Department of Education

Faculty of Education

English for Communication -Unit 3

Introduction:
Grammar and writing are essential tools for effective communication. Good grammar ensures
clarity and coherence in written and spoken language, allowing your ideas to be understood by
others. Proper writing skills enable you to express your thoughts, opinions, and arguments in a
coherent and organized manner.Competency in using correct tenses in the correct context helps
to become an effective communicator.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit Student Teachers will be able to:
-communicate thoughts, ideas, and messages effectively through written communication.
-organize and analyze information,in a structured manner. developing logical arguments, and
expressing ideas coherently.
- expand vocabulary and be able to recognize and understand a broader range of words and
phrases
- recognize and comprehend the various verb tenses, including present, past, and future tenses,
as well as their different forms and functions.
-choose and apply the appropriate verb tense in different sentences and contexts.

Content
3. Grammar & Writing Skills(ILO1, ILO2, ILO3) (6 hours)
3.1 Tense and Voice.
(Only Simple tenses, Continuous Tenses and Present Perfect in both Active and Passive)
3.2 Relevant writing activities to practice grammar taught as stated in 3.1
(Specific Text Types: Letters, Reports, Stories, Instructions, Picture Description ,
Curriculum Vitae)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4vus0uQz4

Tense - Definition:

A tense is a form of the verb that allows you to express time. The tense of the verb tells
us when an event or something existed or when a person did something. Past, present,
and future are the three main types of tenses.
 Simple Tenses

search our site by Craig Shrives

What Are the Simple Tenses? (with Examples)

"Simple tense" is a category of verb tense. It covers the simple past tense, the
simple present tense , and the simple future tense.

The three simple tenses express facts or habitual activities. Unlike the other tenses,
the simple tenses describe actions without specifically stating whether the actions
are completed or ongoing.

Be aware that the "simple present tense" is an oddity. Despite its name, it is not
always about activities in the present. The simple present tense can be used for
activities that are not currently happening, and it can be used for future events.
Table of Contents
 The Role of the Simple Tenses
 Examples of Verbs in the Simple Tenses
 Forming Verbs in the Simple Tenses
 The Simple Tenses in the Past, Present, and Future
 Interactive Verb Conjugation Tables
 Why Simple Tenses Are Important
 Printable Test
The Role of the Simple Tenses

Here is an explanation of how the three simple tenses are used:

The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense describes a completed activity that happened in the past. In other words,
the activity started in the past and ended in the past. For example:
 I went.
 He saw.

The Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is a complex tense. It is used:
Use Examples

(1) To describe facts and  Lee loves pies. (Fact)

habits
 I play chess on Tuesdays. (Habit)
 (NB: These activities do not have to be happening right now.)

(2) To describe scheduled  The plane arrives at 7 o'clock.

events in the future
 The sun rises at 0530 tomorrow.
 (I know! It's supposed to be the present tense!)

(3) To tell stories  A skeleton walks into a bar and says, "Give me a beer and a mop."
(particularly jokes) to
make your listener or
reader feel more
engaged with the story

The Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense is used for an action that will occur in the future. For example:
 I will go.
 He will see.


Examples of Verbs in the Simple Tenses

Here are some more examples of verbs in the simple tenses.

In the Past Tense

 I cleaned the window.
 (simple past tense)
 They cleaned the window.
 (simple past tense)

In the Present Tense

 I clean the window.
 (simple present tense)
 They clean the window.
 (simple present tense)

In the Future Tense

 I will clean the window.
 (simple future tense)
 They will clean the window.
 (simple future tense)

Forming Verbs in the Simple Tenses

Here is an overview on how to form the simple tenses:

Forming the Simple Past Tense (for most verbs)

[base form of the verb]

+ "ed"
 They jumped.

This is how the simple past tense is formed with most verbs. However, there are several spelling
rules to consider.Read more about forming the simple past tense.

Forming the Simple Present Tense (for most verbs)

[base form of the verb by itself]
or (if it's the third person singular (he, she, or it))
[base form of the verb]
+ "s"
 We jump.
 He jumps.

This is how the simple present tense is formed with most verbs. However, there are several
spelling rules to consider.Read more about forming the simple present tense.

Forming the Simple Future Tense (for most verbs)

"will"
+ [base form of the verb]
 He will jump.

