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En 1ère, la maîtrise des temps verbaux est fondamentale. On distingue : le Simple Present (habitudes, vérités générales), le Present Continuous (actions en cours), le Present Perfect (actions passées liées au présent), le Past Simple (faits révolus), le Past Continuous (action en cours dans le passé), le Past Perfect (action antérieure à une autre action passée), et le Future avec will/going to. Chaque temps a une forme affirmative, négative et interrogative. Exemple : 'She has lived in Dakar since 2010' (Present Perfect, durée). 'She lived in Dakar in 2010' (Past Simple, fait révolu). Les marqueurs temporels aident à choisir le bon temps : 'since', 'for', 'already', 'yet', 'just' (Present Perfect) ; 'yesterday', 'last year', 'in 2005' (Past Simple).
Exercice 1 : Conjuguez les verbes entre parenthèses au temps correct.
1. She (study) English since she was ten.
2. We (finish) the project before the teacher arrived.
3. They (travel) to Saint-Louis last summer.
4. He (work) on his essay when the power went out.
5. By 2030, scientists (discover) new treatments.
Exercice 2 : Transformez ces phrases au Present Perfect.
1. I ate lunch. → ___
2. She wrote the letter. → ___
3. They built the bridge. → ___
What is the difference between the Past Simple and the Present Perfect?
Correction
The Past Simple refers to a completed action at a specific time in the past (e.g., 'I visited Paris in 2019'). The Present Perfect links the past to the present — the exact time is not specified and the result is still relevant now (e.g., 'I have visited Paris' — meaning the experience exists up to now).
When do we use the Past Perfect?
Correction
The Past Perfect (had + past participle) is used to describe an action that happened before another past action. Example: 'By the time she arrived, he had already left.' The leaving happened first, so it takes the Past Perfect.
What is the difference between 'will' and 'going to' for the future?
Correction
'Going to' expresses a planned intention or a prediction based on evidence (e.g., 'Look at those clouds — it is going to rain'). 'Will' is used for spontaneous decisions, promises, or predictions without evidence (e.g., 'I will help you with that').