Present Perfect in Songs: Can You Spot It? A Musical Challenge!

How about a fresh take on the Present Perfect Tense?

Get ready for an exciting musical adventure in the world of English language teaching! This fun step-by-step lesson plan is your passport to exploring the magic of the Present Perfect tense through the power of music.

Picture this: a playlist of seven fantastic song extracts from various artists that will transport you and your students back in time (I’m talking flashback songs!). But here’s the twist – hidden within the lyrics are those sneaky verbs in the Present Perfect tense.

Quick Lesson Overview:

So, what’s the challenge? Your students will become language detectives as they jam out to these tunes, uncovering those perfect tense verbs. It’s not just grammar; it’s a musical journey. Whether you need some extra grammar practice, a fun review, or just a good time, this activity has you covered. 🎵🕵️‍♂️💃

OBS: This lesson plan was made for ONLINE TEACHING, but it can be modified for face-to-face instruction, as well.

Language level: B2, B2+
Learner type: All ages
Skills: listening and writing
Topic: Present Perfect
Materials: YouTube Video
Duration: about 30 min

Downloadable materials: none

Welcome to the Song Activity Factory! Here, we follow the rules of The Creative Jedi Code:

How to Practice Present Perfect with This ESL Song Lesson Plan: Instructions

Step 1

Review the formation of the Present Perfect Tense. Have students give you some examples in the affirmative, negative, interrogative forms. Write them on the board.

Step 2

Divide students into pairs or trios (it can also be done individually, depending on the number of students), and tell them they are going to listen to various extracts of songs that have verbs in the Present Perfect.

Step 3

VIDEO.

Tell them they have 3 chances to try to get the right verbs, they don’t need to get the whole sentence, just the subject + aux ver + verb ex: I’ve done, Have you heard, etc. Then, play the Video below. You can play each extract 2 or 3 times, then pause the video, so students write down the answer for song 1. Obs: (the answers appear after song 07, at the end of the video)

Step 4

Check what the teams wrote down (you can use the chat feature of the application you’re using with your online students. ex: in-meeting chat in zoom , and ask them to use it to send you the answers. Assign points. (1 for each right answer, if there is more than 1 verb in the recording)

Step 5

Repeat steps 2, 3, 4 for the next song extracts. The team with more points, in the end, is the winner!

Songs in the video:
song 01
The Lady In Red
Song by Chris de Burgh

song 02
Fields of Gold
Song by Sting

song 03
We Are the Champions
Song by Queen

song 04
Fire on Babylon
Song by Sinéad O'Connor

song 05
End Game
Song by Taylor Swift, ed sheeran

song 06
First of the Gang to Die
Song by Morrissey

song 07
White Wedding
Song by Billy Idol