KSSR Grammar

Simple Past Tense

Charlotte Lewis

Storytelling

Pre-teach pupils the simple past tense.

The teacher reads a fictional story set in the past. Pupils listen and then
answer information check questions that highlight the use of the past
tense.
Have pupils create a fictional story set in the past using only the simple
past tense. (See attached worksheet.)
Pupils who work quickly can decorate their stories with pictures.
Pupils can volunteer to read their completed stories to the rest of the
class. This way mistakes can be identified and corrected as a class.

Hunt the Past Tense!

Pupils are given newspapers/ magazines/ library books.

Pupils are encouraged to find as many examples of the past tense as they
can.
Pupils record what they find on a worksheet (attached) or in their exercise
books.
Pupils who finish quickly can assist those who are slower or compare their
findings with a partner.
The pupil with the most correct examples is the winner!

What time did you?

During language arts pupils make a clock with a paper plate, a clip and
hands.
The teacher practices simple questions/ answers using the simple past
tense and involving time. For example, What time did you eat breakfast?
I ate breakfast at 7 oclock.
Pupils use their clocks and answer the questions using the simple past
tense.
Pupils can write down their partners answers or complete a simple survey.

Once Upon a Time

The teacher reads a story to the class (choose a story that has examples
of the simple present tense).
Pupils are given an action; clap, wave arms in the air, stand up, shake
heads.
Pupils listen to the story, when they hear the simple present tense they do
the action.
 KSSR Grammar
Simple Past Tense
Charlotte Lewis

This activity can be applied to the Storytelling activity. As pupils read

their own stories the rest of the class listens and carries out an action
every time they hear the simple past being used.

Past Tense Mistakes

Pupils are each given a sheet of paper. Each pupil writes five sentences
using the simple past tense. BUT THEY MUST MAKE DELIBERATE MISTAKES
WITH THE TENSE! (Yesterday, I eatted fruit for breakfast.)
Pupils then swap their paper with a partner who corrects it for them.
Partners check their answers together and then with the teacher.

Past Tense Slap!

Pupils are divided into teams.

The teacher holds up a flashcard/ says a verb to the class.
The pupils listen and slap the desk if they know the correct past tense
version.
The first pupil to slap the desk with the correct answer wins a point for
their team.

Pupils sit in a circle. The teacher puts a pile of flashcards with practiced
verbs on in the middle of the circle.
Pupils pass around a ball until the teacher shouts Stop!
That pupil must come to the middle of the circle, choose a flash card and
use it to make a sentence with the past tense.
The other pupils listen carefully and put their thumbs up if they think the
sentence is correct or their thumbs down if they think it is incorrect.