Teaching The Present Simple Tense To ESL Students

In English, we use the present simple tense to talk about general truths, habits and unchanging situations. As you can imagine, it is used several times throughout an English speaker’s day. With this being said, it’s important to provide a solid foundational lesson so your students can use it correctly in the real world. If you want to take your teaching even further, help your students create notes for reference.

Often enough, students will think that the only rule they need to remember is to, “add an -s to the end of the verb”. However, this is not always the case! Be sure to introduce them to the spelling changes that happen when using the present simple tense. For example, when using the present simple tense your students need to know what happens when a verb ends in -s,-sh or -ch. Finally, do not forget to work on pronunciation with your students. The –s sound can be difficult for ESL students of all levels so it’s necessary to practice saying words with it. This teacher-led lesson plan will help you do all of these things and more!

If you want additional lesson plans and support, including teachers’ notes, be sure to register for a free Off2Class account.

Transcript

1. VS3.1 – Present simple Off2Class Lesson Plan Lesson 1/5 Lesson Plan © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
2. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc. Thank you for downloading your FREE Off2Class lesson plan! This teacher-led lesson plan is designed using the communicative approach - perfect for teaching students online or in any screen-enabled classroom. To access the Teacher Notes and Answer Key, or to assign homework, click here to set up your FREE Off2class account. Don’t forget to join the discussion on Facebook to get access to other great tools for online ESL instruction.
3. Look at the examples below Tom plays the piano. Dylan and Sarah read books a lot. We work in an office. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
4. Look at the examples below Emma watches TV every night. Anna teaches English at a school. Charlotte studies Chinese. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
5. Present simple for general truth We use the present simple for something that is generally true. Robert likes Hollywood movies. A Ferrari costs a lot of money. Present Past Future Action is generally true in past, present, future. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
6. Present simple for habits We use the present simple for habits, or something that happens all the time. Glenda wakes up at 7:30 every day. Hilda works at a bank. Present Past Future Action is repeated / it is a habit or happens all the time. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
7. Match the pictures to the sentences C A B Jake does his homework late at night. Jodie loves Indian food. I eat breakfast at 7am every morning. 1 2 3 © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
8. For most verbs, we add –s for he/she/it subject verb 1 subject verb 1 I you he she it we they work work works works works work work © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
9. Examples of the present simple A B I work in an office. She works in a bank. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
10. Examples of the present simple A B He works in a hospital. They work in a supermarket. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
11. 1. Joanna lives in Glasgow with her family. 2. Tony ____ white chocolate. 3. Janice ____ basketball every Saturday. 4. Stephanie and Robert are bankers. They ____ in a large office in the city. Practice the present simple work live love play © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
12. 5. My dog ____ in the park on Saturday. 6. Toby ____ Turkish food. 7. It ____ a lot in London. 8. English class ____ at 9am on Tuesday. Practice the present simple like start rain walk © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
13. Make sentences using present simple play work speak open A B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
14. Make sentences using present simple play work speak open A B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
15. Present Simple: spelling changes 1 If a verb ends in –s, –sh or –ch, it takes –es in the present simple for he/she/it. You watch a lot of TV. BUT Adrian watches the television. The man washes the car. He passes the ball. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
16. Verbs ending in –s, -sh, -ch subject verb 1 I you he she it we they watch catch passes washes kisses reach touch subject verb 1 © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
17. 9. The exam ____ in about ten minutes! 10. Harper ____ her car each Sunday afternoon. 11. The boy ____ his mum before going to bed. 12. The dog ____ the ball with his nose. Practice the present simple kiss push finish wash © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
18. 13. My dad ____ the news every night on television. 14. The bus ____ my house each day at 8am. 15. That baseball player ____ the ball very well. 16. Mrs. Thomson ____ in a small town in China. Practice the present simple watch catch pass teach © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
19. Make sentences using present simple watch teach kiss wash A B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
20. Present Simple: spelling changes 2 If a verb ends in –y, the –y changes to -i and then we add –es in the present simple for he/she/it. I study at my desk. BUT Kyle studies medicine. The baby cries because it wants milk. © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
21. Verbs ending in –y subject verb 1 I you he she it we they study cry hurries carries flies try copy subject verb 1 © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
22. 17. The baby ____ when she is hungry. 18. The man is always late. Every morning, he ____ to catch the bus. 19. The plane ____ from New York to London. 20. The student ____ at her desk. Practice the present simple study hurry fly cry © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
23. 21. The student ____ the writing on the board. 22. The woman ____ the shopping bags to her house. 23. The boy ____ his shirt in the garden. 24. The man ____ to climb the mountain. Practice the present simple carry copy try dirty © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
24. Make sentences using present simple hurry fly cry copy C A D B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
25. Remember for he/she/it -s -es -ies I work you live he loves she cleans it likes we give they start I watch you teach he catches she passes it kisses we wash they push I study you cry he flies she hurries it copies we try they carry © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
26. Samantha’s daily routine. Make sentences wash wake up brush eat C A D B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
27. Samantha’s daily routine. Make sentences dry ride dress brush C A D B © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
28. I wake up at 8am. I … What’s your daily routine? wash wake up get take © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
29. I dry my hair with a towel. I _________. What’s your daily routine? dry brush dress brush © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
30. Lucas __________ football with his friends. Then he comes home and he __________ dinner. After dinner, he __________ television for an hour. Next he __________ at his desk until 10pm. Practice the present simple play watch eat study © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.
31. Gabrielle _________ chocolate milk. She __________ it every day. Gabrielle also __________ chocolate cake. She __________ chocolate all the time. Practice the present simple love like eat drink © 2014-2021 Global Online Language Services Inc.