CAMBRIDGE DELTA COURSE

PRACTICAL TEACHING ASSIGNMENT 1

PART 1

BACKGROUND ASSIGNMENT

FOCUS ON

PRESENT PERFECT
VS.
PAST SIMPLE

Candidate’s name: Paraskevi Andreopoulou

Centre Number: GR 108
Candidate’s Number:
Number of Words: 2454

Contents

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 1. Introduction………………………………………………………3

2. Rationale for Research……………………………………………4

2.1 Past Simple vs. Present Perfect……………………………….4
2.2 Differences in Use…………………………………………….4

3. Problems…………………………………………………………..5
3.1 Morphological ………………………………………………..5
3.2 Spelling and Pronunciation…………………………………....6
3.3 Attitudinal……………………………………………………..6
3.4 Conceptual…………………………………………………….6

3.5 How to help Learners…………………………………………..7

4. Remedies………………………………………………………….7
4.1 Remedies for Morphological Difficulties……………………..7
4.2 Solution for Spelling and Pronunciation………………….........8
4.3 Remedies for Conceptual Problems……………………………8
4.4 Attitudinal Solutions……………………………………………8

5. Conclusion………………………………………………………….9

6. Bibliography………………………………………………………..10

1. Introduction

Acquiring and learning a second language has always been

problematic for the majority of adult learners, as they tend to believe that
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 learning a second language involves developing only knowledge of the
grammatical system, and the meanings which it helps to signal (Bat stone
1994).

Skinner (1957) argued that language was learned through a

process of stimulus-response, with large amounts of controlled repetition
(Riddle1986:269), so that there wouldn’t be any trouble with mastering
grammatical precision of forms. Chomsky (1959), argues that language
could never be learned in this way, and that we are all endowed at birth
with a language acquisition device which provides essential assistance in
the learning process (Riddle 1986: 269).

Lewis (1993) states that mastery of grammatical system is

acquired and not learned , and that acquisition is aided by making
students aware of features of the target language, and, of how their own
production of the target language differs from its norms.

There is the assertion that it is the students` ability to observe

accurately, and perceive similarity and difference within target language
data which is most likely to aid the acquisition of the grammatical
system; grammar as a receptive skill has an important role in language
acquisition.

Adults acquire at a faster rate because they obtain more comprehensible

input due to greater experience and knowledge of the world, earlier
participation in conversations by falling back on first language; thus, adults
excel in conversational management and have low affective filter to allow
native-like attainment.

The need for a more modern and effective way of language learning has
given way to the Communicative Language Teaching ; a method that
approaches language in a more meaningful way with language presented
and taught authentically in context , using lots of pair and group work .

The target grammar points are embedded in some sort of authentic

context where the adult learners are encouraged to discover the rules
themselves inductively. Afterwards, learners are engaged in controlled
practice of the two tenses with realistic, meaningful, oral and manipulative
contexts for accurate reproduction. Finally, learners are engaged in “free”
production of desired language points through an activity calling for a high
frequency of use for these points in groups (Constantinides 2003).

2. Rationale for research

In spite of the background knowledge ,experience of the world and

handy linguistic resources adult learners bring along in the classroom,
they do still seem to be confused with the time difference between past
and present, as well as whether an action has ended or still continues up
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 to the present with obvious results . The learning of irregular verbs can
also be a source of difficulties for them, as well as the idea of expressing
future-in-the past might mislead most adult learners of English.

2.1 Past Simple vs. Present Perfect

2.2 Difference in Uses

There is a difference in past- time happening between past and

present; the past tense is used when the happening is related to a definite
time in the past, which we call “then”. In contrast , the Perfect Aspect
is used for a past happening which is seen in relation to a later event
of time ; thus , the present perfect, means “ past – time – related – to-
present – time ( Leech , Svartvik 1975 ). More specifically:

The past tense refers to a definite time in the past, which may be
identified by

• A past time adverbial in the same sentence, i.e. Mary was born
in 1972
• The preceding language context, i.e. Joan has become engaged; it
took us completely by surprise.
• The context outside language, i.e. Did the postman bring any
letters?
• A proper noun can also provide the conditions for the past tense,
because of its definite meaning, i.e. Elvis Presley was a great
singer.
• The past tense can sometimes be used when no definite time ‘then
“is easily apparent, i.e. they told me you were ill.
• The past tense also implies a gap between the time referred to and
the present moment, i.e. his sister was an invalid all her life /
his sister has been an invalid all her life

Four related uses of the present perfect may be noted:

• State leading up to the present time
• Indefinite events in a period leading up to the present time; here,
the present perfect often refers to the recentindefinite past, i.e.
Have you eaten yet? , whereas in American usage the past tense is
referred to, i.e. did you eat yet?
• Habit in a period leading up to the present time; there is an
idiomatic use of the past tense with always, ever and never to
refer to a state or habit leading up to the present.
• Past event with results in the present time

The Past Tense, indicating a point of orientation in the past, is to be

expected in temporal clauses introduced by when, while, since, etc.,
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 because the time specified in such clauses is normally assumed to be
already given; when followed by the Present Perfect is not frequent, and
must be understood in a past – in- the- future or habit- up – to- the-
present sense (Leech 1992).

