Tenses

It is the VERB that changes the TENSE:

Present:  the action is happening now,

                e.g. I run, I am running

Past:               the action has already happened,

                e.g. I ran, I was running

Future:    the action is going to happen,

                e.g. I shall run, I am going to run.

Activity one.

Here are six sentences in the present tense. Change the sentences so that they all begin with the word Yesterday.

a.    Today the dog chews at her bone.

b.    Today the family set off on their holiday.

c.    Today we are doing painting.

d.    Today Patrick feels sick.

e.    Today the teacher reads a story.

f.       Today Mum travels on the bus.

Activity two.

Here are six sentences in the past tense. Change the sentences so they are happening now.

a.    The children ran to the bus stop.

b.    The dog chased the stick in the park.

c.    The children enjoyed the party.

d.    The man spoke with a strong accent.

e.    The bus left the depot a little late.

f.       Julie sang in the school production.

Activity three.

Key words for the future tense are shall or will before the main verb. E.g. I or we shall, you or he or they will.

Use these two key words to complete the sentences.

a.    I ______ take the car to the garage in the morning.

b.    She ______ be arriving a week on Thursday.

c.    We _______ be about fifteen minutes late.

d.    Hurry! You ______ miss the bus if you don't get a move on.

e.    We _______ have to wrap up warm. It ________ be cold tomorrow on the hills.

f.       It _______ be ages before the next train arrives.

Activity four.

Remembering there are three tenses, look at these sentences carefully.

a.    The teacher marked the register.

b.    The class goes to the swimming pool.

c.    We ran to the line when the whistle blew.

d.    The cook will make sausage and beans for lunch.

e.    We play with the hoops at playtime.

f.       I was in trouble for handing in untidy work.

For each sentence, write down the tense it is written in.

Write two other sentences for each one. If the sentence is written in the present, you must write sentences in the past and future.