First, then, after that

  • A2 · Elementary
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min

Telling things in order with First, Then, Next, After that and Finally (First, mash the bananas. Then add the eggs. After that, mix in the flour.), and First and Finally, not At first and At last. From a banana bread video to the student explaining how to do something, step by step.

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First,ThenAfter that,Finally,

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Listen: Nalani's banana breadListening comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the order wordsGrammar exercise
  6. 6Telling things in orderGrammar rule
  7. 7Which word?Grammar exercise
  8. 8A big day for AnnikaGrammar exercise
  9. 9Habiba's noteGrammar exercise
  10. 10Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12Guess the how-toSpeaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: a day in Washington, D.C.Grammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: build the sentencesGrammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: which is right?Grammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: a recipe from homeDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. Do you like cooking? What can you make without a recipe?
  2. Do you ever watch cooking videos? Whose videos do you like?
  3. When you buy something new, do you read the instructions, or do you just start?

Grammar rule

Telling things in order

First, Then, Next, After that, Finally

WhereWordsExample
The first stepFirst,First, wash the rice.
The steps in the middleThen · Next, · After that,Then put it in a pot with two cups of water. Next, add a little salt. After that, cook it for twenty minutes.
The last stepFinally,Finally, leave it for five minutes with the lid on.
  • They usually start the sentence. Put a comma after First, Next, After that and Finally. After Then, the comma is optional: Then put it in a pot. / Then, put it in a pot.
  • Then, Next and After that mean the same: after the step before. Use different ones: Then… Then… Then… is boring.
  • In the middle of a sentence, use and then: Wash the rice, and then put it in a pot.
  • They work for instructions and for stories about the past: First, we went to the market. Then we had lunch by the river. Finally, we watched the sunset from the bridge.
Watch out: At first is not First. At first means "at the beginning, but later it changed": At first, the city was strange to me, but now I love it. For step one, say First, (not At first, wash the rice).
Finally is for the last step. At last means "after a long wait": The bus came at last! Don't use it for the last step of instructions. And then is not than (than is for comparing: bigger than).

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