Teaching Grammar

5 activities for teaching grammar:

Change chairs
Microlouge
Interview
Picture dictation
Conditional madness

Lesson plan 1 (45 minutes)

Topic: Past simple: Level: Pre-intermediate Age: 11-14

Irregular verbs
1. Teaching methodology: Eclectic Approach, Task-Based Approach, The Natural
Approach, Communicative Approach
2. Materials: Board, flashcards, pictures, handouts
3. Lesson objective:
Practice making simple sentences using past tense
Remember common irregular verbs in past tense form
Content Description
Warm-up Change chairs
(9 minutes)
Rule: One person stands in front of the whole class say the
command: Change chair if you (did something), then anyone who
did that thing has to stand up and find another chair to sit or else
he/she will have to give the next command.
The purpose of this activity is to help students practice the past
simple with regular verbs.

Teacher gives a demo on how to play the game and may play with
the class. Along the game, if any student struggles to give a
command, teacher can suggest a regular verb in past simple form.
Pre-task Teacher introduces the topic of the lesson:
(1 minute)
In the last game, we only use the verbs in the form “V + ed”. They
are called regular verbs. How about some other verbs like “go” or to
be verb? These verbs don’t follow the same rule as the regular verbs.
We call them Irregular verbs.
Teaching 10 irregular verbs:
(10 minutes) go, to be, break, get, drink, eat, read, feel, have, lose

Teacher prepares two sets of flashcards. The first set includes the
 verbs in present simple forms. The second set includes those verbs in
past simple forms.

Teacher pins the first set on the board and asks the students to guess
the past simple forms with the second set.

After checking the students’ answers, teacher uses the flashcard

technique to teach students the irregular verbs.
(First, teacher repeat 1 word 3-5 times and students listen only; then
teacher repeat the word 3-5 times and have the students say it
chorally; then teacher does individual check and finally do a review
of the taught words.)
Activity 1 Shooting game
(10 minutes)
Divide class into 2 teams standing opposite each other.

A member from the first team will say a verb in simple present form
then shoot another member from the second team by calling out the
name of that person.

The chosen one from the second team will have to change that verb
into the past tense form. If he/she succeeds, he/she can shoot back
another member from the first team to come up with a new verb.

If anyone fails to give the correct word form or a new verb, they will
get shot and their team loses 1 point.

Teacher monitors the activity and change the roles of two teams at
half time.
Activity 2 Microlouges
(9 minutes)
Students are divided into small groups.

Teacher shows the class some pictures on the board, students work in
groups to come up with a story involving all the pictures in any
order.

The past simple tense and the taught irregular verbs are required in
the story.
Follow up Each group will act out their stories in activity 2.
(6 minutes)
Homework Students are given handouts to finish at home. They will have to fill
in the blank the correct verb form.
Lesson plan 2 (60 minutes)

Topic: Present Level: Upper-begginer Age: 8-10

continuous
1. Teaching methodology: Eclectic Approach, Task-Based Approach, Grammar
Translation Approach
2. Materials: Board, plain white sheets of paper, pictures, handouts
3. Lesson objective:
Be able to make sentences using present continuous
Be able to differentiate the present simple tense and the present continuous tense
Content Description
Warm-up Interview using present simple
(9 minutes)
Students will exchange personal information in pairs (name, age,
address, hobbies) by asking simple questions.
Teacher does a demo with a random student, then monitors the
 activity.
Pre-task Teacher writes the time (e.g. 8a.m) on the board and asks the
(1 minute) class what is going on, then leads to topic: present continuous.
Teaching 1 Teacher draws a picture of the class on the board.
(15 minutes)
“So at 8 a.m we are learning English. Now we are learning
English.”
“And what are we not doing? Are we watching TV? No, we
aren’t.”

Then under each of the above sentences, teacher writes the

structure form on the board, using different colors for “to be
verb” and “V_ing” parts in both example sentences and structure.

