Tense Practice in the EFL Classroom Working in groups of four, each student takes a role: A (reader), B (leader), C (responder), D (ender). The purpose of this exercise is to practise how to use: (i) (ii) the past progressive tense when the speaker is describing an event that is interrupted by a second event; and WH- question formation in both the simple past, and the past progressive tenses. WH- word Auxiliary Subject Lexical Verb What was Ali doing? What did Ali do? (iii) In your group of 4, complete a circuit of question-and-answers: A will always read. B will always ask a WH- question using the past progressive tense. C will always answer B by using both the past progressive tense and the simple past tense. D will always ask a WH- question using the simple past tense. Once a complete circuit A-D is finished, roles are exchanged as in the chart below: Reader Leader Responder Ender Circuit 1: A B C D Circuit 2: B C D A Circuit 3: C D A B Circuit 4: D A B C
EXAMPLE ONE Ali painted 1 his house last Saturday. When he stepped on a rotten board, he fell through 2. He shouted 3`Ouch!` 1. A reads the story aloud: Ali painted 2. B asks C the first question using do (past progressive) and the interrupting verb #2 (simple past): e.g., What was Ali doing when he fell through 2 the roof? 3. C answers, using verb #1 (past progressive) and verb #2 (simple past): e.g., Ali was painting 1 his house when he fell through 2 the roof. 4. D asks A the next question using both do in the simple past and verb #3 in the simple past: e.g., What did Ali do when he fell through 2 the roof? 5. A answers with verb #3 (simple past): e.g., Ali shouted 3 : Ouch! Circuit 2: A becomes B, B becomes C, C becomes D, and D becomes A. Circuit 3 Circuit 4
EXAMPLE TWO Reem drove 1 to work yesterday. When she reached the intersection, another car cut her off 2. She swerved 3 to avoid an accident. Circuit 1: a. A reads the story aloud: Reem drove to work yesterday b. B asks C the first question using do (past progressive) and the interrupting verb # 2 (simple past): e.g., What was Reem doing when another car cut her off? c. C answers using verb #1 (past progressive) and verb #2 (simple past): e.g., Ali was driving 1 to work yesterday when another car cut her off 2. d. D asks A the next question using both do in the simple past and verb #3 in the simple past: e.g., What did Reem do when another car cut her off 2? e. A answers with verb #3 (simple past): e.g., Reem swerved 3 to avoid an accident.
3. Student A: Mohammed checked 1 his lottery tickets this afternoon. When he discovered 2 that he had won, he immediately called 3 his wife. 4. Student A: Samuel enjoyed 1 his birthday party on the weekend. Then he put 2 a lampshade over his head, and started 3 to dance. He tripped and fell over the coffee table. 5. Student A: Abdul waited 1 in line with his groceries to pay the cashier this morning. When a little boy burst a balloon behind him, he dropped 2 his groceries. He got angry 3 at the boy. 6. Student A: Khaled used 1 his iphone to record the concert yesterday. When his favorite musical group came on stage, he began 2 to clap. Then he started 3 to dance and sing. 7. Student A: Gamal rode 1 on the bus with his mother and father yesterday and talked back to his father. When they got off the bus, his father boxed 2 his ears. Gamal complained 3 bitterly to his mother.
8. Student A: Nagla made 1 one final, excellent point in the debate last night. When she ended her presentation, the audience got up 2 and cheered. She then acknowledged 3 it with a bow. 9. Student A: Last weekend the Karim drove 1 to Sharm-El Sheikh. When the traffic police pulled him over to the side of the road, Karim stopped 2. He then had to 3 give his driver s license information. 10. Student A: Fatima looked forward 1 to a birthday invitation last month. When she checked the mailbox, she found 2 the beautiful yellow envelope. She immediately phoned 3 to accept. ***