---
title: "Simple Past, Present and Future"
description: "Form and use the simple past, present, and future verb tenses consistently in writing"
canonical: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/simple-past-present-and-future-mt_Of-WsrRQ8B
source: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/simple-past-present-and-future-mt_Of-WsrRQ8B.md
retrieved: 2026-10-19
---

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# Simple Past, Present and Future

Form and use the simple past, present, and future verb tenses consistently in writing

Subject: English · Area: Grammar & Punctuation · Ages 8 to 9
Page: https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/simple-past-present-and-future-mt_Of-WsrRQ8B

## Ready when they can

- Rewrite 'I walk to school' in past tense ('I walked') and future tense ('I will walk')
- Identify and correct inconsistent tense in 'Yesterday she walks to the shop and bought milk'
- Write a three-sentence paragraph maintaining consistent future tense throughout

## Lesson: Simple Past, Present, and Future

You already know how a verb changes for something happening now and something that already happened. Now add one more time: the future. To talk about something that hasn't happened yet, put the word 'will' in front of the verb, like 'will walk'.

*(drawing: Yesterday you walked to school. Today you walk to school. Tomorrow you will walk again.)*

Most verbs add '-ed' for the past, like 'walked' and 'played'. But some common verbs change their whole shape: 'run' becomes 'ran', 'eat' becomes 'ate', 'go' becomes 'went', and 'buy' becomes 'bought'. The future is easy with these too: just put 'will' in front, like 'will run'.

**Example.** Look at this sentence: 'Yesterday she walks to the shop and bought milk.' The word 'walks' is present tense, but the sentence is about yesterday. The fix is 'Yesterday she walked to the shop and bought milk.' Now every verb matches the same time.

**Tip.** Pick one time for your sentence or paragraph and stick with it. Don't jump from past to present to future in the same story unless the time really changes.

**Recap.** Match the verb to the time, walked for yesterday, walk for today, will walk for tomorrow, and keep that same time all the way through.

## Practice

24 questions on this page, each with its working shown.

## Needs first

- [Past, Present and Progressive Tense](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/past-present-and-progressive-tense-mt_enj1sMcfOT)
- [Irregular past tense verbs](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/irregular-past-tense-verbs-mt_KIG5FQI5fC)

## Opens up

- [The Present Perfect Tense](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/the-present-perfect-tense-mt_7D-vlii8F-)
- [Progressive and Continuous Tenses](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/progressive-and-continuous-tenses-mt_mkDqmejLMw)
- [Modal Verbs and Possibility](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/modal-verbs-and-possibility-mt_N9zffZxuu5)
- [Consistent verb tense](https://lightmysky.com/learn/english/consistent-verb-tense-mt_npRaYRhU2V)