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Study Forms

The first step in teaching similar grammar structures is to show the differences in how they are formed.

Learn the Word Order

You can use charts to show the correct word order for asking yes/no and "wh-" questions in each tense. These simply serve to show students the correct order of the words when forming these tenses. Using the charts for reference, students can then practice writing the forms themselves in controlled exercises:

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  Sentence Scramble - Mix up the words in simple sentences, and have students reassemble them correctly.
  
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  Fill-in-the-Blanks - Give students sentences that use ONLY ONE of the structures in question. They are not yet ready to decide which one is correct. However, they do need to practice writing the forms, and doing it in the context of a sentence is better than doing it in isolation.
  
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  Minor Changes (Substitution Drills) - Give the students a short, simple paragraph. If you're working on the differences between Present Simple and Present Continuous verbs, start the paragraph with "Every day," and write it in Present Simple. Now change "Every day" to "Right now," and have the students change the verbs accordingly. This is a great lead-in to the next step in the process, analysis.
  

Analyze Differences

Now that students are comfortable writing the two similar grammar structures, it's time to study the differences in usage.

A side-by-side comparison chart for Past Simple and Past Continuous is a good way to get started. Then, we need some practice activities. Tip: Check out the printable comparison chart below that has been prepared by YourDictionary.
Give examples of the grammar structures in question used correctly, and ask specific questions to highlight the differences. If you're studying Past Simple vs. Past Continuous, you might give this sentence: "At 8:00 last night, I was folding laundry." You would then ask:
Which verb tense is used? When (specifically) did this action happen?
If the action was in progress at a specific moment that is stated in the sentence, you should use Past Continuous. If the action happened in the past, but a specific moment is not stated, or the action did not take more than a moment to complete, you should use Past Simple.
Another activity to try is fill-in-the-blank sentences with specific questions to walk students through the process of choosing the correct grammar structure. Using the same sentence from the previous activity, you would give this sentence: "At 8:00 last night, I ________________ (fold) laundry." You would then ask: Did this action happen at a specific time? Did the action take only a moment to complete, or was it in progress at the moment stated in the sentence? These questions will help the students determine which tense to use.
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