8 Classroom Activities for Teaching the Present Perfect for the ESL Classroom

Teaching the present perfect tense in ESL classrooms can be challenging, but it’s an essential aspect of English grammar that students need to master. Many learners struggle with understanding when and how to use this tense, especially in distinguishing it from the simple past. To help overcome these hurdles, incorporating fun and interactive activities into your lessons can make a significant difference. Here are eight engaging classroom activities that will help your students practice the present perfect tense while having fun.

Five Facts for Teaching the Present Perfect

• ✅ The present perfect tense can be difficult to teach to ESL students, especially when it does not exist in their native language. (Source: Team Research)
• ✅ The “Great Accomplishments” activity is a good warm-up exercise to introduce the present perfect tense, where students write down 2-3 accomplishments in their life. (Source: Team Research)
• ✅ The “Have You Ever?” activity involves students writing down simple past statements on a sheet of paper and then adding present perfect statements with the word “before.” (Source: Team Research)
• ✅ In the “Most Deprived” game, students sit in a circle and the student in the middle announces something they have never done before. Those who have done it, stand up and find a new chair. (Source: Team Research)
• ✅ The “Bucket Lists” activity has students create a list of things they want to do and then share them with the class, asking if anyone has done any of the items on their list. (Source: Team Research)

1. Present Perfect Interview Game

This speaking activity is an excellent way for students to practice using the present perfect in a conversational context. Here’s how to set it up:

– Divide the class into pairs.
– Provide a list of present perfect questions or have students create their own.
– Students take turns asking and answering present perfect questions.
– Encourage follow-up questions using the past simple for more details.

For example:
Student A: “Have you ever traveled abroad?”
Student B: “Yes, I have.”
Student A: “Where did you go?”
Student B: “I went to France last summer.”

This game helps students practice both the present perfect and past simple tenses while improving their speaking skills in a real-life context.

2. “Have You Ever?” Present Perfect Game

Create a custom board game to make grammar practice more enjoyable:

– Design a game board with spaces containing present perfect questions.
– Players roll dice and move their pieces accordingly.
– When landing on a space, they must answer the question using the present perfect.
– Include spaces that require players to use specific past participles or time expressions.

This fun present perfect game encourages students to use the tense in a competitive setting, making grammar practice more engaging.

3. Present Perfect Charades

This kinesthetic activity is perfect for visual and active learners:

– Prepare cards with actions written on them.
– Students take turns picking up a card and acting out the action.
– The class guesses what has been done using the present perfect.
– Once guessed correctly, encourage past simple follow-up questions.

For instance, if a student mimes “climb a mountain,” the class might guess, “You have climbed a mountain!” Then ask, “When did you climb it?” to practice the past simple.

Also read : Present Perfect ESL Activities, Games and Worksheets

4. Practicing Present Perfect

This game is called ” Longer and Longer ” Sentence Building . It helps students practice making present perfect sentences while focusing on sentence structure:

– Start with a simple present perfect sentence, e.g., “I have traveled.”
– Students take turns making the sentence longer by adding information.
– Encourage the use of adverbs and time expressions.
– The last student who can add to the sentence without making a mistake wins.

Example progression:
“I have traveled.”
“I have traveled to Europe.”
“I have traveled to Europe twice.”
“I have traveled to Europe twice since last year.”

5. Present Perfect Bingo

Create a bingo-style game to review vocabulary and practice listening comprehension:

– Make bingo cards with present perfect verbs or experiences.
– Call out present perfect statements or questions.
– Students mark off the corresponding items on their cards.
– The first student to get a line (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) wins.

Verify answers as a class to ensure everyone understands the correct usage of the present perfect.

6. “Find Someone Who” Activity : Communicative Activity

This mingling activity encourages students to use the present perfect in a communicative context:

– Prepare a worksheet with prompts like “Find someone who… has lived in another country.”
– Students move around the class, asking and answering present perfect questions to complete their sheets.
– Once finished, students report their findings to the class using the third person singular.

This activity provides real-life communication practice and helps students interact with their peers while using the target grammar.

7. Present Perfect vs. Past Simple Sorting Games and Activities

Help students distinguish between the present perfect and simple past with this sorting activity:

– Create cards with mixed tense sentences.
– In groups, students sort the sentences into “Present Perfect” and “Past Simple” categories.
– Discuss the use of each tense and why certain sentences belong in each category.

This game reinforces the differences between the two tenses and when to use each one appropriately.

Also Read : Engage your ESL class with 15 fun present continuous activities

8. “Guess What’s Changed” Observation Game

This visual activity helps students practice using the present perfect to describe recent changes:

– Set up the classroom or use before-and-after pictures.
– Students identify changes using the present perfect.
– Encourage the use of time expressions and follow-up questions.

For example: “The teacher has moved the desk.” “When did she move it?”

This game provides a practical application of the present perfect and helps visual learners grasp the concept more easily.

FAQs

What are the 7 activities for teaching the present perfect for the ESL classroom?

The 7 activities for teaching the present perfect for the ESL classroom are: Great Accomplishments, Have You Ever?, How Many Times Since?, Great Ambitions, Most Deprived, Bucket Lists, and Since or For?

Why is teaching new tenses to students of a foreign language difficult?

Teaching new tenses to students of a foreign language is often difficult because the tense you are trying to teach them may not exist in their native language.

What is a great warm-up activity for teaching the present perfect?

A great warm-up activity for teaching the present perfect is the Great Accomplishments activity, where students write down 2-3 things they have accomplished in their lives and share them with the class.

Why should I get certified to teach English abroad?

Getting certified to teach English abroad will help you gain the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively teach English to non-native speakers.

What is the Have You Ever? activity?

The Have You Ever? activity is an exercise where students write down statements about what they did in the simple past, exchange their papers and add statements using the present perfect and the word “before,” and then discuss whether other students have or have not done the activity.

What is the purpose of the Bucket Lists activity?

The purpose of the Bucket Lists activity is for students to create a list of things they want to do during a specific timeframe, such as this year, the summer holidays, or their life, and share their goals with the class.

Conclusion

Incorporating these engaging present perfect activities into your ESL lessons can significantly enhance your teaching and help your students grasp this challenging tense. By balancing grammar exercises with communicative activities, you’ll create a more dynamic learning environment that caters to different learning styles.

Remember to adapt these activities to your students’ needs and proficiency levels. With practice and repetition, your students will become more confident in using the present perfect tense in both speaking and writing.