Module 1: Present Tense & Sibilant Sounds
Materials Needed
- Verb cards or a written list of verbs
- Paper and pen, or a shared digital document
- Timer
- Optional: phone or computer voice recorder, mirror, and audio playback
Learning Objectives
By the end of this 60-minute lesson, the learner will be able to:
- Choose the Present Simple or Present Continuous for a sentence and explain the choice.
- Form affirmative Present Simple and Present Continuous sentences accurately, including third-person singular verbs.
- Sort at least 9 out of 12 third-person singular verb endings into the correct pronunciation group: /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/.
- Deliver a short spoken description that combines accurate tense choice with clearly pronounced third-person -s/-es endings.
Success Criteria
- I can explain the difference between a habit or general fact and an action happening now or temporarily.
- I can build a Present Simple sentence and a Present Continuous sentence correctly.
- I can identify the final sound of a verb and use it to predict how -s/-es is pronounced.
- I can use these forms in a realistic spoken or written description.
Lesson at a Glance
| Time | Segment | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 min | Introduction: Hook & objectives | Connect grammar and pronunciation to everyday speech |
| 5–17 min | I Do: Model the grammar and sound rules | Teach the patterns clearly |
| 17–27 min | We Do: The Sound Sort | Practice hearing and categorizing endings |
| 27–39 min | We Do: The Live Routine | Connect tense choice to speaking in context |
| 39–53 min | You Do: Create and perform a mini-scene | Apply both skills independently |
| 53–60 min | Conclusion: Assessment & recap | Check learning and identify next steps |
Introduction: Hook & Objectives — 0–5 Minutes
Hook: Read these two sentences aloud: “Maya works from home” and “Maya is working from home this week.” Ask: What changes in meaning? What changes in the sound of the verb?
Invite the learner to answer aloud or jot down a quick response. Explain that today’s lesson links two skills that work together in everyday conversation: choosing the right present tense and pronouncing the third-person verb ending clearly.
Tell learners what they will learn: “We’ll distinguish routines and general truths from actions happening now or temporarily. Then we’ll use the final sound of a verb to decide how its third-person -s or -es ending sounds.” Review the success criteria above.
Body: Teach & Practice
I Do: Model the Grammar and Sound Rules — 5–17 Minutes
Teach the grammar first, then connect it to pronunciation.
1. Present Simple: habits, routines, and general truths
- Use the Present Simple for habits, routines, repeated actions, and general truths: Jordan walks to work. The train leaves at 8:10.
- With he, she, it or one person’s name, add -s or -es: she reads, he watches, Sam studies.
- With I, you, we, they, use the base verb: they read, I watch.
2. Present Continuous: actions happening now or temporary situations
- Form it with am/is/are + verb-ing: I am reading. He is walking. They are working.
- Use it for an action happening now: He is walking to work right now.
- Use it for a temporary situation around the present: He is working from home this week.
Quick contrast: “She teaches English” describes her usual work. “She is teaching an evening class this month” describes a temporary situation. Some verbs that describe states, such as know, believe, own, and need, are not usually used in the continuous form: I know the answer, not usually I am knowing the answer.
3. Pronouncing third-person -s/-es
Explain that spelling does not decide the sound. The final sound of the base verb does. Have the learner listen for the ending of the base verb before adding the third-person ending.
| Ending sound of base verb | Third-person ending sound | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Voiceless, non-sibilant sounds, such as /p/, /t/, /k/, /f/, /θ/ | /s/ — a quiet, unvoiced sound | stops /s/, walks /s/, laughs /s/, coughs /s/ |
| Vowels and voiced, non-sibilant consonants, such as /b/, /d/, /g/, /v/, /m/, /n/, /l/, /r/ | /z/ — a voiced sound | plays /z/, runs /z/, reads /z/, drives /z/ |
| Sibilant sounds: /s/, /z/, /ʃ/ (“sh”), /ʒ/, /tʃ/ (“ch”), /dʒ/ (“j”) | /ɪz/ — an extra syllable, often heard as “iz” | passes /ɪz/, uses /ɪz/, washes /ɪz/, watches /ɪz/, changes /ɪz/ |
Modeling tip: Say the base verb, identify its final sound, then add the ending aloud. For example: walk ends in /k/ → /s/ → walks. Play ends in a vowel sound → /z/ → plays. Watch ends in /tʃ/ → /ɪz/ → watches.
Voice check: Place a hand lightly on the throat. The /s/ sound has no vocal-fold vibration; /z/ does. For /ɪz/, feel the vibration during /z/ and listen for the extra syllable.
We Do: Activity 1 — The Sound Sort — 17–27 Minutes
Purpose: Practice predicting and hearing the third-person ending.
- Write three headings: /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/.
- Read each base verb aloud. Together, identify its final sound and place its third-person form under the correct heading.
- Say the completed verb aloud. If available, record a few words and listen back. Otherwise, use a mirror to notice mouth movement and listen for the extra syllable.
Verb set: stops, walks, laughs, runs, reads, plays, drives, passes, watches, washes, changes, teaches.
