Lesson plan to teach 'past simple vs continuous' tenses

Question

Does anyone know of any good websites I can get a lesson plan to teach 'past simple vs continuous'?

Or does anyone have any suggestions of what I can use to teach the difference between the tenses?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Just the truth · Accepted Answer

Edward,

Who are the target students, ESLs or ENLs?

Edward · Answer

Thank you for your reply.

The students I'll be teaching are ESL - lower intermediate.

Thank you for your help.

Just the truth · Answer

This is vital. Use REALITY. Take in a bunch of different items. Different colored magnets, playing cards.

Use different verbs - hold, carry, drop, pick up, turn over, flip, flick, the only limits are your imagination.

As a native speaker you know which ones lend themselves to "was __ing" and which ones are "___ed". Illustrate the difference by showing a quick finished action versus a prolonged one; "I sat down" versus "I was sitting". "I turned over a queen" versus "i was turning over a queen" {repeated action, turn over, turn over, turn over}

Use combinations of other verbs; sit, stand, kneel, walk, skip, etc.

Have the students do one action for a certain timed [___ing] period, then start with teacher student Q&A then proceed to S-S Q&A.

What were you doing? ->> I was kneeling. What were you doing? ->> I was __ing.

Students change partners until they've asked everyone. Change pronoun use, --->> What was Taro doing? ---->>>> He was standing.

You can't go wrong with real life. Think of all the potential verbs and comparisons you can do with a deck of cards or a set of colored and different sized magnets.

Just the truth · Answer

Moderator: The EDIT button seems to be missing. Could you fix this problem please?

Pieanne · Answer

I've read your post about editing, JTT, but I personally can't do anything for you... sorry...

Anonymous · Answer

0If you are teaching ESL to native Spanish speakers, the key is to tell them that the continuous past in the "imperfecto" in Spanish. For example I was waiting=Yo esperaba (Yo estaba esperando--this is literally the past progressive in Spanish, but they will relate well to the other). While the simple past would be "pretérito" I jumped=Yo salté.02br
02br
00¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)0-

Lesson plan to teach 'past simple vs continuous' tenses

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