A Past, Present, Future Game to Engage Year 3 Learners

While worksheets have a place in any grammar lesson, they do not have to be the one and only option! 

This past, present, future game transforms what can often be a tricky concept into a hands-on, immersive experience for your class. Students are challenged to complete a series of activities focused on identifying verb tenses in context, with every correct answer bringing them closer to unlocking a final four-digit code.

This escape room‑style activity turns verb tense into an exciting mission. Students discover that something strange is happening at the Time Station. The front desk system is glitching, messages are in the wrong tense and the timeline is scrambled. Only when the final code is deciphered can the timeline be restored!

By engaging with this resource, students are not simply learning about past, present and future tense… they are also preventing a time disaster!

Using This Verb Tense Game in Your Classroom

At Teach Starter, we know how time-poor teachers can be. That’s why we’ve made sure that this resource contains everything you need to implement this activity with ease in your classroom.

Here’s what implementation might look like:

• Introduce the scenario – Use the escape room slide deck to set the scene for students. There’s a mystery to solve, and the only way out is by mastering verb tense!
• Complete the challenges in sequence – Students progress through tasks in order. Tasks can be found in both the escape room slide deck and the student workbook.
• Encourage collaboration – Have students work as a whole class, in small groups or in pairs, discussing answers and supporting each other.
• Determine the codes – Each completed challenge reveals a number. At the end, students combine all four numbers to unlock the final solution.
• Review and reflect – Use the included answer key to go over tricky questions. This is a great opportunity to address common misconceptions you noticed during the activity.

Whether you’re introducing verb tense, reinforcing prior learning, or looking for an engaging revision activity, this resource is one you’ll come back to time and again!

Download and Start Playing This Tense Game Today!

Downloading this resource is quick and easy! Simply click on the files you wish to access using the Download button above, and you’re ready to go – no extra preparation required!

The following files are available for download:

• Escape Room Slide Deck (Google Slides)
• Escape Room Slide Deck (Microsoft PowerPoint)
• Student Workbook and Answers (Google Slides)
• Student Workbook (PDF)
• Answer Key (PDF)

The slide deck can be displayed on your interactive whiteboard, and the workbook can be printed or assigned digitally. Within minutes, your class will be deep in a verb tense adventure, eagerly working to set things right at the Time Station!

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher and a Teach Starter collaborator.

More Tenses Games and Activities from Teach Starter

Keen to access more tense games and activities to use with your Year 3 students? You’ve come to the right place! Click below to browse a selection of resources from our extensive collection.

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Verb Tenses Sorting Activity

Explore verb tenses through an engaging, hands‑on sorting activity that helps students confidently identify past, present and future tense sentences.

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Present and Past Tense Regular Verbs Matchup Cards

Learn about simple present tense and simple past tense of regular verbs with this match up activity.

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Past, Present and Future Tense Verbs — Interactive Activity for Year 3

Explore past, present and future tense verbs in the classroom with this Google Slides interactive activity.