Parts of Speech: Meaning, Features, Types and Uses of Verbs for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, PREPOSITIONS AND INTERJECTIONS: Identifying adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections
Skills:

• ADVERBS, CONJUNCTIONS, PREPOSITIONS AND INTERJECTIONS: Identifying adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions and interjections in texts

Previous Lesson: Reading Comprehension: Main and Supporting Ideas
Topic: Parts Of Speech: Adverbs, Conjunctions, Prepositions And Interjections
Subject Matter: meaning of verbs, features of verbs, types of verbs, uses of verbs

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• explain the meaning and features of adverbs.
• define a verb.
• identify the key features of verbs.
• classify verbs into different types such as action and state verbs.
• state the functions of verbs in sentences.

Affective Domain

• appreciate the role of verbs in conveying complete thoughts.
• participate actively in discussions and exercises related to verbs.

Psychomotor Domain

• identify verbs accurately in given sentences.
• construct grammatically correct sentences using various types of verbs.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Studies textbook for JSS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Audiobooks
• Interactive Videos
• Selected passages
• Pictorial aids
• Various passages
• Whiteboard and markers
• Flashcards with different verbs

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding verbs is fundamental to mastering English grammar and constructing clear, meaningful sentences. This lesson provides students with the essential knowledge of verbs, enabling them to identify, classify, and use them correctly. This skill is crucial for effective communication in both spoken and written English.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students have a basic understanding of parts of speech and can identify simple words in sentences.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Parts Of Speech: Verbs

Meaning of Verbs

A verb is a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence. It tells us what the subject of a sentence is doing or what state it is in. Verbs are essential because every complete sentence must contain at least one verb.

Examples:

1. The boy runs fast. (Action)
2. She is happy. (State)
3. The sun shines brightly. (Occurrence)

Features of Verbs

Verbs have several important features:

1. Tense: Verbs change form to show when an action happened (e.g., present, past, future).
2. Person: Verbs agree with the subject in person (first, second, third).
3. Number: Verbs agree with the subject in number (singular or plural).
4. Voice: Verbs can be in active or passive voice.
5. Mood: Verbs can express indicative, imperative, or subjunctive moods.

Types of Verbs

Verbs can be classified into different types based on their function and meaning:

Action Verbs

Action verbs express a physical or mental action. They tell us what the subject does.

Examples:

1. Physical actions: run, jump, eat, write, play, sing
2. Mental actions: think, believe, consider, know, understand, guess

State Verbs (Linking Verbs)

State verbs, also known as linking verbs, do not express action. Instead, they describe a state of being, a condition, or a quality of the subject. They connect the subject to a noun or adjective that describes it.

Examples:

1. Common state verbs: be (is, am, are, was, were), seem, appear, feel, taste, smell, sound, look, become, remain
2. The flower smells sweet.
3. He is a student.

Main Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs

Verbs can also be categorized as main verbs or auxiliary verbs:

1. Main Verbs: These are the principal verbs in a sentence that carry the main meaning. They can stand alone or be accompanied by auxiliary verbs.
2. Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs): These verbs help the main verb to express tense, mood, or voice. Common auxiliary verbs include be (is, am, are, was, were), have (has, had), do (does, did), and modals like can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must.

Examples:

1. She sings beautifully. (Sings is a main verb)
2. She is singing beautifully. (Is is an auxiliary verb, singing is a main verb)
3. They have finished their homework. (Have is an auxiliary verb, finished is a main verb)

Uses/Functions of Verbs in Sentences

Verbs perform several crucial functions in sentences:

1. Express Action: They show what the subject is doing (e.g., “The dog barked loudly.”).
2. Express State of Being: They describe the condition or quality of the subject (e.g., “She feels tired.”).
3. Form Questions: Auxiliary verbs are often used to form questions (e.g., “Do you understand?”).
4. Form Negations: Auxiliary verbs are also used to make sentences negative (e.g., “I do not like it.”).
5. Indicate Tense: They show the time of the action (e.g., “He walked,” “He walks,” “He will walk.”).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recalling/Engaging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and reviews previous knowledge on parts of speech, asking students to name some they know. The teacher then introduces the topic of verbs as a crucial part of speech.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to questions about parts of speech and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Parts of speech recall

Step 2: Meaning of Verbs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Defining

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of verbs as words that show action, state, or occurrence, providing simple examples. The teacher also briefly defines an adverb as a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, giving a simple example like “He runs quickly.”

