What Happened?
This present perfect ESL lesson practises recent actions with just, already and yet. Students infer what has happened, complete sentence prompts and ask questions such as 'Have you done your homework?' They write My Day So Far and roleplay a parent-and-child conversation about completed and unfinished chores.
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Lesson format
2 × 45 minutes
Level
Pre-Intermediate
Age group
Ages 10–13
Main focus
Speaking first
What students will learn
Lesson flow
Students guess recent actions ('You have just dropped your pen!'), drill present perfect forms with just/already/yet, and practise mini conversations like 'Have you done your homework? Yes, I've just finished it.' The second lesson watches a What Has Just Happened? video, completes 'He has just ___' / 'They haven't ___ yet' prompts, writes 'My Day So Far' with five present-perfect sentences, and roleplays a parent asking 'Have you cleaned your room?'
Target language
- • Have/has + past participle
- • Just, already, yet
- • Present perfect questions and negatives
- • 'Have you ever...?'
Key vocabulary
- broke
- broken
- just
- accident
- has just
- present perfect
- phone
- arm
- leg
- describe
Speaking questions students answer
- • Have you done your homework?
- • Has she eaten yet?
- • Have you ever seen a bear?
- • What has just happened here?
- • Have you cleaned your room?
Recommended teaching contexts
Why this lesson works
The lesson follows a clear progression: Guess recent actions in a What's Just Happened? warm-up, ask 'Have you done your homework?' using just/already/yet, write 'My Day So Far' and roleplay a parent-and-child chat. Teachers can open the materials and start immediately, while students move from supported vocabulary practice to purposeful spoken English.