Skip to main content

Present Perfect Using "For" and "Since"



Sample Lesson Plan
Level: Pre-intermediate
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Primary Aim: To better enable Ss to understand the use of Present Perfect with “for” and “since” and to use the target language in the context of talking about themselves.

Lead in:
Ask students as to what they want to do in the future [Travel, occupation, attend events, etc...]
Instructions:
1. Break students up in pairs.
2. Give students 3 minutes to discuss future plans.
3. Feedback – 2 minutes

Gist Listening/ Model
Introduce T’s timeline:
1991: Started his 1st job.
1993: Started driving
2011: Got married

Noticing Tasks
1. CCQ’s
     a. When did T start his 1st job? (1991)
     b. Is T working that job now? (No)
     c. The action finished in the past? (Yes)

[This particular question is used to distinguish between a task/activity that is finished and a task/activity that is continuing]
     a. When did T get married?(2011)
     b. Is T still married? Yes
     c. Will T be married tomorrow? (Yes)
Written Record:

2011                                       (NOW)
 _______________________  _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
I_______________________ I  Action is still happening into the future_I
I                                                I                                                                   I                             
Past                                           Present                                                    Future

Ask students:
When a task/activity started in the past and is still happening, Ss should use have/has + (P.P.)? Yes
2. CCQ’s
     a. How long has T been married?
         1. T has been married for 2 years.
         2. T has been married since 2011.

Written Record
[FOR] - Subject +  have/has been + verb (P.P.) + for + time length [ie: T has been married for 2 years].
* For comes after mentioning some length of time (ie: 3 days, 5 hours, and 10 years, etc…).

[SINCE] - Subject + have/has been + verb (P.P.) + since + time length [ie: T has been married since 2011].
* Since is used when mentioning a specific point in time (ie: an hour, a day, a month, etc…).

Task Preparation
Use another example for T.
1. T started living in Thailand in May of 2013.
    a. Is T still living in Thailand? (Yes)

Students should write a timeline of their own events. These events have start in the past, continue into the present. They have to be true.

T gives students 6 minutes to do this task.

Task Performance
Before students begin conversation with their partners, T should write on the board: “How long have you….” So students can properly elicit answers.

Example/Model:
1. A - How long have you lived in Thailand?
2. B -  I have lived in Thailand for 1 month OR since 2013.

1. A – How long have I been married?
2. B – You have been married for 2 years OR since 2011.

Feedback
What did Ss find out about their classmates?
Correct errors picked up during monitoring.
Praise students for correct use of target language.


Task Preparation
Talk about the tasks/activities/events mentioned in the lead-in. Ss. Write a list of those events give students 3-4 minutes to write this list. Useful language could be introduced – “SINCE I was a child” AND “FOR a long time”.

Task 2 Performance
Provide a model for the conversation with their partners.
1. A- What do you want to do in the future?
2. B – I want to ...
3. A – How long have you wanted to do that?
4. I have wanted to ... since..... / for ......

Feedback
What did Ss find out about their classmates?
Correct errors picked up during monitoring.
Praise students for correct use of target language.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Collocations - Words that go together!

A problem that many ESL students face is collocations. What are collocations? Words that go together in a certain order. The native English speaker will feel like the expression sounds right it doesn't. What is an example of a collocation? Let's use 'Salt and Pepper' as an example. Source: www.tes.com - https://www.tes.com/lessons/GXxDALR09H8o1w/not-your-normal-salt-pepper-shakers [ NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE RAP GROUP 'Salt N' Pepa ']. Source: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Very_Necessary#/media/File:Salt-N-Pepa-Very_Necessary_(album_cover).jpg Why do we say 'Salt and Pepper' and not 'Pepper and Salt'? Structurally, the individual who says "Can you pass me the pepper and salt?" is not wrong. However native English speakers have grown accustomed to saying this in this order. In other words, the collocation is relative to the cultural preference in the order of the words. An example of the cultural preferen
Post a Comment
Read more

Verb Tenses

1 - PRESENT SIMPLE When is it used? To talk about an action that is repeated or regular. The action can be a habit, hobby, a daily event, scheduled event, or anything that occurs often. The present simple can also be used to state facts (The sun rises in the East). Structure [Base verb (+ s/es in third person singular)] Examples:  I eat pizza. He doesn't eat pizza. Does she eat pizza? * NOTE - When using third person singular, the verb usually changes by adding an 's' [e.g. eat-eats]. However, if the verb ends with either -ch, -sh-, -x, or -s then the -es ending is added  [Example watch-watches; wash-washes; fix-fixes; pass-passes]. Pronouns Affirmative Negative Interrogative - Question Response to Question I eat   Do not/ don’t eat  Do I ...? Yes, you do / No, you don't  You  eat Do not/ don’t eat  Do you ... ? Yes, I do / No, I don't  He  eats Does not / doesn’t eat  Does he ...? Yes, he does / No,
Post a Comment
Read more

Conjunctions II - For advanced students / law students

This is a continuation on the use of conjunctions. In law, conjunctions are VERY important. Conjunctions are used to establish certain elements of a crime, or they can also establish requirements by a law abiding citizen in order to come into compliance with the law. To recap let's briefly cover the use of conjunctions, particularly AND and OR. AND is used to combine ideas. Or is used for choices. The following is an excerpt from the 2013 Florida Statutes, Chapter 815, Computer-Related crimes --  2013 Florida Statutes, Chapter 815, Computer Related Crimes, Offenses Against Computer Users   815.06 - Offenses against computer users. (1)  Whoever willfully, knowingly, and without authorization: (a)  Accesses or causes to be accessed any computer, computer system, or computer network; (b)  Disrupts or denies or causes the denial of computer system services to an authorized user of such computer system services, which, in whole or part, is owned by, under contr
Post a Comment
Read more