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English lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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 "do". (Today I do. Yesterday I ___.) → didPrompt: This is an irregular verb: it does not add -ed.
  2. Choose the verb that matches the time in the sentence. Last night the dog ___ at the moon. (will howl / howled / howls) → howledPrompt: Find the time word: yesterday, tomorrow, every day, right now…
  3. Choose the past tense verb. Last night we ___ (forget) after dinner. (forgeted / forgets / forgoted / forgot) → forgotPrompt: The sentence is about the past. Which word shows that?

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 10 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? I will finish my comic after dinner. (past / present / future) → futurePrompt: Find the verb (the action or being word).
  2. Choose the verb in the right tense. Two days ago, Sam ___ his tooth. (will lose / lost / loses) → lostPrompt: Look for time words: yesterday, last, ago, next, tomorrow, every…

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. The children sing a song. → The children will sing a song.Prompt: Put will in front of the verb.
  2. Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius. (past / present / future) → presentPrompt: Find the verb (the action or being word).

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/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? I will finish my comic after dinner.

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

  2. Question 2

    Choose the verb in the right tense. In ten years, I ___ old enough to drive.

    • A. will be
    • B. been
    • C. was

  3. Question 3

    Rewrite the sentence in the FUTURE tense using will. Type the whole sentence. Dad bakes a cake.

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? She ran all the way home.

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

  5. Question 5

    Choose the verb in the right tense. Yesterday, we ___ a huge rainbow.

    • A. see
    • B. saw
    • C. sees
    • D. will see

  6. Question 6

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

    Answer

  7. Question 7

    Is this sentence in the past, present or future tense? We will visit the aquarium on Friday.

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

  8. Question 8

    Choose the verb in the right tense. Last Tuesday, it ___ all day.

    • A. will rain
    • B. rains
    • C. rained

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

  1. 1. C. future

  2. 2. A. will be

  3. 3. Dad will bake a cake.

  4. 4. A. past

  5. 5. B. saw

  6. 6. They will build a sandcastle.

  7. 7. C. future

  8. 8. C. rained