Verb Sequences Tense Flashcards for Kids

Past, present and future tense in 30 picture cards, with audio in 6 languages

Verb Sequences teaches children how the same action changes when we talk about the future, the present and the past. Each set of three cards shows one everyday action before, during and after it happens. For example: The girl is going to eat. The girl is eating. The girl ate. Children put the cards in order, then describe each one using the right tense.

At a glance

• 30 jumbo cards: 10 everyday actions × 3 cards each, 14.5 × 10 cm
• Each set shows the action before, during and after it happens
• Builds three tenses: future ("is going to eat"), present ("is eating") and past ("ate")
• The earliest verbs children learn, a mix of regular and irregular
• All three cards in a set share a number (1, 1, 1), so sets are easy to sort but give no clue to the order
• Writing lines on the back and nothing else, so cards can be used face down for games
• Key card with QR codes for the audio, so the picture cards carry no clues
• Sturdy 315 GSM card, glossy laminate, rounded corners
• Audio in 6 languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Punjabi
• Ages 3+
• Follows the developmental sequence of early language
• Chatterbugs app access code included
• Designed by speech and language professionals

How the cards work

Each set of three shows a single action unfolding over time:

1. Before: The girl is going to eat.
2. During: The girl is eating.
3. After: The girl ate.

The cards in a set share the same number, so children can find all three. The numbers say nothing about the order, though, so children work out "before, during and after" from the pictures alone. That reasoning about time is what makes the tense meaningful rather than memorised.

How the audio works

1. Go to chatterbugs.app and enter the code from your box.
2. Choose a language.
3. Scan a QR code on the key card to hear the sentences for that set.

In the app you can slow the audio down, replay any sentence, and record your own voice as the model. Audio plays online, so you'll need an internet connection.

Games to play

• Put it in order. Give your child the three cards of a set, mixed up. Ask them to arrange the cards and tell the story: "First she is going to eat, then she is eating, then she ate."
• Find the set. Lay several sets face down. Take turns turning over cards to collect all three cards with the same number.
• What happened? Show only the "after" card and ask what happened. Then show the "before" card and ask what's going to happen.

Who it's for

• Children who use simple sentences and are ready to talk about time
• Children who mix up tenses, for example saying "I eat" when they mean "I ate"
• Children with speech or language delays, including children with autism
• Children learning English as an additional language, or a home language alongside English
• Parents, preschool teachers and speech and language therapists

Where it fits

• Before: Action Words in Sentences, using verbs in full sentences
• Next: What Next?, future tense and prediction
• Next: Past Tenses Level 1, talking about what already happened, with regular and irregular verbs
• Next: Learn to Tell Stories, putting events in order to tell a story
• Use alongside: Answer When, time words such as morning, yesterday and tomorrow
• Better value: Sentence Learners Smart Bundle, six decks including this one, for less than buying them separately

Who made it

Brainy Bug Resources decks are designed by speech and language professionals with extensive clinical experience in mainstream schools, special schools and community clinics. Each deck follows how children's language actually develops, from single words to two-word phrases, sentences and reasoning.

Frequently asked questions

What age is it for?

3 years and up. It also suits older children who still mix up past, present and future.

Which tenses does it teach?

Future with "going to" ("is going to eat"), present continuous ("is eating") and simple past ("ate").

Are the verbs regular or irregular?

Both. The deck uses the earliest verbs children learn, which naturally include regular and irregular past forms.

Why do all three cards in a set have the same number?

So children can find a set without being told the order. They work out before, during and after from the pictures.

Where are the QR codes?

On a separate key card, so the picture cards give no clues about the answer.

What's on the back of the cards?

Writing lines and nothing else. Children can practise writing, parents can write the sentences in their home language, and the plain backs mean cards can be played face down.

Which languages are included?

English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Punjabi.

Do I have to pay for the audio?

No. An access code comes with the deck.

Do I need to download an app?

No. Open chatterbugs.app in your phone's browser, enter your code, and scan the key card.

How durable are the cards?

They're printed on 315 GSM card with a glossy laminate and rounded corners, made for little hands and repeated use.