Practise Grammar Using Your To-Do List

I have written before about using your to-do list as a way to practise English but why not use your to-do list for more repetitive grammar study? You could use this system for present perfect tense, modals and contrasting the simple future, present continuous and simple past tenses.

• Present Perfect Tense

Simply add the item to your list in a negative present-perfect sentence. e.g. ‘I haven’t done my homework.’



When it is finished, can write a new note in the positive form. (I know you could simply cross out the negative part, i.e. ‘I haven’t done my homework.‘, but you can get more practice by writing a new note.)



• Modals

You can practice modals by writing a sentence such as ‘I should do my homework.’



As your deadline gets nearer, write a stronger modal, like ‘I must do my homework.’



If you have any incomplete items, write another note, such as ‘I had to do my homework but I didn’t.’



• Contrasting Simple Future, Present Continuous and Simple Past Tenses

This is similar to the modals example. For new items, write a future tense note (both ‘will’ and ‘going to’ are fine but obviously not together). e.g. ‘I will do my homework.’



Any incomplete tasks can be written in present continuous tense. e.g. ‘I am doing my homework.’



Any finished tasks can be written in simple past tense, such as ‘I did my homework.’ or ‘I finished my homework.’

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