As an online ESL teacher, do you ever find teaching verb tenses to be dry and boring? Often, students simply recite the tenses or write them down, but it can be difficult for them to remember the words because they’re not using them in any relatable, real-world context.

One effective way to make learning about tenses more engaging and memorable is by using targeted questions. This approach allows students to actively practice tenses in meaningful situations, making it easier for them to understand and retain what they’ve learned.

Here are 30 questions (10 per each tense) that will encourage your students to speak, write, and think about their experiences in the past, present, and future tense.

Past Tense Questions (Simple Past & Past Continuous)

1) What did you do yesterday?

2) Where did you go on your last vacation? What did you do there?

3) Can you tell me about the last book you read?

4) How did you spend your weekend?

5) What was the best meal you had last week? Describe it.

6) Who was your best friend when you were a child? Why were they your best friend?

7) What was the weather like the last time you went outside?

8) Did you watch any movies last month? What was it about?

9) Can you remember a time when you got lost? Where were you?

10) What did you do when you were feeling sick last time?

Present Tense Questions (Present Simple & Present Continuous)

1) What do you usually do in the mornings?

2) How do you like to spend your weekends?

3) Do you prefer working from home or in an office?

4) How often do you exercise, and what activities do you enjoy?

5) Can you describe your daily routine?

6) What’s your favorite type of music, and how often do you listen to it?

7) Are you currently working on any personal projects? What are they?

8) Do you enjoy cooking? What do you usually make?

9) What are you currently interested in learning about?

10) Are you reading any books right now? What are they about?

Future Tense Questions (Will & Going To)

1) What are you going to do after this class?

2) What are your plans for the next holiday?

3) Do you think you will travel anywhere this year? Where?

4) What will you do if it rains tomorrow?

5) What career do you want to pursue in the future?

6) Are you going to study any new languages in the next year?

7) What are you going to eat for dinner tonight?

8) Do you think you will buy anything special this month?

9) Where will you go if you get the chance to visit another country?

10) What will you be doing next weekend?

By asking these questions, you can help your students think critically and creatively while practicing past, present, and future tenses. What other ideas do you have for teaching the verb tenses? Share them in the comments below!