English

Tenses Practice

Class 3

🎯 Learning Objectives

📖 Let Us Begin!

When we talk about something happening now, we use the present tense.

Example: Rina is reading a book. The children play in the park.

When we talk about something that already happened (yesterday, last week), we use the past tense.

Example: Rina was reading a book. The children played in the park.

Using is / am / are (Present Tense)

UseWithExample
ishe, she, it, singular nounsHe is tall. The dog is barking.
amII am happy. I am a student.
areyou, we, they, plural nounsThey are playing. We are friends.

Using was / were (Past Tense)

UseWithExample
wasI, he, she, it, singular nounsI was late. She was singing.
wereyou, we, they, plural nounsThey were happy. We were at school.
Think: "is" becomes "was" in the past. "are" becomes "were" in the past. "am" becomes "was" in the past.

Simple Present Tense

We use the simple present tense to talk about things that happen regularly or are always true.

Rule: With he, she, it -- add -s or -es to the verb.

SubjectVerbSentence
I / We / You / TheyplayI play cricket.
He / She / ItplaysShe plays cricket.
I / We / You / TheygoThey go to school.
He / She / ItgoesHe goes to school.

Simple Past Tense

We use the simple past tense to talk about things that already happened.

Rule: Usually add -ed to the verb. Some verbs change in a special way.

PresentPastExample (Past)
playplayedI played in the garden.
cookcookedMother cooked rice.
gowentShe went to the market.
eatateWe ate lunch at 1 o'clock.
comecameRavi came to my house.

📝 Key Words

WordMeaning
TenseThe form of a verb that shows when an action happens
Present TenseShows an action happening now or regularly
Past TenseShows an action that already happened
VerbA doing word or action word (run, eat, sing)
Regular VerbA verb that adds -ed to form the past tense (walked, played)
Irregular VerbA verb that changes in a special way in the past tense (go-went, eat-ate)
⭐ Key Points to Remember

✏️ Practice Questions

A. Fill in the blanks with is, am, or are.
1. I a student of Class 3.
2. The sun shining brightly.
3. We going to the temple.
4. Rohan my best friend.
5. The cows eating grass in the field.
B. Fill in the blanks with was or were.
1. I absent yesterday.
2. The children playing in the rain.
3. It a holiday last Monday.
4. Anu and Priya at the library.
5. The mango very sweet.
C. Choose the correct verb form.
1. She (drink / drinks) milk every morning.
2. They (go / goes) to school by bus.
3. Amit (play / played) football yesterday.
4. The birds (sing / sang) beautifully last evening.
5. I (walk / walks) to school every day.
D. Change the following sentences from present tense to past tense.
1. Meena cooks dinner for the family.
2. The boys are playing kabaddi.
3. I am reading a storybook.
4. The train arrives at 5 o'clock.
E. Change the following sentences from past tense to present tense.
1. Ravi went to the market.
2. The children were dancing on stage.
3. Grandmother told us a story.
F. Write sentences of your own.
1. Write a sentence using "is":
2. Write a sentence using "were":
3. Write a sentence in the simple past tense:
4. Write a sentence in the simple present tense:
5. Use is with he/she/it, am with I, are with you/we/they.
6. Use was with I/he/she/it, were with you/we/they.
7. In simple present, add -s or -es to the verb for he/she/it.
8. In simple past, most verbs add -ed. Some verbs are irregular (go → went, eat → ate).
9. Present tense = happening now. Past tense = already happened.
🎨 Think and Do -- Fun Activity

My Yesterday and Today: Write 3 sentences about what you did yesterday (past tense) and 3 sentences about what you do every day (present tense).

Yesterday (Past Tense):

1.

2.

3.

Every Day (Present Tense):

1.

2.

3.

Want to use this as a worksheet? Switch to the A4 printable view.

English -- Class 3

Topic: Tenses Practice (Present and Past)
Name: ____________________________Class: 3Date: ________________
Learning Objectives
Let Us Begin!

When we talk about something happening now, we use the present tense.

Example: Rina is reading a book. The children play in the park.

When we talk about something that already happened (yesterday, last week), we use the past tense.

Example: Rina was reading a book. The children played in the park.

Using is / am / are (Present Tense)
UseWithExample
ishe, she, it, singular nounsHe is tall. The dog is barking.
amII am happy. I am a student.
areyou, we, they, plural nounsThey are playing. We are friends.
Using was / were (Past Tense)
UseWithExample
wasI, he, she, it, singular nounsI was late. She was singing.
wereyou, we, they, plural nounsThey were happy. We were at school.

Think: "is" becomes "was" in the past. "are" becomes "were" in the past. "am" becomes "was" in the past.

Simple Present Tense

We use the simple present tense to talk about things that happen regularly or are always true.

Rule: With he, she, it -- add -s or -es to the verb.

SubjectVerbSentence
I / We / You / TheyplayI play cricket.
He / She / ItplaysShe plays cricket.
I / We / You / TheygoThey go to school.
He / She / ItgoesHe goes to school.
Simple Past Tense

We use the simple past tense to talk about things that already happened.

Rule: Usually add -ed to the verb. Some verbs change in a special way.

PresentPastExample (Past)
playplayedI played in the garden.
cookcookedMother cooked rice.
gowentShe went to the market.
eatateWe ate lunch at 1 o'clock.
comecameRavi came to my house.
Key Words and Meanings
WordMeaning
TenseThe form of a verb that shows when an action happens
Present TenseShows an action happening now or regularly
Past TenseShows an action that already happened
VerbA doing word or action word (run, eat, sing)
Regular VerbA verb that adds -ed to form the past tense (walked, played)
Irregular VerbA verb that changes in a special way in the past tense (go-went, eat-ate)
Example: Changing Present to Past

Present: Sita walks to school every day. → Past: Sita walked to school yesterday.

Present: The birds are singing. → Past: The birds were singing.

English -- Class 3 (continued)

Topic: Tenses Practice -- Exercises
Practice Questions

A. Fill in the blanks with is, am, or are.

  1. I a student of Class 3.
  2. The sun shining brightly.
  3. We going to the temple.
  4. Rohan my best friend.
  5. The cows eating grass in the field.

B. Fill in the blanks with was or were.

  1. I absent yesterday.
  2. The children playing in the rain.
  3. It a holiday last Monday.
  4. Anu and Priya at the library.
  5. The mango very sweet.

C. Choose the correct verb form.

  1. She (drink / drinks) milk every morning.
  2. They (go / goes) to school by bus.
  3. Amit (play / played) football yesterday.
  4. The birds (sing / sang) beautifully last evening.
  5. I (walk / walks) to school every day.

D. Change the following sentences from present tense to past tense.

  1. Meena cooks dinner for the family.
  2. The boys are playing kabaddi.
  3. I am reading a storybook.
  4. The train arrives at 5 o'clock.

E. Change the following sentences from past tense to present tense.

  1. Ravi went to the market.
  2. The children were dancing on stage.
  3. Grandmother told us a story.

F. Write sentences of your own.

  1. Write a sentence using "is":
  2. Write a sentence using "were":
  3. Write a sentence in the simple past tense:
  4. Write a sentence in the simple present tense:
Key Points to Remember
Think and Do -- Fun Activity

My Yesterday and Today: Write 3 sentences about what you did yesterday (past tense) and 3 sentences about what you do every day (present tense).

Yesterday (Past Tense):

1.

2.

3.

Every Day (Present Tense):

1.

2.

3.