If the when clause contains a Past Tense verb, the main clause must
also be in the Past Tense, the when clause being classed as an adverbial
expression of time – when equivalent to last week, three years ago, etc.
There is an idiomatic exception to the rule that the Simple Past Tense
indicates definite meaning: the construction of always, whichis simply a
colloquial variant of the Present Perfect with “state verbs” , and can
always be replaced by the equivalent Present Perfect form.

The Present Perfect appears to be used less widely in American

English than in British English, and in particular, it is quite common to
hear in North America the Simple Past where in Great Britain the Present
Perfect in its recent – indefinite- past sense would be standard ( Leech
1992).

3. Problems

Drawing upon the relevant literature and my personal teaching experience

with adults in the Greek EFL context, a number of conclusions can be
reached with regard to Past Simple vs. Present Perfect as well as used to vs.
would:

• 3.1 Morphological: Adult learners tend to confuse regularity with

the irregularity of verbs and past participles of Past Simple and
Present Perfect end in using the wrong tense in inappropriate
situations. In interrogative and negative forms of these two
contradictory tenses, they may lead in putting the wrong auxiliary
(do, have) in the not fitting tense.
Furthermore, adult learners have a tendency to omit the
auxiliaries or create interrogatives and negatives from the full form
in the respective tenses and produce semi- made sentences; another
problem is the addition of the auxiliaries to the past form to create
the emphatic.
• 3.2 Spelling and pronunciation:Based on the schematic and ( Greek)
systemic knowledge ( Bat stone 1994) the adults bring along in the
classroom, find it hard to hear or over- pronounce the -ed ending
and therefore not produce it correctly ; the same also applies to the
contracted `s /has as is – they confuse it with the passive or
sometimes lose it as a contracted form altogether. As far as the
spelling is concerned, adults fail to form the correct past and
participle forms of the two tenses.

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 • 3.3 Attitudinal: The very first problem Greek adults usually
encounter is the way they try to find out to memorize vast areas of
irregular verbs (past and past participles). Another trouble they have
to deal with is the tiredness of the day, so that they cannot focus on
the lesson of the day. Other points to consider include their
educational background (not relevant to the teaching of these
grammar points), as well as the traditional way of teaching they
were used to being taught (in a lockstep fashion and not accustomed
to working in pairs or in groups) communicatively.

• 3.4 Conceptual: There is a state of confusion with Simple Past and

Present Perfect, since adult learners do not have clearly fixed ideas
in their minds about when to implement one tense or the other, since
they do translate from their mother tongue; they mix up the definite
time of the past with the indefinite time of the perfect or the
resultative point of the perfect with the finished period in the past
due to mother tongue interference, which does not make this kind of
distinction.
Greek adult learners especially manage quite successfully
tightly controlled written exercises of two tenses, but, where things
break down is their oral production in speaking and written
activities; what Greek adults do is to translate directly concepts and
tenses from their mother tongue, i.e. mother tongue interference or
negative transfer.
Furthermore, when adults select between Past and Present
Perfect in Greek, they seem to prefer the former, because they get
their meaning across in English, using the same tense in English.
Moreover, if proper instruction of forms, meanings concepts
and uses of tenses has not been made clear to students, then, they are
not able to retrieve and use them effortlessly and naturally
(Constantinides 1991).
In addition, American usage confuses adults even more with
the adverbials of the present perfect, since they are used with the
simple past.

3.5 How to Help Learners

The need for an effective way of language learning has given way to the
Lexical Approach; a method that approaches grammar through a student –
cent red exploration with real language data (situation and co-text) being in
priority and masters grammatical forms as vocabulary items first.
More specifically, learners are presented with the target grammar points
and, usually, in small groups create a context with language from authentic
sources and describe what they ‘see”, “write their own grammar rules”
(Lewis 1993).
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 Next, our adult learners are invited to notice the two tenses embedded in
the text, to make any observations about any regularities of them, to use
contrastive analysis of two tenses by checking concepts, use, function of
them in small groups; afterwards, opportunities for controlled oral and
written practice of two tenses is provided in the form of personalization
tasks.
Finally, our adult learners are engaged in a speaking activity (role play,
problem-solving) in which they are encouraged to use Past and Present
Perfect in a freer and more creative way.

