Past versus present tenses English Grammar Quiz Game
This ESL grammar game helps young learners to distinguish between use of past versus present verb tenses in English. Click the play button to begin.
Past versus present tenses – Knowing when to use past and present forms of tenses in English can often pose a challenge to learners. Past tenses are such tenses like the Simple Past and Present Perfect tenses. Meanwhile present tenses are tenses like the Simple Present and Present Continuous (or Progressive) tenses.
Time is an important contextual determinant factor in how or when to use one tense over the other. The simple past is usually for actions that are completed in the past. For example -
- I flew to London last month.
The Present Perfect refers to actions that happened at an indefinite time in the past – or it started in the past and continued to the present. For example –
- I have been to Rome. (started and ended in an indefinite time in the past)
- I have lived in Spain for ten years now. (started in the past into the present)
The Simple Present is used for habitual actions and facts. For example –
- I walk to school every Monday morning. (habitual action)
- Water boils at 100 degree Celsius. (scientific fact)
The Present Continuous tense is used for actions that are ongoing or for future actions that have been planned with certainty. For example –
- I am talking to Jane on the phone. (still talking)
- I am flying to Hong Kong tomorrow. (suggests flight tickets have been bought)
The game above provides a useful activity for helping students practice.