The Simple Tenses in the Past, Present, and Future

This table shows how the simple tenses (shaded in yellow) fit with the other tenses. There are 12
tenses in total.
 The 4 Past Tenses Example

simple past tense I went

past progressive tense I was going

past perfect tense I had gone

past perfect progressive I had been going

tense

The 4 Present Tenses Example

simple present tense I go

present progressive tense I am going

present perfect tense I have gone

present perfect progressive I have been going

tense

The 4 Future Tenses Example

simple future tense I will go

future progressive tense I will be going

future perfect tense I will have gone

future perfect progressive I will have been

tense going

The "Simple Aspect"

The term simple aspect is used to group all verbs (past, present, and future) in the simple tenses.
(Remember that the aspect of a verb is determined by whether the verb expresses a fact, an
ongoing action, or a completed action. Verbs in the simple aspect express facts.)

Interactive Verb Conjugation Tables

The tables below show all 12 tenses so you can see the simple tenses among the other tenses.
(You can change the verb by clicking one of the green buttons.)

Top 10 Regular Verbs

 want look use work start try ask need talk helpTop 10 Irregular Verbs

see say go come know get give become find thinkAll 4 Past Tenses
Person Simple Past Past Progressive Tense

 I saw  was seeing

 you  saw  were seeing
 he/she/it  saw  was seeing
 we  saw  were seeing
 you  saw  were seeing
 they  saw  were seeing
The simple past The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it i
tense is for a
completed activity
that happened in
the past.

All 4 Present Tenses

Person Simple Present Present Progressive Tense

 I see  am seeing  have seen

 you  see  are seeing  have seen
 he/she/it  sees  is seeing  has seen
 we  see  are seeing  have seen
 you  see  are seeing  have seen
 they  see  are seeing  have seen
The simple present tense is mostly for a The present progressive tense is The present perfect tense i
fact or a habit. for an ongoing action in the
present.

All 4 Future Tenses

P
e
r
Simple Future Future Progressive Tense
s
o
n

  I will see  will be seeing

  y will see  will be seeing
o  will see  will be seeing
 u will see  will be seeing
  h will see  will be seeing
e/
 will see  will be seeing
sh
e/ The simple future tense is for an action that will The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will
it occur in the future. occur in the future.
 w
e
 y
o
u
 t
he
y

Why Simple Tenses Are Important

Native English speakers can use all twelve tenses without giving the grammar a second thought.
However, if you're learning or teaching English, you must spend time learning the tenses because
expressing when something occurs is a fundamental communication skill. The simple tenses are
usually the first tenses taught, but, as we've covered, they're not simple at all, and they're not
used too often during a natural conversation.

Remember that tenses do not just tell us whether something is a past, present, or future action.
They also tell us whether the action is habitual, completed, or ongoing (called the aspects).

The trick to learning tenses is mastering the following:

 The verb "to be" in all its forms (am, is, are, was, were, will be)
 The verb "to have" in all its forms (has, have, had, will have)
 Present participles, i.e., the "ing" form of verbs (e.g., playing, thinking, eating)
 Past participles (e.g., played, thought, eaten)
0
0
True or false? Simple tense is a category of verb tense that covers the simple past tense, the
simple present tense, and the simple future tense.

A. True
B. False

Select the verb in a simple tense:

 A. watches
B. is watching
C. has watched

3
Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. paints
B. have painted
C. did paint

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. will have sung

B. sang
C. singing

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. maid
B. made
C. was making

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. were thinking
B. will have thought
C. thought

Select the verb in a simple tense:

 A. was typing
B. were typing
C. will type

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. disliked
B. has loathed
C. had hated

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. will fight
B. is fighting
C. fighting

10

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. will have watched

B. watched
C. will be watching

11

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. is playing
B. will be playing
C. played

13
Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. rode
B. is riding
C. will have been riding

14

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. will have sung

B. will be singing
C. will sing

15

How many simple-tense verbs are in the following quotation?

"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy." (Benjamin Franklin)

A. 2
B. 3
C. 4

16

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. will be freeze
B. frozen
C. will freeze

17

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. had told
B. tells
 C. is telling

18

Select the verb in a simple tense:

A. has known
B. will know
C. will have known

Simpl Tense activiyties.pdf

Verb Tenses with ex,.pdf

Active and Passive Voice

Simple Present Tense Rules & Examples

Voice - Definition:

Voice refers to the form of a verb that indicates when a grammatical subject performs
the action or is the receiver of the action. When a sentence is written in the active voice,
the subject performs the action; in the passive voice, the subject receives the action.
Active verbs are stronger and usually more emphatic than forms of the verb “be” or
verbs in the passive voice.

Examples:

Active: The award-winning chef prepares each meal with loving care.
Passive: Each meal is prepared with loving care by the award-winning chef.

