Tenses I (Present & Past Tense)

What are tenses?

• Tenses are word forms that tell us about the TIME of action.

• Time include = Habits, Past, Future

• The two main types of tenses are Present Tense and Past Tense.

The Present Tense

When we look at a timeline, the present means NOW. We are talking about movements or
actions now, every day or at the moment in time.

Past (1970) | Present (2021) | Future (2030)

When do we use present tense?

• Always True
o I am 10 years old. You are 2 years old. I am older than you.
o The sun rises from the east.

• True at the moment.

o Mr. Wong teaches me Chinese.
o I like English very much.

• Habits
o I brush my teeth 2 times a day.
o I eat 3 meals in a day.

Always, Usually, Often, Sometimes, xx times a day/week/month, every day/week…

How do we write verbs in present tense?

I play
Verb
You play
I, you, they, we ~
They play
Play à play
We play

Verb + s He plays
He, She, It ~ She plays
Play à plays It plays

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Change the following words to present tense.

I, you, we, I, you, we,

Verb He, she, it Verb He, she, it
they they

Play Ride

Jump Eat

Dance Teach

Shout Rise

Blow Paint

Use present tense to write the correct verb forms on the lines below.

1. Today, I ___________ (see) the sun rising. I ___________ (like) the view a lot. To me

left is Franco. She ___________ (like) the view too. It ___________ (be) Autumn. The

leaves ___________ (fall) to the ground, the trees ___________ (sway) under the sun.

2. I ___________ (visit) my grandparents once a month. I ___________ (be) not going to

___________ (visit) them this month, because I ___________ (has) a test coming. I need

to ___________ (revise) for the test. The test ___________ (is) difficult, so I

___________ (has) to ___________ (revise) hard to ___________ (pass) the test. My

grandma ___________ (wish) me the best of luck for the test.

-----
Correct all verbs to present tense.

I took my dance class once a week. I really liked dancing. It were really fun.

My dog rolled on the ground every day. I brushed my teeth 2 times every day.
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The Past Tense

When we look at a timeline, the present means History. We are talking about movements or
actions from the past. (e.g., 1 minute before this minute = past)

| Past (1970) | Present (2021) | Future (2030) |

When do we use past tense?

• Completed action from the past

o I knew my friend from 1980.
o I adopted my dog from 2001.

• Events that were true in the past

o I lived in the UK for 3 years.
o I studied in the US for 5 years.

• Habits in the past

o When I was a child, I played the piano.

Before, Since xxx, Yesterday, The previous day, when, just, from xxx, years…

How do we write verbs in past tense?

Method 1) Verb +ed

Played Jumped Lived Studied Liked

Method 2) Change the vowel

Grew Ran Fed

But many words have different past tense looks. Do you know the past tense of these words?

Verb Past Tense Verb Past Tense Verb Past Tense

Play Bite Fall

Jump Break Find

See Catch Get

Go Eat Buy

Run Dig Tell

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 Look Think Blow

Draw Attack Keep

Lose Call Sweep

Fight Camp Leave

Add Clean Lose

Appear Climb Step

Ask Collect Discuss

Challenge!
Put Cut Hurt

Fit Shut Hit

Complete the text by changing the verbs to past tense.

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Combined Exercise (30 marks)

1. When I ___________ (be) a kid, I always ___________ (visit) my granny on Sunday and

she ___________ ___________ (will give) me candy. But now, I ___________ (not be) a

kid anymore, when I ___________ (go) visit my granny now, I always ___________ (buy)

her fruit.

(6)

2. ________ you ___________ (know) about the accident which ___________ (happen)

yesterday? A mother ___________ (leave) her kid home alone and the ___________ (play)

with the matches and ___________ (get) hurt. The accident ___________ (be) terrible.

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 (6)

3. Yesterday, I ___________ (talk) to Joanne. “Where ___________ (be) you going?” I

asked. “I am going to the supermarket as I ___________ (want) to ___________ (buy)

shampoo.” We ___________ (chat) for a while, then we ___________ (say) goodbye.

(6)

4. Can you ___________ (wait) for me for a while? I ___________ (forget) to

___________ (take) my wallet and it ___________ (be) still at home. My friend

___________ (wait) here, as I ___________ (ran) up the stairs back home.

(6)

5. Shopping ___________ (be) always my favourite thing to ___________ (do). _____ you

__________ (like) it too? Last week I ___________ (go) shopping and __________ (buy)

two lovely dresses. I ___________ (wear) one of them last night at the party.

(6)

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Table 1

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Play Brush

Reply Snap

Cry Visit

Carry Yell

Share Dust

Calm Melt

Jump Lick

Cook Pray

Book Clean

Order Steam

Time Print

Kick End

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Table 2

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Lose Become

Sing Forget

Drink Give

Drive Freeze

Swim Rise

See Ride

Go Hang

Run Get

Fly Awake

Know Dig

Come Sit

Take Make

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Table 3

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Buy Catch

Build Fight

Bring Seek

Teach Think

Steal Speak

Table 4

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Sleep Mean

Keep Meet

Sweep Send

Leave Lend

Build Bend

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Table 5

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Bleed Light

Lead Slide

Bite Hide

Table 6

He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/

Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Hit Shut

Quit Fit

Cut Cost

Read Spread

*********
He/she/ I/you/ He/she/ I/you/
Verb Past Verb Past
it We/ they it We/ they

Be Do

Go Have/Has

Eat Lie

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