IELTS Grammar Ladder · Step 1

Task 1 · Noticing

Read the two answers to the same IELTS Speaking Part 1 question: "Do you enjoy cooking?"

Answer A (Band 5.5):
Yes, I enjoy cooking. I cook every day after work. I make simple dishes like pasta and salad. Sometimes I cook at the weekend for my family. I like Italian food the most.

Answer B (Band 7.0):
Yes, I'm really into cooking. I've been cooking since I was a teenager, actually — my grandmother taught me. These days I usually cook after work, but I've recently started experimenting with Thai food. Next month I'm going to take a proper sushi-making class.

1.2 Answer the questions:

1. How many different tenses can you find in Answer A? List them:

2. How many different tenses can you find in Answer B? List them:

3. Which answer sounds more natural? Why?

Answer A Answer B

4. Underline in Answer B all the verbs that are not Present Simple. (Do this on paper or in your notebook.)

🐾 Lapa QA: Answer B mixes Present Simple + Present Perfect Continuous + Present Perfect + going to. That's the "extra tense" magic!

Task 2 · Form & Meaning

2.1 Complete the rule box:

When you talk about…	Add this tense	Example
life experience (no specific time)		I've tried bungee jumping.
plans & intentions (future)		I'm going to visit Japan next year.
background / scene-setting (past)		It was raining when we left.
temporary situation (now)		I'm staying with my parents this month.

2.2 Match the sentence (1–6) with the reason the extra tense was used (A–F). Click a number, then a letter.

1. I've lived in Berlin for five years.

A. temporary situation around now

2. I was walking home when I saw the accident.

B. life experience (unspecified time)

3. I'm reading a great book at the moment.

C. plan / intention

4. I'm going to start a business next year.

D. longer background action interrupted by a shorter one

5. I've never eaten octopus.

E. negative life experience

6. I was studying all evening, so I didn't go out.

F. longer background action explaining a result

Lapa QA: All pairs matched. The logic is flawless.

Task 3 · Controlled Practice: Present Perfect Gap-fill

3.1 Complete the sentences using the Present Perfect of the verb in brackets. Use the short form where possible.

1. I (be) to Japan twice.

2. She (never / try) sushi.

3. you (ever / meet) a famous person?

4. We (already / finish) the project.

5. They (not / see) that film yet.

6. He (just / get) a new job. (or "has just gotten")

7. I (know) my best friend since childhood.

8. she (ever / travel) alone?

9. My parents (never / visit) London.

10. We (live) here for ten years.

🐾 Lapa QA: Zero grammar bugs detected. Subject-verb agreement is perfect.

Task 4 · Controlled Practice: Multiple Choice

4.1 Choose the correct option (A, B or C).

1. I ___ to Paris last summer. It was amazing.
A) have beenB) wentC) was going

2. She ___ English for six years — she started in primary school.
A) learnsB) has been learningC) is learning

3. This time tomorrow I ___ on a beach in Greece.
A) lieB) will lieC) will be lying

4. When I was a child, I ___ to be an astronaut.
A) wantedB) have wantedC) was wanting

5. I can't come to the party — I ___ my leg.
A) breakB) brokeC) have broken

6. He ___ TV when the phone rang.
A) watchedB) was watchingC) has watched

7. By the time we arrived, the film ___.
A) already startedB) had already startedC) has already started

8. I ___ my keys. Can you help me find them?
A) lostB) have lostC) was losing

🐾 Lapa QA: Tense logic verified. No temporal paradoxes found.

Task 5 · Controlled Practice: Matching Halves

5.1 Match the beginning of each sentence (1–8) with the correct ending (A–H). Click a number, then a letter.

1. I've been studying English…

A. …when the doorbell rang.

2. I was having a shower…

B. …for a Master's programme next month.

3. I'm going to apply…

C. …to a café near my office.

4. I've never been…

D. …tennis every weekend.

5. When I lived in Rome…

E. …for three years now.

6. I've just finished…

F. …a report — can I call you back?

7. This week I'm working…

G. …I usually ate dinner at 9 p.m.

8. I used to play…

H. …scuba diving, but I'd love to try.

🐾 Lapa QA: Syntax trees are perfectly balanced. Well done.

Task 6 · Controlled Practice: Word Order

6.1 Put the words in the correct order to make sentences. Type the full sentence.

1. ever / have / you / eaten / frog's legs / ?

2. going / to / I'm / apply / university / next / year

3. was / raining / it / we / when / left

4. for / she / has / working / that / company / five / years

5. just / I've / finished / my / homework

6. used / to / live / we / in / the / countryside

7. at / the / moment / I'm / studying / for / my / IELTS

8. had / already / they / left / when / I / arrived

🐾 Lapa QA: Word order is syntactically valid. The Minotaur approves.

Task 7 · Controlled Practice: Error Correction

7.1 Each sentence has one mistake. Click the wrong word to mark it. Two sentences are correct — for those, click "✓ No mistake".

1.

I am knowing him since 2015. ✓ No mistake

2.

She has went to Paris last year. ✓ No mistake

3.

I'm going to start a new course in September. ✓ No mistake

4.

When I was walking to work, I have found a wallet. ✓ No mistake

5.

I've never ate anything so delicious. ✓ No mistake

6.

He has been living here since three years. ✓ No mistake

7.

