Mastering Past Simple and Present Perfect Tenses

Mastering Past Simple and Present Perfect Tenses

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to apply the difference between the past simple and present perfect tenses.

Introduce the learning objective and let the students know what they will be able to do by the end of the lesson.

What do you already know about the difference between past simple and present perfect tenses?

What is the Past Simple Tense?

The past simple tense is used to describe a completed action in the past that has no connection to the present.

Explain the concept of the past simple tense and give examples.

What is the Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is used to describe a past action that has a connection to the present.

Explain the concept of the present perfect tense and give examples.

Forming the Past Simple Tense

The past simple tense is formed with a verb in its past form. For regular verbs, add -ed. For irregular verbs, use the second form of the verb.

Explain how to form the past simple tense and give examples.

Forming the Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense is formed with the auxiliary verb 'have' or 'has' and the past participle of the main verb.

Explain how to form the present perfect tense and give examples.

Examples of Past Simple and Present Perfect Tenses

I played tennis yesterday. (past simple)
I have played tennis before. (present perfect)

Give examples of both tenses and explain the difference between them.

Using Time Expressions with Tenses

The past simple tense is often used with time expressions that refer to a specific time in the past. The present perfect tense is often used with time expressions that connect the past to the present.

Explain how to use time expressions with each tense and give examples.

Practice Exercise 1

Complete the sentences with the past simple or present perfect tense:
1. I __________ (eat) breakfast an hour ago.
2. She __________ (visit) Paris many times.
3. They __________ (watch) a movie last night.
4. He __________ (read) three books this month.
5. We __________ (not finish) our homework yet.

Give the students time to complete the exercise and then go over the answers as a class.

Practice Exercise 2

Write a paragraph about your last vacation using both past simple and present perfect tenses.

Have the students work individually to write their paragraphs and then have a few students share their writing with the class.

Conclusion

Now that you have learned about the past simple and present perfect tenses, you can use them correctly to describe past events and actions that have a connection to the present.

Summarize the lesson and review the learning objective.

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.