Introduce the Present Perfect – Regular verbs

Give examples in past simple: Yesterday, I had a busy day. I received

lots of emails.
Lead in to present perfect: I have received only a few today. Show
students how the present perfect is formed: have/has plus the past
participle. Tell them that the past participle of regular verbs ends in –
ed, just as in simple past.
Contrast finished and unfinished time

One of the best ways to ensure that students understand when the
present perfect is used is to contrast finished and unfinished time.
Ask students: Is yesterday finished? (They should say it’s finished.)
Ask them: Is today finished? (They should say it isn’t.)
On the board, draw two columns. On the left column write examples of
phrases that go with finished time: yesterday, last week, last month,
last year, 1990, etc...On the right column, write those that go with
unfinished time: today, this week, this month, this year, etc…
Make sure they notice the differences, then, give examples (only with
regular verbs) with both tenses: Last month, I visited my grandmother
twice. This month, I have only visited her once. But this month is not
finished so I may visit her again before the month is over. Provide as
many examples as necessary, in all persons, and then ask students
to do the same with other regular verbs. Contrast the simple past
and present perfect as much as necessary.
Introduce the Present Perfect – Irregular verbs

Proceed with the irregulars. Divide the board into three columns and
write some irregular verbs in the first column, their simple past form in
the second column, and finally the irregular past participle in the third.
Give them examples as you go over each verb:
I’ve had two cups of coffee today.
I’ve spoken to John this week.
I’ve read all four of the Twilight books
Make sure students have a list they can use for reference. With the
help of the list, they provide more examples with other irregular verbs.
Introduce the Present Perfect – Negative forms
Say, “I saw my grandmother last week. I haven’t seen her this
week.”
Give more examples alternating between an affirmative in simple past
and a negative statement in present perfect: I went to Rome last year,
but I haven’t been there this year.
Now, give each of your students just the affirmative statement in
simple past and ask them to supply an example in present perfect
negative:
T: I was at the bank earlier today.
S: I haven't been to the bank this week.

In this worksheet, students practice the present perfect negative, and

you may also introduce the use of yet.

1.Introduce the Present Perfect – Interrogative forms

Model questions with have or has:

T: Have you seen Twilight?
S: Yes./No.
T: Ask me!
S: Have you seen Twilight?

Continue with more questions from students. Model questions

with where and what, but make sure students understand that if they
ask questions with when, where and why, they need to use the simple
past because they are referring to a specific moment in the past.
Write examples on the board. Make sure they ask questions in all
persons, both singular and plural. If they are unsure as to how to ask a
question, model it for them first.

Introduce the Present Perfect – Short answers

Ask yes or no questions and teach students to give short answers:

T: Have you seen my pen?
S: Yes, I have./No, I haven’t.

Students ask classmates yes or no questions, and classmates reply

with short answers.

Provide extended practice

Tell your students that the best way to remember the past
participle of irregular verbs is through practice, in both written and
oral exercises.

For practical purposes, in this guide we cover what should be the best
way to introduce the present perfect for the first time, i.e, the
distinction between finished and unfinished time. Once they grasp this
distinction, they should be ready to grasp everything else.

Level: Low intermediate

Aims: To present the present perfect tense (have + past participle) with the function of talking about past
actions that relate to the present time; to present some time expressions used with the present perfect (
since, for, always, so far); to provide controlled and semi-controlled spoken and written practice of the
present perfect tense.

Assumptions: Students are familiar with the present simple tense and the past simple tense as well as the
most common regular and irregular verb forms in the past (go-went; be- was/were; stay- stayed); students
are familiar with different types of sentences (affirmative, interrogative and negative) in the tenses
mentioned above.
Aids: handouts, cards and board.

PRESENTATION STAGE
Step 1: Warm up
Aim: review the use of the simple past tense (actions that finished in a definite time in the past as in I
went to Cuba in 1999. I had a great time there.)
Time: 10 minutes; interactive pattern: S-S

Pair the students up and get them to talk to their partners about three things they did yesterday, on the
weekend, last month, or at Christmas (the teacher chooses the most convenient time for this activity
depending on the time of the year for this class. If it is a time close to a particular festival or celebration,
they can refer to that.) Each pair records the action verbs discussed and shares their findings with the
class. As a class they have to decide who had the most interesting, fun, or boring time.

Review the use of the simple past and the function of talking about actions that finished at a specific time
in the past. Ask the students to identify if the verbs they used in the activity were regular or irregular past
verbs.

Step 2: Introduction to the target language

Aim: Present the present perfect tense and some of the adverbs used with this tense through a text.
Time: 5 minutes; interactive pattern: T-S; S; S-S
Aids: Handout with text to read

Introduce the text and tell the students that they have to read it and find the answers to the questions
below (at this point, do not mention the new tense or the adverbs that they will be discussing later).

1- Where is Amira living now?

2- Does she like it?

Now read and find out:

Hi! My name is Amira. I am from Venezuela, but I live in Dallas. I have lived in Dallas for five years. I like it
here very much because I can improve my English. I have always loved the English language. I have
learned English since I was in high school. Living in the States has been very interesting! I have met so
many nice people. They are from all over the world. It has been a great experience so far.

