Simple Past: Changing Verbs from Simple Present to Simple Past

Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Song: “I Will Remember You” (Sarah McLachlan, 1999)
Recommended Video: the official video (The video ends with a romantic kiss; previewing is advised.)

The song “I Will Remember You” invites lessons on both the the simple future and the simple past tenses. (For an exercise using this song to teach the simple future, please see Future with Will: Making Promises.) The worksheet below, “Remembering You,” focuses on the simple past. First, students describe themselves in present-tense sentences. Then their partners change those sentences into the past tense, forming descriptions descendants might use to describe their great-grandparents. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan.

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Preview:

Remembering You

A. Complete the sentences. Please write clearly.

  1. I like __________________________. (Write a noun on the line.)
  2. I don’t like __________________________. (Write a noun on the line.)
  3. I like to __________________________. (Write a verb on the line.)
  4. I don’t like to __________________________. (Write a verb on the line.)
  5. I have some bad habits. For example, I ___________________________.
  6. I have some good habits. For example, I __________________________.
  7. I can teach someone to _______________________________________.

 

Now imagine that it is many, many years from now. Your grandchildren are old, but they remember you well. They will tell their children and grandchildren about you. How will they describe you?

 

B.  Give this paper to a partner. On the lines below, your partner will rewrite your sentences in Part A in the past tense, beginning each sentence with She or He. (For example: 1. He liked dogs. 2. He didn’t like big cities.)

  1. _________________________________________________________________
  2. _________________________________________________________________
  3. _________________________________________________________________
  4. _________________________________________________________________
  5. _________________________________________________________________
  6. _________________________________________________________________
  7. _________________________________________________________________

C.  Your partner will read the sentences in Part B aloud to the class or in a small group.

Copyright © 2016 Sandra Heyer. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.
Image: Copyright © Kydriashka | Dreamstime. Reprinted with permission.