Helping The Pupils To Use The

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Action Research Report 2009

Pasdunrata National College of Education

Name of the prospective Teacher :- W.K.S. Udayanga

Reg. No. :- 2007/E/M/50

Course :- National Diploma in Education (English)

Helping The Pupils To Use The
Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Action Research Report 2009

Pasdunrata National College of Education

Name of the prospective Teacher :- W.K.S. Udayanga

Reg. No. :- 2007/E/M/50

Course :- National Diploma in Education (English)

ii
 Declaration

This action research is done for the partial

fulfillment of the National Diploma in Teaching course
at Pasdunrata National College of Education. I certify
this action research does not incorporate, without
acknowledgement any material previously submitted
for National Diploma in Teaching in any National
College of Education and to the best of my
knowledge and belief; it does not contain any
material previously submitted or written by another
person.
………………………… ……………………………….
Date Signature of the Intern.

iii
 Dedication

I dedicate this thesis to my parents. Without their

patience, understanding, support and most of all love, the
completion of this work would not have been possible.
 Plan of the Action Research.

Intern’s Name :- W.K.S. Udayanga.

Reg. No. :- 2007/E/M/50.

School :- Sripalee College, Horana.

Supervisor’s Name :- Mrs. Malkanthi Liyanapathirana.

Research Plan

Title :- Helping The Pupils To Use The Present Perfect

Continuous Tense.

• Problem Identified :- Some pupils of my grade 8 class

cannot use the present perfect continuous
tense correctly.

• Background to the problem :- While I was dealing with the pupils in

my grade 8 class, I noticed that they were not
so familiar with the present perfect continuous
tense, which was included in competency
level 6.7. While doing the group activity
which I assigned in the class, I observed that
most of them had skipped some questions and
the responded answers were incorrect
frequently. I explained the lesson several
times (in several days) in order to help them,
but the situation remained the same. So I
thought of doing an action research on the
matter with the intention to help the pupils to
achieve the above competency level.

v
• Rationale :- a sound knowledge about English
tenses is essential in our day to day English.
Among them, present perfect continuous tense
is also very important. In the grade 8 syllabus,
this tense is included, in order to make the
pupils aware of it at this age. So it’s clear that
the ppc tense is very important in writing as
well as speaking. If the pupils could not
achieve the targeted competence, they will
face some difficulty in the future.

• Objectives :-

 To enable the pupils to write sentences in Present

Perfect Continuous tense correctly.
 To enable the pupils to select “Since” or “for”
appropriately.
 To provide them with opportunities to exchange their
knowledge with the friends.

vi
 • Methodology :-

• Collecting Data :- To verify the problem

• Analyzing data :- To get a clear idea
about the situation.
• Pre – test :- To select the sample
and to determine the current level of the pupils. (pupils
who scored less than 40% were selected.)

 Group work :- to make the pupils engaged in

using the ppc tense in many ways.

 Post – test :- To determine the level of

achievement.

• Intervention :-
 Collect and record the marks which the pupils
obtained for the group activity I assigned during the
English period.
 Analyzing the marks and preparing the pre-test
accordingly.
 Conducting the pre-test. Selecting the sample group
which scored less than 40%. Analyze the answer
scripts to determine the common mistakes.
 Holding extra classes to make the pupils engaged in
prepared group activities..
 Conducting a Post- test to determine the
achievement level of the pupils.

vii
 Action Plan.

May

June

July

Sept

Oct
Feb

Mar
Activity

Maintaining a
reflective journal. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Identifying the
problem - -
Writing the
research - -
proposal.
Getting the
approval of the -
principal
Collecting data
from the group -
activity
Analyzing the
collected data -
Starting the
research diary. -
conducting the
pre-test -
Assigning group
work in afternoon - - - - -
classes.
Conducting a
post –test. -
Analysis of the
data (pre-test / -
post-test)
Writing the report
of the research. - - - -
Submitting the
research report to - -
the college.

viii
 • Expected Outcomes :-

As a result of my action research, the pupils of the selected group will

be able to

• Write the sentences correctly, using present perfect continuous

tense.

