Verbs, Identification, Features and Functions for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Language Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Previous Lesson: Writing an Outline from Main and Supporting Ideas
Topic: Grammatical Accuracy
Subject Matter: Identification of verbs in given passages (from the text or story) as value orientation or any relevant passage identify features of verbs; Identify functions of verbs e.g. express action

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify verbs in given passages.
• State at least two features of verbs.
• Identify at least two functions of verbs.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of verbs in constructing meaningful sentences.
• Show interest in identifying and using verbs correctly in their writing and speaking.

Psychomotor Domain

• Underline verbs in sentences or passages provided.
• 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
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 2
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Relevant passages from textbooks or stories, possibly with moral lessons.
• Whiteboard or chalkboard
• Markers or chalk
• Student notebooks

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because a strong understanding of verbs is fundamental to grammatical accuracy and effective communication. By learning to identify verbs and understand their roles, students can construct clearer sentences, comprehend texts better, and improve their overall English language proficiency.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of parts of speech, including nouns and pronouns, from their previous English Language lessons.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Grammatical Accuracy

Identification 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 is happening to it. Verbs are essential for forming complete sentences.

Examples of verbs in sentences:

1. The children played in the park. (Action)
2. She is a doctor. (State of being)
3. The flower bloomed beautifully. (Occurrence)
4. We should always tell the truth and show kindness to others.
5. He runs every morning.

Features of Verbs

Verbs have several key features that help us identify them:

1. Action or State: Verbs primarily express an action (e.g., run, eat, write) or a state of being (e.g., be, seem, feel).
2. Tense: Verbs change form to indicate when an action happened (past, present, future). For example, “walk,” “walked,” “will walk.”
3. Number: Verbs agree with their subject in number (singular or plural). For example, “He walks” (singular) vs. “They walk” (plural).
4. Voice: Verbs can be in active voice (subject performs the action) or passive voice (subject receives the action).

Functions of Verbs

Verbs perform crucial functions in sentences:

1. Express Action: This is the most common function, showing what the subject does.

   Example: The boy kicked the ball.

2. Express State of Being: Linking verbs (forms of ‘to be’, seem, appear, feel, etc.) connect the subject to a description or an identity.

   Example: She is intelligent.

3. Express Occurrence: Some verbs show something happening or coming into existence.

   Example: The sun rises in the east.

4. Form Questions and Negations: Auxiliary verbs (helping verbs) like ‘do’, ‘be’, ‘have’ are used to form questions and negative sentences.

   Example: Do you understand? I do not like it.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Review/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and reviews previous knowledge by asking them to name some parts of speech they know. The teacher then introduces the topic: “Grammatical Accuracy, focusing on Verbs.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by naming parts of speech like nouns and pronouns. They listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Recall of parts of speech

Step 2: Identification of Verbs in Passages

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reading/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads a short passage (e.g., a story with a moral lesson) aloud to the students. After reading, the teacher asks students to identify words in the passage that show action or state of being.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen carefully to the passage and then volunteer to identify verbs they hear or see in the passage.

Learning Point: Identifying verbs in context

Step 3: Discussing Features of Verbs

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the features of verbs, such as expressing action/state, changing for tense, and agreeing with the subject’s number. The teacher uses examples from the passage identified in Step 2 to illustrate these features.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the explanation and observe how the identified verbs demonstrate these features. They ask questions for clarification.

Learning Point: Understanding verb features

Step 4: Discussing Functions of Verbs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Elaboration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the different functions of verbs, such as expressing action, state of being, or occurrence. The teacher gives more examples, showing how verbs perform these functions.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and note the various functions of verbs, relating them to the examples given.

Learning Point: Recognizing verb functions

Step 5: Guided Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes a few sentences on the board and guides the students to identify the verbs, state their features, and explain their functions in each sentence.

Pupils’ Activity: Students actively participate, identifying verbs, and explaining their features and functions with teacher guidance.

Learning Point: Practicing verb identification

Step 6: Independent Practice

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Individual Work

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides a short, new passage or a list of sentences for students to work on individually, identifying verbs and noting their features/functions.

Pupils’ Activity: Students work independently to identify verbs and their characteristics in the given exercises.

Learning Point: Independent verb analysis

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. Identify the verb in the sentence: “The birds sang beautifully this morning.”
3. Mention two features of verbs.
4. State one function of a verb with an example.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Assessment of verb understanding

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 identification, features, and functions of verbs into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson information

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarises the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of verbs in everyday communication and encouraging students to pay attention to verbs when reading and writing. The teacher commends students for their participation.

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

Learning Point: Consolidation of verb concepts

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

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

“Yesterday, our school team played a football match. They ran fast and scored two goals. Everyone was happy with their performance. We should always strive for excellence.”

1. List all the verbs you can find in the passage.
2. For each verb listed, state whether it expresses an action or a state of being.
3. Write two new sentences, each using a different verb from the passage.

Lesson Keywords

• Verb – A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence.
• Action Verb – A verb that describes what the subject does.
• State of Being Verb – A verb that describes the condition or existence of the subject.
• Tense – The form of a verb that shows when an action happened (past, present, future).
• Function – The role a word plays in a sentence.

Differentiation

For learners who may struggle, provide simpler sentences with clear, obvious verbs and work through identification examples one-on-one. For advanced learners, challenge them to identify different types of verbs (e.g., transitive/intransitive, auxiliary verbs) or to write a short paragraph using a variety of verbs.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: “JSS 2 English verbs identification features functions”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Begin by ensuring you have several clear, age-appropriate passages ready, some of which should subtly convey values or morals, as indicated in the curriculum. Guide students through identifying verbs by first reading the passage aloud, then having them point out action words or words that describe a state. When explaining features and functions, consistently refer back to the verbs identified in the passages to make the concepts concrete. Encourage active participation through questioning and allow students to articulate their reasoning. Pay close attention to common errors where students might confuse verbs with nouns or adjectives. The Board Summary should be copied after the main teaching and practice to reinforce learning. Provide individual support where needed and challenge faster learners with more complex examples or tasks.