Perfect Tense Essay Sample

What is the context for your target language?

Gundogan is practicing freekicks. He wants to curve the ball into the top corner of the goal posts. Alonso his friend, arrives alongside a stranger with a nicely shaved beard, a moment after he has missed the target. The stranger advises " take a positioning of 30 degrees from the dead ball, then drive the ball using a low power short to achieve the swing". Gundogan stares at him with a contemptuous grimace. His friend Alsonso says " His name is Arteta - He has been in the coaching role since 2008"

What's the meaning/use?

To describe an ongoing practice. A temporary action which has been practiced for a while and is still being practiced. (Before and now)

Arteta is coaching Gundogan on how to take the freekicks

He has been coaching since 2008

He is still coaching

How will you check understanding?

Ask concept checking questions (CCQs) about Arteta and his role as a coach

Is Arteta coaching now (yes)

Did he start coaching now (No. He started back in 2008 and is still coaching)

Will he stop coaching now ( He probably won't stop)

Timeline Now

Past. Future

He has been coaching he may still coach

What's the form?

He has been in the coaching role since 2008.

Sub + has+been + the + verbing + since + noun

Has he been in the coaching role?

Has + Sub + been + in +the + verbing + role.

How will you highlight the form?

Construe it on the whiteboard.

Sub + has+been + the + verbing + since + noun

Has + Sub + been + in +the + verbing + role

What are the key phonological features?

He has been in the coaching role since 2008.

He hasn't been in the coaching role since 2008.

Stress has to be on the negative sentence and not on the positive sentence.

Sound of contraction.

Sound of intrusive |j| between he and has

Has he been in the coaching role since 2008?

The sound /zi/ between has and he.

How will you highlight these?

Repeatedly elicit the sentences to clarify the stressing. Elucidate it on the whiteboard by underlining the stressed sentence.

How to highlight

Utilize fingers to elucidate the contractions.

Script the example and contractions on the whiteboard to help the students visualize.

What problems might Ss have?

Meaning/Use

Sometimes constructing perfect tense can be confusing because it can be confused with past tense and future present tense.

Eg. He has been coaching since 2008.

He will be coaching from 2008.

The tense is confusing mostly because it is used to describe the past rather than the present.

Form

The structure of the present perfect is not hard as many students know how to use has and have. However, students can make mistakes of omitting has or have which will result in a different meaning.

Example: He has coached since 2008.

He coached in 2008.

Phonology

Student's will constantly stress 'been' or "since' which put's emphasize on the past rather than the present.

Student's might also stress every word equally. Solutions

Meaning/Use

Student's can practice using present perfect tense by utilizing how long tenses like since, yet, recently among others.

Form

Underline or use bold to highlight and emphasize the verbs has and have.

Use arrows to show the sentence order.

Phonology

Correct stressing errors and bold the stress words.

Effective repetition of the sentence to elucidate stress orally.

Language Point 3: modal verb 'should' (e.g. You should do some exercise)

What are your marker sentences?

You should do some exercise

He should subscribe premium accounts

What is the context for your target language?

Mary has been pregnant for a while. The diet she has been on and the hormonal reactions have made her gain unwanted weight.

Davis his boyfriend is concerned about her health state. After a morning walk, he finds Mary researching about weight reducing diet like lemons. I hate lemons, they are so bitter. I will never get rid of this obesity. You should do some exercise darling.

Used to give advice.

You should quit alcohol and take care of your family How will you check understanding?

Make use of CCQ to show the concerning need and need for advice

Should exercise to lose weight?(Yes)

Can you gain weight from exercising (No)

What's the form?(include positive and negative)

You should do some exercise.

Sub + Modal Verb + do +some + exercise

Should you do some exercise?

Modal verb + Sub + do +some + exercise

How will you highlight the form?

Elicit it on the whiteboard

Sub + Modal verb + do +some + Exercise

Modal verb +Sub + do + some + exercise

What are the key phonological features?77

You gained so much weight, you should do some exercise

You have lost so much weight, you should not do exercise.

How will you highlight these?

Repeat the sentences to show how modal verb puts an emphasis on a call to action.

What problems might Ss have?

Meaning/Use

Student's confuse modal verb should with modal verb must

Solutions

Meaning/Use

Use phonological features to an emphasis on the strengths of each modal verb.

Must is usually stronger than should emphasizing on necessity.

Language point 6: stranger (n) contrasted with foreigner (n)

Lexical item&meaning (in graded language, suitable to use with your students) How you will convey and check meaning?(context, CCQs etc) Pronunciation (stress, phonemic script) Form (spelling, part of speech, what types of word come before / after the word etc.) Anticipated problems Solutions (with MPF)

A foreigner or newcomer.

A person who you know nothing about.

He can be of any gender, or any profession Context / method of conveying meaning:

Reference a prominent person in the country.

Mention of a young boy, talented in music who will join the class next week. Ask them questions who the stranger is between the two.

Checking meaning:

CCQs: is the boy prominent? (No.) (Why)

Where is the resident of the boy?

/stren(d)e/ Use of an article 'a' before the word. Problems:

The student may perceive the word stranger as a bad person perhaps a villain.

Solutions:

Use further examples to clarify that, the noun doesn't imply bad.