Using Different Tenses

students learning about verb tenses together
CEFR: A2
Verb Tenses

Using Different Tenses



Écoutez le texte du cours.

🎧 Read/Listen first

In English, we use different tenses to talk about actions. The present simple is for habits, like "I eat breakfast every day." The past simple is for actions that happened before, like "I visited my friend yesterday." The future simple is for plans, like "I will go to the store tomorrow." Understanding these tenses helps us communicate clearly. We can also use the present continuous for actions happening now, like "I am studying right now."

⚡ Learning goals

  • Understand different verb tenses
  • Use tenses in sentences
  • Practice speaking with tenses

🔑 Key language

  • I eat breakfast every day. Present simple for habits.
  • I visited my friend yesterday. Past simple for completed actions.
  • I will go to the store tomorrow. Future simple for plans.

🌍 Global comprehension

What tense is used for habits?

Which sentence is in the past tense?

Complete: I ___ to the store tomorrow.

✍️ AI writing analysis

CEFR: A2Length: 4-6 sentences

Task: Write about your daily routine using different tenses.

Use present, past, and future tenses.

Success criteria: Use at least three different tenses correctly.

Target vocabulary

  • eat
  • visited
  • will go
  • study
  • action
Grammar focus

  • present simple
  • past simple
  • future simple
  • present continuous

✍️ Vocabulary

eatto consume food.
I eat breakfast every day.
Repeat: I eat breakfast.
Défi rapide : Say a food you eat.
visitedwent to see someone.
I visited my friend yesterday.
Repeat: I visited my friend.
Défi rapide : Say where you visited.
will goto plan to go somewhere.
I will go to the store tomorrow.
Repeat: I will go to the store.
Défi rapide : Say where you will go.
studyto learn about something.
I study English every day.
Repeat: I study English.
Défi rapide : Say a subject you study.
actionsomething you do.
Running is a good action.
Repeat: Running is an action.
Défi rapide : Say an action you do.

🧠 Flashcards interactives

Choisissez la bonne réponse, écoutez le modèle, puis répétez à voix haute.

Chargement des flashcards interactives…

⚙️ Rules & Grammar

🟣 Present Simple

Rule:
We use the present simple for habits and routines. It describes actions that happen regularly.

Examples:

  • I play soccer on weekends.
  • She drinks coffee every morning.
  • They go to school every day.
Common pitfall + fix:

  • Using present simple for past actions. → Use past simple instead.
  • Forgetting to add 's' for he/she/it. → Remember to add 's' in third person.
Check your understanding
Which sentence is present simple?

Use the language
Complete: She ___ coffee every morning.

🟣 Past Simple

Rule:
The past simple is used for actions that are finished. It tells us what happened before now.

Examples:

  • I visited my friend yesterday.
  • He watched a movie last night.
  • We traveled to Paris last summer.
Common pitfall + fix:

  • Using past simple for future actions. → Use future simple instead.
  • Forgetting the past form of irregular verbs. → Learn the past forms of irregular verbs.
Check your understanding
What is the past form of 'go'?

Use the language
Complete: I ___ my homework last night.

🟣 Future Simple

Rule:
We use the future simple to talk about plans. It describes actions that will happen later.

Examples:

  • I will go to the store tomorrow.
  • She will visit her grandmother next week.
  • They will play soccer on Saturday.
Common pitfall + fix:

  • Using future simple for past actions. → Use past simple instead.
  • Forgetting to use 'will' for future actions. → Always use 'will' before the verb.
Check your understanding
Which sentence is future simple?

Use the language
Complete: They ___ to the party next week.

🟣 Present Continuous

Rule:
The present continuous is for actions happening now. It describes what we are doing at the moment.

Examples:

  • I am studying right now.
  • She is eating lunch.
  • They are playing soccer.
Common pitfall + fix:

  • Using present continuous for habits. → Use present simple instead.
  • Forgetting to use 'am/is/are' before the verb. → Always use 'am/is/are'.
Check your understanding
Which sentence is present continuous?

Use the language
Complete: She ___ dinner right now.

🧩 Guided practice

Mini-dialogue:
Student: What tense do we use for habits? Teacher: We use the present simple. Student: And for actions in the past? Teacher: We use the past simple.

Why this matters:
Understanding tenses helps you communicate better.

Verb & Adjective Pack:
Use different tenses to express time clearly.

Complete: I ___ soccer every weekend.
Complete: She ___ her homework yesterday.
Complete: They ___ to the park tomorrow.

🎙️ AI oral analysis

CEFR: A2Oral target: 4-6 sentences

Oral task: Write about your last weekend using different tenses.

Use present, past, and future tenses.

Success criteria: Include at least three different tenses.

Target vocabulary

  • eat
  • visited
  • will go
  • study
  • action
Grammar focus

  • present simple
  • past simple
  • future simple
  • present continuous

🚀 Quick challenge

Listen to the model, repeat aloud, then retry to improve your score.

EASYSay a sentence using 'eat'.
Model: I eat breakfast every day.
Use 'eat' correctly in a sentence.
MEDIUMDescribe something you visited.
Model: I visited my friend yesterday.
Use 'visited' in the past tense.
HARDShare a plan for next weekend.
Model: I will go to the park.
Use 'will go' for future plans.

AI Conversation Mission

Situation

You are discussing your weekend plans.

Your mission
  • Describe what you did last weekend.
  • Share your plans for next weekend.
  • Talk about your daily routine.
Focus language
past simplefuture simplepresent simple
Communication tip

Use clear tenses for better understanding.