Mastering Verb Tenses: Present Simple, Past Simple and Present Perfect

Mastering Verb Tenses: Present Simple, Past Simple and Present Perfect

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify when to use the present simple, past simple, and present perfect verb tenses.

Introduce the learning objective of the lesson to the students.

What do you already know about verb tenses?

Introduction

Verb tenses are essential in expressing the time of an action or event. There are three verb tenses we will focus on: Present simple, Past simple, and Present perfect.

Explain the importance of verb tenses and give an overview of what the students will learn.

Present Simple

We use the present simple to talk about facts, routines, and things that are always true.

Explain the definition of present simple and give some examples.

Present Simple Examples

Example 1: I always brush my teeth before bed. Example 2: She speaks three languages fluently.

Give examples of present simple.

Past Simple

We use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past.

Explain the definition of past simple and give some examples.

Past Simple Examples

Example 1: I studied English for five years. Example 2: She went to the store yesterday.

Give examples of past simple.

Present Perfect

We use the present perfect to talk about actions or events that happened at an indefinite time in the past, or that started in the past and continue up to the present.

Explain the definition of present perfect and give some examples.

Present Perfect Examples

Example 1: I have lived in this city for ten years. Example 2: She has written five books.

Give examples of present perfect.

Present Simple vs. Present Perfect

We use the present simple to talk about routines and things that are always true. We use the present perfect to talk about actions that started in the past and continue up to the present.

Explain the difference between present simple and present perfect.

Past Simple vs. Present Perfect

We use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past. We use the present perfect to talk about actions that started in the past and continue up to the present, or actions that happened at an indefinite time in the past.

Explain the difference between past simple and present perfect.

Signal Words for Present Perfect

Some signal words that indicate the use of present perfect are: already, yet, just, ever, never, and so far.

List some signal words that indicate the use of present perfect.

Signal Words for Past Simple

Some signal words that indicate the use of past simple are: yesterday, last week, ago, and then.

List some signal words that indicate the use of past simple.

Signal Words for Present Simple

No signal words are needed to use present simple.

Explain that no signal words are needed to use present simple.

Practice Exercise 1

Choose the correct verb tense for the following sentence: She ___ (go) to the gym every day. a) went b) goes c) has gone

Give the students a multiple-choice exercise to practice identifying the correct verb tense.

Practice Exercise 2

Fill in the blank with the correct verb tense: I ___ (read) three books last week. a) read b) have read c) reads

Give the students a fill-in-the-blank exercise to practice using the correct verb tense.

Practice Exercise 3

Choose the correct verb tense for the following sentence: They ___ (live) in that house for ten years. a) lived b) have lived c) live

Give the students a multiple-choice exercise to practice identifying the correct verb tense.

Review

Today we learned about the three verb tenses: Present simple, Past simple, and Present perfect. We also learned how to identify when to use each tense.

Review the material covered in the lesson.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of verb tenses, you can communicate more effectively in English. Keep practicing and using these verb tenses to improve your language skills!

Wrap up the lesson with encouraging words and remind the students to keep practicing.

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.