Lesson video

Hi, I'm Mr. Buckingham, and I'm really pleased that you've chosen to join me today to learn some more about the different tenses we can use in our writing.

Let's make a start.

Today's lesson is called Sentences in the Progressive Present, Past, and Future Tense.

And it comes from my unit called Tense Forms, Simple, Progressive, and Perfect Consolidation.

By the end of today's lesson, we're going to be able to write a range of sentence types in the progressive present, past, and future tense.

Now this is gonna help us to vary the tense we use in our writing, so it's going to be really useful to us in our writing this year.

Here are today's keywords, my turn, your turn, verb, progressive tense, auxiliary verb, and suffix.

Here are a few more details about their definitions.

A verb is a being, a doing, or a having word, as I'm sure you know.

A progressive tense is one that denotes or shows ongoing action over a period of time, and we'll see what that means in this lesson.

An auxiliary verb, as we saw in our last lesson, is a helping verb that's always paired with a main verb in a sentence.

And a suffix, as I'm sure you've learned before, is a group of letters or a letter added at the end of a word to create another word, usually to change its meaning.

Here's our lesson outline for today.

We're going to start by looking at the three progressive tenses, and then we're gonna move on to writing sentences using those three tenses.

Let's get going.

We're gonna start by looking at those three progressive tenses.

Now, we've learned that in a sentence, it's the verb that tells us the tense of the sentence.

It tells us when the action in that sentence is happening.

So if you look at this sentence, when Mr. Clarke finished the story, we all applauded.

We've got our verbs finished and applauded.

I can see those are in the past tense.

This is the simple past tense.

In this sentence, the book, which I love, is about the china rabbit, love and is are both verbs.

They tell us this sentence is in the simple present tense.

And finally, if I use this sentence, we will read the sequel and it will be even better, I can see those words will be are the verbs there.

So this must be the simple future tense.

So always it's the verbs in the sentence which tell us the tense, that tell us when the sentence is happening.

We've also learned that sometimes we need an auxiliary verb to help the main verb in the sentence, and that can show different tenses.

Here's an example with no auxiliary verb.

I cycled to Jack's house, but my mum drove there.

We've got the verb cycled as a main verb in the first part of the sentence, and then drove as the main verb in the second part.

Both of those are in this simple past tense, there's no auxiliary verb there.

But look at this example.

I will cycle to Jack's house, but my mum will drive there.

Here we've got will as an auxiliary verb in front of cycle, the main verb, and will as an auxiliary verb in front of drive, the main verb.

So now it says will cycle and will drive.

So this must be the simple future tense.

So the simple future tense needs the auxiliary verb will to show that the action is going to happen in the future.

Have a look at these examples.

Which simple tense is each sentence written in? The simple past, the simple present, or the simple future? Pause the video and use the verbs to help you decide which tense has been used.

Have a go.

Okay, let's have a look together.

In the first one, we've got the verb step and turn.

Those are simple, present tense verbs.

In B, we've got fell and was, which are in this simple past tense.

And in C, we've got will be and will do.

Now remember, will do is the contracted form of we will do, so that auxiliary verb will is hidden in there.

Both of these have that auxiliary verb will, which tells us they're simple future tense.

Really well done if you spotted those.

Now, different forms of the verb to be can be used to show the past, the present, and the future.

And those are those being verbs we've talked about before.

We could say I was in the past, I am in the present, and I will be in the future.

We could say we were, we are, and we will be.

We could say she was, she is, and she will be.

Now, all of these forms of the verb to be, these being verbs, can actually be used as auxiliary verbs to form different tenses, and that's what we're going to see happen in our progressive tenses today.

Now let's just check we've understood these different forms of the verb to be.

I want you to find, in these three sentences, all the verbs which are formed with the verb to be.

And for each one, I want you to decide is it talking about the past, the present, or the future? Now this is going to be tricky, so pause the video, and look carefully for those being verbs, and decide are they showing the past, present, or future? Have a go.

Okay, great effort, that was really tricky.

Let's have a look at these.

In A, we've got was, which is a past tense being verb.

We've also got were, another past tense being verb.

In B, we've got will be, which shows the future, and we've got we are, which shows the present.

So a mixture of two tenses in one sentence.

In C, we've got is, a present tense, and we've got will be, a future tense being verb.

So we can see we've used different forms of those being verbs to show the past, present, and future.

