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

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: NOUNS, VERBS AND ADJECTIVES: Identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives correctly
Skills:

• NOUNS, VERBS AND ADJECTIVES: Identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives in texts

Previous Lesson: Reading Fluency: Speed, Accuracy, Comprehension and Prosody
Topic: Parts Of Speech: Nouns, Verbs And Adjectives
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 of verbs.
• Identify the features of verbs.
• State different types of verbs.
• Describe the uses of verbs in sentences.
• State the functions of nouns in sentences.
• State the functions of adjectives in sentences.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of verbs in sentence construction.
• Develop an interest in identifying different parts of speech.

Psychomotor Domain

• Identify verbs in given sentences or passages.
• Construct simple sentences using different 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
• Macmillan English for Junior Secondary Schools 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Course books
• Various passages
• Whiteboard and markers
• Flashcards with different verbs
• Audiobooks
• Interactive Videos
• Audio-visual materials

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because understanding verbs is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. It helps students to accurately express actions, states, and occurrences, which are essential for effective communication in both spoken and written English. Mastering verbs also lays a strong foundation for more complex grammatical concepts.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of what a word is and that words can be grouped into different categories or parts of speech.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Parts of Speech: Meaning, Features, Types and Uses of 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 for forming complete sentences.

Features of Verbs

Verbs have several key features:

1. They often show tense (past, present, future).
2. They can change form depending on the subject (e.g., sing/sings).
3. They can be active (subject performs the action) or passive (subject receives the action).
4. They can be transitive (take an object) or intransitive (do not take an object).
5. They can be regular (add -ed for past tense) or irregular (change form in other ways).

Types of Verbs

There are different types of verbs:

1. Action Verbs: These verbs express physical or mental actions.

   Examples: run, eat, think, read, write, play, jump, sing.

2. Linking Verbs: These verbs connect the subject to a noun or adjective that describes or renames the subject. They do not show action.

   Examples: is, am, are, was, were, seem, become, feel, look, taste.

3. Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs): These verbs work with a main verb to form a verb phrase and express tense, mood, or voice.

   Examples: be (is, am, are, was, were), have (has, had), do (does, did), can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must.

Uses of Verbs (Functions of Verbs)

Verbs perform several important functions in sentences:

1. They express actions performed by the subject (e.g., “The boy kicked the ball.”).
2. They describe the state of being of the subject (e.g., “She is happy.”).
3. They indicate an occurrence or event (e.g., “The accident happened quickly.”).
4. They help to form questions (e.g., “Do you understand?”).
5. They help to form negative statements (e.g., “I do not like it.”).
6. They show the time of an action (tense) (e.g., “He will go tomorrow.”).

Functions of Nouns

Nouns primarily function in sentences as:

1. Subject of a verb: The noun performs the action of the verb (e.g., “The dog barked.”).
2. Object of a verb: The noun receives the action of the verb (e.g., “She saw the car.”).
3. Complement: The noun renames or describes the subject or object (e.g., “He is a teacher.”).
4. Object of a preposition: The noun follows a preposition (e.g., “He went to the market.”).

Functions of Adjectives

Adjectives primarily function in sentences to:

1. Modify a noun or pronoun: They describe or give more information about a noun or pronoun (e.g., “A beautiful flower.”, “She is tall.”).
2. Act as a complement: They follow a linking verb to describe the subject (e.g., “The soup tastes delicious.”).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Individual Practice, Group Work.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recalling/Engaging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and briefly reviews the concept of parts of speech, asking students to name some they know. The teacher then introduces verbs as a key part of speech.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to greetings and name parts of speech they recall. They listen attentively to the introduction of verbs.

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 like “run,” “is,” “happen.” The teacher writes the definition on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, ask questions for clarification, and identify verbs in simple sentences given by the teacher.

Learning Point: Meaning of verbs

Step 3: Features of Verbs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaborating/Illustrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the key features of verbs, such as showing tense, changing form with the subject, and being active/passive or transitive/intransitive. The teacher provides examples for each feature.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen, observe the examples, and try to identify these features in new sentences provided by the teacher.

Learning Point: Verbs’ characteristics

Step 4: Types of Verbs

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Classifying/Categorising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces and explains the three main types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs, giving clear examples for each. The teacher uses flashcards or visual aids if available.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and classify verbs in sentences according to their types. They participate in a quick Q&A session on verb types.

Learning Point: Verb classification

Step 5: Uses of Verbs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstrating/Applying

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the various uses of verbs in sentences, such as expressing actions, states of being, occurrences, forming questions, and indicating tense. The teacher provides diverse sentence examples.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify the function of verbs in example sentences and create their own sentences to demonstrate different uses.

Learning Point: Verb functions

Step 6: Functions of Nouns and Adjectives

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Connecting

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly explains the main functions of nouns (subject, object, complement, object of preposition) and adjectives (modifying nouns/pronouns, acting as complement) with quick examples to fulfil the performance objective.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and recall previous knowledge about nouns and adjectives, connecting their functions to the current lesson on verbs.

Learning Point: Noun and adjective functions

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. Name two types of verbs and give an example for each.
4. State one function of a noun and one function of an adjective.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Verb understanding assessed

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 the meaning, features, types, and uses of verbs, as well as the functions of nouns and adjectives, into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Verbs knowledge recorded

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly recaps the importance of verbs in forming complete and meaningful sentences and encourages students to practice identifying them in their reading. The teacher praises students for their participation.

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

Learning Point: Lesson summary reinforced

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the following passage and complete the tasks below:

“Yesterday, Mary walked to the market. She bought fresh fruits and vegetables. Her mother was happy with the delicious meal Mary cooked. They ate together and chatted for a long time.”

1. Identify all the verbs in the passage.
2. Classify each identified verb as an action, linking, or helping verb.
3. From the passage, identify one noun and state its function.
4. From the passage, identify one adjective and state its function.
5. Write three sentences, each using a different type of verb (action, linking, helping).

Lesson Keywords

• Verb – A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence.
• Action Verb – A verb that expresses a physical or mental action.
• Linking Verb – A verb that connects the subject to a word that describes or renames it.
• Helping Verb – A verb that works with a main verb to form a verb phrase.
• Tense – The form of a verb that shows the time of an action or state.
• Noun – A word that names a person, place, thing, or idea.
• Adjective – A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide simpler sentences and passages. Focus primarily on identifying action verbs and linking verbs. Offer sentence frames for constructing sentences. Use more visual aids and direct instruction.

For faster learners: Challenge them to identify transitive and intransitive verbs. Encourage them to write short paragraphs using different verb types and tenses. Ask them to explain how verb choices affect sentence meaning.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: JSS1 English verbs parts of speech

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a variety of simple sentences and short passages ready to illustrate the meaning, features, types, and uses of verbs. Prepare flashcards with different verbs and their forms if possible. Begin by engaging students with a quick review of parts of speech to activate prior knowledge. Clearly explain each concept, providing ample examples and allowing students to practice identification and sentence construction. Encourage oral participation and group discussions. During Step 8, guide students to copy the Board Summary notes neatly. Pay close attention to common errors in verb usage and tense agreement, providing immediate feedback. For weaker learners, simplify examples and offer more scaffolding. For faster learners, introduce more complex verb structures or ask them to create sentences demonstrating specific verb functions. Conclude by reinforcing the lesson’s main points and assigning the homework to consolidate learning.