Teaching Practice 7
Beginner level


In this lesson, students will be learning irregular and regular simple past tense forms of some verbs by a ppp method with a student-centered approach. The lesson starts by presentation of the TL through guided discovery with a reading task in the context of travelling and journeys and will progress from controlled exercises to a freer speaking activity.


Abc Speaking Activity
Abc Exercise 2
Abc Answer Key
Abc Exercise 1
Abc Reading Text

Main Aims

  • To clarify and provide controlled practice of irregular and regular verb forms of simple past tense

Subsidiary Aims

  • To introduce some new vocabulary to the SS and to get SS practice reading in the context of travelling and journeys.



Show the photos of the article on OHP and ask "Can you guess what these two women did? What do you think about the map?". Elicit answers but don't confirm them.

Exposure (5-7 minutes) • To provide context for the target language through a text

Preteach some vocabulary items in the text. Ask SS to read the article briefly. Say "Read this article quickly for 3 minutes".


Draw ss' attention to the verbs in pink and blue fonts in the article. Ask "Did these things happen in the past or are they happening now?". Then ask "Do you see any difference between blue and pink verbs?" Elicit answers.

Clarification (5-7 minutes) • To clarify the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language

Write this marker sentence on board: "When she came back to England, she told her friend Antonia what she wanted to do." Underline the verbs and elicit the formula from SS (Subject+ V2+ object). Draw attention to regular and irregular forms of verbs. Point out that there are no spelling rules for irregular verbs. Also highlight that the Past simple of both regular and irregular verbs is the same for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) Remind that Past simple of "be" is "was", "were". (Try to elicit this). Drill some of the verbs in the article.


Handout the exercise 5a,5b&6a. Say "Match the irregular verbs to their past forms and write the past forms of regular verbs. Work in your groups. Finish in 5 minutes". Provide feedback by answer key. Say "Look at the answer key. Study the irregular forms of these verbs at home". During the activity monitor closely and if ss struggle too much with the activity ask them to peercheck and provide a brief OCFB after the activity only if absolutely necessary.


Say "Write the past forms of the verbs in the gaps. Work in groups. You have 5 minutes". Try to move students from other groups to balance strong and weak students. e.g. Say " Merve, could you change seats with Tahir and work with this group?". Distribute HOs to exercise 2. Monitor during the task and provide feedback by peercheck.

Free Speaking&Writing Practice (8-10 minutes) • To provide students with free practice of the target language

Distribute HO's for the free speaking activity. Say "Work with your partner. First write your answers to these questions in the circles. Then change (swap) papers and try to write sentences in past tense by looking at his answers. Ask each other questions to find out if you guessed correctly." Demonstrate the activity for clarification. Monitor to ensure they are speaking in English. (They tend to speak L1, Turkish during free practices) Encourage them but try not to intervene.

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