Past, Present and Future Listening

Past, present and future listening game

TOEIC Listening Parts Two, Three and Four

 

Instructions for teachers

Cut up the cards to hold up and give out the same kind of (single) card to each of the students, e.g. just the “future” cards to everybody. Read out a mix of past, present and future expressions/ sentences, either at random or in the order they are on the worksheet below. Don’t stop between phrases (and maybe don’t stop between sections). Ask students to race to hold up the card that they have when it matches the time of one of the phrases that they hear. If you want to score, you can give one point for the first person to hold up their card at the right time but take off one point if they hold it up when the phrase has a different time. Continue in the same way for a while, then perhaps change cards and do the same for a different time (with the same phrases and/ or different phrases).

After a few minutes of the holding up cards race, give out the worksheet for students to label with P for past, Pr for present and F for future. After checking, they can test each other with the same holding up cards game, perhaps continuing with their own past, present and future phrases.

 

Cards to cut up and hold up

past	present	future
past	present	future
past	present	future
past	present	future
past	present	future
past	present	future
past	present	future

 

Past, present and future sentences with times to read out and listen to

She’s out of the office at the moment.

She’ll be back at two.

Someone called while you were out.

 

I read it this morning.

I read the paper every morning.

I’ll read it as soon as I can.

 

I always enjoy these meetings.

I thought the last presentation was very interesting.

Would you like to meet again on Monday?

 

I just got back from New York.

I rarely travel business class.

The plane lands at three.

 

John’s presently working in New York.

I already spoke to him.

He’ll be free until two.

 

Has it been received yet?

Not yet, but it should arrive by five.

Thanks, this information’s really helpful.

 

It currently costs too much.

It was paid on Monday.

It’ll run until September.

 

Do you often stay here?

It should clear up later.

Weren’t you there on Friday?

 

I don’t have any on me at the moment.

The train should leave soon.

Why didn’t you come in yesterday?

 

Is he still waiting?

What are your plans for this evening?

When was the last meeting?

 

He’s been here before.

He’s not here right now.

He’s having dinner with me tonight.

 

Past, present and future times to read out and listen to

today

tomorrow

yesterday

 

last week

next week

this week

 

the year after next

the year before last

this year

 

a few minutes ago

in a few minutes

right now

 

at the moment

soon

while you were out

 

as soon as I can

every morning

recently

 

always

last Monday

next Monday

 

just

once a week

in the next few days

 

already

presently

until the end of this week

 

by midnight tonight

in this meeting

yet

 

at the end of last week

currently

until I finish this report

 

in 1973

later

often

 

Past, present and future sentences without times to read out and listen to

I’m starving.

Where did you leave it?

I plan to travel more.

 

Demand might fall.

Has it been done?

The office is closed.

 

I’ll see you there.

It’s raining.

Why were you late?

 

Let’s have dinner together.

Most is spent on leisure.

They spent all my money.

 

He’d like to meet you.

He’d rejected all the other ideas.

We’re out of juice.

 

Doesn’t he have my number?

I was there on business.

When will he be back?

 

Do you have the time?

How long are they planning to stay?

How much did it cost?

 

How often do you come here?

How was your lunch?

We’re going to visit Bahrain.

 

How was your vacation?

How’s the weather?

Why don’t you join us for a drink?

 

I leave it in the cloakroom.

I thought it was really productive.

Would you like an aisle or window seat?

 

I’m sorry but he’s away from his desk.

He left at three.

He should be back soon.

 

 

 

It didn’t take long.

It doesn’t take long.

It won’t take long.

 

Is Ms Suzuki here?

They are going to cancel the project.

What caused the delay?

 

He’s been here.

He’s going to bring it to us here.

He’s not here.

 

I’ll be there!

There’s a call for you on line nine.

What time did you arrive?

 

Do you want to come to a movie?

What kind of movies do you like?

Who made the movie?

 

Who ate this sandwich?

You look tired.

You should go to bed.

 

Who are you meeting?

Who was that?

Whose pen is that?

 

What are your office hours?

When does it land?

Why was the flight delayed?

 

Past, present and future verbs to read out and listen to

are you going to

is

were

 

did you

do you

do you want to

 

going to meet

had met

meets

 

how was

how’s

how will

 

he came

he’ll come

he comes

 

I like

I’d like

I used to like

 

doesn’t

let’s

rejected

 

does

needed

planning

 

walks

we’ll

went

 

it was

it’ll

it’s a

 

why didn’t we

why doesn’t he

why don’t we

 

walked

won’t

works

 

he’s been

he’s swimming

he’s going to come

 

he’d go

he’d gone

he goes

 

I go

I was going

I wanna go

 

I’m gonna walk

I’m walking

I’ve walked

 

Brainstorming stage

Without looking above, brainstorm as many phrases as you can into the spaces below.

Present	Past	Future
Present times	Past times	Future times
Present verb forms	Past verb forms	Future verb forms
Present questions	Past questions	Future questions

Look above, brainstorm more, than compare your extra ideas as a class.