• Select “since” or “for” appropriately in sentences.

• Explore more knowledge about and beyond the targeted area.

…………………………… ………………………………
Date Intern’s signature

I hereby approve the topic and the plan of the action research submitted by the intern.

……………………………….
Signature of the supervisor.

ix
 Acknowledgements

First, I thank our college supervisor, Mrs. Malkanthi Liyanapathirana for her
kind support throughout the internship period. She was always there to listen and
advise. She deserves my thanks for getting me involved in this type of study which
was helpful to the innocent pupils. She showed me the correct path which led to the
success of this action research.
My special thanks should go to the president and all the other tutorial staff of
PNCOE, for practically introducing me to the world of education. They were the
models for me to follow.
My colleagues who were with me in Sripalee College, Horana have been the
friends and mentors. They gave me a helping hand in every step I made. Without their
support, this intervention would not have been possible.
Apart from them, I would like to thank all the other colleagues of PNCOE for
being the real friends. Nobody refused to help whenever I asked for any ; and nobody
wanted to see me down for even a moment.
Last, but not least, I thank my family ; my parents M.D.P. Ranjanee and W.K.
Gnanadasa for giving me life in the first place, for educating me with aspects from
both arts and sciences, for unconditional support and encouragement to pursue my
interests. My sister W.K.C Kasuntha, for sharing her experience as a trainee of the
same college, was a great model for me. She encouraged me with her kind heart,
inculcated good attitudes in me and always reminded me that this action research
should always be useful and serve good purpose for the whole humankind.

x
 Abstract

The study was about a group of pupils who had problems in using the present
perfect continuous tense. Several preliminary actions were taken and they ended
leaving the problem as it was. The necessity of an action research on the problem was
identified with the help of an analysis of marks which those pupils scored in a group
work. The cyclic approach of action research was followed throughout the study.
A pre-test was administered in order to determine the current situation of the
pupils and to select the sample for the research. After the analysis of the marks, pupils
who scored less than 40%, were taken in to the afternoon classes. Group activities
were designed systematically as they gradually develop the skills of the pupils.
Several methods and tricks were used to keep the attention of the pupils on the matter.
The approach of the new technology in the field of education was also discussed
during the process.
At the end of the intervention process, a post-test was administered in order to
determine the level of achievement of the pupils. the marks of the pre-test and the
post-tests were analyzed with the help of a chart. The conclusions were made
accordingly and the suggestions were made in order to help the future generation.

xi
 Page
Contents No.

Declaration

………………………………………………
iii

Research Plan

………………………………………………
v

Acknowledgements
……………………………………….
x

Abstract……..
…………………………………………………
xi

List of abbreviations
……………………………………….
xiii

List of Figures, Graphs and Tables

……………………………… xiv

1. Introduction
…………………… 1

2. The purpose and the objectives

…………………… 4

3. Literature review
…………………… 7

4. Methodology
…………………… 9

5. Intervention
…………………… 12

xii
6.Findings and data analysis
…………………… 19

7. Conclusions and Suggestions

…………………… 24

8. Bibliography

9. Annexes

xiii
List of abbreviations

PNCOE :- Pasdunrata National College of Education

PPC tense :- Present Perfect Continuous tense

Comp. level :- Competency level.

Pps :- Pupils
List of Figures, Graphs and
Tables

Table No 1. The frequency distribution of marks for the

group activity. (page 19)

Table No.2 the results of the pre-test (page 20)

Table No.3 The Marks of the pre-test Vs Post-test.(page

21)

Figure 5.1 The frequency distribution of marks

(page 19)

Figure 5.2 Pre-test results.(page 20)

Figure 5.3 Pre-test Vs Post-test.(page22)