Past versus present tenses – Grammar Game for ESL
Practice distinguishing between use of past versus present verb tenses in English with this grammar game. Click the play button to begin.
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(6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)Loading...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.
- 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)
- I walk to school every Monday morning. (habitual action)
- Water boils at 100 degree Celsius. (scientific fact)
- I am talking to Jane on the phone. (still talking)
- I am flying to Hong Kong tomorrow. (suggests flight tickets have been bought)
