Past, Present and Progressive Tense
Use verbs to convey past and present tense correctly and consistently, including the progressive form (e.g., she is drumming, he was shouting), understanding how tense indicates time
Lesson
Set out your lesson
“Past, Present and Progressive Tense means verb forms that show time—drummed, drums, is drumming / was shouting. We will build a verb family, match time cues, then check a fresh verb.”
Bring to the table
- Paper and pencil
- Time cards: yesterday / often now / happening now
Extra for the adult
Worked example. she drummed (past); she drums (present); she is drumming (present progressive).
Optional challenge. For Past, Present and Progressive Tense, fix a mixed-tense sentence and write one past progressive.
What to notice. Keep one parent note: verbs; forms; time talk; support used. This session samples a few items, not mastery of every tense.
Share and support
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Teaching approaches
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2 approaches
Past, Present and Progressive Tense means verb forms that show time—drummed, drums, is drumming / was shouting. We will build a verb family, match time cues, then check a fresh verb.
Spend about 12 minutes matching past, present, and progressive forms to time, then checking a new verb.
Choose past and present verb forms. Write a consistent passage and explain ongoing actions.
Choose past and present verb forms. Write a consistent passage and explain ongoing actions.
Family records and proof options
Keep a record of your learning
Save photos, notes, and attendance. Export a proof packet for compliance or portfolio reviews.
Practice this concept
Start practiceTense practice
Choose verb forms that match time.
Free · no login · no ads · Practice answers and completion are not saved. Parent observation remains the lesson record.
Learning resources
Extra practice links — they do not replace Gakuva’s teaching approach.
UF Literacy Institute · Practice link — not the full lesson
UFLI Foundations
Before you open · source notes
Free UFLI Foundations overview useful for past, present, and progressive tense practice with adult-chosen lessons. Not a single worksheet packet.
Free literacy overview, no sign-in. An adult picks one lesson path.
Before you openAsk the learner to say the same idea in past and present and notice the verb change.
Opening this link does not save learning or assess mastery.
Source, access and review notes
Public UF Literacy Institute page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this page. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult must choose an appropriate lesson or activity for the learner.
UF Literacy Institute. “UFLI Foundations.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.
Unknown — link only
Check understanding
- Write a passage consistently in past tense without switching to present
- Use progressive forms correctly: 'was running', 'is jumping' to show ongoing actions
- Identify verbs in a sentence and change them from past to present tense or vice versa
“If your child is writing about something that happened yesterday versus something happening right now, do they change the verb — for example, writing "she jumped" for the past and "she is jumping" for right now?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- English
- Domain
- Grammar & Punctuation
- Age range
- Ages 6–9
Standards