Objectives

To the students
This material will help you become a
better writer. It is very important that
you apply consistency in verbs.

As you learn to use the correct verbs in

sentences through the activities, you will
achieve better way of expressing your
thoughts especially pertaining on the time
when the events happened.
 Carmela Hazel
Grade 7 student
 Carmela Hazel
Grade 7 student
 Verbs
Click the correct picture that means the same in the
words.
The present tense
expresses an
action that is
happening right
now, at the
present time.
chomp!

chomp!
 Present Tense
What's the best word to complete the sentence?

1. It ________ almost every day 3. Jo is so smart that she

in Manchester. ________ every exam
a.rain without even trying.
b.rains a.pass
c.raines b.passies
c.passes
2. My best friend ________ to
me every week. 4. We ________ to Spain every
a.write summer.
b.writhes a.fly
c.writes b.flys
c.flies
5. She ________ in Florida. 8. Most banks ________ at
a.live four o'clock.
b.lives a.close
c.livees b.closies
c.closes
6. My life is so boring -- I just 9. John ________ very hard
________ TV every night. in class, but I don't think
a.watch he'll pass the course.
b.watchies a.try
c.watches b.trys
c.tries
7. I ________ in a bank. 10. My mother ________ eggs
a.work for breakfast every
b.works morning.
c.workes a.fry
b.frys
c.fries
Choose the correct present tense of verbs to
be used for each sentence.
1. I (play, plays) tennis.
2. She (do, does )not play tennis.
3. (Do, Does) he play tennis?
4. The train (leave, leaves) every morning at 8 AM.
5. The train (do, does) not leave at 9 AM.
6. When (do, does) the train usually leave?
7. She always (forget, forgets) her purse.
8. He never (care, cares) for his friend.
9. Every twelve months, the Earth (circle, circles) the Sun.
10. ( Do, Does) the Sun circle the Earth?
11.Cats (like, likes) milk.
12.Birds (do, does) not like milk.
13.(Do, Does) pigs like milk?
14.California (is, are) in America.
15.California (is, are) not in the United
Kingdom.
16.Windows ( is, are) made of glass.
17.Tables ( is, are) not made of wood.
18.New York (is, are) a small city
 The past tense
expresses an action
the happened in the
past and does not
occur in the present.
 Simple Past Tense
Put the verb in brackets in the correct simple past form.
My grandfather had a very exciting life. When he
was young, he (live) on a farm in the country. His
parents (raise) cattle, and he (look) after the cows.
When he was eighteen, he went to university, where
he (study) Philosophy. He also (play) the trumpet in
a jazz band. When the war started, he (try) to join
the Air Force, but he (end) up in the Navy. In the
Atlantic, a German torpedo (rip) a hole in the side of
his ship, and the ship sank. Only five men (escape).
They (sail) in a lifeboat back to England. Then he met
my grandmother, and they (marry) after only three
weeks. He says now that he (want) to marry her very
quickly in case he (die) in the war.
Choose the correct past tense of verbs to be used for
each sentence.
1. I (saw, see) a movie yesterday.
2. I (did not, do not) see a play
yesterday.
3. Last year, I (traveled, travel) to
Japan.
4. (Did, Do) you have dinner last night?
5. She (washed, wash) her car last
summer.
6. He (buy, bought) his car last Christmas.
7. I (lived, live) in Brazil for two years.
8. Shauna (studied, study) Japanese
for five years.
9.They (sat, sit) at the beach all day.
10. They (did, do) not stay at the party
the entire time last weekend.
11. We (talked, talk) on the phone for
thirty minutes a while ago.
12. How long (did, do) you wait for them
last Monday?
13.I (visited, visit) French when I was a child.
14.He (played, play) the violin 2 years ago.
15.He (danced, dance) at the party.
16.(Did, do) you play a musical instrument
when you were a kid?
17.She (worked, work) at the movie theater
after school.
18. They never (went, go) to school, they
always skipped class.
 The future
tense
expresses an
action that will
happen.
 The Future
Replace the correct form of the verb in brackets.
Junko: Will you help me with my homework tonight?
Junko:Sure!
Mei-Li: (help) me with
I always my Seinfeld
watch homework tonight?
at seven. I will
Mei-Li: Sure!over
come I always
after watch Seinfeld
it's finished. at seven.
Will we need a
I (come) over after it's finished. (need) a dictionary?
dictionary?
Junko:
Junko: If we
If we do,do, I have
I have a good
a good dictionary
dictionary at at home.
home.
How (get)
How here?
will you get here?
Mei-Li:
Mei-Li: I (notknow.
I don't know).DoDoyouyou think
think it (rain)?
it will rain?
Junko:
Junko: I (notthink
I don't think) so.think) so.
(not
Mei-Li:
Mei-Li: I (walk)
I will walk then.
then.
Junko:
Junko: OK.OK. I (see)
I will see you
you later!
later!
Mei-Li:
Mei-Li: Bye!
Bye!
 Choose the correct future tense of verbs to be used for each
sentence.
I (will send, sent) you the information when I get it.
I (will translate, translate) the email, so Mr. Smith can
read it.
I (will not do, do) your homework for you.
I (won't do, do) all the housework myself!
The year 2222 (will be, is) a very interesting year.
The year 2222 (is going to be, is) a very interesting year.
John Smith (will be, is) the next President.
John Smith (is going to be, is)the next President.
The movie "Zenith" (will win, wins) several Academy
Awards.
The movie "Zenith" (is going to win, to win) several
Academy Awards.
 Tense Consistency