Now, so far we've learned about simple tenses, but another type of tense, which we're going to learn about today, is a progressive tense.

Let's have a look at how it's formed.

Here's one, it says the adults were talking.

What we've done is we've taken an auxiliary verb from the verb to be along with the I-N-G, the -ing form of the main verb.

Can you see that word, talking? It ends with the suffix -ing, that's the main verb.

So we've got were, which is our auxiliary verb from the verb to be.

We were doing something, and then we've got our main verb ending in I-N-G.

So we've got an auxiliary verb from to be paired with the I-N-G form of our main verb, and that's how we make a progressive tense.

And it's the auxiliary verb that changes to show whether the action in a progressive tense is happening in the past, the present, or the future.

Let's look at that.

They will be listening to what we are saying.

I can see will be here.

That's our auxiliary verb based on to be, and it's followed by listening, the main verb in the I-N-G, the -ing form will be listening.

So this must be telling us about something happening in the future.

Then we've got what we are saying, are is our auxiliary verb, based on to be, and saying is that main verb in its -ing form.

We are saying.

Now, that must be the present.

So we've got a future progressive at the start of our sentence and a present progressive at the end.

But the main verb in a progressive tense sentence always ends in I-N-G, in -ing.

The adults were talking, there's the I-N-G.

We will be listening, there's the I-N-G.

The I-N-G is a suffix, it's a group of letters added at the end of the word to change its meaning.

Which of the following would we find in a sentence in a progressive tense? Would we find an auxiliary verb, a verb ending in L-Y, verb with an I-N-G suffix, group of letters at the end, and a being verb? Pause the video and decide which ones would be found in a progressive tense sentence.

Great effort, if you had a go at that one, well done.

So let's have a think.

What would we find in the progressive tense? We would find an auxiliary verb, it would be based on to be, remember, those words like am, is, were.

We would find a verb with an I-N-G suffix, that's the main verb, talking, listening, writing.

And we would find a being verb, that's the auxiliary verb, the was, the is, or the were, or words like that.

We would not find a verb with an L-Y ending, the main verb in a progressive tense will always end with -ing, with I-N-G.

Really well done if you sputtered those.

Now, just like there are three simple tenses, there are also three progressive tenses, the progressive past, the progressive present, and the progressive future.

The auxiliary verb changes in each progressive tense, but the main verb stays in its I-N-G form, in the -ing form.

Let's have a look.

I was singing, I am singing, I will be singing.

We can see we've got an auxiliary verb based on to be in each of these sentences.

We've got was, am, and will be.

The auxiliary verb is changing to show the different progressive tenses, but the I-N-G form of the main verb stays the same each time.

So in this first one, I was singing, that auxiliary verb was tells us this must have been the progressive past tense.

I am singing must be the progressive present, and I will be singing must be the progressive future.

The auxiliary verb is changing to show us those three different tenses.

Now, when we look at a progressive tense sentence, we can tell which progressive tense it's using by looking at the auxiliary verb and not the main verb.

Because remember, that main verb will stay in its I-N-G form, and it's the auxiliary verb which is going to change to show us the different progressive tenses, the progressive past, the progressive present, and the progressive future.

Let's take a look.

We have Lucas was doodling while Miss Ofoedu was talking.

We can see those verbs doodling and talking in their I-N-G form.

So we're gonna look at the auxiliary verbs that come before them, and we've got was.

Now, was is a past tense verb.

So these verbs, was doodling and was talking, must be the progressive past.

Here, we've got as the sun is rising, the birds are beginning to sing.

Again, we've got rising and beginning in that I-N-G form.

If you look in front of them at those auxiliary verbs, we have is and are.

Now, those are present tense forms of the being verb to be, so we know this must be the progressive present tense.

And finally, if we look at this one, we've got the dogs will be chasing the speedy, agile squirrels.

Again, we've got chasing its I-N-G form.

Let's look in front of it at the auxiliary verbs, we've got will be.

Now, we know will be is a future tense verb, so this must be the progressive future tense.

So each time we've had to look in front of that main verb for the auxiliary verb to work out which progressive tense we've been using.

Now, I'm going to show you three sentences, I want you to decide whether each sentence is written in the progressive past, progressive present, or progressive future tense.

And remember, you're going to have to look at that auxiliary verb, the form of to be that's being used.

She is waiting for it.

They were looking for him.

Aisha will be playing in the match.