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions, and write down the definition of a verb and an adverb.

Learning Point: Definition of verbs

Step 3: Features of Verbs

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Illustrating/Detailing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the key features of verbs, such as tense, person, number, voice, and mood, using simple sentences to illustrate each feature.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and note down the features, asking for clarification where needed.

Learning Point: Key features of verbs

Step 4: Types of Verbs (Action and State Verbs)

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Classifying/Differentiating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher differentiates between action verbs (physical and mental) and state verbs (linking verbs), providing clear examples for each and asking students to identify them in sentences.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify action and state verbs in sentences provided by the teacher and offer their own examples.

Learning Point: Action and state verbs

Step 5: Types of Verbs (Main and Auxiliary Verbs)

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Categorising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the difference between main verbs and auxiliary (helping) verbs, giving examples of how they work together to form verb phrases.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and identify main and auxiliary verbs in example sentences.

Learning Point: Main and auxiliary verbs

Step 6: Uses/Functions of Verbs in Sentences

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Applying/Demonstrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the various functions of verbs in sentences, such as expressing action, state of being, forming questions, and indicating tense. The teacher provides sentences and asks students to identify the verb and its function.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify verbs and their functions in sentences, practicing their understanding.

Learning Point: Functions of verbs

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is a verb?
2. Mention two features of verbs.
3. Differentiate between an action verb and a state verb with examples.
4. Identify the verb in the sentence: “The birds sing beautifully.”
5. Explain what an adverb is and give one example.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Verb identification and classification

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on verbs into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson summary

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarizing/Reinforcing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes the main points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of verbs in sentence construction and commending students for their participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Lesson reinforcement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow.

Passage:
Last Saturday, my family and I visited the zoo. My little brother, Emeka, was very excited. He ran towards the monkey enclosure. The monkeys were swinging from tree to tree. We also saw a huge elephant that ate peanuts from the visitors’ hands. My mother bought us ice cream, and we all enjoyed the day. The zoo is a wonderful place.

1. List all the verbs you can find in the passage.
2. Identify two action verbs and two state verbs from your list.
3. Use the following verbs in sentences of your own: jump, believe, become, write.

Lesson Keywords

• Verb – A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence.
• Action Verb – A verb that expresses a physical or mental action.
• State Verb – A verb that describes a state of being, condition, or quality.
• Main Verb – The principal verb in a sentence that carries the main meaning.
• Auxiliary Verb – A helping verb that assists the main verb to express tense, mood, or voice.
• Adverb – A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

Differentiation

For students who struggle, provide simpler sentences for verb identification and focus on action verbs first. For advanced learners, challenge them to identify transitive and intransitive verbs or to construct complex sentences using different verb tenses.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “JSS 1 English verbs lesson” or “Types of verbs for junior secondary”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have selected passages or created sentences suitable for JSS 1 students to identify verbs. Prepare flashcards with different verbs to aid visual learners. Begin by reviewing basic parts of speech to connect with prior knowledge. Guide students through the definitions and examples of verbs, emphasizing the distinction between action and state verbs. Encourage students to actively participate by providing their own examples and identifying verbs in sentences. During the note-taking stage, ensure students copy the Board Summary accurately. Pay close attention to students who might confuse verbs with other parts of speech, offering individual support. For faster learners, you can introduce more complex verb structures or ask them to explain the different verb tenses.