XIX - EXERCISES Verb tenses

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart 
Verb tenses
Guide to tense usage

Exercise one:

Read the text:

John has always traveled a lot. In fact, he was only two years old when he first flew to the US. His mother is Italian and his father is American. John was born in France, but his parents had met in Cologne, Germany after they had been living there for five years. They met one day while John's father was reading a book in the library and his mother sat down beside him. Anyway, John travels a lot because his parents also travel a lot.

As a matter of fact, John is visiting his parents in France at the moment. He lives in New York now, but has been visiting his parents for the past few weeks. He really enjoys living in New York, but he also loves coming to visit his parents at least once a year.

This year he has flown over 50,000 miles for his job. He has been working for Jackson & Co. for almost two years now. He's pretty sure that he'll be working for them next year as well. His job requires a lot of travel. In fact, by the end of this year, he'll have traveled over 120,000 miles! His next journey will be to Australia. He really doesn't like going to Australia because it is so far. This time he is going to fly from Paris after a meeting with the company's French partner. He'll have been sitting for over 18 hours by the time he arrives!

John was talking with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from New York telephoned to let him know that Jackson & Co. had decided to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies had been negotiating for the past month, so it really wasn't much of a surprise. Of course, this means that John will have to catch the next plane back to New York. He'll be meeting with his boss at this time tomorrow.

Once you have finished, re-read the text and make sure that you have understood everything. The next step is to complete the story (the text is exactly the same) putting the verbs into the correct tense.

John ________________ (always/travel) a lot. In fact, he _____ (be) only two years old when he first _____ (fly) to the US. His mother ___ (be) Italian and his father ___ (be) American. John ___ (be) born in France, but his parents ________ (meet) in Cologne, Germany after they ________ (live) there for five years. They ______ (meet) one day while John's father __________ (read) a book in the library and his mother ________ (sit down) beside him. Anyway, John ________ (travel) a lot because his parents also __________ (travel) a lot.

As a matter of fact, John ____________ (visit) his parents in France at the moment. He _______ (live) in New York now, but ______________ (visit) his parents for the past few weeks. He really _______ (enjoy) living in New York, but he also _______ (love) coming to visit his parents at least once a year.

This year he ___________ (fly) over 50,000 miles for his job. He _______________ (work) for Jackson & Co. for almost two years now. He's pretty sure that he ____________ (work) for them next year as well. His job __________ (require) a lot of travel. In fact, by the end of this year, he ____________ (travel) over 120,000 miles! His next journey _______ (be) to Australia. He really ________ (not like) going to Australia because it is so far. This time he __________ (fly) from Paris after a meeting with the company's French partner. He _______________ (sit) for over 18 hours by the time he ________ (arrive)!

John _____________ (talk) with his parents earlier this evening when his girlfriend from New York _________ (telephone) to let him know that Jackson & Co. ___________ (decide) to merge with a company in Australia. The two companies ______________ (negotiate) for the past month, so it really _______ (not be) much of a surprise. Of course, this _______ (mean) that John _______ (have to catch) the next plane back to New York. He ______________ (meet) with his boss at this time tomorrow.

VIII - EXTRA How to teach English

HOW TO TEACH ENGLISH – TEN HELPFUL PIECES OF ADVICE

1. You don't need to stick to a lesson plan.

This may come as a shock, but things will happen in your classes that you don't expect! Students will finish some activities too soon and take longer on others. Some things will be easy for them, and others that you expect them to understand quickly will be tougher. It is more important to be flexible than stick rigidly to something that isn't working.

2.  You don't need to know all the answers. 

Another shock? I taught some classes where they asked me questions I couldn't answer right then. I told them I would find out for them, and I did. As long as you are honest, say you don't know, and then give the answers later, that's fine.

3. Every student is different.

Now, that may be obvious, but so many teachers forget this when they are teaching and treat each student in the same way. That won't work. Get to know your students, their learning styles and their strengths and weaknesses. If possible, create a variety of tasks to suit different students in the class.

4. You can't force students to learn, nor should you.

Teachers often feel responsible if their students don't progress. You can give them the tools for learning and inspire them to want to learn, but then it becomes the individual student's responsibility to learn, not only yours.

5.  Have a personality.

Be yourself. Let the students see you're a human being and not a teaching machine. Laugh at yourself if you make mistakes. Bring humor into the classroom.

6. Be encouraging.

Error correction is essential in the right circumstances, but if you correct every mistake then you can easily destroy a student's confidence. Praise good work and never tell students they are stupid. Students who think they are stupid lose motivation.

7. Balance your lessons between different skills.

A teacher who teaches 90% grammar is not helping the students. Communication skills, reading, writing, and vocabulary building are all as important as grammar. Possibly even more important than grammar!

8. Keep an emergency resources box.

Include games, paper, colored pencils, extra worksheets, magazines etc. This will be invaluable if you need to add a new activity into the lesson or to extend something the students are working on.

9.  Give homework.

This is controversial! You can't force students to do homework, but if you give them the choice then they will feel encouraged and they can take responsibility for their learning. It is really important to mark the homework if you do give it, and not leave it on your desk for weeks.

10.  Have fun!

If you enjoy your lessons, then your students will too