Lesson Plan – F.

2E (29/4, Tuesday)

Topic: Past continuous tense

Teaching aids: Worksheets

Duration of the lesson: 80 minutes

Class level: Secondary Two

Profile of students: lower intermediate, moderately motivated, use English as
medium in learning except Chinese subjects
Size of class: 44

Students’ previous knowledge:

1. Students have learnt about the present continuous tense.

2. Students have learnt about the past tense.

Language functions:

1. Use the past continuous tense to talk about an action that was happening at a
past time.

2. Use the past continuous tense to talk about what was happening when
another action took place.

3. Use the past tense to express a short action that happens in the middle of the
progressive action.

Language forms:
1. Wh-questions, e.g. What were you doing at 8:00 am this morning? Who was
talking when the teacher came in?
2. Yes/ No questions, e.g. Was he having his lunch when you arrived? No, he
wasn’t. He was listening to music when I arrived.
3. Use the past continuous tense to talk about what was happening when
another action took place and the past tense to express a short action that
happens in the middle of the progressive action, e.g. I was watching
television when you phoned me.
Objectives:

1. Students should be able to distinguish the use of the past tense and past
continuous tense.

2. Students should be able to use the past continuous tense and the past tense
correctly.
 15” Speaking TC 1. Divide them into pairs.  Practice speaking skills
Listening S S 2. Distribute the game sheet to Ss.  Peer support to speak up
Pair work 3. Explain to Ss how to play the game.  Recycle the knowledge they have just
4. Ask a pair of Ss to demonstrate the sample learnt
dialogue.  Add fun and interest

5” Listening TC Instruction for homework  Prepare them for next lesson
5. Distribute the worksheet to Ss. Explain to  Consolidate the target language
Ss what they are required to do.
6. Round up the lesson.

TC: Teacher to the whole class

S: Students working on their own

S S: Students working in pairs
Example : To stick in the students’ book

Past Continuous Tense are for actions happening at some time in the past

When we want to talk about an action that was happening over a period of time in the past, we use the past continuous tense. Look at these
examples:

 At this time last week I was lying on the beach in Florida.

 My mother was working in the garden so she didn't hear the telephone when I called her yesterday.
 I had my car fixed because it wasn't working properly.
 Sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you say it again please?
 What were you doing at 8 o'clock yesterday?
 Why were you talking to John when I saw you in the cafeteria yesterday?
 I went to lunch too early. The food was still being cooked. (passive)

The past continuous is very often used with the past simple to say that something happened in the middle of something else. In each of the
following examples, the single event (past simple) happens in the middle of a longer action (past continuous).

 You phoned while I was having a bath.

 When I got home yesterday, a cat was sitting on the roof.
 It started to rain just as we were getting ready to have our picnic.
 The boy was standing on the table when the principal came into the room.
 Many people were shopping in the market when the bomb exploded.
 I saw Noriko in town yesterday. She was wearing a pink dress and an orange hat!
 When I went to bed last night the sun was already beginning to rise.
 It was lucky we weren't sitting under that tree when the lightning hit.
 What were you doing when the lights went off last night?
 Were you watching me when I showed you how to do it?
Past Continuous Forms

Positive Negative Question

I was singing. I was not singing. Was I singing?

You were singing You were not singing. Were you singing?

We were singing. We were not singing. Were we singing?

They were singing. They were not singing. Were they singing?

He was singing. He was not singing. Was he singing?

She was singing. She was not singing. Was she singing?

It was singing. It was not singing. Was it singing?