3rd Term, Week 9 English Studies Lesson Note: The Present Continuous Tense (-ing words)

 Class: Primary 2

Term: Third Term

Week: 9

Subject: English Studies (Grammar & Writing)

Topic: The Present Continuous Tense (-ing words)

Duration: 40 Minutes

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the pupils should be able to:

1. Identify and form action words ending with -ing (e.g., running, singing, eating).

2. Construct present continuous sentences correctly using the helping verbs is, am, and are.

3. Participate in responsive oral drills using the tense to describe ongoing actions.

4. Write a short, simple paragraph describing actions happening right now.

Key Concepts for the Chalkboard

The Present Continuous Tense: This tells us about an action that is happening right now, at this very moment.

To build it, we combine a helper verb (is / am / are) with an action word that ends in -ing.

Presentation Steps

Step 1: The Action -ing Engine (10 Minutes)

Perform a physical action in front of the class. For example, walk across the room.

Teacher: "Class, look at me. What am I doing right now?" →Pupils: "You are walking!"

Write the base action word on the board and show how it transforms when we add the -ing tail:

run + ning = running

sing + ing = singing

eat+ ing = eating

o 

Explain that the -ing tail tells our ears the action is still moving and hasn't stopped yet.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Helper (10 Minutes)

Explain to the pupils that the -ing action word cannot stand alone. It needs a helper friend. Write this simple matching matrix on the chalkboard:

        [ THE HELPER MATCHING MATRIX ]

 

    • I  ------------------->  AM  =======>  eating lunch.

    

    • He / She / It  ------->  IS  =======>  running fast.

    

    • We / You / They  ----->  ARE =======>  singing songs.

 

Error Check: Show them that saying "I running" or "They is singing" sounds broken to our ears. We must match the helper correctly every time.

Step 3: Fast-Paced Oral Drills (10 Minutes)

The "What's Happening?" Drill: The teacher acts out a silent motion (e.g., mimicking eating, sleeping, or writing) and asks the class: "What am I doing?"

The class must call out the complete sentence in unison using the correct helper: "You are eating!" or "You are writing!"

Call on individual pupils to mimic an action for their classmates to guess using the same full-sentence structure.

Step 4: Guided Paragraph Writing (10 Minutes)

Show the pupils how to string individual present continuous sentences together to create a short descriptive paragraph about a busy school playground. Write this model on the board:

"Look at the playground right now! The boys are kicking a football. Sarah is skipping under the big tree. I am laughing with my friends. We are having so much fun today!"

Evaluation / Classwork

Have the pupils copy and complete the following exercises in their exercise notebooks:

Exercise A: Fill in the missing helper word (am, is, are)

1. I _______________ writing neatly in my English book right now.

2. The little birds _______________ singing a sweet song on the roof.

3. John _______________ running down the school field to win the race.

4. We _______________ listening carefully to our teacher's lesson.

Exercise B: Turn the base word into an -ing word

1. Read: The girl is _______________ her textbook.

2.  Clap: The happy parents are _______________ their hands.

3. Exercise C: Short Writing Challenge

4. Look at the three words: eating, sitting, and talking. Write a very short paragraph (just 2 or 3 sentences) using these words to describe what your family does at the dinner table.

Homework

· Look closely at what your family members are doing when you get home this evening.

· Write down three sentences in your homework book describing their exact actions using the present continuous tense.

· Example: My mother is cooking dinner in the kitchen.

Example: My brother is doing his school homework.