I was reading a book when the lights went out. ✓ No mistake

8.

They have arrived yet. (hint: negative needed) ✓ No mistake

9.

I 'm usually going to the gym on Mondays. ✓ No mistake

10.

She's just bought a new car. ✓ No mistake

🐾 Lapa QA: All 10 sentences processed. 7 bugs squashed, 3 clean sentences confirmed!

Task 8 · Controlled Practice: Transformation

8.1 Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets. Do not change the meaning.

Example: I started learning English in 2020. (FOR) → I've been learning English for six years.

1. The last time I saw her was in 2019. (SINCE)
→ I

2. I plan to visit my grandparents next weekend. (GOING)
→ I

3. It started raining at 3 p.m. and it's still raining. (FOR)
→ It

4. My first experience of flying was terrifying. (BEEN)
→ I

5. I usually take the bus, but this week I'm driving. (TEMPORARY)
→ This week

6. The film started before we got to the cinema. (ALREADY)
→ When we got to the cinema, the film

7. I have no experience of public speaking. (NEVER)
→ I

8. My intention is to quit smoking next month. (GOING)
→ I

🐾 Lapa QA: Meaning preserved. Grammar upgraded. Excellent.

Task 9 · Controlled Practice: Tense Choice in Context

9.1 Read the short story. Click the correct tense for each gap.

Last summer I decided have decided was deciding to travel around Southeast Asia. I have never travelled had never travelled never travelled alone before, so I was a bit nervous.

On my first day in Bangkok, I was walking walked have walked through a market when I met was meeting have met a girl from Australia. She has been travelling had been travelling was travelling for six months already.

We became have become were becoming good friends and spent have spent were spending two weeks together. Since then, I have visited visited was visiting her in Melbourne twice.

Next year, I am going to travel travel was going to travel to Japan — I have always wanted always wanted was always wanting to see cherry blossoms.

🐾 Lapa QA: Narrative tenses are perfectly sequenced. The story flows.

Task 10 · Semi-Controlled: Personalised Gap-fill

10.1 Complete the sentences with true information about yourself. Use the tense shown in brackets.

1. I've been learning English for . (Present Perfect Continuous)

2. The most interesting place I've ever visited is . (Present Perfect)

3. This week I'm . (Present Continuous)

4. I'm going to next month. (going to)

5. When I was a child, I used to . (used to)

6. I've never , but I'd like to. (Present Perfect)

7. Right now, I'm working on . (Present Continuous)

8. By the time I'm 35, I will have . (Future Perfect)

Task 11 · Integration: Speaking (IELTS Part 1 style)

11.1 Answer the questions below. Rule: each answer must contain at least TWO different tenses (one "base" tense + one "extra" tense from this step).

Example: Do you enjoy reading?
"Yes, I'm a big fan of reading. I've been reading sci-fi since I was a kid, and I'm going to start a new book this weekend."
(Present Simple + Present Perfect Continuous + going to)

1. Do you prefer mornings or evenings?

2. Have your tastes in music changed since you were a teenager?

3. What are you doing this weekend?

4. Tell me about a place you've visited recently.

5. Are you planning to learn any new skill this year?

6. What did you do yesterday evening?

Task 12 · Integration: Writing (IELTS Task 2 paragraph)

12.1 Write one body paragraph (80–100 words) for the following essay question:

Some people believe that technology has made our lives more complicated. To what extent do you agree?

Requirements:

☐ Use at least 3 different tenses in the paragraph ☐ Include at least one Present Perfect (experience/result) ☐ Include at least one Past Simple or Past Continuous (background/example) ☐ Include at least one future form (prediction / going to / will) ☐ Underline each tense you use and label it (e.g. PP, Past Cont., going to)

0 words

Model (Band 7.0):
Technology has changed (PP) how we communicate. In the past, people wrote (Past Simple) letters, which took days to arrive. Today, we are sending (Present Cont.) instant messages. However, this constant connection is creating (Present Cont.) new problems. For example, many people are suffering from information overload. In the future, we are going to need (going to) digital detoxes to maintain our mental health.

Task 13 · Self-Check

Before moving to Step 2, tick what you can do confidently:

I can form Present Perfect (have/has + V3) and use it for life experience I can form going to for plans and intentions I can form Past Continuous for background actions I can mix at least 2 tenses in one paragraph naturally I can explain why I chose each tense (not just guess) I used 3+ different tenses in my Task 12 paragraph I can hear the difference between "I lost my keys" and "I've lost my keys"

Score: ___ / 7 → if 5+, move to Step 2: +1 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

🐾 Lapa QA: You are ready for Step 2: +1 COMPARISON AND CONTRAST!

Task 14 · Homework

14.1 Writing. Find an IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue card online. Prepare a 2-minute answer. Write it out (150–180 words). Rule: use at least 4 different tenses. Highlight each one in a different colour.

14.2 Listening. Watch a "Day in My Life" vlog on YouTube (5–7 min). Write down:

▶ Watch on YouTube

☐ 3 sentences in Present Simple (routines) ☐ 2 sentences in Present Continuous (now / temporary) ☐ 2 sentences in Present Perfect (experience) ☐ 1 sentence with going to (plan)

14.3 Speaking. Record yourself answering 5 IELTS Part 1 questions. Listen back and count how many different tenses you used. If fewer than 3 — record again.