Objective

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to distinguish between the simple present and simple past tenses, using them correctly in sentences to describe actions that happen now and actions that happened in the past.

Materials and Prep

• Paper
• Pencil
• Markers or colored pencils
• A timer (optional)

Before the lesson, review the basic definitions of simple present and simple past tenses. Simple present is used for actions that happen regularly or facts, while simple past is used for actions that have already happened.

Activities

• Action Charades:

  Write down different actions on pieces of paper (e.g., "jump," "eat," "play"). The student will pick a paper and act out the action while the other person guesses. After guessing, discuss whether the action is in the present or past tense, and create a sentence for each.

• My Daily Routine:

  Have the student write a short paragraph about their daily routine using the simple present tense. Then, ask them to write about what they did yesterday using the simple past tense. Share and compare both paragraphs.

• Picture Story:

  Draw or find pictures that represent different actions. The student will create a story using these pictures, writing sentences in both the simple present and simple past tense. Encourage creativity and fun!

Talking Points

• "The simple present tense tells us about things that happen all the time, like 'I eat breakfast every day.' What do you do every day?"
• "The simple past tense tells us about things that happened before, like 'I ate breakfast yesterday.' What did you eat yesterday?"
• "We use 's' or 'es' with he, she, or it in the simple present tense. Can you give me a sentence using 'he' or 'she'?"
• "For regular verbs in the simple past, we usually add 'ed.' Can you think of a verb and tell me its past form?"
• "Sometimes, verbs are irregular, and they change completely in the past tense, like 'go' becomes 'went.' Can you think of any other irregular verbs?"
• "When we talk about our daily routines, we use the simple present. What’s something you do every morning?"
• "When telling stories about what we did, we use the simple past. Can you tell me a fun story about something you did last week?"
• "Mixing these tenses can make our stories more exciting! How can you use both tenses in your picture story?"
• "Remember, practice makes perfect! The more you use these tenses, the better you'll get!"