Tense and Aspect

Purpose/Tentative Topics: This workshop is for you if you have trouble with...
  • Knowing when to use which tense and aspect (considering the context of your writing) in English
  • Using the correct markers for certain tense and aspect in English
  • Using the correct past or past participle forms of English verbs (esp. irregular verbs)
  • Keeping your tense consistent by avoiding abrupt shift within a paragraph
Note: The list above is "tentative" and is subject to change based on the needs analysis of the students who sign up. Don't worry if you don't understand all the grammatical terms above. You do not need to know all the terms to be able to follow the workshop because they will explained during the workshop. Please also note that the focus of the workshop is to help you get better at "using" English grammar rather than acquiring the knowledge of English grammar.

Sign-up: Sign-up links for all sessions are available here.
Method/Procedure: Each session will be two hours. The first hour of each session will be a lecture/discussion and the second hour will be a hands-on practice in smaller groups. There will be three instructors for each session, so you will have opportunities to ask for one-on-one help during small group activities.

Supplementary Materials: Any materials provided during the workshop that you may use for further study will be uploaded here after each session.

Contact: Please contact eslwriting@mx.uillinois.edu for more questions.