Answer key:
- /s/: stops, walks, laughs
- /z/: runs, reads, plays, drives
- /ɪz/: passes, watches, washes, changes, teaches
Think-pair-share or self-talk: Choose one verb from each group. Explain the sound rule to a partner, tutor, or aloud to yourself: “The base verb ends in __, so the ending is pronounced __.”
Formative check: Ask the learner to classify helps, lives, and fixes before checking. Expected answers: /s/, /z/, /ɪz/.
We Do: Activity 2 — The Live Routine — 27–39 Minutes
Purpose: Contrast routine statements with actions happening now, while practicing third-person endings.
- Choose a realistic setting: a morning at home, a study session, a café shift, a gym visit, or a workplace routine.
- Together, make two columns labeled Usually and Right now / This week.
- In the first column, describe a routine or general fact using the Present Simple. In the second, describe what a person is doing now or temporarily using the Present Continuous.
- Read each pair aloud and explain why each tense fits.
Model: “Alex usually reads before bed. Tonight, Alex is watching a documentary.” Ask the learner to identify the habit, the temporary/current action, and the pronunciation of reads /z/ and watches /ɪz/.
Sentence starters:
- “Usually, ____ walks/works/reads ____.”
- “Right now, ____ is ____ing.”
- “This week, ____ is ____ing ____.”
Take turns acting out or miming one action while the other person describes it. In a self-study setting, the learner can perform an action and narrate it aloud. Pause for a quick check: Does this describe a usual pattern or a current/temporary situation? What sound does the third-person ending make?
You Do: Mini-Scene Challenge — 39–53 Minutes
Purpose: Independently apply tense choice and ending pronunciation in a practical context.
Choose one format: a short spoken scene, an audio recording, a written dialogue read aloud, or a mini-presentation. Choose a setting such as a shared home, study space, café, gym, or small business.
- Create 6–8 sentences about one person’s routine and what is happening now or temporarily.
- Include at least three Present Simple sentences with third-person singular verbs and at least two Present Continuous sentences.
- Include at least one verb whose ending is pronounced /s/, one /z/, and one /ɪz/.
- Underline the Present Simple verbs and circle the Present Continuous forms. Mark the three sound groups beside the relevant verbs.
- Perform or read the scene aloud. Then check the success criteria and revise one sentence or pronunciation choice.
Example beginning: “Nina works at a neighborhood café. She starts early on weekdays. Today, she is training a new coworker. The new coworker watches the register while Nina explains the menu.”
Feedback prompt: A listener, tutor, or the learner can respond with one specific strength and one useful next step: “Your tense choice is clear when you say ____. Try making the ending in ____ more distinct.”
Differentiation & Access Options
- Beginner support: Start with just three verbs—walks (/s/), runs (/z/), and watches (/ɪz/). Use color coding for the three sound groups, sentence frames, and a completed model. Practice listening and repeating before creating original sentences.
- Extra grammar support: Use a two-column visual: “usually / every day” for Present Simple and “now / this week” for Present Continuous. Keep a reference strip showing am/is/are + -ing.
- Pronunciation support: Slow the word down, say the base verb first, then add the ending. Use a mirror, hand-on-throat voice check, or recording and replay. Accept a learner’s accent; focus on intelligibility and the sound distinction.
- Advanced extension: Add negatives and questions (She doesn’t drive; Is she driving today?) and explain how the main verb changes after does/doesn’t. Compare a temporary situation with a stable routine, or identify state verbs that usually avoid the continuous form.
- Flexible delivery: Work individually, with a tutor, in a classroom pair, or in a small group. Activities may be spoken, written, acted out, or recorded.
Conclusion: Assessment & Recap — 53–60 Minutes
Summative Check: Three-Minute Exit Task
Ask the learner to complete the following independently, then review answers together:
- Complete the contrast: “Rae usually ____ (take) the bus, but today Rae ____ (walk) to work.”
- Classify the ending sound in helps, plays, and teaches.
- Say or write one original Present Simple sentence and one Present Continuous sentence about a realistic routine or temporary situation.
- Explain in one sentence how to choose between /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/.
Expected responses: “Rae usually takes the bus, but today Rae is walking to work.” Helps = /s/; plays = /z/; teaches = /ɪz/. The explanation should mention the final sound of the base verb.
Assessment Guide
- Secure: Correctly distinguishes the two tenses, forms the sentences accurately, classifies at least 9 of 12 endings, and produces an understandable mini-scene.
- Developing: Understands the main contrast but needs occasional prompts for verb form, sound category, or pronunciation.
- Next step: Revisit the specific tense or sound group that caused difficulty using the reference table and a shorter practice set.
Recap: Ask the learner to complete these prompts aloud: “I use the Present Simple for ____.” “I use the Present Continuous for ____.” “The final -s/-es sound depends on ____.” Reinforce the takeaway: routines and general truths usually use the Present Simple; current or temporary actions use the Present Continuous; and the final sound of the base verb determines whether third-person -s/-es sounds like /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/.
Reflection: “Which part felt easiest? Which sound or tense will you listen for in a conversation this week?”