Best examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners

Real examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners

Let’s skip the theory and jump straight into real examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners. Then we’ll unpack what makes them work and how you can tweak them for your own context.

Below, you’ll see several example of lesson structures built around common grammar points: past tenses, conditionals, modals, articles, relative clauses, and more. Each one follows a simple flow: context, noticing, guided practice, and communicative use.

Example of a past tense contrast lesson: Past Simple vs. Present Perfect

Intermediate learners often mix up “I went” and “I have gone.” This is a perfect place to start with examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners.

Context and warm-up
Instead of starting with a rule, you start with a short story:

“I’ve lived in New York for five years, but I moved here in 2019. Last weekend I visited my old hometown.”

Students answer quick questions: When did the teacher move? Is the teacher still living in New York? This pushes them to notice time references, not just verb forms.

Noticing the grammar
You highlight examples on the board:

• I’ve lived here for five years.
• I moved here in 2019.
• I visited my old hometown.

Students, in pairs, decide why some sentences use present perfect and others use past simple. You guide them to the idea of finished time vs. life experience/unfinished time.

Guided practice
Students complete a short gap-fill text about a famous person’s life, choosing between past simple and present perfect. They then compare answers in pairs, explaining why each tense fits.

Communicative task
Students interview each other about life experiences (countries visited, movies seen, foods tried) and then share one partner’s story with the class using both tenses:

“She has visited Mexico three times, and she went there last summer.”

This is one of the best examples of a grammar lesson that moves smoothly from form to personal communication.

Examples of developing a grammar lesson plan using conditionals (Second Conditional)

The second conditional is a favorite for intermediate classes because it naturally leads to fun, imaginative speaking.

Context: “What if…?” poll
You show a few “What if” prompts:

• If you won $1 million, what would you do?
• If you could live anywhere, where would you live?

Students stand and move to different corners of the room depending on their answers. They share their ideas with classmates.

Noticing and rule-building
You write student sentences on the board:

• If I won $1 million, I would buy a house.
• If I could live anywhere, I would move to Japan.

Together, the class identifies the pattern: If + past simple, would + base verb. You avoid heavy metalanguage and focus on meaning: unreal, imaginary, not true now.

Guided practice
Students match sentence halves:

• If I had more free time…
• If I didn’t have to work on weekends…
• If my English were perfect…

…with endings like:

• I would travel more.
• I would start a podcast.
• I would volunteer abroad.

Communicative project
Students create a short “Alternative Life” poster or slide:

“If I lived in another country, I would live in Canada. If I had a different job, I would be a game designer.”

They present to small groups. This is another clear example of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners that blends grammar practice with personal expression.

Examples include modals for advice and obligation (should, have to, must)

Intermediate students need modals for real-life communication: giving advice, talking about rules, and discussing responsibilities.

Context: Problem cards
You give students short problem scenarios:

• “I’m always tired in the morning.”
• “I want to improve my English faster.”
• “My roommate never washes the dishes.”

In pairs, students discuss and give advice using any language they can. You listen and note examples of should, have to, must that students already use.

Language focus
You write a few strong examples on the board:

• You should go to bed earlier.
• You have to talk to your roommate.
• You must stop checking your phone at 2 a.m.

The class talks about strength: must is very strong, have to is about rules or necessity, should is softer advice.

Guided practice
Students categorize sentences into advice vs. rules. Then they rewrite some rules as softer advice and some advice as stricter rules.

Role-play
Students role-play a school counselor, doctor, or HR manager. One student explains a problem; the other gives advice and explains rules:

“You should talk to your manager. You don’t have to work overtime every day. But you must follow safety rules.”

This is a practical example of developing a grammar lesson plan that prepares learners for real-world conversations.

Example of teaching articles (a, an, the, zero article) with real-world texts

Articles are tricky, but intermediate learners are ready for patterns.

Context: Short authentic text
You bring a short, level-appropriate article from a reliable education resource, such as an adapted text from a university site or a graded reader. (For reference-level examples of clear educational texts, see sites like Harvard’s writing resources.)

Students read for meaning first: What is the text about? Then they underline all examples of a, an, and the.

Noticing patterns
You ask:

• Which nouns use the? (Probably known or specific things.)
• Which nouns use a/an? (Probably first mention or not specific.)
• Which nouns have no article? (Often plural or uncountable in general statements.)

Students work in groups to sort nouns into three columns: a/an, the, and no article.

Guided practice
Students complete a short paragraph about their city, filling in missing articles. They then compare answers and explain why they chose each article.

Communicative writing
Learners write a short tourist guide to their hometown:

“The city has a beautiful park and a famous museum. People often visit the museum in the summer.”

They exchange guides and underline each other’s article choices, discussing any changes. This is one of the best examples of using authentic text to support grammar awareness.

Examples of developing a grammar lesson plan with relative clauses

Relative clauses (who, which, that, where) let intermediate learners sound more natural and detailed.