The structural pattern for changing voice in simple present tense is –

Active Voice Passive Voice

 Active Voice Passive Voice

SUBJECT + VERB(S/ES/IES) + OBJECT + AM/IS/ARE + VERB(PAST PARTICIPLE) + BY/TO/WITH

OBJECT + SUBJECT

Examples

Active Voice Passive Voice

He plays hockey. Hockey is played by him.

Mother gives me money for my study. Money is given to me for my study by mother

I do my homework every day. My homework is done every day by me.

Lata sings classical songs. Classical songs are sung by Lata.

The farmers produce food for everyone. Food for everyone is produced by the farmers.

I read a poetry every day. A poetry is read every day by me.

The magician knows wonderful tricks. Wonderful tricks are known by the magician.

The trees give us oxygen. Oxygen is given to us by the trees.

The bees collect honey from the flowers. Honey is collected from the flowers by the bees.

The tiger hunts deer. Deer is hunted by the tiger.

Active and Passive Voice – Simple Past Tense

Active sentences in the simple past tense have the following structure:
Subject + past tense form of the verb + object
Passive sentences in the simple past tense have the following structure:
Object of the active sentence + was/were + past participle form of the verb + by + subject of
the active sentence

Changing an assertive sentence into the passive

Active: He wrote a letter.

Passive: A letter was written by him.
Active: They knew it.
Passive: It was known to them.
Active: She sang a song.
Passive: A song was sung by her.
Active: He loved his friends very much.
Passive: His friends were loved very much by him.

Changing a negative sentence into the passive

Active: She did not know anything about it.

Passive: Nothing about it was known to her.
Active: Nobody could discourage him from pursuing his path.
Passive: He could not be discouraged from pursuing his path by anybody.
Active: You did not listen to me.
Passive: I was not listened to by you.
Active: She did not write a story.
Passive: A story was not written by her.

Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive

Passive forms of these sentences begin with did. If the active sentence begins with a question
word, the passive sentence will also begin with a question word. If the active sentence begins
with who or whose, the passive sentence will begin with by whom or by whose. If the active
sentence begins with whom, the passive sentence will begin with who.

Active: Did he break the window?

Passive: Was the window broken by him?
Active: Where could you find such fine art?
Passive: Where could such fine art be found?
Active: Why did you abuse your servant?
Passive: Why was your servant abused by you?
Active: Did anyone steal your purse?
Passive: Was your purse stolen by anyone?
Active: Did anyone hurt your feelings?
Passive: Were your feelings hurt by anyone?
Active: Did Alice invite you?
Passive: Were you invited by Alice?
Active: Who killed the snake?
Passive: By whom was the snake killed?
Active: Why did he punish you?
Passive: Why were you punished by him?
Active: Whom did you laugh at?
Passive: Who was laughed at by you?

Active and Passive Voice – Future Tense

Simple Future Tense

Active: Subject + will/shall + first form of the verb + object

Passive: Object of the active sentence + will/shall + be + past participle form of the verb + by +
subject of the active sentence
Active: I will write a letter.

Passive: A letter will be written by me.

Active: She will help me.
Passive: I will be helped by her.
Active: John will learn the lesson.
Passive: The lesson will be learnt by John.

Changing a negative sentence into the passive

Active: She will not help us.

Passive: We will not be helped by her.
Active: We will not visit the hill station this year.
Passive: The hill station will not be visited by us this year.

Active: We shall not betray our country.

Passive: Our country shall not be betrayed by us.

Changing an Interrogative sentence into the passive

Active: Will you help him?

Passive: Will he be helped by you?
Active: Will you not help me?
Passive: Shall I not be helped by you?
Active: Will they accept our invitation?
Passive: Will our invitation be accepted by them?

Future perfect tense

Active: Subject + will/shall + have + past participle form of the verb + object
Passive: Object of the active sentence + will/shall + have + been + past participle form of the
verb + by + subject of the active sentence

Active: We shall not have accepted the invitation.

Passive: The invitation shall not have been accepted by us.
Active: She will have finished her work.
Passive: Her work will have been finished by her.
Active: They will have elected him their leader.
Passive: He will have been elected their leader (by them).

Changing an interrogative sentence into the passive

Active: Will she have cooked the food?

Passive: Will the food have been cooked by her?
Active: Will they have received our letter?
Passive: Will our letter have been received by them?
Active: Will they have caught the train?
Passive: Will the train have been caught by them?
Active: Who will have opposed you?
Passive: By whom will you have been opposed?

Notes

Active sentences in the future continuous and future perfect continuous tenses cannot be
changed to the passive.

