Past simple: The verb to be
Overview
In this lesson for elementary-level students, the focus is on the past simple form of the verb to be. Students will learn how to use was and were to construct past statements, which is a fundamental skill for discussing past events and situations.
The lesson starts with a boardwork example that presents the target language. After that, students will participate in various classroom activities designed to help them practice and reinforce their grammar and writing skills. The lesson will end with an fun interactive game that reviews and solidifies the day's learning.
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Lesson Outline
Classroom activities
Use of the board
The students learn how to form past simple sentences using the verb be.
Build out this grammar representation with help from your students, focusing on which subject pronouns use each past verb form. When finished, elicit example sentences and, if possible, their L1 translation.
Where do we go?
The students will help the teacher to brainstorm some vocabulary on the board.
Where were you?
For this writing activity, the students will use the past simple to write about the previous weekend.
It's all in the past
A writing activity where the students use the target language to make sentences from a list of prompts on the board.
Classroom games
Where was I?
Players use the past tense to question another student who has to pretend that they were in a specific place.
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750+ Low-prep classroom activity ideas
1100+ Printable ESL flashcards
180+ ESL lesson plans
8 Distinct language levels
Offline access through the TEFLHandbook app
Reduce your planning time and improve the way you present and teach English grammar.