Get students’ answers. (Amira is living in Dallas. She likes it very much)

Step 3: Elicitation
Aim: to elicit the function of the present perfect from the students using concept questions.
Time: 2-3 minutes; interactive patterns: T-S
Guide the students toward the new tense and its function through the following concept questions:

T: Go back to the text. We know that Amira is living in the States now. But, did she live in another country
before?
S: Yes. In Venezuela.
T: Correct. She is from Venezuela. When did she move to Dallas? Do you know?
S: (They may come up with 5 years ago, as they are familiar with the simple past tense and the adverbs
in the past time. If not, make sure you guide them toward that answer.)
T: Very good. She has lived in Dallas for 5 years. That means that she moved to Dallas 5 years ago.
(Make sure the verb is emphasized as well as the period; a time line can be drawn on the board to show
when Amira was in Venezuela, and for how long she has been in Dallas. Time lines are good to show
time periods visually). Is she still living in Dallas?
S: Yes.
T: How many years?
S: Five years.
T: Did she learn English when she was in Venezuela?
S: Yes. In high school.
T: Is she still learning English in Dallas?
S: Yes.
T: Did she like learning English in the past? Does she like English now?
S: Yes.
T: Great. So, in this text, Amira tells us about some of the things she started in the past and she is still
doing in the present, and to express that she uses a new tense. We call this tense the present perfect.
(Write the name on the board). Let’s see how we use this tense. Do we use the present perfect for
actions that finished in the past? Listen: Amira has lived in Dallas for 5 years. Does it mean she is living in
Dallas now?
S: Yes.
T: Correct. So, we use it to talk about actions that started in the past and still continue in the present.
(Write the function on the board. Use the time line to show the connection of the past action in the present
time.)

Step 4: Checking comprehension

Aims: Students find the verb phrases and time references by themselves. (Collaborative learning)
Time: 5 minutes; interactive patterns: S-S

I want you to look at the text again and see if you can find all the action verbs that show that Amira is still
living in Dallas, learning English and having fun. Underline the verbs and the time reference. Do this with
your partner.

Feedback: Take up their answers and write them down on the board. Guide them if they have not found
all of the verbs or time references. Categorize their answers under the following headings:

Action Time reference

have lived for five years

have (always) loved always
have learned since I was in high school.
has been
have met
has been so far.

Focus on the action verbs and the time references. Explain the use of the present perfect tense making
reference to the time line to help the students grasp the concept. Draw the students’ attention to the
adverbs used with this tense: for +a period of time, since + a point of time in the past until present, always
and, so far. Draw their attention to the structure of the tense: the auxiliary have + verb in the past
participle form. Have them identify which verbs are regular and if they are the same as in the simple past
tense (loved, lived, learned) and which ones are irregular and if they are similar or not to the simple past
tense (meet- met (past) – met (past participle); be – was/were (past)- been (past participle)
Elicit the interrogative and negative forms and give examples.

PRACTICE STAGE

Step 5: Mechanical practice

Aim: identify the verbs in the past participle through a matching activity.
Time: 5 minutes; interactive patterns S-S
Aids: cards with simple past verbs and cards with past participle verbs.

Provide the students with colour-coded cards (red cards for simple past verbs and blue cards for past
participles). Students in pairs have to match the cards. They may have to guess some of the past
participles forms, especially those of the irregular verbs. (went- gone). Once the cards are matched,
student A has to say the simple past out loud while student B says the corresponding past participle form.
Examples of verb cards:

has/have+

ate eaten
was been
went gone
lived lived
open opened
get up got/gotten up
had had
drove driven
stayed stayed
made made
loved loved
danced danced
invited invited
met met
bought bought

Step 6: Mechanical practice

Aim: practicing fluency with a substitutional drill.
Time: 5 minutes; interactive patterns T-S
Aids: cards with past participle verbs.

Choose one of the cards, and make a sentence. Example: I have lived in Dallas for five years.
Have students repeat: I have lived in Dallas for five years.
Then, change the time reference, for example: for two years. Students have to substitute the new phrase:
I have lived in Dallas for two years. Then, change the verb. Example: have danced salsa. Students have
to substitute the new verb: I have danced salsa for two years Give students different prompts (verbs, or
time references) alternatively.

Step 7: Mechanical practice

Aim: practicing different types of sentences with a transformational drill.
Time: 5 minutes; interactive patterns T-S
Aids: cards with past participle verbs.

T: Amira has met nice people. (Question)

S: Has she met nice people?
T: (Negative)
S: She hasn’t met nice people.
And so on with more examples.

Step 8: Communicative practice

Aim: practicing asking and answering questions using the present perfect tense and adverbs.
Time: 10 minutes; interactive patterns S-S
Aids: Paper and pen

Students ask one another questions to find out about what their classmates started in the past and are
still doing in the present.
Example:
S1: Have you lived in this town for a long time?
S2: Yes. I have lived here for ten years.
S1: Have you made many friends here?
S2: Not really. I have not made many friends.

PRODUCTION STAGE
Aim: The students write a paragraph in a less-controlled way using the present perfect tense with the
function they have learned in this lesson.
Time: 20 minutes; interactive pattern: individual work; group work.
Students are encouraged to write a paragraph using the present perfect to describe actions that they
have started in the past and they are still doing in the present. It could be about their present hobbies,
jobs, studies, etc.
Then, students will pick the activity they prefer the most and share it with the class. The other students
give feedback explaining if they have also done the same or not, how often they do it, when they started
it, etc. They may use the simple past as well as the simple present if necessary.

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Here are possible sequence of stages.

Lead-in
Introduce topic, discuss pictures, and connect to personal situation etc.
Restricted exposure
Pre- teach any lexis that you think is necessary or will get in the way if not known.
Pre-reading tasks.( e.g. predict the text from picture}
Feedback
Simple introductory reading task to 'get students into the text'.
Feedback
More detailed reading task.
Feedback
More difficult reading task.
Feedback
Clarification
Draw attention to specific issues connected to Present Perfect, especially meaning and form ( by
asking questions about specific parts of the text, focusing on specific lines/ideas etc)
Controlled Practice
Do small practice exercises drawing on material from text. Use the text to check answers.
Summarise what has been learned (as grammar rules, substitution tables, definitions etc.) if not
already done.
Freer Practice
Extend to other work that offers more chances to use the language (communicative activities, etc.)