Next lesson >

Simpl Tense activiyties.pdf

Verb Tenses with ex,.pdf

Importance of developing vocabulary

Increased Word Knowledge: Student-Teachers should develop an expanded vocabulary, gaining
knowledge of new words, their meanings, and how to use them appropriately.
Improved Word Recognition: Students should enhance their ability to recognize and understand
words in various contexts, including reading materials, conversations, and written assignments.
Enhanced Reading Comprehension: By acquiring a larger vocabulary, students can improve their
reading comprehension skills. They will be better equipped to understand and derive meaning
from texts.
Improved Writing Skills: A wider vocabulary enables students to express themselves more
precisely and effectively in writing. They can choose words that accurately convey their thoughts
and ideas.
Enhanced Speaking and Listening Skills: A larger vocabulary facilitates better communication in
speaking and listening tasks. Students can express themselves more fluently, understand others
more easily, and participate in meaningful conversations.
Increased Critical Thinking Skills: Vocabulary development often involves learning words with
meanings and shades of expression. This can enhance students' critical thinking abilities by
requiring them to analyze, compare, and evaluate different words and their connotations.
Improved Academic Performance: As vocabulary is a fundamental aspect of academic success,
students with stronger word
Reading: Encourage adults to read books, newspapers, magazines, and online articles. Reading
exposes them to new words and helps improve their vocabulary.
Word of the Day: Introduce a "Word of the Day" activity where participants learn a new word
every day. Provide definitions, sample sentences, and encourage them to use the word in their
conversations.
Vocabulary Games: Play word games like Scrabble, crossword puzzles, or word association
games. These games challenge adults to think creatively and expand their vocabulary.
Vocabulary Journals: Ask participants to maintain a vocabulary journal where they write down
new words they come across. They can include definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and example
sentences.
Contextual Learning: Instead of learning words in isolation, encourage adults to learn words in
context. Provide reading passages or short stories and ask them to identify unfamiliar words,
guess their meanings from context, and discuss their interpretations.
Word Challenges: Organize word challenges or competitions, such as spelling bees or vocabulary
quizzes. This adds an element of fun and healthy competition while improving participants'
vocabulary.
Word Associations: Provide a list of words and ask participants to come up with as many related
words or associations as possible. This exercise encourages them to think creatively and expand
their vocabulary.
Vocabulary Apps and Online Resources: Recommend vocabulary-building apps like Quizlet,
Memrise, or Vocabulary.com. These platforms offer interactive exercises, flashcards, and quizzes
to help adults learn new words.
Word Etymology: Explore the origins and history of words. Share interesting etymological facts
and stories behind common words. Understanding word roots and their evolution can help
adults grasp new vocabulary more easily.
Vocabulary Book Club: Start a vocabulary-focused book club where participants read and discuss
books known for their rich language and extensive vocabulary.
Activities to practice…..

Developing Writing Skill

There are numerous writing activities that can engage and challenge adults. Here are some ideas
to get you started:

Journal: Encourage adults to keep a journal where they can write about their thoughts,
experiences, and reflections. It's a great way to promote self-expression and self-awareness.

Writing prompts: Provide a variety of writing prompts or creative writing exercises to spark
inspiration. These prompts can be focused on different themes, genres, or emotions.
Short stories: Encourage adults to write short stories. They can explore different genres,
experiment with plot structures, or create engaging characters. Writing short stories allows for
creativity and can be a great way to improve storytelling skills.
Poetry: Encourage adults to try their hand at poetry. They can experiment with different forms
like sonnets, haikus, or free verse. Poetry allows for exploration of language, emotions, and
imagery.
Letter writing: Encourage adults to write letters to friends, family members, or even fictional
characters. Letter writing allows for personal expression and can be a great way to strengthen
relationships or practice persuasive writing skills.
Blogging: Encourage adults to start a blog on a topic they are passionate about. It can be
anything from cooking and travel to politics and technology. Blogging helps develop writing skills
while sharing knowledge and perspectives with others.
Collaborative writing: Organize a group activity where adults work together to write a story or a
script. Each person contributes a paragraph or a scene, building on what the previous person
wrote. This activity encourages creativity, cooperation, and teamwork.
Writing competitions: Encourage adults to participate in writing competitions or challenges.
These can be based on specific themes, word limits, or genres. Competitions provide motivation
and a sense of accomplishment.
Book club discussions: Form a book club where adults read and discuss books together. The
discussions can focus on themes, characters, writing styles, or personal interpretations. Writing
reviews or reflections on the books can also be included.
Writing workshops or classes: Organize or recommend writing workshops or classes where
adults can learn new writing techniques, get feedback on their work, and interact with
Activities to practice………