After teaching present simple to my elementary students, we wrote a test and I collected the most common mistakes my students made. I analysed the mistakes and prepared games and exercises to help my students learn from their mistakes.
In this post there is an infographic with all the mistakes, their corrections and explanations. Then there is a worksheet with 4 exercises, two games and an online quiz to practise the most difficult aspects of the present simple tense.
Common mistakes – present simple – infographic
In the mind map there are all the wrong sentences, their corrections and in blue ink there is an explanation why the sentence was wrong.
ADVERT:
[showmyads]
Common mistakes – present simple – worksheet
Only after this activity I display the infographic and explain the mistakes.
Then it is time to hand out the following worksheet:
Common mistakes in present simple tense worksheetIn the worksheet there are four exercises. The first one is slightly unusual. First the students have to decide where the verbs go and then they have to put the words into the correct order. The rest of the exercises are all standard exercises.
Common mistakes – present simple – games
The first game is called Penalty Shootout. In this game you should choose the correct form and then try to score a goal. Good luck.
As the game is in Flash, it will only play on desktop computers.
ADVERT:
[showmyadsa]
Present simple – Penalty game
The following quiz can help your students practise the past simple tense at home. The quiz consists of two parts. In the first part, students should put the words into the correct order. In the second part, students have to put the verbs into the correct form. Students will be rewarded with a game after each part of the quiz they pass. The quiz is in HTML5, so it will play on all desktops and mobile devices.
Present simple tense – quizThe basic explanation of the usage of the phrase THERE IS / THERE ARE is easy to understand and practice. My students caught on very quickly and then used the phrase without any mistakes. However, you might need to teach the plural first to allow the students use these without any mistakes.
In this post there is a clear mind map which even 9 years old managed to understand, a worksheet and two games to practice the grammar.
There is / There are – mind map
- It is used to describe a scenery or picture.
- THERE IS A + one thing
- THERE ARE + more than one thing.
There is / There are – games and activities
The next two activities are interactive quizzes and games. Both of them are in HTML 5 and both of them will work on any mobile device.
In the first quiz you should read the description and click on the correct picture. If you pass the test you can play the game Angry Finches.
In the second game you should write the missing words into the sentences to describe the picture on the left. If you pass this test you will be given a chance to play the game called Make them Fall.
Enjoy.
Category: Elementary, English games, Grammar
Last week I taught passive and present perfect tense. I thought that I was well prepared but in both cases we encountered one big problem. The students could not form the past participles correctly. So they fought with the past participles and completely ignored the grammar taught.
ADVERTISEMENT:
[showmyads]
So now I know that we have to deal with past participles before we return to the two grammatical points again. That is why I have prepared this post. Here the students can learn and practise the past participles of 40 irregular verbs. It is not a full list but, it is better than nothing. There is a rap to start the lesson, there is a mind map and several games to practise the verbs. I hope you will find these useful too.
Past participles – RAP
Past participles – mind map
- Past participles are not as difficult as they seem.
Past participles – GAMES
ADVERTISEMENT:
[showmyads]
The second game is called En Garde. Your task is to choose the correct past participle and then hit your opponent. Kill him sooner than he does the same to you.
Click Here to play the gameThe third game has already been presented on our site. It is called Teacher invaders and your task it to kill all the invaders and write the past participles of the verbs displayed. Enjoy.
Click Here to play the gameTwo days ago we encountered a simple exercise in our textbook. Students’ task was to fill in the missing prepositions. Even though my students are strong lower intermediate students who can understand a lot of English and speak quite fluently, they were not able to use the correct prepositions. Although the students met the adjectives and prepositions many time before, they could not use them. So I have created this post where I will teach the adjectives and prepositions.
This post contains only a few adjectives but I believe it is better if you always use a few adjectives with the correct preposition than if you know a lot of adjectives and use the prepositions wrongly.
Adjectives and prepostions – infographic
ADVERT:
[showmyads]
Adjectives and prepostions – games
I have been using games in class for quite a long time, but I never fail to be surprised how easily students learn the correct answers to the questions just because they want to win the game.
The first game is called Teacher Invaders and your task is to shoot all the invaders and complete the sentences with the correct prepositions.
Teacher Invaders gameThe second game is called On target and your task is to shoot as many bad ducks as you can. You can shoot a bottle too and get a bonus. Give it a try.
On Target game
More posts on prepositions
If you need more practise on prepositions there are two more posts on prepositions at our site. They explain the usage of the prepositions AT, IN, ON for places and time.
You can find the posts at:
https://engames.eu/prepositions-place/
https://engames.eu/prepositions-at-in-on-time/
Many elementary students feel they cannot see the difference between these two tenses. To help them I have created a rap which explains the grammar and gives some example sentences, two mind maps explaining everything simply and several games to practise this grammar point. I hope you will find it useful.
Present tenses – mind maps
The first mind map explains the basics about the present simple tense:
The second mind map has already been published here in the post on Present continuous tense. The mind map explains the usage and form of the present continuous tense.
ADVERT:
[showmyads]
Present tenses – rap
Watch the rap and then try to answer the comprehension questions in the game On target. The rap explains the usage of the two tenses and gives some examples.
Now try the comprehension game. Answer all the questions and then shoot the bad ducks 🙂
Play the game here.
Present tenses – games
ADVERT:
[showmyads]
Now it is time to check whether you understand the grammar point. Here is a game called En Garde. Your task is to choose the correct tense and then hit your opponent. Good luck.
You can play the game En Garde here.