Pause the video and see if you can decide which progressive tense is used in each of these sentences.

Have a go.

Really good effort, let's have a look.

She is waiting for us contains that auxiliary verb is.

That's in the present tense, so it must be progressive present.

They were looking for him contains that auxiliary verb were, so this must be the progressive past.

And C contains the auxiliary verb will be, so this must be the progressive future.

Really well done if you spotted those differences in the auxiliary verbs.

And remember, the main verb has stayed in its I-N-G form.

So for our first task this lesson, here's what I'd like you to do.

I'm going to show you some sentences.

I want you to circle the auxiliary verbs based on to be, and I want you to use those to decide if the the sentence is written in the progressive past, progressive present, or progressive future tense.

Here are the sentences.

So pause the video, circle those auxiliary verbs, and use them to decide, is it in the progressive past, present, or future tense? Have a go.

Okay, let's take a look at these together.

As Laura was chatting, Mr. Clarke was glaring at her.

That must be progressive past.

The cat is having kittens, progressive present.

The winter will be coming, progressive future.

Andeep was waiting, but Lucas was staring at his watch, those are progressive past.

And who will be practising their times tables tonight is progressive future.

Again, we've looked at those auxiliary verbs, and we've worked out which progressive tense they're showing, fantastic work.

Okay, we are now going to take a look at how we can write sentences in these progressive tenses.

So first, let's think about why we might want to write a sentence in the progressive tenses.

We often use the progressive tense to emphasise an action is, was, or will be taking place over a period of time.

If I look at this sentence, this is the simple past tense.

While I waited, it snowed.

That suggests that at some point while I was waiting, it snowed.

Here it is in the progressive past tense.

While I was waiting, it was snowing.

That suggests that the whole time I was waiting, it was snowing.

So there's a very slight difference in meaning between those two things, and we might want to use that in our writing.

Another way we might use the progressive tenses along with simple tenses is to show that an action has been interrupted.

As the children were playing, a jet flew overhead.

Were playing, it's the progressive past, and then flew is the simple past.

So we've shown that at some point while the children were playing, an interruption happened, that jet flew overhead.

So there's two ways we might want to use the progressive tense in our writing.

Now we can change which progressive tense we're using by changing the auxiliary verb.

We are enjoying the music.

I can tell this is the progressive present because it uses the auxiliary verb are.

I could change that sentence to we were enjoying the music.

I've not changed the word enjoying.

I've changed the auxiliary verb from are to were.

Now this sentence is in the progressive past tense.

Remember, that main verb does not change, it keeps its I-N-G suffix, enjoying stays as enjoying.

I'd like to try now, and change each of these progressive present sentences to the progressive past.

Pause the video and see if you can change these to the progressive past by changing the auxiliary verbs.

Have a go.

Okay, let's take a look.

I am feeling energetic would change to I was feeling energetic and ready to work.

The dogs are howling loudly would change to the dogs were howling loudly in the barn.

And a tricky one, the last one has two to change.

Sam is trying to concentrate, but Laura is being silly.

That would change to Sam was trying to concentrate, but Laura was being silly.

Notice how the main verbs have not changed in any way.

They've kept their I-N-G suffix.

Well done if you managed to change those auxiliary verbs from progressive present to progressive past, great effort.

Here's another example of changing the auxiliary verb to change the progressive tense that we've used.

I could use this sentence.

Who's working hard on their times tables? Who's is a contracted form of who is, that shows us this is the progressive present.

Now we could change that to the progressive future.

Here's how, we could change who is to who will be.

Now that we've used the auxiliary verb will be, this is in the progressive future.

Again, that main verb, working, has not changed.

It's the auxiliary verb that has changed.

So true or false, to change which progressive tense we are using, we must change the main verb.

Pause the video and decide if that's true or false.

Well done, that is false.

Now have a look at the two reasons and decide which is the best explanation for why that's false.

Well done, it's A, to change the progressive tense, we change the auxiliary verb and not the main verb.

Okay, now let's practise changing a sentence from the progressive past tense to the progressive future tense.

Sophia was trying to beat everyone on the test, that's progressive past.

Look at that auxiliary verb was.

So I'm going to change that to the progressive future by changing the auxiliary verb to will be.

I would say Sophia will be trying to beat everyone on the test.

Now can you try? I'd like you to do the opposite, to change a sentence from the progressive future to the progressive past.

