This document provides an introduction to verb tenses and how they relate to time. It explains that there are three basic tenses - past, present, and future - which are represented by changes to verbs. A timeline is presented as a tool to visualize how tenses change over time, with different verb forms used in the past (added "ed"), present (base form), and future (added "will"). Examples are given and activities have readers practice transforming verbs between tenses.

1. Grammar 101
Tenses - Timeline

2. Learning Objectives
• To understand that events and actions can take
place in different periods of time.
• To apply a simple timeline to describe two
basic tenses – present and past.

3. Introduction
• Have you ever wondered why action verbs
such as talk or play in fairy tales always end
with ‘-ed’?
• Do you know why the same verb can take on
multiple forms such as talk, talks, talked and
talking?
• Do you know when they are used?
• These questions will be answered in our
exploration of tenses today. Buckle up and get
ready for a great learning journey!

4. Introduction
• There are three basic types of tenses – past,
present and future.
• They are represented by changes to verbs –
will, ed, ing, es or s.
• A simple but very effective tool can help you
differentiate between the different types of
tenses used in different time periods.
• It is called a TIMELINE.

5. Timeline
A timeline can be used to describe how time would
flow from the past, to the present and into the
future.
It gives you a mental image of how tenses change
over a period of time.
Different types of tenses apply for different periods of
time.
We will be looking at each in detail.
Past Simple / Present Future
talked talk Will talk
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
TENSE TENSE TENSE

6. Timeline – Past Tense
• Past tense is most commonly used in stories.
• Whenever we talk about events in history or
fictional stories, we use past tenses.
• When verbs describe the past, we add “ed”
• Irregular verbs change totally when describing
the past, so you must memorise them.
E.g. I walked / went to school at seven this morning.
Past Simple / Present Future
talked talk Will talk
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
TENSE TENSE TENSE

7. Activity
• Working in pairs, change the following verbs
into past participles (verbs that describe past
events):
Beat Lay Know
Build Rise Swim
Cost Shake Fight
Forgive Wear Go
Hang Catch Talk
Carry Say Question

8. Timeline – Present Tense
• Present tenses are used to describe actions or
events that are still valid today.
• In other words, they are still present in our lives
and we can experience them.
E.g. The sun rises from the east.
E.g. I walk to school every morning.
Past Simple / Present Future
talked talk Will talk
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
TENSE TENSE TENSE

9. Activity
• Working in pairs, change the following verbs
into their base forms (no letters added or
changed):
Beat Laid Knew
Built Rose Swum
Cost Shook Fought
Forgave Wore Gone
Hung Caught Talking
Carried Said Questioned

10. Timeline – Future Tense
• Future tenses are used to describe actions or
events that are going to happen in the future.
• It usually begins with the modality will.
E.g. David will go to Secondary One next year.
E.g. I will visit China this December holiday.
• Amongst the three tenses, only future tenses do
not require a verb to change its base form.
Past Simple / Present Future
talked talk Will talk
PAST PRESENT FUTURE
TENSE TENSE TENSE

11. Discussion
• What is the benefit of the timeline?
• What are the three most basic types of tenses?
• How can the verbs be changed to describe
past, present of future events?

12. Discussion (with suggested answers)
• What is the benefit of the timeline?
It gives us a visual map of how the verb changes
over time and tells us the correct verb form.
• What are the three most basic types of tenses?
Past, Present and Future
• How can the verbs be changed to describe
past, present and future events?
The verbs can be inflected by adding 'ed' for past
tense and 'will' to the base form for future.
Present tense do not require the base form to
change.