The communicative intent of the
different verb tenses:
SIMPLE PRESENT - is used to describe an action that is occurring in the
present, at the moment of speaking. The simple present is used when the
precise beginning or ending of a present action, event, or condition is
unknown or is unimportant to the meaning of the sentence. In short, the child's
communication intent is about the action, and unconcerned about time of
action aspects.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE - While the simple present and the present
progressive are sometimes used interchangeably, the present progressive
emphasizes the on-going nature of an act at the time a person is speaking.
Present progressive verbs are formed by using a present tense auxiliary verb
and marking the main verb with an [ing] ending.
SIMPLE PAST - The simple past is used to describe an action that occurred
in the past, sometime before the moment of speaking. The regular past tense
verb is marked with the [ed] ending as in (walk - walked). There are seven
different ways to mark the irregular past tense verb. The most common is to
change the vowel as in (sing - sang)
PAST PROGRESSIVE - The past progressive tense is used to describe
actions ongoing in the past. The on-going actions took place and were
completed at some point well before the time of speaking. Past progressive
verbs are formed by using a past tense auxiliary verb and marking the main
verb with an [ing] ending.
SIMPLE FUTURE - The simple future is used to refer to actions that will
take place after the act of speaking. The verb is unmarked, but requires a
future tense auxiliary verb.
FUTURE PROGRESSIVE - The future progressive tense is used to describe
actions ongoing in the future, after the act of speaking. Another way of
expressing the meaning communicated by the future progressive verb tense is:
an event that will be going on when something else happens. This form
requires a future tense auxiliary verb, plus the main verb is marked with an
[ing] ending.
SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
(OTHER
VERBS)
SUBJECT
I
you
he
she
VERB
EXAMPLE 1 Write
the correct form:
EXAMPLE 2 Write
the correct form:
study
(study) I
____________
English at LSI.
(eat) I _________
breakfast at 7:30.
(eat) You
__________ lunch
every day.
(take) You
________ the bus
to school.
works
(work) Frank
__________ at
McDonald's.
(study) Frank
_________ at
school.
plays
(play) Sara
__________ the
piano.
(go) Sara
________ to music
school.
goes
(go) The car
__________ fast.
(fly) The balloon
______ slowly in
the sky.
eat
affirmative
(+)
it
we
you
(BE VERB)
affirmative
(+)
(understand) We
understand ____________ a
little bit.
know
they
like
SUBJECT
VERB
I
(know) Steve and you
_________ Maria.
(eat) We
_________ dinner
every day.
(drive) You and Pat
_______ Maria to
school.
(hate) Maria and
(like) Maria and Frank
Frank ________
________ pizza.
vegetables.
EXAMPLE 1 Write
the correct form:
EXAMPLE 2 Write
the correct form:
am
(be) I _____ an
English student.
(be) I _____ at
school today.
you
are
(be) You _____ a
smart person.
(be) You _____ a
student.
he
is
(be) Frank _____ a
McDonald's worker.
(be) Sam _____ a
clown in the circus.
she
is
(be) Sara _____ a
piano player.
(be) Pia _____ in
the library.
it
is
(be) The car _____
fast.
(be) The computer
_____ slow.
we
are
(be) We _____
hungry.
(be) We _____ in
class every day.
you
are
(be) Steve and you
_____ students.
(be) Peter and you
_____ tired today.
are
(be) Maria and Frank
_____ in the kitchen.
(be) Jenny and
Mara _____
intelligent.
they
Present Tense Practice
Write the correct verb form for each sentence.
1) (be) I _______ sleepy.
2) (leave) The train____ at 8am every
morning.
3) (like) We _______
hamburgers.
4) (play) I _______ soccer on
Saturdays.
5) (be) You _______ handsome.
6) (forget) She often _______ her
book.
7) (be) You _______ all awake.
8) (wash) Once a week, Terry _______
the car.
9) (work) Jack _______ here.
10) (be) Mary and Susan _______
beautiful.
11) (be) The teacher _______
kind.
11) (have) Steve _______ a Macintosh
computer.
13) (take) She _______ the bus.
14) (need) The students _______ some
help.
15) (be) It _______ cold today.
16) (be) The students _______
intelligent.
17) (eat) Cats _______ mice and 18) (have) Our classrooms _______
rats.
two windows.
19) (be) Los Angeles _______ a
big city.
20) (circle) The earth _______ the
sun.
NEGATIVE PRESENT TENSE
(VERBS SUBJEC
)
T
I
EXAMPLE 2 Write
the correct form:
(eat) I
don't (study) I
_____________
study ____________ Swahili.
breakfast at 12:30.
you
(walk) You
________________
to school.
he
(work) Frank
doesn'
_____________ at
t work
Taco Bell.
(study) Frank
____________
enough.
she
(play) Sara
doesn'
_____________ the
t play
flute.
(go) Sara
____________ to
cooking school.
it
(fly) An airplane
doesn'
_______________
t fly
slowly.
(work) A bird
________________
.
we
(listen) Sometimes we
(eat) We
don't
__________________ _____________
listen
_.
candy every day.
you
(know) You and Sue
don't
_______________
know
Madonna.
(live) You and Pat
_______________
here.
they
(like) Pat and Fran
don't
_______________
like
broccoli.
(enjoy) They
___________
homework.
EXAMPLE 1
SUBJECT VERB
Write the correct
form:
I
negative
(-)
EXAMPLE 1 Write the
correct form:
(eat) You
don't
____________ a snack
eat
every day.
negative
(-)
(BE
VERB)
VERB
you
am not
(be) I ___________ a
perfect student.
EXAMPLE 2
Write the correct
form:
(be) I ___________
at work today.
(be) You
(be) You __________ an
aren't
__________ a bus
ugly person.
driver.
he
she
it
isn't
(be) Frank _________ a (be) Sam
Taco Bell worker.
___________ a
doctor.
isn't
(be) Pia
(be) Sara ___________
____________ in
a flute player.
class.
isn't
(be) An airplane
_________ slow.
(be) My computer
_________ fast
enough.
we
(be) We ________
aren't
tired.
(be) We
___________ in
class on Sundays.
you
(be) You and Steve
aren't
___________ lazy.
(be)You two
_________ busy
today.
they
aren't
(be) Maria and Frank
(be) Jenny and Mara
________ in the garage. _______ at school.
Negative Present Tense Practice
Write the correct NEGATIVE verb form for each sentence.
1) (be) I _________ lazy.
2) (run) The train ___________ at
night.
3) (like) We __________
homework.
4) (play) I _______ soccer on Fridays.
5) (be) You _________ a truck
driver.
6) (remember) She _______________
that.
7) (be) You and Kat__________
8) (like) Tom ____________ his car.
here.
9) (work) Jon ____________
hard.
10) (be) Max and Mel _____________
busy.
11) (be) The teacher _________
11) (have) Steve _____________ a PC.
mean.
13) (walk) Sue __________ to
school.
14) (need) The students
_____________ help.
15) (be) It __________ hot
today.
16) (be) The students
_______________ lazy.