Mastering the Present Simple: A Beginner's Guide

Mastering the Present Simple: A Beginner's Guide

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to use the present simple tense correctly in sentences.

Introduce the learning objective and set expectations for the lesson.

What do you already know about the present simple?

What is the Present Simple?

The present simple is a verb tense used to describe things that are always true, habitual actions, or general facts.

Explain the definition of the present simple tense.

Forming the Present Simple

To form the present simple, add -s or -es to the base form of the verb for third-person singular subjects.

Explain the formation of the present simple tense.

Examples of Present Simple

He walks to school. She eats breakfast. They play basketball.

Provide examples of present simple sentences.

Irregular Verbs

Some verbs are irregular and do not follow the regular -s or -es rule in the present simple tense.

Explain the concept of irregular verbs.

Irregular Verb Examples

I have a pet dog. He goes to the gym. She reads books.

Provide examples of irregular verbs in the present simple tense.

Negative Sentences

To form negative sentences in the present simple tense, use the auxiliary verb 'do' + 'not' + base form of the verb.

Explain how to form negative sentences in the present simple tense.

Negative Sentence Examples

I do not like coffee. She does not play video games. They do not live in the city.

Provide examples of negative sentences in the present simple tense.

Questions

To form questions in the present simple tense, use the auxiliary verb 'do' + subject + base form of the verb.

Explain how to form questions in the present simple tense.

Question Examples

Do you like pizza? Does he play the guitar? Do they speak Spanish?

Provide examples of questions in the present simple tense.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.