Adverbials and the Present Tense – JSS 2 English Lesson

Grammar: Adverbials and the Present Tense

Subject: English Language
Class: JSS 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 6
Age: 11 – 13 years
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

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

Define adverbials and the present tense.
Identify different types of adverbials.
Use adverbials correctly in present tense sentences.
Construct sentences using adverbials in the present tense.

Keywords

Adverbials
Present simple tense
Present continuous tense
Frequency adverbs
Manner, place, and time

Set Induction

The teacher starts by asking:

“How often do you come to school?”
“Where do you usually sit in class?”
“How do you complete your homework?”

The teacher then writes the students’ responses on the board and highlights the adverbials in the sentences.

Entry Behavior

Students have learned about adverbs and different verb tenses in previous lessons.

Learning Resources and Materials

Flashcards with adverbial phrases
Charts with present tense sentences
Whiteboard and marker

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher reminds students that adverbs modify verbs, and adverbials provide additional information about actions in sentences.

Embedded Core Skills

Grammar and sentence construction
Communication skills
Writing skills

Learning Materials

Lagos State Scheme of Work
English Language textbook
Examples of present tense sentences with adverbials

Reference Books

Lagos State Scheme of Work
New Oxford English for JSS 2
Effective English for JSS 2

Lesson Content

Definition of Adverbials

An adverbial is a word, phrase, or clause that modifies a verb by providing information about how, when, where, or how often something happens.

Examples:

Manner: She speaks softly.
Place: He lives in Lagos.
Time: We go to school every day.
Frequency: She always arrives early.

Definition of Present Tense

The present tense describes actions that are happening now, habitual actions, or general truths. It includes:

Present Simple Tense: Used for facts, habits, and general truths.
- Example: She studies every day.
Present Continuous Tense: Used for actions happening now.
- Example: He is reading a book.

Types of Adverbials

1. Adverbials of Manner (How?)

Describe how an action is done.
Examples:

She sings beautifully.
He writes neatly.
They work hard.

2. Adverbials of Place (Where?)

Describe where an action takes place.
Examples:

She lives in Abuja.
The children play outside.
We waited at the bus stop.

3. Adverbials of Time (When?)

Describe when something happens.
Examples:

I wake up early in the morning.
They arrived yesterday.
We have a test next week.

4. Adverbials of Frequency (How often?)

Describe how often something happens.
Examples:

She always eats breakfast.
They sometimes go swimming.
We never miss school.

How to Use Adverbials in Present Tense Sentences

Present Simple + Adverbial of Frequency
- Example: She usually wakes up at 6 AM.
Present Simple + Adverbial of Place
- Example: They live in Lagos.
Present Simple + Adverbial of Time
- Example: We have exams every term.
Present Continuous + Adverbial of Manner
- Example: He is speaking loudly.

Examples of Present Tense Sentences with Adverbials

She always eats her lunch at school. (Adverbial of frequency)
He studies in the library. (Adverbial of place)
We go to church every Sunday. (Adverbial of time)
They are dancing happily. (Adverbial of manner)
The teacher arrives early in the morning. (Adverbial of time)
The children play outside after school. (Adverbial of place)
He speaks slowly to explain the topic. (Adverbial of manner)
We never forget our homework. (Adverbial of frequency)

Evaluation (Choose the correct adverbial for each sentence)

He writes __________ (neatly, often, there).
They go to school __________ (outside, every day, quickly).
We play football __________ (always, yesterday, softly).
The cat sleeps __________ (in the garden, loudly, rarely).
She walks __________ (sometimes, carefully, next week).

Class Activity Discussion (FAQs and Answers)

What is an adverbial?
An adverbial is a word or phrase that modifies a verb by adding information about manner, place, time, or frequency.
What is the present simple tense?
The present simple tense describes habits, facts, and general truths.
Give an example of a sentence with an adverbial of manner.
- He sings beautifully.
How do adverbials of place function?
They show where an action takes place, e.g., We met at the market.
Give an example of an adverbial of frequency in a present tense sentence.
- She always wakes up early.
Can a sentence have more than one adverbial?
Yes, e.g., She eats breakfast in the kitchen every morning.
Why do we use adverbials in sentences?
To give more details about actions.
What is the difference between adverbials of time and frequency?
- Time: When something happens (I will visit tomorrow.)
- Frequency: How often (I always wake up early.)
Where do adverbials usually appear in sentences?
They can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences.
What is the present continuous tense used for?
Actions happening now, e.g., She is studying in the library.

Assessment (Evaluation Questions)

Construct five sentences using adverbials of manner.
Construct five sentences using adverbials of time.
Construct five sentences using adverbials of place.
Construct five sentences using adverbials of frequency.
Identify the adverbial in each sentence below:
a) She speaks fluently.
b) The boy plays in the park.
c) I visit my grandparents every holiday.
d) We go to school daily.
e) He completes his work neatly.

Conclusion

The teacher marks students’ work, provides corrections, and assigns homework on writing five sentences with different types of adverbials in the present tense.