Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Duration:
Lesson Aim:
1 hour
# Students
12
Acquiring greater ability in discerning when to use the present
perfect compared to the past simple along the theme of “Real
and Fake Stories.” Focus is on speaking and writing.
Student details:
Age (s):
25-30
Level:
Intermediate
First Language (s)
Malayalam
Nationality (s)
Indian
Time
Student activity
Engagement activity
5 min
Students can ask any question
about the statements but have
to decide what is true and
false.
Teacher activity
Teacher puts list of statements about
him/herself on the board (like: I moved
to the UK when I was 21, I earned my
BA in 2016, I have taught English for 2
years, I have just gotten married, etc.).
Teacher has students decide in pairs if
the statements are true or false.
Teacher answers questions and finally
gives answers.
Presentation stage
10
min
Students create their own
statements (which have to
been true) in the structure on
the board.
Students then plot a timeline of
their lives, putting when each
statement happened or started
then finished (unless they’re
still occurring in the present).
They then show their timeline
to their pair and ask questions
each other questions, like:
 “How long have you
been playing the violin?
 Or when did you have
your first child?”
The students’ dialogue should
fit into the present perfect or
past simple format.
Teacher has students personalize the
statements, changing the nouns but
not changing the structure.
Teacher drills structure: “I have
been…” “I went…”
In plenary, teacher asks the students
questions on the different forms
structures and uses, focusing on “the
recent past” and “the unfinished past.”
This way the students will be
encouraged to remember what they
previously learned.
Teacher reviews where necessary.
Study stage
20
min
Students play Jeopardy, each
taking a chance to ask a
question (harder questions
earn more points). If a student
gets the question wrong, the
opposing team has the chance
to steal the points if they know
the right answer.
If this controlled practice
doesn’t take the allotted time,
students in the same groups
create sentences with one
mistake (a mistake featuring
something about the present
perfect or past simple) and
swap with the other group who
has to find the one mistake.
(Filler activity)
Study stage
15
min
Students write their dialogues
in pairs, using the present
perfect and past simple, and
practice presenting them.
Teacher tells students that they’re
going to play “present perfect vs. past
simple” jeopardy as a revision
exercise!
(Teacher uses prepared questions on
https://jeopardylabs.com/play/presentperfect-vs-simple-past, ignoring the
questions focused on regular/irregular
verbs). Teacher explains the rules of
Jeopardy, breaks students into 3
groups, then keeps track of score.
On the “Create a Sentence” Questions,
the teacher uses them as a chance to
ask the class if the response is correct.
The Final Jeopardy is: Give the three
uses of the present perfect with
examples (worth 2000 points). Closest
team wins the points.
Teacher provides a prize for the
victorious team.
Teacher pairs up students and tells
them they’re to write a dialogue
between two TV anchors about a news
article. The rules:
 They can only use the present
perfect and past simple in their
sentences.
 They have to take turns starting
the sentence with “fortunately,”
and then “unfortunately.” Such
as: “Unfortunately, the US
president had too much wasabi
on his sushi at lunchtime.” “But
fortunately, he sustained no
long-term injuries.” This can go
on for however long the
students can keep it up.
Teacher monitors and provides any
helpful advice/correction.
Warm down/follow up
10
min
Students each take turns
presenting their dialogues,
then critic each other’s to see
if they used the right tenses
throughout.
Study stage
15
min
Students write their dialogues
in pairs, using the present
perfect and past simple, and
practice presenting them.
Teacher has students present their
dialogues (they can be as animated as
they want), reviews each dialogue
sketch in the plenary, then gives out
homework and dismisses class.
Teacher pairs up students and tells
them they’re to write a dialogue
between two TV anchors about a news
article. The rules:
 They can only use the present
perfect and past simple in their
sentences.
 They have to take turns starting
the sentence with “fortunately,”
and then “unfortunately.” Such
as: “Unfortunately, the US
president had too much wasabi
on his sushi at lunchtime.” “But
fortunately, he sustained no
long-term injuries.” This can go
on for however long the
students can keep it up.
Teacher monitors and provides any
helpful advice/correction.
Sources of materials used (if your own, write my own materials):
Stage of Plan & Materials:
Engagement Activity: Teacher’s True and False
(https://teflreflections.wordpress.com/2014/11/20/past-simple-present-perfectsimple-and-present-perfect-continuous-lesson-plan-and-comments/).
Presentation Stage: Timeline (http://educators.brainpop.com/lesson-plan/3-3-2past-simplepresent-perfect-lesson-plan/).
Study Stage:
Jeopardy (https://jeopardylabs.com/play/present-perfect-vs-simple-past).
Sentence with One Mistake (Module 3
Study Booklet. Christian TEFL: Global English,
2013. Page 31.
Practice Stage: Fortunately/Unfortunately (http://busyteacher.org/4010fortunately-unfortunately-warmer.html).
Warm Down: my own materials