Mastering the Past Perfect Tense: Understanding Sequences of Actions English Grammar JSS 2 First Term Lesson Notes Week 6

Lesson Plan: The Past Perfect Tense

Subject: English Grammar
Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 12-13 years
Topic: The Past Perfect Tense
Sub-topic: Understanding and Using the Past Perfect Tense
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define the past perfect tense.
2. Identify sentences written in the past perfect tense.
3. Form sentences using the past perfect tense.
4. Differentiate between the past perfect tense and the simple past tense.

Keywords: Past perfect, Verb, Tense, Completed action, Before
Set Induction: Begin the lesson by narrating a short story where two events happened in the past. Emphasize which event happened first by using the past perfect tense. For example: “By the time she arrived, I had already left.” Ask students to identify which event occurred first.

Entry Behavior: Students have learned about the simple past tense and can form basic sentences using it.

Learning Resources and Materials:

1. Whiteboard and markers
2. Flashcards with verbs in different tenses
3. Textbooks
4. Timeline chart to show the sequence of events

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:
Review the simple past tense by asking students to describe activities they did yesterday. Discuss how the past perfect tense shows an action completed before another past action, leading into today’s topic.

Embedded Core Skills:

• Critical thinking
• Communication
• Literacy

Learning Materials:

• Flashcards with verbs and past perfect tense sentences
• Sentence examples from students’ textbooks
• Writing materials

Reference Books:

• English Grammar Textbook for JSS 2
• Lagos State Scheme of Work

Instructional Materials:

• Flashcards with verbs in the past perfect tense
• Sentence examples on chart papers
• A timeline diagram to explain the sequence of actions

Content (with Examples)

Past Perfect Tense:

• Describes an action that was completed before another action in the past.
  Structure: Subject + had + past participle of the verb
  Examples: “She had finished her homework before she went out.” “They had left the party when I arrived.”

Formation Rules:

1. Subject + had + past participle
   Examples:
   • I had eaten breakfast before I went to school.
   • She had finished her assignment before the deadline.
   • They had gone home when the rain started.
2. Negative Form:
   • Subject + had + not + past participle
     Examples:
   • I had not seen him before the meeting.
   • She had not completed her work when the bell rang.
   • They had not arrived before the movie started.
3. Question Form:
   • Had + subject + past participle?
     Examples:
   • Had you eaten before you came here?
   • Had she finished her work before leaving?
   • Had they left before the rain started?

15 Fill-in-the-Blank Questions with Options

1. By the time I arrived, she _______ (a. had left, b. left, c. leaves, d. will leave) the room.
2. They _______ (a. had finished, b. finished, c. finishing, d. finishes) the project before the deadline.
3. He _______ (a. had eaten, b. eats, c. eating, d. ate) dinner before going to bed.
4. We _______ (a. had gone, b. go, c. going, d. went) to the store before it closed.
5. She _______ (a. had completed, b. completes, c. completing, d. complete) her homework before watching TV.
6. The teacher _______ (a. had explained, b. explains, c. explaining, d. explain) the lesson before giving the test.
7. I _______ (a. had not met, b. not meet, c. meets, d. met) him before the party.
8. By the time the police arrived, the thief _______ (a. had escaped, b. escapes, c. escape, d. escaped).
9. They _______ (a. had not gone, b. had gone, c. going, d. goes) home before it started raining.
10. She _______ (a. had visited, b. visits, c. visiting, d. visit) the museum before going to the park.
11. We _______ (a. had left, b. leave, c. leaving, d. leaves) the house before you called.
12. He _______ (a. had finished, b. finishes, c. finish, d. finishing) his work before the deadline.
13. They _______ (a. had cooked, b. cooks, c. cooking, d. cook) dinner before their parents arrived.
14. I _______ (a. had done, b. do, c. doing, d. does) my homework before playing outside.
15. The students _______ (a. had studied, b. studies, c. studying, d. study) the material before the test.

15 FAQs with Answers

1. What is the past perfect tense?
   The past perfect tense describes an action that was completed before another action in the past.
2. How do you form the past perfect tense?
   Subject + had + past participle.
3. Give an example of a sentence in the past perfect tense.
   Example: She had left before I arrived.
4. What is the negative form of the past perfect tense?
   Subject + had + not + past participle.
5. Give an example of a negative sentence in the past perfect tense.
   Example: He had not eaten before the meeting.
6. How do you form a question in the past perfect tense?
   Had + subject + past participle?
7. Give an example of a question in the past perfect tense.
   Example: Had you finished your work before the deadline?
8. What is the difference between the past perfect tense and the simple past tense?
   The past perfect tense shows an action completed before another past action, while the simple past tense shows an action completed in the past.
9. Can you use the past perfect tense with time expressions like “before” and “after”?
   Yes, it is often used with “before” and “after” to show the sequence of events.
10. Is “I had seen the movie before” in the past perfect tense?
    Yes, it is in the past perfect tense.
11. How do you conjugate the verb “to finish” in the past perfect tense?
    Example: I had finished.
12. Can the past perfect tense be used in passive voice?
    Yes, for example: The project had been completed before the deadline.
13. What is the auxiliary verb in the past perfect tense?
    The auxiliary verb is “had.”
14. Is “We had not gone home” a correct sentence in the past perfect tense?
    Yes, it is a correct negative sentence.
15. Why is the past perfect tense used?
    It is used to show that one action happened before another in the past.

Presentation Steps

1. Step 1: Revising the Previous Topic
   • Briefly review the simple past tense, emphasizing its use for completed actions in the past.
2. Step 2: Introducing the New Topic
   • Introduce the past perfect tense by explaining its structure and use for actions completed before another past action. Provide several examples.
3. Step 3: Allowing Pupils to Contribute and Correcting Them as Necessary
   • Engage students in creating sentences using the past perfect tense. Let them work in pairs to describe sequences of past events, then share with the class for correction and discussion.

Teacher’s Activities

• Explain the past perfect tense and demonstrate how to form it.
• Provide example sentences and guide students in identifying the tense.
• Facilitate practice activities, offering feedback and corrections.

Learners’ Activities

• Participate in identifying sentences in the past perfect tense.
• Work in pairs to create and share sentences.
• Ask questions and practice forming sentences in the past perfect tense.

Assessment

• Provide a worksheet with sentences requiring students to fill in the blanks with the correct form of verbs in the past perfect tense.
• Review and correct their work in class.

10 Evaluation Questions

1. Define the past perfect tense.
2. How do you form the past perfect tense?
3. Write a sentence in the past perfect tense.
4. What is the negative form of the past perfect tense?
5. Write a negative sentence using the past perfect tense.
6. How do you form a question in the past perfect tense?
7. Give an example of a sentence that shows an action completed before another past action.
8. What is the auxiliary verb used in the past perfect tense?
9. Differentiate between the past perfect and simple past tense.
10. Is “They had left before I arrived” in the past perfect tense? Explain.

Conclusion

• Summarize the key points about the past perfect tense, including its structure and use.
• Mark students’ work, providing feedback and additional examples where needed.