tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.
Lesson Overview
Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA
Learning Objectives
- Explain the key ideas of tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
- Apply tenses: present, perfect and imperfect to exam-style questions
- Develop independent study skills
- Build cross-topic connections
Prerequisites
- Read the revision notes for tenses: present, perfect and imperfect first (GCSE Revise summary)
- Key vocab to pre-teach: Exam Tip
- Basic skills: reading the summary notes and answering the practice questions there
Materials & Equipment
- Exercise book, coloured pens
- Ruler
- Printed revision notes (link below)
- Internet for videos (see Resources)
Lesson 1: Introduction: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Write down everything you already know about tenses: present, perfect and imperfect. Then check against the key terms: Exam Tip. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Exam Tip.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Exam Tip.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of German because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of German because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look
Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: explain the key ideas of tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Plenary (5 minutes)
Check Out
Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about tenses: present, perfect and imperfect.
Lesson 2: Core Concepts: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Review Previous Lesson
Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on tenses: present, perfect and imperfect. Check them against the notes below.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Key Fact: Regular verbs: drop -en and add: -e, -st, -t, -en, -t, -en. Irregular verbs (sein, haben, werden) must be memorised. Some verbs have vowel changes (e→i, e→ie) in du/er/sie forms: sprechen → du sprichst, er spricht; sehen → du siehst, er sieht.
Exam Tip: With sein verbs, the past participle does NOT add a ge- prefix if the verb ends in -ieren: studieren → ich habe studiert (NOT gestudiert). Irregular past participles must be memorised: gehen → gegangen, schreiben → geschrieben, trinken → getrunken.
Key Fact: Regular verbs: drop -en, add -te endings: ich machte, du machtest, er machte, wir machten, ihr machtet, sie machten. The imperfect is essential for reading comprehension in the exam.
German Exam Tips — Tenses: Present, Perfect and Imperfect: 1. For Tenses: Present, Perfect and Imperfect, use a range of vocabulary and complex grammatical structures to access higher marks 2. Check verb tenses, agreements and word order carefully in your written work 3. In translation tasks, translate meaning rather than word-for-word 4. When writing about Tenses: Present, Perfect and Imperfect, include opinions and justifications, not just descriptions 5. For listening and reading, focus on key words and cognates to extract meaning
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| haben | Most verbs (transitive, non-movement) | Ich habe gegessen = I ate / I have eaten |
| sein | Movement verbs (gehen, fahren, fliegen) and change of state (aufwachen, sterben) | Ich bin gegangen = I went / I have gone |
| das Präsens | present tense | Das Präsens drückt aktuelle Handlungen aus. |
| das Perfekt | perfect tense | Das Perfekt wird in der gesprochenen Sprache verwendet. |
| das Präteritum | imperfect tense | Das Präteritum steht oft in geschriebenen Texten. |
| das Partizip II | past participle | Das Partizip II von 'spielen' ist 'gespielt'. |
| regelmäßig / unregelmäßig | regular / irregular | 'Machen' ist regelmäßig, 'gehen' ist unregelmäßig. |
| der Hilfsverb | auxiliary verb | Haben und sein sind Hilfsverben. |
Practice (10 minutes)
Q: explain the key ideas of tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Answer:
Plenary (5 minutes)
Explain Back
Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.
Lesson 3: Application: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Quick Recall
Recall the key terms: Exam Tip. Define each in one sentence.
Main Content (35 minutes)
Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.
Work through the practice questions on the revision notes page for this topic.
Plenary (5 minutes)
Error Review
Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.
Lesson 4: Exam Practice: tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
Duration: 50 minutes
Starter Activity (5 minutes)
Command Words
Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).
Main Content (35 minutes)
Extended Answer
Extended question: Full-Mark Response Writing task: Write about forming and using the present, perfect (perfekt) and imperfect (präteritum) tenses; when to use each. <div class="
A grade 9 answer will: use at least three tenses accurately; include complex structures (subordinate clauses, modal verbs, separable verbs); show precise grammar (cases, word order, adjective endings); express and justify opinions; include cultural knowledge about DACH countries; use a wide range of vocabulary; be well-organised with connecting words (außerdem, jedoch, trotzdem, zusammenfassend). Mark scheme: Content (relevance and detail) + Quality of language (accuracy and range) = total marks
Exam Tips: Use a range of tenses (present, past, future) to access higher marks | Include opinions with reasons (ich finde... weil... / meiner Meinung nach...) | Check case endings (nominative, accusative, dative) before finishing | Get word order right: verb-second in main clauses, verb-at-end after dass/weil/wenn | Use complex structures: subordinate clauses, modal verbs, separable verbs | Include cultural references to German-speaking countries (DACH)
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often forget word order in subordinate clauses. Wrong: Weil ich krank bin, ich bleibe zu Hause. Correct: Weil ich krank bin, bleibe ich zu Hause (in the MAIN clause after a subordinate clause, the verb comes FIRST, then the subject).
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
- Synoptic links: explain how tenses: present, perfect and imperfect connects to another German topic you have studied
- Real-world: research one real-world use or example of tenses: present, perfect and imperfect
- Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in tenses: present, perfect and imperfect?"
Plenary (5 minutes)
Assessment Criteria
- Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
- Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
- Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2
Homework & Consolidation
- Consolidation: Re-answer any Lesson 3 practice questions answered incorrectly (20 mins)
- Retrieval: Write flashcards for the key terms: Exam Tip (10 mins)
- Exam practice: One past-paper question on tenses: present, perfect and imperfect from the board websites (15 mins)
- Extension: Explain tenses: present, perfect and imperfect to someone else in your own words (10 mins)