Do I use the
Or do I need
present tense
the past tense
to maintain
instead?
consistency?
 Once you begin a
sentence with a
certain verb tense,
maintain that tense
as long as you are
referring to the same
time.
Each of the following sentences contains an error in consistency of verb
tense. Revise each
sentence to make the verb tenses consistent. Give only one answer for
each sentence.
Example 1. Slowly, the sun sank below the horizon, and the sky becomes
dark. (became)
or
Slowly, the sun sank below the horizon, and the sky becomes dark.
(became)

1. Pioneers traveled west in Conestoga wagons and have

endured many hardships.
2. After the president of the United States threw out the first
ball, the baseball game begins.
3. The hungry child will eat some crackers and drank a cup of
milk.
4. Eduardo worked in the garden while we trim the hedges.
5. I will finish my homework, and Laurie finishes her chores
tonight.
6. After I swallowed the huge gulp of
water, I will cough.
7. As the trees sway in the breeze, the
birds will sing merrily.
8. Hannah mixed her paints and she
notices a crack in her palette.
9. My parents owned a diner until last
year when they sell it.
10. Tim had washed the dishes but
forgets to put them away.
 Choose the letter of the
correct answer.
 When King was a puppy, he bites toys and
furniture. Most of all, he wanted to chew
mail carrier.
 A. bit
 B. bite
 C. bitten
 D. bites
 activity

Carlos pawed
pawedatat
paws athis
his
hishair
hair
hairand
and
andshakes
shook
shookhis
his
hishead,
head,
head,but
but
but
A B
he cannot
cannotnot
could dislodge
dislodge
dislodge
the
thethe
giant
giant
giant
spider
spider
spider
tangled
tangled
tangled
inin in
CC
his curls.

A. was pawing
B. was shaking
w
C. could not
could not
D. No change is necessary.
 activity

Grandpa planted a backyard garden, hoping that it

was helping
was helpingwith
withthe
thehigh
highcost
costofoffood.
food.

A. will help
B. would
would help
help
C. helped
D. No change is necessary.
 activity

When Gretchen waswas aa freshman,

freshman, sheshe wanted
wantedtoto
A B
major in biology, but after her first rat dissection,

she couldn’t
couldn’tchange
changeher
hermajor
majorfast
fastenough.
enough.
C

A. had been
B. was wanting
C. cannot
D. No change
changeisisnecessary.
necessary.
 activity

We would
would have
havebite
bitemarks
markson
onour
ourankles
anklesand
and
scratches on our thighs ever since adopting
Nelson, our feisty kitten.

A. had
B. have
have
C. will have
D. No change is necessary.
Make yourself ready for the
next activity!
I’m a little
nervous.. But I
know I can ace
it.
 Choose the correct tense of verb to be
used in each sentence.
1. He knew he would not get his wish even
though he out all his birthday candles.
a. blows b. blew c. will blow
2. Cindy Nicholas was the first woman who
the English Channel both ways.
a. swims b. swam c. will swim
3. When the baby sitter raises her voice, the
children it is time to behave.
a. know b. knew c. will know
4. After we had seen all the exhibits at the county
fair, we a snack and then home.
a. eat, go b. ate, went c. will eat, will go
5. I was very nervous when I on the ski
lift for the first time.
a. go b. went c. will go
6. Sally went to the store and the home.
a. returns b. returned c. will return
7. We watched the movie and then to
the coffee shop across the street.
a. walk b. walked c. will walk
8. When the student asks a question, the professor
always .
a. grumbles b. grumbled c. will grumble
9. The kids will always clean the kitchen, my wife will
straighten up the den, and I in the yard.
a. work b. worked c. will work
10.When King was a puppy, he toys and
furniture.
a. chew b. chewed c. will chew
 Now, you can Wow!! That was
great! Now I know
narrate your
what I have to do to
experiences improve my
better and more paragraphs.
clearly.

