| LESSON OVERVIEW
In this lesson, students learn the differences between Present Perfect and Past Simple. They also practise using the two tenses, watch a video and talk about active lives of elderly people.
B1 / Intermediate60 minStandard LessonFree
PRESENT PERFECT AND PAST SIMPLE
At the beginning of the lesson, students read four headings and think what they have in common. Students also say whether they agree with the title of the lesson. Then, they predict what information they might find in each of the articles. After that, students read three texts and match the headings with the texts. Then, they read the texts again and decide whether some statements are true or false. Next, students read four rules about Present Perfect and Past Simple and match them with the correct sentences from the texts. The teacher can also elicit adverbs and time expressions for Present Perfect and Past Simple. Finally, students discuss the stories they read and talk about the elderly people they know.
VIDEO & PRACTICE
Students watch a video about a 78-year-old-man and tick the topics that were discussed in it. Then, they watch the first part of the video again and write sentences to explain three numbers (e.g. He has cycled 520,000 km.). The sentences require the use of Present Perfect and Past Simple. While watching the second part of the video, students choose the correct verb form. After that, they discuss the video and talk about being in good shape. Finally, students imagine themselves in their 80s. They think about their lives and what they might do and like at that age. They make some notes about different areas, e.g. travel, hobbies, sport. Finally, in pairs, they tell each other about their lives in their 80s using Present Perfect and Past Simple. They also ask each other two questions about what they have said.
WORKSHEETS
oh my Gooooooood…. I haven’t opened it but I’m sure it will be absolutely fantastic!!!
Thank you so much, Erika! Hope that once you open it, you’ll have such positive impressions as well 🙂
Hello from Greece! You’re a breath of fresh air in my 25-year-old career as an English teacher. Working more than 40 hours a week, it is almost impossible for me to find time to be creative myself and, unfortunately, I heavily rely on coursebook material, which is sometimes inadequate and in need of supplementary content. I also use some of the videos to share them with the Viber group I’ve created for my former and current students. Thanks a lot!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Danica! We’re happy our materials can make a difference in the way you work 🙂
The lesson sounds really good and engaging. Thanks a lot for sharing it for free 😀
Thank you, Yolanda! Let us know how your students will find it 😉
This is great! 😀
Thank you so much, Ana!
exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much 😀
So happy to hear that, Dominika! Be sure to let us know how the lesson went 😉
My students absolutely loved reading and reacting to the stories! However, we weren’t able to finish it under 60 minutes. It’s definitely a lesson I will teach again.
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re glad it worked so well with your students 🙂
Hi Inna!! Thank you very much for this wonderful activity!!
Thank you for your feedback! Happy you liked it!
this lesson is great!
Thank you so much!
Great! Thank you!
Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing class!
We’re happy you found it useful! Thank you for your feedback!
This lesson is awesome! Just one question. At the end, students have to talk about their lives in their 80s, so it’s in the future. How do we use Present Perfect and Past Simple in this activity?
Hi Jessica! Thank you for your feedback! We’re happy you liked the lesson. As for your question, in this task the students imagine themselves being in their 70-s or 80-s and speak from this perspective. The previous task is supposed to help them generate ideas and in this final task they present their imagined achievements and experiences as if they were in their 70-s or 80-s. If they work in pairs, their partner can ask a follow-up question to specify some information.
Hope this helps!
Let us know if you need further clarification 😉
Thank you so much!
great
I’m just speechless! Great job, that’s so awe-inspiring!
Thank you so much, Annalisa! We’re happy you liked this lesson 🙂
Lovely lesson. It’s a great and updated way to use the perfect tenses with intermediate and also advanced students that have to revisit the basics of the perfect tenses every now and then.
Thank you, Gilda! We’re happy you’ve seen so much potential in this lesson 🙂
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. My students were so inspired by this lesson. I’ll definitely take this topic again for others.
Thank you for your feedback, Natalie! It’s motivating to find out that this lesson got your students so engaged 🙂
Well structured plan. I love it
Thank you so much! 🙂
Thank you a lot for such a wonderful lesson! It inspired me to do sports more regularly. Hope it’ll do the same with my students 🙂
Happy to hear that! Thank you for your feedback 😉
This is such a greatly designed and beautiful lesson. I can’t thank you enough for sharing it
Thank you so much! We’re delighted you find our materials useful 🙂
Inna, bolshoye spasibo za takoy klassnyi plan!
Hi Inna. Many thanks for this lesson. Looks great and I will try it tomorrow. ATB Richard
Thank you so much, Richard! We’re happy you liked this lesson 🙂
A very well prepared grammar lesson that helps ss to grasp the subject through deductive methods.Thanks a lot.
Thank you so much for your feedback! Happy you liked this lesson 🙂
Great!
Thank you so much!
Very nice lesson, we had good discussions from it😁👍
Thank you so much for your feedback! We’re happy you enjoyed this lesson 🙂
I’d like to have the audioscript of the listenings. It would be great to complete this amazing material! Tks!
Amazing! Thank you so much!!
Thank you for your feedback!
Thank you very much! Looking forward to using this material with my students!
We’re happy you liked this lesson! Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
Like the idea of this lesson! The only issue thing is he unfortunately makes some mistakes with the present perfect in the video. He says “I have started cycling in ____(year)” at the start of the video. Later in the video he says “I have met my wife in the Sahara”, so some mistakes there which may be confusing for students!
Thank you for your comment, Eleanor! We tried our best not to include such confusing moments in the tasks, but on the other hand, and I do it whenever I use this video with my students, I try to explain to them that even being a native speaker or a person who has lived in an English speaking country for a while doesn’t prevent you from certain grammar errors 🙂
I’ve found it’s great! thank you very much!
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the lesson 🙂
Good stuff. I like this video too in connection to the topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZHUc7lVqt0&list=PLLVb3xPMOqX35aG2TDFqKBCmyypqUTxnq&index=240
Thank you so much for your feedback! We’re happy you liked the lesson 🙂 And the video you shared is very interesting too!