Verb Forms – Contrastive Grammar

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Each language has its specific grammar system for expressing the three really existing time dimensions – past time, present time and future time. The existence of different conceptions of grammar categories of verb in different languages makes the process of learning foreign languages quite demanding. Trying to answer the main research question ´How can foreign language teachers use their learners’ already acquired knowledge about verb forms?´, the authors refer to their own teaching experience and to theoretical methodological findings, and support the idea of teaching foreign languages not in an isolated way but using a systematic confrontation of the languages the learners are familiar with and using their learners’ linguistic competence. The study is based on the previous research carried out at the Faculty of Education of the University of Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic) whose aim is to improve the effectivity of teaching and learning of English and German verb forms in the Czech educational environment. The authors compare the systems of Czech, English and German verbs and come to the conclusion that through suitably chosen instructions referring to their learners’ already acquired knowledge about verb forms, teachers can effectively motivate these learners to constructive using of their already existing linguistic abilities and skills.