Context: Guessing game
You prepare cards with famous people, places, or objects. One student holds a card on their forehead; others give clues:

“It’s a place where people go to watch movies.”
“He’s a person who helped free India.”

Students naturally produce or hear several relative clauses.

Language focus
You highlight sentences on the board:

• She’s a singer who has won many awards.
• It’s a device that people use to take photos.
• It’s a city where many tourists stay.

Students identify which words refer to people, things, and places.

Guided practice
Students combine pairs of simple sentences:

• “This is my friend. She lives in Chicago.”
  → “This is my friend who lives in Chicago.”

They then rewrite a short paragraph about their family or hobbies using at least three relative clauses.

Communicative activity
Students create a “Mystery Person” description:

“This is a person who loves hiking and who works in a hospital.”

Classmates guess who it might be (a friend, a relative, or a type of person). This is a clear example of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners that links grammar to richer descriptions.

Integrating 2024–2025 trends into grammar lesson plans

Modern grammar lessons don’t live only on the whiteboard. Here are some real examples of how teachers are updating their plans for 2024–2025:

Blending AI tools with traditional practice
Many teachers now use AI-powered writing assistants (with clear guidance and limits) to give students extra sentence practice. For instance, after a lesson on conditionals, students can ask an AI tool to generate more “If I…” sentences, then correct any errors the AI makes. This turns technology into a critical-thinking activity, not just a shortcut.

Using digital corpora and learner dictionaries
Teachers increasingly show students how to check real usage using online learner dictionaries and corpora. Websites like the COCA corpus via BYU or learner dictionaries from major publishers help students see real-world examples of grammar in context.

Short, frequent practice instead of long worksheets
Research in language learning emphasizes distributed practice—short, regular review rather than one heavy session. Institutions like the U.S. Department of Education highlight spacing and retrieval practice as effective learning strategies. You can build this into your grammar lesson plans by revisiting target structures briefly over several days.

Supporting multilingual learners and diverse classes
In U.S. schools and adult programs, classes are often mixed-level and multilingual. Many teachers now:

• Use color-coding on the board to show verb forms and time expressions.
• Provide bilingual glossaries or allow translation apps for key terms.
• Offer sentence stems so quieter students can still participate in communicative tasks.

These are all real examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners that respond to current classroom realities.

How to adapt these examples of grammar lesson plans to your context

The best examples of grammar lesson plans share a few practical features you can copy and adjust:

They start with meaning, not rules.
Every example of a successful grammar lesson here begins with a story, problem, game, or text. Students first understand or react, then notice the grammar.

They move from controlled to freer practice.
You’ll notice a pattern: short gap-fill or matching tasks first, then interviews, role-plays, or writing tasks. This supports accuracy and fluency.

They recycle language.
In your planning, think: “Where will this grammar show up again next week?” For example, after a past tense lesson, you might:

• Ask students to write a short journal entry at home.
• Revisit the tense in a storytelling warm-up.
• Use it in a reading text later in the unit.

They connect to real life.
Grammar sticks when learners talk about their own lives: their city, job, family, dreams. Almost all the examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners in this guide end with personal communication.

If you want more background on why this works, teacher-training resources from universities (for example, many TESOL programs at institutions like Arizona State University or other .edu sites) often emphasize form–meaning–use as a helpful framework.

FAQ: Real examples of grammar lesson planning

Q: Can you give more quick examples of grammar lesson plan ideas for intermediate learners?
Yes. A few quick ideas:

• A “Grammar Detective” activity where students find examples of target grammar in a short news article.
• A “Before and After” lesson using past perfect (students describe what had happened before a big event).
• A “Future Plans Fair” using future forms (going to / will / present continuous) where students pitch their plans to classmates.

Q: What’s one simple example of adapting a beginner grammar lesson for intermediate students?
Take a basic present simple routine lesson (I wake up at 7, I go to work at 9) and expand it into a comparison activity: students compare their routines now with five years ago using past simple and adverbs of frequency. You’re using the same topic, but richer grammar.

Q: How many grammar points should I include in one lesson?
Most teachers find that one main grammar point—or one clear contrast, like past simple vs. present perfect—is enough for a 45–60 minute lesson. The examples of lesson plans in this article all focus on a single main target to avoid overload.

Q: Where can I find more examples of grammar-focused materials?
Look at ESL and EFL collections from universities and professional organizations. Many .edu and .org sites share sample lesson plans, worksheets, and teacher guides. These can give you more examples of how to structure tasks and sequence activities.

Q: How do I know if my grammar lesson plan worked?
Use a short exit task. For instance, after a conditional lesson, ask students to write three “If I…” sentences about their real life. If most students use the form correctly and can explain the meaning, your plan likely worked. If not, adjust the next lesson to include more review and clearer examples.

By studying these examples of developing a grammar lesson plan for intermediate learners, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time you teach. Start with one example that fits your next unit, adapt the context to your students’ interests, and keep that simple flow in mind: context, noticing, guided practice, and real communication.