Here's your progressive future sentence.

Pause the video, and try and change those auxiliary verbs to make it the progressive past.

Have a go.

Okay, let's have a look.

The auxiliary verbs are will be, so those are going to have to change to was.

It's going to say Jacob was looking to score early on in the match, and we've kept that main verb looking the same.

Great work.

Now, let's try and check our understanding even more.

I wonder if you can spot the error, the mistake, in the second half of each of these sentences.

While Jun was trying to draw, Sam is knocking his hand.

The moon, which was shimmering in the night sky, was cast its light on the lake.

As the adults were drinking tea, the children was watching cartoons.

I bet you heard some mistakes there while I was reading them out loud.

So pause the video now, and see if you can correct those mistakes that you heard.

Have a go.

Okay, let's have a look.

In that first sentence, Jun was trying is the progressive past, so it should say Sam was knocking his hand.

In B, it says the moon was shimmering, so it should say was casting its light on the lake.

In C, it says the adults were drinking, so it should say the children were watching, there's more than one child.

It would be the child was watching, but the children were watching.

So we've got to be really careful to think what sounds right when I say this? What sounds right when I write this? Really well done if you spotted those mistakes and managed to correct those auxiliary verbs.

Now, we can also change sentences from those simple tenses we learned in the last lesson to these progressive tenses.

Let's have a look at how it works.

As the sun set, the shadows lengthened.

Both of those verbs, set and lengthened, are in the simple past.

We could change it to as the sun was setting, the shadows were lengthening.

Look, we've added those auxiliary verbs was and were, and we've changed the main verbs into their I-N-G form, set become setting, lengthened becomes lengthening.

Let's have a look at this example.

The children listen, present tense, while the teacher reads, present tense, a poem.

That's the simple present.

It would become the children are listening while the teacher is reading a poem.

Again, we've changed the main verb to their I-N-G form, and we've added those auxiliary verbs are and is.

It's now the progressive present tense.

Last example, Aisha and Alex will come to the party.

That's the simple future tense.

We could change it to will be coming to the party.

We've changed come to coming, and we've added in that auxiliary verb will be.

So can you try? Let's see if you can change each of these simple tense sentences to the relevant progressive tense.

By relevant, I mean if it was simple past, change it to progressive past.

Pause the video, and see if you can change these three sentences to the relevant progressive tense.

Have a go.

Okay, let's take a look.

The chickens will lay no eggs tonight, ah, simple future, that's going to become will be laying.

The tree sways in the wind, simple present, that's gonna become the tree is swaying in the wind.

And then a sneaky one at the bottom with two verbs in.

As spring began, simple past, the animals woke, simple past, up.

Hmm, this is going to become as spring was beginning, the animals were waking up.

Again, we've changed the verb to the I-N-G form, and we've added in our auxiliary verbs to create the progressive tenses.

Now, for your final task this lesson, we are going to rewrite some sentences in progressive tenses.

You can see we have the sentences here, and in green I've shown you the tense I'd like you to rewrite it in.

So for number one, when the sun rose, the lights came on.

I'd like you to rewrite that sentence in the progressive past tense.

This is going to be tricky.

You're going to need to spot the verbs, change the main verb to the I-N-G form, and add in the auxiliary verbs you think are right for the progressive tense you are using.

So pause the video, and have a go at rewriting these sentences in the progressive tenses.

Good luck.

Okay, let's have a look at what these sentences should look like.

Number one should say when the sun was rising, the lights were coming on.

Number two, I will be playing rugby at the weekend, but Jack will be playing cricket.

Number three, I am lying awake as the clock is ticking quietly.

Number four, the cat was yawning widely while the dog was sleeping.

And number five, Miss Ofoedu will be teaching us PE today and Mr. Clarke will be teaching us English.

If you manage to get those auxiliary verbs in, and your verbs in the I-N-G form, you've done a great job.

Now, let's review what we've learned today.

We learned that a progressive tense is a type of tense that shows action going on over a period of time.

And we learned that there are three progressive tenses, the progressive past, progressive present, and progressive future.

We learned that a progressive tense is formed using an auxiliary verb based on the verb to be, and a main verb, which has an I-N-G suffix.

And we can change between the different progressive tenses.

And we can change between simple and progressive tenses when we are writing.

Well done for making it to the end of this lesson.

You've done a fantastic job.

I really hope to see you again in a future lesson.

Well done.