Present Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Continuous.
Instead of forcing students to memorize conjugation tables, Aitken advocates for teaching tenses through context. Her methodology ensures that learners do not just understand how to form a tense grammatically, but when and why to use it to communicate effectively. Core Structure of a Tense Lesson Plan
Aitken is a strong advocate for timelines. A simple horizontal line representing time (Past →right arrow →right arrow Future) with crosses ( ) for specific events and wavy lines ( teaching tenses rosemary aitken pdf
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Draw a timeline on the board. Mark the student’s birth and "Now." Shade the space between. Say: "This is your life experience." Present Perfect Simple, Present Perfect Continuous
This simple structure comes directly from Aitken’s philosophy: Present the concept visually, contrast the forms, and produce naturally.
: Suggests the use of pictures, diagrams, and timetables to clarify complex temporal boundaries. Accessing the Text Core Structure of a Tense Lesson Plan Aitken
: Uses visual graphics to represent how different tenses relate to time, helping learners visualize abstract grammar.
Students who are taught using the approaches outlined in "Teaching Tenses" can expect to:
Rosemary Aitken’s work remains essential because it empowers teachers with "practical working principles" rather than just scholarly analysis. By focusing on meaningful context and clear presentation, it helps transform an abstract grammatical hurdle into an accessible part of a student's linguistic repertoire.