Year 3 - English
Simple present, past and future tense
Tense forms: simple, progressive and perfect
Study Hub
Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn formal conventions around simple and progressive tense forms in the present, past and future tenses. They learn about main and auxiliary verbs, including that main verbs can be having, as well as doing or being verbs. Pupils also learn about the perfect present tense.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to recognise the simple present, simple past and simple future tense in a range of regular and irregular verbs.
Key Notes
- The verb carries the tense of a sentence.
- Sentences can be formed in the first, second or third person.
- First person is the I / we perspective.
- Second person is the you singular / you plural perspective.
- Third person is the he / she / it / they perspective.
Vocabulary To Learn
- verb: a doing, being or having word
- tense: tells the reader when something happens
- perspective: point of view
- simple tense: a tense that does not make use of an auxiliary verb in addition to the main verb
- auxiliary verb: the helping verb that is always paired with the main verb
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils may think that all verbs are formed the same.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The verb carries the tense of a sentence. Sentences can be formed in the first, second or third person.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'verb'
a doing, being or having word.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils may think that all verbs are formed the same. Correction: Some verbs in English are irregular like 'be', 'say', 'come', 'bring', 'catch', 'choose', 'do', 'drink', 'eat', 'find', 'keep' and 'leave'.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 3 English guide library.