Present Tenses ESL Games, Activities & Worksheets

ESL Present Tenses Game - Grammar: Gap-fill, Sentence Completion Group Work In this engaging present tenses game, students play Connect 4 by making sentences in the present simple, present continuous, present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. The first player chooses a square and completes the sentence with the verb in brackets in the present simple, present continuous, present perfect or present perfect continuous. The player then reads the complete sentence aloud to the group. The student acting as judge checks the player's answer on the answer sheet. If the present tense verb form is correct, the player writes the verb form in the space and marks the square with an O or X. It's then the other player's turn to choose a square. If the player says the wrong verb form, play passes to the other student. The first player to get four squares in a row wins the game. If no one manages to do this, the player with the most squares wins. Afterwards, students swap roles and play game 2, giving the student who acted as judge a chance to play. show less

ESL Present Tenses Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Matching, Binary Choice, Gap-fill, Identifying, Error Correction In this useful present tenses worksheet, students revise the use of the present simple, present continuous, present perfect simple and present perfect continuous. First, students match each sentence to the correct present tense. Next, students match sentence halves together to make present tense sentences. Students then read a text and underline the present tense verb forms that best complete the text. After that, students complete sentences by putting each verb in brackets in the correct present tense. Students then read sentences and decide if the verb tense is correct in each sentence. If they think it is incorrect, they cross out the mistake and correct it. Lastly, students complete sentences with verbs from a box in the correct present tense. show less

ESL Present Tenses Board Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice - Group Work In this productive present tenses board game, students practice forming sentences on a variety of topics using six present tense structures. In groups, students take turns rolling the dice to choose the present tense for the sentence they are going to make. The student then picks up a topic card and makes a sentence about the topic in the tense that corresponds to the number on the dice. For example, if a student rolls a '1' and picks up a 'Family' topic card, the student makes a sentence in the present simple connected to families, e.g. 'My mother is a dentist.' If a student rolls a '2', they make a sentence in the present continuous tense, etc. The other students in the group judge whether the sentence is grammatically correct and relevant to the topic. If it is correct, the student moves the corresponding number of squares shown on the dice. If the student makes a grammar mistake, is off topic, or cannot think of a sentence, they do not move along the game board. The first student to reach the finish square wins the game. show less

ESL Present Tenses Game - Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts - Pair Work In this fun present tenses game, students play battleships using the affirmative and negative forms of the present simple, present continuous, present perfect and present perfect continuous. To begin, students mark four ships on their grid. Students then play a game of battleships using different present tense affirmative and negative forms. The aim of the game is to be the first student to find and destroy all their partner's ships. Students take turns choosing a square on their partner's grid. However, instead of giving a grid reference to find a ship, the student makes a present tense sentence or question according to the item and tense shown on each axis. The other student listens to the sentence or question, looks at their grid and says whether it is a hit or miss. The first student to sink all their partner's ships wins the game. show less

ESL Present Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Gap-fill, Forming, Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Freer Practice - Pair Work This free present tenses speaking activity helps students practice forming, asking and answering conversation questions in the present simple, present continuous, present perfect simple, and present perfect continuous. In two groups, students use verbs in brackets to complete conversation questions with the correct present tense. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking and answering the present tense conversation questions with their partner. Finally, students share what they found out about their partner with the class. show less

ESL Present Tenses Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Forming, Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work This enjoyable present tenses speaking activity helps students practice forming, asking and answering conversation questions in the present simple, present continuous, present perfect, and present perfect continuous. First, in two groups, students complete each present tense conversation question with the verb 'to be', 'do' or 'have' and the verb in brackets in the present simple, present continuous, present perfect or present perfect continuous form. There should be five questions using each tense. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking and answering the conversation questions with their partner, responding according to the tense of each question. Afterwards, students share what they found out about their partner with the class. show less

ESL Present Tenses Activity - Grammar, Listening and Reading: Matching, Sentence Completion - Pair Work In this fast-paced present tenses activity, students race to complete sentences with suitable endings in the correct present tense. In pairs, students take turns reading each sentence beginning to their partner, who chooses a suitable ending from their worksheet. Their partner reads the letter and ending to the other student, putting the verb in brackets in the correct present tense. If both students agree it is correct, the student writes down the corresponding letter and ending. If not, the student asks for another ending to find the correct one. The first pair to match and complete all their sentences correctly wins the race. show less