This document provides a lesson plan for an intermediate English grammar class focusing on the present perfect tense. The lesson involves 18 adult students from various countries. Students will practice asking and answering questions about imaginary past travels using the present perfect tense. They will work in pairs with maps to describe destinations and activities. For homework, students will write a letter describing their travels for a job application.

1. Rose
ESL 210
Crystal Rose
04/11/12—Jones 35
ESL 210—Intermediate Grammar
Students: 18 adult learners from various countries (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Venezuela, Russia,
China, and South Korea). Most students are at the intermediate level in all modes of
communication.
Texts/materials: Focus on Grammar 3, printed world maps for each pair of students
Objectives:
 Students will be able to ask questions about past events (another group’s travels) using
the present perfect tense.
 Students will be able to talk about their (imagined) travels using the present perfect
tense.
 Students will be able to write a letter to their friend using the present perfect tense to
describe their travels.
 Students will be able to use a world map to talk about traveling.
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Assumptions: Students have a basic knowledge of the meta-language of English grammar. The
students have also already been working with the present perfect tense for about a week, this
lesson will be on the last day of this unit (talking about the indefinite past).
Possible Problems: Students may try to complete activity using the simple past verb tense,
which would be grammatically correct, but not the focus structure of the activity. Specific
guidelines will be given in class (use present perfect in each sentence) and on the homework
handout.
Activities:
Presentation/Review—
 Teacher will ask students to produce sentences about a series of pictures presented on
the overhead. The sentences should be formed using the present perfect tense to
describe events that happened in the indefinite past. The sentences will be written on
the board as a reference for the lesson.
 Teacher will ask students to produce a list of activities that people could do while
traveling (see a Broadway show, ride a hot air balloon, eat strange food, swim in the
ocean, climb a mountain, see pyramids, ride in a boat, etc).
Structured Practice—
 Teacher will pass out world maps to each pair of students (suggestion: pairs made by
tables in Jones 35, as tables each seat 2 students.) Students will be instructed (via the
overhead and verbal instruction) to remember a pretend trip around the world with
their partner (they have already gone on this trip).
 Students should choose five or more locations they have visited on the map. They
should also choose at least two activities they have done in each location. (Students will
be shown an example map that the teacher completed. Students may draw X’s or lines
on their map to indicate where they went on their trip.)

2. Rose
ESL 210
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Students will then be told to practice talking about their trip as if they have gone on it
already. (Students can use the sentences on the board from the review to guide them &
teacher will monitor practice/work by visiting each pair).
After about 10 minutes of practice with their partner, the groups will be paired
(probably by proximity in the classroom) and each pair will be instructed to ask the other
pair of students about their travels. (Have you been to China? Have you seen the Eiffel
Tower? What have you done in Brazil? How many times have you been there? Etc).
If there is time: Pairs will be asked to tell the rest of the class about the pair they
interviewed/talked with. Ideally, each group could go, but with limited time, the teacher
could ask for volunteer groups, or call on a few groups specifically.
Teacher should make sure there is enough time at the end of class to explain the
homework assignment.
Less Structured Practice (homework): Students will write an essay for a job application with an
international travel agency. The company wants to know about their travel experience (where
they have gone and what they have done). The teacher should try to make students see the
connection between their past activities (travel) and their present (applying for a job). The
teacher will provide students with a handout.
Homework writing will be checked and given back to students to make corrections for half the
points they missed the first time.
What I would do differently next time: