Past and Present Tense

Tick the boxes to show whether these sentences use the past or the present tense.

Past Present
“Better head down the steps, Sammy.”

“The house was empty when I passed,” she told him.

She planted a warm kiss on his cheek, then landed a sharp

slap across the back of his head.

“Where are Aunt Peg and Lily?”

“I thought they’d be here.”

Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense?
The first one has been done for you.

Present Past
I wonder I wondered

it belongs

he hopes

we see

she thinks

Now see if you can turn this whole sentence from the past tense into the present tense.

She shivered and pulled the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.

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 Past and Present Tense Answers
Tick the boxes to show whether these sentences use the past or the present tense.

Past Present

“Better head down the steps, Sammy.”

“The house was empty when I passed,” she told him.

She planted a warm kiss on his cheek, then landed a sharp

slap across the back of his head.

“Where are Aunt Peg and Lily?”

“I thought they’d be here.”

Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense?
The first one has been done for you.

Present Past

I wonder I wondered

it belongs it belonged

he hopes he hoped

we see we saw

she thinks she thought

Now see if you can turn this whole sentence from the past tense into the present tense.

She shivered and pulled the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.
She shivers and pulls the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.

Join Book Club to receive printed copies

of Originals stories each half-term. Page 2 of 2
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
 Past and Present Tense
Tick the boxes to show whether these sentences use the past or the present tense.

Past Present

“Better head down the steps, Sammy.”

“The house was empty when I passed,” she told him.

She planted a warm kiss on his cheek, then landed a sharp

slap across the back of his head.

“Where are Aunt Peg and Lily?”

“I thought they’d be here.”

Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense?
The first one has been done for you.

Present Past

I wonder I wondered

we see

she thinks

he lies down

it takes

Can you turn these whole sentences from the past tense into the present tense?

1. Sam watched a veil of worry slip across his mother’s freckled face.

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of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 2
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
 Past and Present Tense
2. The two families lived on neighbouring streets and usually did everything together.

3. She shivered and pulled the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.

Click here to read ‘Code-Cracking for Beginners’ from Twinkl Originals.

Join Book Club to receive printed copies

of Originals stories each half-term. Page 2 of 2
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
 Past and Present Tense Answers
Tick the boxes to show whether these sentences use the past or the present tense.

Past Present

“Better head down the steps, Sammy.”

“The house was empty when I passed,” she told him.

She planted a warm kiss on his cheek, then landed a sharp

slap across the back of his head.

“Where are Aunt Peg and Lily?”

“I thought they’d be here.”

Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense? The first one has been
done for you.

Present Past

I wonder I wondered

we see we saw

she thinks she thought

he lies down he lay down

it takes it took

Can you turn these whole sentences from the past tense into the present tense?

1. Sam watched a veil of worry slip across his mother’s freckled face.
Sam watches a veil of worry slip across his mother’s freckled face.

2. The two families lived on neighbouring streets and usually did everything together.
The two families live on neighbouring streets and usually do everything together.

3. She shivered and pulled the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.
She shivers and pulls the collar of her woollen coat up around her ears.

Join Book Club to receive printed copies

of Originals stories each half-term.
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
 Past and Present Tense
Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense?

Present Past
I wonder

we see

she thinks

he lies down

it takes

Now see if you can write this whole paragraph in the present tense.

Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few
people paid any attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that
was roaring over the English Channel towards them. Terror had already
turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear, and the eyes of thousands
turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.

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of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 2
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 Past and Present Tense

Finally, see if you can write this whole paragraph in the past tense.

Sirens wail their nightly warning, conducting a drumbeat of frightened feet across the
pavements of London’s East End. Streams of panicking citizens spew through the narrow
streets. Children scream their resistance as mothers and fathers haul them through
jostling crowds.

Click here to read ‘Code-Cracking for Beginners’ from Twinkl Originals.

Join Book Club to receive printed copies

of Originals stories each half-term. Page 2 of 2
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club
 Past and Present Tense Answers
Can you turn these verbs from the present into the past tense?

Present Past
I wonder I wondered

we see we saw

she thinks she thought

he lies down he lay down

it takes it took

Now see if you can write this whole paragraph in the present tense.
Wardens barked orders and pointed instructions at the hordes, but few people paid any
attention. They were too fearful of the fire and fury that was roaring over the English Channel
towards them. Terror had already turned happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear, and the
eyes of thousands turned constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.

Wardens bark orders and point instructions at the hordes, but few people pay any attention.
They are too fearful of the fire and fury that is roaring over the English Channel towards
them. Terror is already turning happy, young faces into ugly balls of fear, and the eyes of
thousands turn constantly upwards, pulled wide and white by dread.

Finally, see if you can write this whole paragraph in the past tense.
Sirens wail their nightly warning, conducting a drumbeat of frightened feet across the pavements
of London’s East End. Streams of panicking citizens spew through the narrow streets. Children
scream their resistance as mothers and fathers haul them through jostling crowds.

Sirens wailed their nightly warning, conducting a drumbeat of frightened feet across the
pavements of London’s East End. Streams of panicked citizens spewed through the narrow
streets. Children screamed their resistance as mothers and fathers hauled them through
jostling crowds.

Join Book Club to receive printed copies

of Originals stories each half-term. Page 1 of 1
Visit twinkl.co.uk/book-club