Understanding Tense Confusion
Let’s explore some common mistakes that many of us make while using tenses. Remember, making mistakes is a natural part of learning! Let’s see how we can fix them.
- Mixing Time Words with Wrong Tenses
Incorrect Pattern: Using time words that don’t match the tense
– ❌ Yesterday, I will go to school.
– ❌ Tomorrow, I went to the park.
– ❌ Now, I played cricket.
Why This Happens: Sometimes we forget that certain time words (yesterday, tomorrow, now) need specific tenses.
The Fix: Remember these simple matches:
– Yesterday → Past Tense (went, played, studied)
– Now → Present Continuous (am/is/are + ing)
– Tomorrow → Future Tense (will + verb)
Correct Versions:
– ✅ Yesterday, I went to school.
– ✅ Tomorrow, I will go to the park.
– ✅ Now, I am playing cricket.
- Present Continuous Formation Errors
Incorrect Pattern: Forgetting ‘am/is/are’ or misusing ‘-ing’
– ❌ She playing with dolls.
– ❌ They reading books.
– ❌ I walking to school.
Why This Happens: We sometimes forget that present continuous needs both a helping verb (am/is/are) and the -ing form.
The Fix: Remember the formula:
Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing
Correct Versions:
– ✅ She is playing with dolls.
– ✅ They are reading books.
– ✅ I am walking to school.
- Simple Present Third Person Confusion
Incorrect Pattern: Forgetting to add ‘s/es’ for he/she/it
– ❌ He play football.
– ❌ She write stories.
– ❌ The dog bark loudly.
Why This Happens: We forget that he/she/it needs an extra ‘s’ or ‘es’ in simple present tense.
The Fix: Add ‘s’ or ‘es’ for he/she/it in simple present:
– For most verbs: add ‘s’ (plays, writes)
– For verbs ending in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, -o: add ‘es’ (watches, passes)
Correct Versions:
– ✅ He plays football.
– ✅ She writes stories.
– ✅ The dog barks loudly.
- Future Tense Formation Errors
Incorrect Pattern: Misusing ‘will’ or forgetting it
– ❌ I going to play tomorrow.
– ❌ Tomorrow we meeting friends.
– ❌ She come next week.
Why This Happens: We sometimes forget that future actions need ‘will’ or ‘going to’.
The Fix: Use either ‘will + verb’ or ‘am/is/are going to + verb’
Correct Versions:
– ✅ I will play tomorrow.
– ✅ Tomorrow we will meet friends.
– ✅ She will come next week.
OR
– ✅ I am going to play tomorrow.
– ✅ Tomorrow we are going to meet friends.
– ✅ She is going to come next week.
- Past Tense Irregular Verbs
Incorrect Pattern: Using regular ‘-ed’ ending for irregular verbs
– ❌ I goed to the market.
– ❌ She catched the ball.
– ❌ He runned fast.
Why This Happens: We apply the regular -ed rule to irregular verbs.
The Fix: Learn common irregular verbs and their past forms:
– go → went
– catch → caught
– run → ran
Correct Versions:
– ✅ I went to the market.
– ✅ She caught the ball.
– ✅ He ran fast.
Remember These Golden Rules:
- Time words are your friends – they tell you which tense to use
- Present continuous always needs both am/is/are AND -ing
- He/She/It needs ‘s’ or ‘es’ in simple present
- Future needs ‘will’ or ‘going to’
- Some verbs are irregular – they need special past forms
Practice Activity: Error Correction Journal
Keep a small notebook where you write down tense mistakes you notice in your own writing or speaking. Writing down corrections helps remember them better!
Note for Parents:
Encourage children to identify these common patterns in their own writing. Regular practice in spotting and correcting these errors will help strengthen their understanding of tenses.
