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Past and Present Tense: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Past and Present Tense is a free printable English worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Children read short sentences and decide whether each one is happening now or already happened. They also practise changing verbs between the present and the past tense. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children read short sentences about everyday actions and ask one question each time: is this happening now, or did it already happen? Then they practise changing verbs between the present and the past tense. Each numbered question has space for the answer. The sentences are simple and familiar, so children can focus on the verb and on what it tells us about time.
- I jump over the log.
- She plays with her toys.
- They paint a picture.
- We look at the stars.
- He is walking to the park.
A worked example
The cat climbs the wall. Change the sentence so it tells us this already happened.
This sentence is not on the sheet. It shows two ways children can think.
Method 1: find the verb- Read the sentence aloud and ask, "What is the action word?" It is climbs.
- Ask, "Is this happening now or already happened?" It says climbs, so it is happening now.
- Change the verb so it sounds like earlier. Say the new sentence aloud to check it sounds right.
- Start the sentence with a word that points to the past, such as Yesterday.
- Say it aloud: Yesterday the cat climbs the wall. Does that sound right? No, the verb still says now.
- Change the verb to match the clue so the whole sentence is about the past.
Why tense matters in writing
Tense tells the reader when something happens. A verb is the word that does this work. When a verb changes, the time of the sentence changes with it. Year 2 children are learning to notice this change and to use it in their own writing. Spotting the verb is the first step, and it is a useful habit to build early.
Many past tense verbs end in ed, and children learn this pattern first. Some verbs follow different patterns, and children meet those through reading and talking. Saying a sentence aloud helps a great deal. Young children often hear that a sentence sounds wrong before they can explain why. That listening skill is worth praising.
Skills and curriculum link
- Spotting verbs
- Present tense
- Past tense
- Changing verb endings
- Writing sentences
This sheet supports the area below. It is matched to the published England framework. Please check it against your own school plan.
| Framework | Subject or area | Strand | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Curriculum (England) | English | Writing: vocabulary, grammar and punctuation | Year 2 |
What children will be able to do
- I can change a verb from the present to the past.
- I can say whether a sentence is about now or earlier.
- I can write a sentence in the past tense.
Ideas to help your child
- Verbs are action wordsA verb tells us what someone does. Ask your child to act out a few verbs before they look at the sheet.
- Tense is about timeThe tense of a verb shows whether something is happening now or happened earlier. Link it to today and yesterday.
- Time cluesWords like yesterday, now and today can hint at the tense. Check that the verb matches the clue.
- Say it aloudReading a sentence aloud helps children hear whether it sounds right. Ask, "Does that sound like it already happened?"
Key words
- VerbAn action word. It tells us what someone or something does.
- TenseThe time a sentence is about. It shows in the verb.
- Present tenseTells what is happening now. The bird sings in the tree.
- Past tenseTells what already happened. The bird landed on the roof.
- SentenceA group of words that makes sense on its own. It starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark.
- EndingThe letters added to the end of a word. Many past tense verbs have the ending ed.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read each sentence aloud together. Ask, "Is it happening now, or did it already happen?"
- Work through the first few together. Talk about the verb in each sentence and why you chose your answer.
- Let your child try the rest alone, then check with page 2. Ask, "How do you know?"
- Come back another day. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Remind your child that many past tense verbs end in ed. Ask them to find the verb first and say the sentence aloud. Do the first few together and let them have a go at the next one alone.
To stretch confident children
Write three sentences about yesterday using past tense verbs. Then rewrite each one so it is about today. Read them to a grown up and ask them to spot which verbs changed.
Make it a game
Take turns to say a sentence. The next player changes it to the other tense and says it aloud. If it sounds right, they score a point. Swap roles and see who reaches five points first.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child adds a time word like yesterday but leaves the verb as it was.
Try thisSay the whole sentence aloud. Ask, "Does the verb sound like it already happened?" Then change the verb to match.
Watch forA child adds ed to every verb, even ones that change in a different way, such as go.
Try thisPraise the pattern they know. Explain that some verbs change in other ways. Say it aloud and ask which sounds right.
Watch forA child thinks past tense means a long time ago only.
Try thisExplain that past means any time before now, even a minute ago. Try sentences about this morning.
Talk about it
- What did you do this morning? Say it in the past tense.
- What are you doing right now? Say it in the present tense.
- How can you tell a sentence is about something that already happened?
- Can you think of a verb that you could act out? Is the action happening now?
- What clue words tell us about now or earlier?
- Can you tell me what you will do tomorrow? How is that different from yesterday?
Take it off the page
Action and words
Do an action such as clapping. Say what you are doing in the present tense. Stop, then say what you did in the past tense. Swap turns.
Yesterday and today diary
Fold a piece of paper in half. Draw what you did today on one side and yesterday on the other. Write a sentence under each.
Tense sort
Write sentences on strips of paper. Sort them into two piles, now and earlier. Check the verbs together at the end.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few sentences, then let them lead. Ask them to explain their thinking. If they get stuck, act out the action and talk about when it happened.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups, and the answers make marking quick.
Home educators
Pair this sheet with a favourite story. Ask your child to spot verbs and say whether they tell us about now or earlier. Reuse the sheet for brothers and sisters or as a revision task later.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children learn to spot verbs as action words and to build simple sentences. They begin to hear that words can change form to show different meanings.
After this, children use tense more carefully in their own writing and meet more verb patterns. They also learn to keep the tense consistent through a short piece of writing.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- How do you know this sentence is about something that already happened?
- What happens to the verb when we change it to the past?
- Can you tell me a sentence about today and then the same one about yesterday?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Past and Present Tense for?
It is written for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Older children who need extra practice with verbs may also find it useful, and younger confident children can try it with a grown up.
- What will children practise?
Children practise telling whether a sentence is about now or earlier, and changing verbs between the present and the past tense. They build the habit of looking closely at the verb in each sentence.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision.
- How do I use it?
Read each sentence aloud together. Ask whether it is happening now or already happened. Work through the first few together, then let your child try alone. Check against the notes and answers on page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Remind your child that many past tense verbs end in ed. Ask them to find the verb first and say the sentence aloud. Do the first few together and let them try the next one alone.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It is a screen free printable that needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. Black and white printing is fine.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.