Present Tense ESL Teaching Activity
The present tense is usually introduced first for English second language beginners. Although students will need to have studied this tense before they attempt these practice questions, a review is always a good idea. It may alert students to some small point of grammar that they haven’t previously noticed. Reviews can be interesting if they are related to an unusual story. This blog continues with questions referring to the story of Andrée’s balloon expedition to the Arctic in 1897.
Let’s review the conjugation of the verb “to be” in the present tense.
Singular: I am you are he is she is it is
Plural: We are you are they are
Choose the sentence with the present tense form of the verb.
1. Andrée, Frænkel and Strindberg were on the ice.
Andrée, Frænkel and Strindberg are on the ice.
Andrée, Frænkel and Strindberg will be on the ice.
2. The Arctic water is frozen.
The Arctic water was frozen.
The Arctic water wasn’t frozen.
3. They are going to be many kilometers from home.
They will be many kilometers from home.
They are many kilometers from home.
4. Andrée isn’t at home.
Andrée wasn’t at home.
Andrée hasn’t been at home.
5. Andrée said, “I will be on the ice.”
Andrée said, ”I am on the ice.”
Andrée said, “I was on the ice.”
Complete the paragraphs using the present tense of the verb in brackets. ( )
Andrée, Frænkel and Strindberg look around them – their balloon (to be) _____________ on the cold Arctic ice. Polar bears (to walk) ___________ on
the frozen sea looking for food. The Inuit people (to be) _______________ nearby. They (to know) ________________ how to survive on the ice. Will the
three explorers ask them for help?
They have a lot of supplies but their clothes (to be, negative) ____________ as warm as the Inuit’s clothes and their bottles of champagne, wine and beer (to be) ____________ very heavy. There (to be, negative) _____________ a place nearby where they can get help. How can they travel over the ice and (to carry) _____________ their supplies? The ice (to have) _____________ big
ridges, hungry polar bears are near and an icy wind (to blow) ____________.