🔄 B1 Tense Review & Consolidation
Welcome to this important review1 lesson! You have learned many different verb tenses to talk about the past, present, and future. Today, our goal is consolidation2 - bringing all your knowledge together in one place. This will help you see how the tenses work together and choose the right one for any situation.
The Present Tenses
- Present Simple (Facts & Routines):
"I work in Battambang. The sun rises in the east." - Present Continuous (Happening Now & Temporary):
"Please be quiet, the baby is sleeping. I'm staying with my aunt for a few weeks." - Present Perfect (Past-Present Connection):
"She has lived here since 2020. I've just finished my work."
The Past Tenses
- Past Simple (Finished Actions):
"We visited the temples yesterday." - Past Continuous (Background Action):
"I was reading a book when you called." - used to (Past Habits/States):
"This building used to be a cinema, but now it's a bank."
The Future Forms
- will (Predictions & Spontaneous3 Decisions):
"I think it will be hot tomorrow. The phone is ringing, I'll get it!" - be going to (Plans & Intentions4):
"I'm going to learn how to cook Khmer food next month." - Present Continuous (Fixed Arrangements5):
"I'm meeting my friends for dinner at 7 PM tonight."
B1 Tense Summary Chart
Use this chart as a quick guide to remember the main uses of each tense.
| PAST | PRESENT | FUTURE |
|---|---|---|
| Past Simple: Finished past actions. (I walked.) | Present Simple: Routines, facts. (I walk.) | will: Predictions, offers. (I'll walk.) |
| Past Continuous: Background actions. (I was walking.) | Present Continuous: Happening now. (I'm walking.) | be going to: Plans. (I'm going to walk.) |
| used to: Old habits. (I used to walk.) | Present Perfect: Connection to now. (I've walked.) | Present Continuous: Arrangements. (I'm walking at 7pm.) |
🧠 Practice Quiz: Mixed Tenses
Choose the correct tense to complete each sentence.
- Be careful! I think that motorbike _______ too fast. (is going / goes)
Answer: is going (This describes an action happening right now.) - I _______ that movie yet. Is it good? (didn't see / haven't seen)
Answer: haven't seen (The signal word 'yet' requires the Present Perfect.) - What _______ (you / do) when I _______ (call) you last night?
Answer: were you doing / called (A past background action interrupted by a shorter one.) - Next year, we _______ to visit Japan for our holiday. (will travel / are going to travel)
Answer: are going to travel ('be going to' is best for future plans and intentions.) - She _______ here for a long time, so she knows Battambang very well. (has lived / lived)
Answer: has lived (The action started in the past and is still true now; 'for a long time' is a key signal.)
📝 Homework: Tell a Short Story
Write a short paragraph (4-5 sentences) about a memorable day you had. Describe what you did, what was happening, and maybe a plan you have for the future because of that day. Try to use at least three different tenses.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Example Answer: "Last Saturday, I went to the countryside with my family. The sun was shining and we had a picnic near a beautiful river. While we were eating, we saw some children playing in the water. It was a wonderful day. I have decided that I am going to go back there again next month."
Vocabulary Glossary
- Review: (Noun) - ការរំលឹក (kaa rum'lɨk) - An act of looking at or studying something again. ↩
- Consolidation: (Noun) - ការបង្រួបបង្រួម (kaa bâng'ruəp'bâng'ruəm) - The process of combining several things into a single, more effective whole. ↩
- Spontaneous: (Adjective) - ដោយឯកឯង (daoy aek'aeng) - Done as a result of a sudden impulse or inclination, without premeditation. ↩
- Intention: (Noun) - បំណង (bâm'nâng) - A thing that you plan or aim to do. ↩
- Arrangement: (Noun) - ការរៀបចំ (kaa riəp'châm) - A plan for how something will happen, especially a plan made with others. ↩