B1 Grand Review — All Topics Together

B1 — grammar, listening, reading, writing

Carmen: Sit down, everyone. I want to tell you something I've never told you before.

Sofía: Abuela, what is it?

Carmen: In 1982, I sold mangoes to a famous writer. Gabriel García Márquez, in person!

Kenji (on video call): Carmen, you are full of surprises.

Common mistake: “I have met him in 1982.” — Correct: “I met him in 1982.”

This is everything B1 gave you, working together: real conditions, finished and unfinished pasts, passive facts and future plans — one level, one story.

• Abuela Carmen used to sell mangoes at the market every morning.
• In 1982, she sold mangoes to Gabriel García Márquez himself.
• She has never forgotten his kind smile.
• Carmen has been living in Medellín since 1975, the year she won a cumbia contest.
• If she could travel back in time, she would dance at that contest again.
• The winning dance was passed down to Sofía, quietly, over the years.
• Sofía has always loved to dance, but she rarely admits it in public.
• Next year, the family is going to celebrate Carmen's story with a big party.

Practice

1. In 1982, she ___ mangoes to García Márquez. (has sold, sold, was selling)
2. Carmen ___ live in the countryside before Medellín. (used to, uses to, use to)
3. If she ___ time, she would travel more. (has, had, will have)
4. 'Coffee is grown in Colombia' is passive voice.
5. We use 'going to' for a decision made at the moment of speaking.
6. Carmen ___ (live) in Medellín since 1975.
7. Sofía has always loved ___ (dance), but she rarely admits it.
8. She danced so ___ (careful) that nobody noticed her mistake.
9. Unscramble: never, She, kind, smile, forgotten, his, has
10. Unscramble: down, was, dance, The, winning, passed
11. Find the mistake: I have met him in 1982.
12. Find the mistake: She didn't used to dance in public.
13. Find the mistake: Look at those clouds — it will rain!
14. She doesn't have time, so she doesn't travel more. — Rewrite as a second conditional.
15. They passed the winning dance down to Sofía. — Rewrite in the passive voice.
16. Carmen used to live in the countryside. — Write the negative.
17. What is something you have never forgotten?
18. What do you enjoy doing carefully, and why?

Listening

Carmen: Sit down, everyone. I want to tell you something I've never told you before.

Sofía: Abuela, what is it?

Carmen: In 1982, I sold mangoes to a famous writer. Gabriel García Márquez, in person!

Ben: No way! What did he say?

Carmen: He said my mangoes were the sweetest in Colombia. I've been proud of that for over forty years.

Sofía: And is it true you won a cumbia contest?

Carmen: In 1975! If I had the energy, I would dance right now.

Ben: Please don't. My back still hurts from the last party.

Reading

Abuela Carmen has lived many lives inside one life. She has been living in Medellín since 1975, the year she won a cumbia contest that people still talk about. Before that, she used to sell mangoes at the market every morning, and once, in 1982, she sold a bag of mangoes to Gabriel García Márquez himself. She has never forgotten his kind smile. If she could go back, she says she would dance at that contest again — carefully, but without fear. Next year, the family is going to celebrate her story with a big party, and this time, everyone is going to dance.

• Carmen has been living in Medellín since 1975.
• Carmen sold mangoes to a famous singer.
• The family's party has already happened.