V ERB TENSES Past, Present, Future

V ERB TENSES The tense of a verb allows the reader to know if the action took place is the past, present, or will occur in the future. Usually verbs follow a predictable pattern of endings. These are called regular verbs. Past ( ed) Present (s, ies, ing) Future (helping verb: will)

V ERB TENSES stretch Past: I stretched my legs out on the couch. Present: She stretches the taffy. Future: I will stretch before the race.

V ERB TENSES stop Past: I stopped for a drink of water. Present: The car in front of us is stopping. Future: Students will stop for souvenirs.

V ERB TENSES punt Past: The opposing team punted the ball. Present: I am punting the ball better today. Future: Players will punt the football for a field goal.

V ERB TENSES trip Past: Jaimie tripped on her shoelace. Present: A colt trips when it is first born. Future: You will trip if you walk with your eyes closed.

V ERB TENSES cry Past: The actress cried when she won the award. Present: Don’t cry over spilled milk. Future: If I watch sad movies, I will cry.

V ERB TENSES follow Past: Dogs followed the butcher to his shop. Present: Follow the teacher. Future: I will follow you to the concert.

V ERB TENSES play Past: We played hide and seek all night. Present: The students are playing nicely with each other. Future: I will play my piano solo.

V ERB TENSES The tense of a verb allows the reader to know if the action took place is the past, present, or will occur in the future. Sometimes, verbs don’t follow the expected spelling patterns to show the past, present, and/or future tense. These verbs are called irregular verbs. Past Present Future

V ERB TENSES sweep Past: The janitor swept the hallways. Present: Don’t sweep the dirt under the carpet! Future: You need to sweep the floor after you do the dishes.

V ERB TENSES run Past: James ran faster than any other student. Present: My mom runs 5 miles everyday. Future: I will run to the store for milk.

V ERB TENSES break Past: I broke my mom’s favorite vase. It was broken when I found it. Present: We take a break after each test. Future: The magician will break the glass without any water spilling out!

V ERB TENSES drink Past: Mark drank a whole gallon of tea. I have drunk goat’s milk before. Present: Remember to keep your lips off of the fountain when you take a drink. Future: She will drink the soda after dinner.

V ERB TENSES eat Past: Aunt Margaret ate dinner at McDonald’s. I have eaten octopus and shark. Present: She likes to eat pizza with mushrooms. Future: I will never eat cow’s tongue!

V ERB TENSES begin Past: She began the race too early. I have begun to count to 10 before I speak. Present: We are ready to begin the play. Future: I will begin my homework after practice.

V ERB TENSES do Past: Have you done yoga? Yes, I did yoga at the JCC. Present: You do look nervous. Future: I will do the dishes for $5.00 of allowance.

V ERB TENSES know Past: I knew the answer, but I didn’t volunteer. I have known your mother for a long time. Present: I know her name is Carmen. Future: I want to know how to divide 3-digit numbers.

V ERB TENSES Now you try it! Past: Present: Future: