Remembering Tenses in Conversation
Learning English tenses can be a long term activity – from learning present tense as a beginner to learning the perfect tenses at more advanced levels. You can endlessly study the rules and grammar to the point where you know them inside-out (know them 100%), but when it comes to talking and conversations, it can be very hard to recall the rules.
Today I’m going to discuss my view on remembering and using correct tenses in conversation.
Episode Summary
🗣️ Don’t Worry About Mistakes
If you get caught up in grammar while talking, you’ll never say anything. Mistakes are normal, and people usually understand your meaning even if tenses are wrong.
📚 Put Down the Textbook
Textbooks are useful for learning the rules, but real improvement comes from using tenses in actual conversation and writing. Notice tenses in stories, books, and articles to see them in context.
👩🏫 Practise with a Teacher
Find a teacher or language partner to practise specific tenses. Use your lessons to actively talk about things you have done, which helps make grammar feel natural.
💪 Practice Makes Perfect
Knowing the rules doesn’t mean instant perfection. Keep practising gradually and your use of tenses will improve over time.
📝 Homework & Extra Practice
Try writing sentences in different tenses: present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. You could even write a weekly diary entry to make it creative and fun.
Where is the link with the texts?
Hi Marcela. Are you talking about the phrasal verbs course I mentioned?
As you can image, a lot has changed in 7 years since this episode came out, so that course isn’t the same anymore. The lessons still exist in the study courses on Level Up English here: https://www.levelupenglish.school/onlinecourses/
If you join as any member level, you can see them. Hope this helps!
By the way
I came across ur podcast while i had been through very difficult time struggling with Indian accent among my colleagues but I could think over how I will overcome and I have to not beat myself up and telling to my self that take the load off ma’am u will be ok I thought that I caught up in this podcast 😂
I love it and thank u
Some Indian accents can be very tough for British people too! Many people in India speak English, but it’s quite different to English elsewhere in the world, so don’t feel bad if you can’t follow it. Accents vary hugely from place to place.
Actually I think we have 3tenses
Firstly the past :
I went to my bed when the time had been too late but I was still listening to the holey Quraan for long time ,so I wished that I would go to my bed earlier.
Secondly :the present
I like really active listening so when someone is talking to me even if I have started to do something I’m all ears so u have been now reading my trials to consider all tenses ASAP .
Thirdly :the future
I will practice more and more god willing.
Thank u for giving me this chance and I’m gonna tape into ur podcast in my communication with my work colleagues ,I really appreciate ur efforts
Nice tense practice, Asmaa! Regarding the number of tenses in English, it really depends on the definition. But you’re right that there are three main times to talk about in English, but we also add some more confusing tenses such as past perfect, which is a mixture of past and present.
Glad the podcast helps! And recommendations to friends are the best way to share it and make me happy 🙂
I have been listening to this podcast I found it very helpful. I will listen to each of these episodes. I love this episode and I’ll share it with my friends.
Thanks so much, Haya! Sharing episodes is one of the things that makes me happiest
This podcast is great and very useful. You´re the best teacher!!! I love u, thanks for help us . XX
Thank you so much! I’m always happy to see your kind comments