Comments on: Pre-Intermediate Mixed Tenses Exercise: Simple or Continuous?

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:37:04 +0000

In reply to Oksana.

Thank you Oksana, I’m glad it helped – I do actually have a Future Tenses exercise on here already, if it’s a reasonable level – here.

Otherwise I will be looking at doing some more beginner level exercises soon (if you’re not signed onto the mailing list, please do join it to know where there’s new content!).

By: Oksana

Oksana — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:18:26 +0000

May be you can advise something like that for Future Tenses? Thanl you)

By: Oksana

Oksana — Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:14:29 +0000

Hello, Phill/ Thank you so much! This exersise is just the thing for my pupils) They’ve been studing English for the forth year now. The practice isn’t easy but it’s “not beyond their power”))) Thanks a lot, look forward to continuation. Oksana

By: jaime

jaime — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 14:37:09 +0000

Hello, Phil.

I know I have another commitment with you, I don’t forget but time flies, sorry.
Best regards
Jaime

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 14:17:18 +0000

In reply to jaime.

Thanks Jaime – yes it’s very tricky to get sentences that clearly stick to one tense without more context, that’s why I chose to stick to Past vs Present in this case, as they could easily be confused with Future. Though this is perhaps another flaw with making the exercise too complicated, as it might be even better to simply have single tense drills.

By: jaime

jaime — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 10:35:26 +0000

I think the answers to questions 5 and 8 could be past tense or future tense depending on how you look the time.
The answer to 12 could be past tense or past continuous depending on what you want highlight.
I have had problems answering some questionnaires, the problems come up because the question doesn’t go with a context (it’s not possible) so the mind of the question and that of the answer could be in a different context and can be possible different answers which are frustrating for beginners learners. I hope this be useful when making questionnaires.
Jaime

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 08:57:29 +0000

In reply to Pauline.

Thanks Pauline, yes I can see I’ll need to be careful in building up to an exercise like this. Truth be told I didn’t imagine a beginner’s book would be able to bridge all the way to the existing book – but it might go as far as the level suggested in this exercise.

I suppose the other thing to consider there is the necessity of instructions and examples, too!

By: Pauline

Pauline — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 21:14:44 +0000

This exercise is great but yes too difficult for beginners.
Maybe your next book can be a book on tenses for beginners including why we use / need each tense – leading up through the stages to your existing book ? Simple illustrations might help the time line ??
Tenses are so difficult when teaching a ‘second language’.
Enjoy 🙂

By: Leili Bergmann

Leili Bergmann — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:49:07 +0000

Thank you, Phil. I have been using your materials for some time now. Thank you for the opportunity . I hope you will continue helping teachers of English around the world. Good luck!

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 17:36:34 +0000

In reply to Alison.

Thank you Alison – I think where I have erred here is in going straight towards what I would consider a later stage review, as you say, without building up to it! I certainly had in mind such exercises as you’re suggesting, but I suppose I have my own learning curve to tackle in terms of making things too complicated too soon.