4. Remedies

In the light of the approach mentioned above for the lower

intermediate level of students, this essay will now attempt to provide some
remedial solutions for these contradictory tenses and their implications
adults’ face, when being taught the past or the perfect aspect.

• 4.1 Remedies for morphological difficulties: For better

comprehension of this difficulty , an appropriate solution would be
a transformational drill – an outline of a daily routine , using pictures
– in which our adult students will have very pleasantly , orally or in
written form to get the correct form of regular or irregular forms
right in a rather tightly controlled manner.
Another useful technique would be an information – gap
activity, namely, a diary for given dates in the recent past , in which
our adult learners will have to exchange information with others,
practicing interrogatives and negatives of Simple Past in a
controlled focused way.
What is more, our students could also be given another type of
information- gap activity, in which there is a list of the day’s
necessary tasks and be asked to produce a timetable for another day,
by finding out from each other which tasks are already complete and
what remains to be done (Aitken 1992), an effective technique to
practice Past Simple vs. Present perfect in a controlled activity.

• 4.2 Solution for spelling and pronunciation: The very first technique
for natural authentic comprehensible input is teacher – talk in the
classroom (Krashen 1981); adult students listen to their teacher
talking to them and develop a rather natural, authentic, clear and
comprehensible input of English and gradually begin to open up and
express themselves in the target language, hesitantly at first, and with
confidence, at later stages.
Other sources of natural, authentic input include listening
comprehension in the classroom with the use of tapes, using ELT
video and the use of computer technology to assist listening
comprehension and spelling exercises, too.
Outside the classroom, listening to songs on the radio, watching
movies on TV. , reading newspapers or magazines of the target

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 language provides a lot of help for the assimilation of proper spelling
and pronunciation.

• 4.3 Remedies for conceptual problems: Perhaps the most helpful

technique to provide adult students with the selection of tenses is for
them to see and work it out in context in use , in pairs or in groups; a
fine example would be an awareness- raising activity ; an extract of a
newspaper using both tenses and students are to work out the
meaning and difference of them in use ( Parrot 2000) ; or a timeline
with two forms of the same information , varies the time of the
context and students are asked to distinguish and use the appropriate
tense( Ulm cited in Celce – Murcia 1997).
Another useful technique would be some sort of
information – gap activity; the fulfillment of a chart with personal
information they are to fill – in; and later on, they use it as a basis for
exchanging info and practice the correct tense in a controlled way
(Celce – Murcia 1997).
In the production stage, a story telling activity could provide a
solid basis for freer use of the two tenses, as our learners would have
the possibility of speaking more freely their minds and sustaining
speech for a longer time; with the use of a picture and / or index
cards, learners are to practise the target language more freely and
speak longer, authentically.
As for used to / would, we need to prompt and encourage
students to use these forms when they are writing about places or
people, describing them now and in the past (Parrot 2000).

• 4.4 Attitudinal solutions: Perhaps the most serious of all problems

because if adults are accustomed to working in a particular way, with
difficulty will they have to change.
But, if a teacher appears as a pleasant and counseling figure in
the classroom and teaches adults the significance of pair and group
work – student interaction, remediation of grammatical errors,
continuation of improving English upon completion of the course
( Celce - Murcia 1990) – Then, everything will probably start to settle
in.

5. Conclusion
This essay has made an attempt to present the overall approximation to
approach and to touch a difficult and contentious issue of teaching a
particularly difficult area of grammar.

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Bibliography

Lewis M. 1993 “The Lexical Approach “Language Teaching

Publications

Krashen St. 1981 “Second language Acquisition and Second language

learning” Pergamon Institute of English (Oxford)

Celce- Murcia M. 1990 “Integrating Group Work with the Teaching of

grammar”

Celce Murcia M. 1997 “Understanding and Teaching , The English

Tense Aspect System”

Constantinides M. 1991 “Focus on teaching Grammar”

Leech G. /Svartvik J. 1975 “A Communicative Grammar of English “

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 Leech G. 1992 “Meaning and the English Verb “Longman Group
Limited 1971

Aitken R. 1992 “Teaching Tenses” ELB Publishing

Krashen St. 1985 “The Input Hypothesis” Longman Group U.K.

Limited

Parrot M. 2000 “Grammar for English Language Teachers”

Batstone R. 1994 “Grammar” Oxford University Press

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