Present Perfect Forms

Overview

Lesson 2 of 9 in the unit “Spanish Tenses and Commands.” Students learn to form and use the Spanish present perfect with haber and past participles, including common irregular forms, then describe recent experiences in meaningful conversation.

Learning intentions

• Students will form the Spanish present perfect using the present tense of haber and a past participle.
• Students will recognize and use common irregular participles such as hecho, dicho, visto, escrito, puesto and abierto.
• Students will describe what they or others have done recently.
• Students will compare how Spanish and English express recent experiences.

Success criteria

• I can conjugate haber accurately.
• I can form regular and common irregular past participles.
• I can say and write what has happened using the Spanish present perfect.
• I can ask and answer questions about recent experiences.

Curriculum links

• Communication: Students interpret and produce spoken and written Spanish for a real purpose.
• Language: Students understand how grammatical structures create meaning and apply them accurately.
• Intercultural understanding: Students notice similarities and differences between Spanish and English usage.
• Approaches to learning: Students use communication, self-management, and reflection strategies while collaborating and checking their work.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Hook and retrieval

Open with the hook and retrieval slides. Display the question, “What have you done recently that you are proud of?” Students first answer in English, then identify the difference between “I did” and “I have done.” Briefly connect to the previous lesson and explain that today they will express completed actions connected to the present.

2. 5–13 minutes – Teach the form

Use the grammar explanation slides to model the formula: present tense of haber + past participle. Present the six forms of haber: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han. Color-code the auxiliary and participle. Model regular endings: -ar → -ado and -er/-ir → -ido, using examples such as he estudiado, has comido, and han vivido. Emphasize that the participle does not change for gender or number in this tense.

3. 13–20 minutes – Guided construction

Distribute the present perfect guided practice worksheet. Students complete a conjugation model and build sentences from subject, haber, and participle components. Use movable word cards or board magnets as manipulatives, asking students to physically or verbally assemble examples such as Hemos terminado el proyecto. Check each section before students continue.

4. 20–27 minutes – Irregular participles and controlled practice

Return to the irregular participles and practice slides. Teach a small, high-frequency set: hacer → hecho, decir → dicho, ver → visto, escribir → escrito, poner → puesto, and abrir → abierto. Students complete the matching and sentence tasks on the present perfect guided practice worksheet. Pause for partner checks: one student reads the infinitive, and the other supplies the participle and a complete sentence.

5. 27–37 minutes – Recent-experience information gap

In pairs, students use the prompts on the recent-experience interview section to ask and answer questions such as ¿Has visto una película esta semana? and ¿Qué has hecho hoy? They record short responses using the present perfect. With four pairs, regroup students once so each learner speaks with two classmates. Encourage follow-up questions such as ¿Cuándo?, ¿Con quién? or ¿Te ha gustado?

6. 37–42 minutes – Share and compare

Display the comparison prompts on the speaking and English-Spanish comparison slides. Invite students to report one classmate’s response using Mi compañero/a ha… Briefly discuss when English uses “have/has + past participle” and when Spanish may use the present perfect for recent or relevant actions. Highlight that usage can vary by context and region.

7. 42–45 minutes – Exit reflection

Finish with the plenary and exit prompt slide. Students independently write one accurate sentence about what they have done recently and one sentence completing “I can…” They submit the bottom section of the self-check and exit response or read it privately to the teacher.

Resources

• the Present Perfect Forms slide deck
• the present perfect guided practice worksheet
• Board or projector
• Colored markers or highlighters
• Movable word cards, magnets, or paper strips for sentence building
• Timer
• Student notebooks and pens

Assessment

• Monitor the guided construction task for accurate use of haber, participle endings, and word order.
• Listen during interviews for comprehensible questions, answers, and appropriate use of regular and irregular participles.
• Review the exit response to identify students who need further support with auxiliary forms, participles, or meaning.

Differentiation

• Provide a color-coded conjugation model, with haber in one color and the participle in another; leave the model visible throughout the lesson.
• Offer a dyslexia-friendly worksheet with a clear sans-serif font, increased spacing, reduced copying, short instructions, and bolded target forms. Provide audio-supported examples and allow students to rehearse orally before writing.
• Support EAL and students with processing needs through sentence frames: He/Has/Ha ___, Hemos ___, and ¿Has ___? Pair students strategically and accept spoken responses before written recording.
• Extend advanced learners by requiring follow-up details, contrasting Spanish and English usage, and using at least three irregular participles accurately in a short interview.

Extension

Students conduct a brief “What I have done” interview with a partner, then create a six-sentence written or recorded report using at least two questions, three regular participles, and two irregular participles.