Structure:
(+) S + to be + V_ing.
(-) S + to be + not + V_ing.
(?) To be + S + V_ing?

Students listen to the examples first, then chorally repeat them.

After that, teacher does spot check, may change the V_ing, then
has students practice in pairs or small groups.
Activity 1 Picture dictation
(10 minutes)
Teacher gives each student a plain white sheet of paper. Students
will listen to teacher’s description of 1-2 pictures (e.g. It’s a
sunny day on the beach. In the top right hand corner, the sun is
shining. Some birds are flying in the sky. The beach is at the
bottom of your paper. A little girl is standing on the beach. There
is a boy next to her. He is flying a kite.), and draw the pictures on
their own without looking at anyone else’s paper.

When teacher finishes saying the description, students have a few

minutes to compare their drawings.
Teaching 2 Usage/ Difference between present simple and present
(10 minutes) continuous

“We use the present continues to describe actions that are in

progress now.”

Teacher writes two below sentences on the board.

“We are learning English now.” (underline the word “now”)
“We go to school in the morning.” (underline the word “in the
morning”)
 “The difference between present simple and present continuous is
that present continuous is used to talk about things happening at
the moment we say the sentence, meanwhile we use present
simple to talk about a fact or a habit.”

Teacher asks the class “What am I wearing?” / “What do I

teach?”, then expands the questions and pick random students to
answer, then the whole class chorally repeat the answers. After
that students practice asking questions in pairs, using present
simple and present continuous. Teacher monitors the activity.
Activity 2 Present Continuous or Present Simple
(12 minutes)
Each student is given a handout. They have to finish the
sentences by filling in the blank the correct form of the verb. (see
below)

Students can work in pairs to determine whether to use present

simple or present continuous. Teacher may assist if needed.

Follow up Matching actions to the pictures

(3 minutes)
Teacher prepares pictures of simple actions that students are
 familiar with.

Teacher divides the class into two teams standing in lines.

Teacher pins a picture of an action on the board. Two students

from each team have to race to write the verb in present
continuous form, who is faster will get one point for their team.
Homework Students will finish the handout at activity 2 on their own if they
don’t finish it in class.

Teaching Different Levels

5 activities for teaching different levels:

Change chairs
Interview
Telling stories
Picture dictation
Presentation

Lesson plan 1 (45 minutes)

Topic: Past continuous Level: Pre-intermediate Age: 11-14

1. Teaching methodology: Eclectic Approach, Task-Based Approach, Grammar
Translation Approach, Communicative Approach
2. Materials: Board, handouts, pictures
3. Lesson objective:
Practice making simple sentences using past continuous
Be able to differentiate past simple and past continuous
Content Description
Warm-up Change chairs
(7 minutes)
Rule: One person stands in front of the whole class saying the
command: Change chair if you (did something), then anyone who
did that thing has to stand up and find another chair to sit or else
he/she will have to give the next command.
The purpose of this activity is to help students practice the past
simple tense.

Teacher gives a demo on how to play the game, then monitors the
activity.
Pre-task Teacher writes the time (e.g. 8a.m) on the board and asks the class
(1 minute) what is going on. “We are learning English.”
“So what were you doing at 8 a.m yesterday?”
Then teacher leads to topic: past continuous
Teaching Teacher writes the answer on the board (e.g. I was having
(12 minutes) breakfast at 8 a.m yesterday./ underline “at 8 a.m yesterday), then
draws a timeline (see below).

Yesterday.

<—————|——————|——————|———————>
7 a.m 8 a.m 9 a.m

“We use past simple to talk about an action that already happened
in the past but we don’t know the exact time when the action
started or ended. Meanwhile, we use past continuous to describe
an action happening in the past at a precise time.”

Teacher picks random students to answer the same question, then

have the whole class repeat the answer but the subject of the
answer will be changed to he/she or the name of a student.

Teacher may write the structure down in color patterns if needed.

