Verb Tenses

Verb
Tenses

Show when an event is happening in the story

​Verb Tense

​“Tense” means “time” in this context. 

In your writing, you need to be consistent with verb tense. Is it happening in the past? The present? The future? You don’t want to confuse your reader by moving from one tense to another. Stay consistent!

​Basic Verb Tenses

​Present: present action (happening right now) or action that happens on a regular basis

We say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. 

John runs to the right and avoids the tackle.

Past: action that has already happened

We forgot to say the Pledge of Allegiance yesterday.

John ran to the right and avoided the tackle.

Future: action that hasn’t happened yet but will

We will remember to say it tomorrow.

John will run to the right and avoid the next tackle.

Multiple Choice

Which verb tense is used to show action that is happening "right now"?

• present

• past

• future

Multiple Select

Which verb tense shows an action that hasn't happened yet, but it will?

• present

• past

• future

Multiple Choice

What verb tense shows and action that has already happened?

• present

• past

• future

Multiple Choice

Which verb tense is being used in the following sentence?

Titan will go to Open Gym today.

• present

• past

• future

Multiple Choice

Which verb tense is being used in the following sentence?

The students looked for clues in the breakout activity.

• past

• future

• present

Multiple Choice

Fill in the blank with the past tense form of the verb.

Mrs. Robles _____________ as the students entered the room.

• smile

• will smile

• smiles

• smiled

Multiple Choice

Fill in the blank with the future tense of the verb.

In the winter, the snow _________ traveling difficult.

• makes

• made

• will made

• will make

• Refers to a time earlier than before now

• Makes it clear that one event happened before another

​Past
Perfect
Tense

Multiple Choice

The following sentence is an example of which verb tense.

Sammy will walk to the store tomorrow.

• past tense
• future tense
• present tense
• past perfect tense

Multiple Choice

Which event happened first in the following past perfect tense example?

When they arrived, we had already started eating.

• when they arrived

• already started eating

Multiple Choice

He was very tired because he hadn't slept well is an example of which verb tense?

• past

• present

• future

• past perfect

Multiple Choice

Chose the verb that shows present tense-The sun ________ today.

• will shine

• is shining

• shining

• shined

Multiple Choice

Name the verb tense being used in the following sentence.

Luckily, Sarah saved her report before her computer crashed.

• past

• future

• past perfect

• present

Fill in the Blanks

Mrs. Buchman exploded pumpkins at the PBIS celebration on Monday night. This is an example of which type of verb tense.