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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes

Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses

Grammar

CCSS L.3.1.EEngland: Y3 GPS (tense)England: KS2 SATs GPS

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Past tense (regular and irregular verbs); Past, present and future

Leads to: Past, present and future progressive (was running, is running, will be running); Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must)

Materials: Sentence strips, Highlighters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Past tense (regular and irregular verbs); Past, present and future). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Write the past tense of "come". (Today I come. Yesterday I ___.) → camePrompt: This is an irregular verb: it does not add -ed.
  2. Choose the verb that matches the time in the sentence. Every day she ___ her teeth. (brushed / brushes / will brush) → brushesPrompt: Find the time word: yesterday, tomorrow, every day, right now…
  3. Choose the past tense verb. Last night we ___ (say) after dinner. (saided / said / says / saying) → saidPrompt: The sentence is about the past. Which word shows that?

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a sentence with the grammar point used wrongly and ask what sounds odd.
  • Share the objective: Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? The bus stops outside the library.
  • Step 1: The tense of the verb shows WHEN something happens.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: present
  • Answer: present
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? She ran all the way home. (past / present / future) → pastPrompt: Find the verb (the action or being word).
  2. Choose the verb in the right tense. Two days ago, Sam ___ his tooth. (loses / lost / will lose) → lostPrompt: Look for time words: yesterday, last, ago, next, tomorrow, every…

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? The bus stops outside the library. (past / present / future) → presentPrompt: Find the verb (the action or being word).
  2. Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. The robot cleans the floor. → The robot will clean the floor.Prompt: Put will in front of the verb.

Watch out for

  • Naming the feature but not using it in their own sentences.
  • Thinking a sentence is right because it sounds right when spoken casually.

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Past tense (regular and irregular verbs).
  • Use concrete materials: sentence strips.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Past, present and future progressive (was running, is running, will be running); Helping verbs and main verbs (is, has, can, will, must).
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/grade-3.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Choose the verb in the right tense. Two days ago, Sam ___ his tooth.

    • A. loses
    • B. will lose
    • C. lost

  2. Question 2

    Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. She writes a letter.

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius.

    • A. past
    • B. present
    • C. future

  4. Question 4

    Choose the verb in the right tense. Last summer, we ___ in a lake.

    • A. swim
    • B. swam
    • C. will swim

  5. Question 5

    Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. They build a sandcastle.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? Bees make honey.

    • A. past
    • B. present
    • C. future

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Answer key: Past, present or future? Simple verb tenses

  1. 1. C. lost

  2. 2. She will write a letter.

  3. 3. B. present

  4. 4. B. swam

  5. 5. They will build a sandcastle.

  6. 6. B. present