Activity 1 Interview: What were you doing …?
(10 minutes)
Each student is given a handout with a list of questions (e.g. What
were you watching at 7p.m yesterday?)

Students answer all the questions on their own first, after that they
go around the class room and interview their friends.

Teacher monitors the activity.

Activity 2 Telling stories (group work)
(12 minutes)
Teacher divides the class into small groups.

Each group receives a set of pictures with many events taking

place in it.

Students work in groups to describe the story in their pictures

using both past simple and past continuous. Then each group
share their story with the class.
Follow up Past simple or past continuous
(3 minutes)
Each student is given a handout. They have to finish the sentences
by filling in the blank the correct form of the verb. (see below)
 Students can work in pairs to determine whether to use past
simple or past continuous. Teacher may assist if needed.

Homework Students will finish the handout at the follow up on their own if
they don’t finish it in class.

Lesson plan 2 (60 minutes)

Topic: Comparative Level: Intermediate Age: 13-16

adjectives/ Opposite
adjective pairs
1. Teaching methodology: Eclectic Approach, Task-Based Approach, Lexical Approach
2. Materials: Video, pictures, board, handouts
3. Lesson objective:
Memorize the opposite adjective pairs
Be able to apply the rule of making comparative adjectives
Content Description
Warm-up Name 5
(9 ~10 minutes)
Teacher divides the class into small teams of 3-4 people.

Teacher says a topic, students work in teams to come up with

 5 words for that topic, which team finishes first will earn 1
point.

There can be 4-5 rounds, depending on the students’

capability. The last topic is adjective.
Pre-task “The last round is about adjective. So who can guess the
(<1 minute) topic of our lesson today?
It’s all about adjectives.”
Teaching 1 Vocabulary: opposite adjective pairs
(11 minutes)
First, teacher defines opposite adjective pairs: “adjectives that
are opposite to each other”

Then teacher shows the video about opposite adjective pairs.

When a pair of pictures appears on the screen, teacher pauses
the video and asks if the students know the adjective and its
opposite.

If students already knew the adjectives, teacher makes

students repeat the words 1 time. If they don’t know, teacher
has them repeat the words 3 times.

Link video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=d2RuO_fseyM&t=54s&ab_channel=WoodwardEnglish
Activity 1 Cowboy
(10 minutes)
Teacher prepares pictures of the adjective taught in Teaching
1.

Have students standing in two lines.

Two students from each line come forward, stand back to

back. Each student will be given a picture and they can’t see
their opponent’s picture.

When ready, two students walk 2 steps away then turn back
to see their opponent’s picture. Who says the opposite for the
opponent’s adjective faster wins.

Teacher does a demo, then monitors the activity.

Teaching 2 Comparative form
(13 minutes)
Teacher draws 2 circles, one is bigger than the other, then ask
students to describe/ or say the difference between two
circles.
 “These two circles are different in size. We compare one with
the other. So when we want to compare two things, we use
comparative adjectives.”

Then teacher introduces the rule to form comparative

adjectives. (see below)

Teacher gives examples for each rule, then asks students to

apply the rules by themselves with more examples.
Activity 2 Shooting game
(13 minutes)
Divide class into 2 teams standing opposite each other.

A member from the first team will say an adjective then

shoot another member from the second team by calling out
the name of that person.

The chosen one from the second team will have to change
that adjective into the comparative form. If he/she succeeds,
he/she can shoot back another member from the first team to
come up with a new adjective.

If anyone fails to give the correct word form or a new

adjective, they will get shot and their team loses 1 point.

Teacher monitors the activity and change the roles of two

teams at half time.
Follow up Handouts
(3 minutes)
Each student is given a handout. They have to finish the
 sentences by filling in the blank the correct comparative form
of the adjective. (see below)

Students can work in pairs to determine the answer. Teacher

may assist if needed.

Homework Students will finish the handout at the follow up on their own
if they don’t finish it in class.