Verb Tenses: Past, Present, and

Future

Present Tense VerbsA present tense verb shows action happening now.

Present tense verbs can also be used to show:

• routine actions

• facts

The present tense verb takes one of two forms, depending on the subject:

• base form for plural subjects

• -s form for singular subjects

Add –s or –es to most verbs to show the present tense if the subject is singular. If the verb ends in s, x, z, sh, or ch, add –es to make it singular.

To make a verb that ends in a consonant and y singular, change the y to i and add –es.

Do not add –s or –es if the subject is plural or I or you.

EX: they hurry, we cry, I cry, you cry, the boys hurry

EX: Run – runs

watch – watches

EX: cry – cries , hurry – hurries

Past Tense VerbsA past tense verb refers to an action which occurred at a specific time in the past. The action has already happened.

The past tense of a verb is expressed using the past form and nothing else.

Most past tense verbs are spelled with –ed (or sometimes t) at the end of the base form.

clapped lifted played arrived talked burnt blinked laughed helped

slept

Some verbs, however, have an irregular past tense form.

ran drank sang ate drove threw knew wrote went took made told fed

Past Tense Verbs (continued)

• For most verbs, add – ed.

• When a short verb ends in a consonant, double the consonant and add –ed.

• When a verb ends in e, drop the e and add –ed.

• When a verb ends in a consonant and y, change the y to i and add –ed.

talk – talked

bat – batted

stop – stopped

hope – hoped

try – tried

hurry – hurried

Future Tense Verbs

Future tense verbs refer to an action that will or shall take place in the future—or that will happen later.

Future tense verbs are commonly written using the helping verb will or shall before the base form of the verb.

will leave will read shall take will help

will deposit shall go will receive will look

shall remember will preserve will teach

“Tricks” for determining which verb tense is the correct one to use in different

situations.

For present tense, use this sentence, putting your verb in the blank:

I _________________ today/everyday.

Every day he or she __________________ .

*Remember to add –s or –es for singular subjects and use the base form for plural subjects or sentences that use I or you as the subject.

For past tense, use this sentence, putting the same verb in the blank:

I _________________ yesterday. Yesterday he/she _______________.

For future tense, add will or shall plus your verb:

I will ______________ tomorrow. Later, he/she will____________.

LET’S PRACTICE…

Identifying Verb Tense

“We will practice now.”

Last summer, Denise ( visits , visited ) her cousins in Florida.

1.

The beekeeper was very careful and ( will receive / received ) no stings.

2.

I write to my sister often, and I

( visit , will visit ) her again next

month.

3.

She ( volunteered , will volunteer ) at the local hospital last summer.

4.

If you want to listen, I

(told / will tell ) you about my

hobby.

5.

My cousin’s hobby is fishing, so last week I ( decide , decided ) to go fishing with her.

6.

7.

Laura ( help , helps ) other students with their English homework.

8.

Jill ( follows , will follow ) in Amy’s footsteps and be a good leader.

9.

We ( plays , play ) basketball at the high school gymnasium.

10.

Ice cubes ( melts , melt ) quickly when they are left out in the heat.

11.

The student ( slept , sleeps ) too long and missed the bus.

12.

Jack and his brother

( reads , read ) to each other

quite often.

13.

I ( will think , thought ) yesterday’s test was very easy.

14.

Each morning, Samuel

( brush , brushes ) his teeth

before getting dressed.

15.

The students

( will demonstrate , demonstrated )

their knowledge of verb tenses on

the test this coming Friday.

Wrong Answer . . .

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