Teaching Regular and Irregular Verbs through Task-Based Activities

Abstract

Teaching regular and irregular verbs is often hindered by instruction that relies heavily on theoretical explanations and memorization. As a result, students grasp grammatical rules but fail to apply them in meaningful communication. To resolve this, this study offers a task-based instructional design that seamlessly integrates grammar learning into a contextual “Mountain Climbing” game. Adhering to Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) principles, the design leads students through four progressive “climbing posts,” each demanding structured tasks such as vocabulary recognition, text analysis, problem-solving, and personal recount writing. These tasks require learners to use past-tense forms in collaborative, meaningful contexts, moving well beyond isolated grammar drills. Task-based pedagogy is gaining momentum, yet practical classroom-based designs that integrate grammar instruction with interactive game-based tasks remain largely unaddressed in Indonesian EFL contexts. This study employs a qualitative classroom-based approach with secondary school EFL students. Data are collected through classroom observations, students' written outputs, and teachers' reflective notes, and are analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings clearly demonstrate that the task-based game boosts engagement, ensures collaboration, and deepens understanding of regular and irregular verbs. This study is novel for integrating contextual game mechanics with TBLT principles to enhance meaningful grammar use in secondary EFL classrooms.