go to the
concert?

8. 1. Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
2. They stopped me on the sidewalk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
3. Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why_____________________
4. This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
5. Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took me,
And plugged up my ears with cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then
1. Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
2. They stopped me on the sidewalk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
3. Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why_____________________
4. This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
5. Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took me,
And plugged up my ears with cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then
1. Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
2. They stopped me on the sidewalk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
3. Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why_____________________
4. This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
5. Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took me,
And plugged up my ears with cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then
1. Dragged me from the car down to
Some cold and moldy basement,
Where they stuck me in a corner
And went off to get the ransom
2. They stopped me on the sidewalk,
And offered me some candy,
And when I wouldn't take it
They grabbed me by the collar,
And pinned my arms behind me,
And shoved me in a backseat
Of this big black limousine and
Tied my hands behind my back
With sharp and rusty wire.
3. Leaving one of them to guard me
With a shotgun pointed at me,
Tied up sitting on a stool...
That's why_____________________
4. This morning I was kidnapped
By three masked men.
5. Then they put a blindfold on me
So I couldn't see where they took me,
And plugged up my ears with cotton
So I couldn't hear their voices.
And drove for 20 miles or
At least for 20 minutes, and then

9. How do we pronounce the -ed?
Ending sound of
verb:
Example verb: Pronunciation
/t/
/d/
point  pointed
end  ended
/ ɪd/
/p/
/f/
/s/
/ʃ/
/tʃ/
/k/
kidnap  kidnapped
laugh  laughed
fax  faxed
wash  washed
watch  watched
like  liked
/t/
all other sounds
grab  grabbed
pin  pinned
shove  shoved /d/
REMEMBER! It is the last sound that is important, not the last letter.
For example, like ends in the letter e, but the sound is /k/.
Now you try with these verbs.
stay ………… paint …………… call …………… hiss …………….
shout …………. tip …………… yell …………… wish ……………
type …………… email ………….. start …………. hug ……………
How do we pronounce the -ed?
Ending sound of
verb:
Example verb: Pronunciation
/t/
/d/
point  pointed
end  ended
/ ɪd/
/p/
/f/
/s/
/ʃ/
/tʃ/
/k/
kidnap  kidnapped
laugh  laughed
fax  faxed
wash  washed
watch  watched
like  liked
/t/
all other sounds
grab  grabbed
pin  pinned
shove  shoved /d/
REMEMBER! It is the last sound that is important, not the last letter.
For example, like ends in the letter e, but the sound is /k/.
Now you try with these verbs.
stay ………… paint …………… call …………… hiss …………….
shout …………. tip …………… yell …………… wish ……………
type …………… email ………….. start …………. hug ……………

10. Name _______________________________ Class ____________
All My Great Excuses by Kenn Nesbitt
1 I started on my homework
2 but my pen _____________ out of ink. (to run)
3 My hamster ______________ my homework. (to eat)
4 My computer’s on the blink.
5 I accidentally dropped it
6 in the soup my mom was cooking.
7 My brother flushed it down the toilet
8 when I _____________ looking. (not / to be)
9 My mother ____________my homework (to put)
10 through the washer and the dryer.
11 An airplane crashed into our house.
12 My homework __________________on fire. (to catch)
13 Tornadoes _______________my notes away. (to blow)
14 Volcanoes struck our town.
15 My notes _______________ taken hostage (to be)
16 by an evil killer clown.
17 Some aliens abducted me.
18 I ________________ a shark attack.(to have)
19 A pirate swiped my homework
20 and refused to give it back.
21 I worked on these excuses
22 so darned long my teacher said,
23 “I think you’ll find it’s easier
24 to do the work instead.”

11. 1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13
I. Fill in the gaps with the past simple of the verbs in brackets. (4 pts)
II. Choose the correct pronunciation of the regular verbs that are outlined and put
them in the correct column → /t/ - /d/ - /Id/ (2 pts)
III. Read the poem and look at the pictures. (3 pts)
Choose 1 or 2 lines of the text that correspond to pictures 2 → 13.
Example : line 2 → picture 1
IV. Reread the text and answer the following questions. Write in English and use
complete sentences. (5 pts)
A. Who in his family does he blame for not having his homework?
B. What are the 2 natural phenomena that stop him from doing his homework?
C. What does “on the blink” (line 4) mean?
D. What are 2 synonyms for “kidnapped” in this poem?
E. What is the teacher’s view on his excuses? Explain.
V. Writing. You didn’t do your English homework. Write your teacher a note and
explain why. You will be evaluated on the following items : (6 pts)
- Grammar : Use of Past tense, punctuation
- Creativity : reasons
- Expressing regret and apologizing
Bonus exercise: Draw a picture for the only excuse that wasn’t depicted in exercise III.