That is absolutely
Privilege to help..
right! Thank you
One last thing,
very much..!!
we’re going to
check how much
you learn.
 For the past seven years, I have called myself a
swimmer. Swimming, my one sport, provides a necessary
outlet for my abundant energy. I have always drawn
satisfaction from exertion, straining my muscles to their limits.
I did not know why pushing forward in the water, as my
muscles cried out in pain, sets off a booming cheer in my head.
Many times when I rounded the turn for the last lap of a race,
my complaining muscles want to downshift and idle to the
finish. My mind, however, presses the pedal to the floor and
yells, "FASTER!" The moment that I touch the wall my
muscles relax; the pain subsides. I am pleased to have passed
the point of conflict.
 Read the paragraph below and identify the
incorrect shifts of verb tenses . The main tense in this
paragraph is past.
At my grandparents’ house that morning, I woke up
before anyone else and quietly grabbed the fishing pole and
headed for the pond. Across the water, I see ripples. “I have
to catch that fish,” I say to myself. I threw my lure near
where I see the ripples and reeled in the line. The fish don’t
seem interested. I saw more ripples and throw the line in
the water again. “I’ve got a strike!” I shout to the trees
around me. As I reeled in the line, a beautiful trout jumps
out of the water and spat out the hook. Discouraged, I go
back to the house. Grandpa was sitting at the table with a
bowl of hot oatmeal for me. I say, “Maybe tomorrow we’ll
have trout for breakfast.”
 Verb Tense?? Does this
have something to do
with past, present and
future?

That’s exactly what

we’re going to talk
about.
 Verb Tenses
The Importance of Time

Verb tense expresses the time of

an event or action. Time and how it is
expressed in writing is very important to
English readers. The English language
has twelve different tenses. In this lesson,
we will review the meaning of each verb
tense.
The Simple Present Tense

Do you have
examples,
Ma’am..?

She goes to work everyday.

They always eat lunch together.
Snow falls in the December in Minnesota.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Deborah waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets.
 The Simple Past
We use the simple past to
indicate exactly when an action or
event took place in the past.

The verbs are

now in the
past..

I visited my sister yesterday.

We went out to dinner last night.
I attended MJC in 1998.
I saw a movie every weekend when I was a teenager.
The cat walked along the tree branch a few minutes ago.
 The Future
This tense is used to describe
an event or action that will occur over
a period of time at a specific point in
the future.

The sentences are

all to happen in
the future.

She will meet a new client at eleven o’clock.

The train will leave at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.
I will teach ESL this afternoon.
They will move their furniture out of the house by next week.
They will write their first exam tonight.
 You’re doing
great. That was
very nice.
Thank you.
What’s up
next?

Very enthusiastic.
I like that!! We are
going to tackle
now the
consistency of
Verb Tenses. Verb Tenses
Consistency.. I
can’t wait!!
Verb tense indicates
the time of the verb:
past, present, or
future, illustrating
when an action takes
place. In writing you
need to be consistent
in the tense you are
using.
Incorrect: After we were comfortable,
we begin to do our homework.

Correct: After we were comfortable,

we began to do our homework.
Correct:

Correct:
 Yes Ma’am..
Do you still Definitely!!!
have the energy
to learn more??
No
I went into the building, and the next thing that I see is a man
who is holding a gun and demanding my money.

YES
I went into the building and the next thing that I saw was a man
who was holding a gun and demanding my money.

Note: The first verb "went" places this action in the past, and
the other actions also happened in the past, not the present.
No

YES

Note: The first verb tense, “work," is in the present tense,

showing a present action. "Left" and "lost" switch to the past
tense for no reason.
NO

Yes

Note:
Verb Tense Consistency

If you tell a story in PAST tense, STAY in PAST tense:

My brother was my best friend. He would always

give me advice if I was having an argument with my
boyfriend or if I needed to ask my parents for a
favor.

If you tell a story in PRESENT tense, STAY in PRESENT tense:

My brother is my best friend. He always gives me

advice if I am having an argument with my
boyfriend or if I need to ask my parents for a favor.
If you tell a story in FUTURE tense, STAY in FUTURE tense:

My brother will be my best friend. He will always

give me advice if I will have an argument with my
boyfriend or if I will need to ask my parents for a
favor.
 It’s the end of our
discussion about the
Consistency of Verb
Tenses. I hope that you
learned a lot and enjoyed
the activity. Thank you for
listening! Have a nice day!

Thank you for the very

informative and lively
discussion. Now I can write
better paragraphs . I have
also gained confidence in
writing.
Stay Consistent!
If you suspect tense inconsistency in your own writing, or the writing of others.
1) THINK about what "tense" or "time" the overall sentence is in - past, present
or future.
2) LOCATE verbs (action words) in the sentence, and see what tense they are
in.
3) RE-READ the sentence, to make sure you understand what it is saying.
4) RE-EXAMINE the verbs in the sentence, to make sure they are in a
consistent tense.
 Assignment
Write a paragraph about what
you learned in the activities
today. Make sure to observe
the right Consistency of
Tenses.
For their love, patience and understanding have given me a
source of strength and inspiration to finish this material.

For their advice and dedication to quality, creativity and

excellence that inspired me.
 Answer Keys
• Activity 1
1. rains 7. work
2. Writes 8. closes
3. Passes 9. tries
4. Fly 10. fries
5. Lives
6. Watch
 Activity 1- part 2
1. play 9. circle 17. is
2. does 10. does 18. is
3. does 11. likes
4. leaves 12. do
5. does 13. do
6. Does 14. is
7. