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Verb Tense

How to Teach Verb Tenses

Verb Tenses

Verb Tense     

Play the quick video lesson HERE and click the upper left back arrow to return to this lesson.

Common Core Language Standard 1

Verb tense is all about time: past, present, and future. Although English has more specific forms such as the progressive and present, these basic tenses provide the building blocks for creating action and state of being.

Today’s grammar and usage lesson is on verb tenses.  Remember that verbs can mentally act, as in think; physically act, as in run; or link to something else as a state of being, as in the “to be” verbs.

Now let’s read the grammar and usage lesson and study the examples.

English uses three simple verb tenses to show time: the present, past, and future.

  • Regular past tense verbs add “_ed” onto the base form of the verb to match both singular and plural nouns or pronouns. Examples: jump-Mike jumped; They jumped
  • Present tense verbs add an s onto the base form of the verb to match singular nouns or pronouns, but do not add an s to match plural nouns. Examples: Al jumps; We jump.
  • Future tense verbs add will onto the base form of the verb to match both singular and plural nouns or pronouns. Examples: Tom will jump. Tom and she will jump.

Now circle or highlight what is right and revise what is wrong according to mechanics lesson.

Practice: I pick my daughter up after school, and I will drop her off after we shop.

Let’s check the Practice Answers.

Grammar and Usage Practice Answers: I picked my daughter up after school, and I will drop her off after we shop.

Now let’s apply what we have learned. 

Writing Application: Write three of your own sentences using each of the verb tenses.

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