Three days ago we were talking about presents with my students and I could hear that they were using the verbs buy,give, get etc. in a way that everyone would understand them but which was wrong. So, I created the following presentation and several exercises. What surprised me was that even after my presentation the students protested that some other forms (the ones they used) were correct too. But it is not true. They are not and you have to use the verbs in the way demonstrated here to be understood and correct.
Verbs with two objects – mind map
I am really proud of this mind map. It took a lot of time to construct and I think it clearly demonstrates the verbs and their usage:
[showmyads]
Verbs with two objects – games
Once you have mastered the three possible patterns it is time to use them. There are two game to practise this grammar point. In the first one you should choose the correct option to get a chance to hurt your opponent. Are you good enough to win the fight?
Verbs with two subjects En Garde game.
The second game is quite quick. You have to shoot all the invaders and answer all the questions. The best I have ever seen was level 5. Can you get further?
Verbs with two objects – Teacher invaders
Verbs with two objects – for teachers
I have realised that this site is frequently visited by teachers. And that is why I have decided to enter this part into my post. Here I would like to offer the teachers the materials tuned for teaching. First is the mind map in powerpoint file. If you have an IWB you can display the parts of the mind map and explain the concept.
The other file contains the mind map in a pdf file.
Follow us
Do you think that the materials at this site are useful? Would you like to be first to learn about our new posts? So follow us on TWITTER:
Follow @Zdendaa
In time clauses it is important to understand that you cannot use WILL after certain conjunctions, even though you are referring to the future. And that is the whole trick. If you do this (not will do this), your English will be fine. And that is what you need.
Time clauses – mind map
To make this concept clearer I have created the following mind map. Read the mind map clockwise and start at 12 o’clock.
[showmyads]
Time clauses – games
As the grammar point is quite simple to understand, I have created only two games to practise this. The first one is called Fling the Teacher and if you answer (not will answer) all the questions correctly you will fire the teacher because you won’t need him any more. So what are you waiting for? FLING THE TEACHER!
Fling the teacher – time clauses.
The second game is ideal for a classroom. You can work in two teams and the teams fight against each other. If you answer incorrectly your opponent gets a free chance to hurt you.
Follow us
Do you think that the materials at this site are useful? Would you like to be first to learn about our new posts? So follow us on TWITTER:
Follow @Zdendaa
The concept of uncountability is very difficult to understand and use correctly for learners of English. However, even the English sometimes need to count the things which are uncountable. To do this they count the containers the things are commonly packed in or they have a countable expression which is used with the given noun. Thus, they have one pair of trousers, two pieces of cake or a carton of milk. To master this you have to learn the containers by heart. To make it easier I have prepared a short video, a mind map and three games for you.
Containers – video
Watch the video and repeat the phrases with the native speaker.
ADVERTISEMENT:
[showmyads]
Containers – mind map
The following mind map visually maps the containers and their usage.
Once you have learnt the containers it is time to see whether you really know them. Play the following games and if you win you can be sure that you know the vocabulary.
Containers – games
The first game is the easiest one. You have to choose the correct container for the given phrase. If you succeed you will be given the chance to shoot a penalty. Can you score 10 times? No one ever has. BE THE FRIST ONE.
The second game is slightly more difficult. Your task is to choose the word which fits into the gap. You have to choose a noun which is commonly used with the given container. If you are successful then you can try to win the fencing duel.
The last game is the most difficult one. While in the previous games it was enough to choose a word, here you have to make it up. And in the meantime the invaders get more and more aggressive. Will you save the planet?
Containers – Teacher invaders game.
Follow us
Do you think that the materials at this site are useful? Would you like to be first to learn about our new posts? So follow us on TWITTER:
Follow @Zdendaa
A week ago I published a post on prepositions AT, IN, ON for time. Several students asked me if I could do something like that for prepositions AT, IN, ON but for places. So here you are. There is a mind map graphically explaining the usage of the prepositions and then there are 3 games to practise the grammar point. Enjoy.
Prepositions AT, IN, ON for places – MIND MAP
Here is a mind map, where I try to explain the difference between the three prepositions. I tried to make it as illustrative as possible, so I hope everything is clear.
ADVERTISEMENT:
[showmyads]
Like us to see the mind map.
[sociallocker id=”3501″]
Prepositions AT, IN, ON for places – GAMES
[/sociallocker] Here you can try three games to practise the grammar point. The first game is called penalty and your task is to choose the correct preposition and then score a goal.Prepositions AT, IN, ON for places – penalty.
The second game is called teacher invaders. Your task is to shoot the invaders and every few seconds complete the sentence with the correct preposition.
Prepositions AT, IN, ON for places – teacher invaders.
Are you looking for something quieter at the end? Try the quiz and if you complete more than 80% of the questions correctly you will get to play the game called Angry Finches.
Prepositions AT, IN, ON for places – cloze test and Angry Finches.
Follow us
Do you think that the materials at this site are useful? Would you like to be first to learn about our new posts? So follow us on TWITTER:
Follow @Zdendaa
Past simple is one of the most important English tenses. Scott Thornbury once wrote that he would sacrifice all the perfect tenses and other grammar if he could teach past simple properly. I agree with him, because if the students could you this tense, then I would probably forgive them everything.
Basic English grammar rules – infographic
ADVERTISEMENT:
[showmyads]

Basic English grammar rules – online quiz
During the week more activities on Past simple tense are coming. Watch out for them.
To be the first to learn about our latest games and activities follow us on TWITTER:
Follow @Zdendaa
To learn this difficult tense you first have to learn the past participles. Regular verbs just add the ending -ed but you have to memorise the irregular ones. Here is a mind map which might help you memorise the irregular verbs first
(more…)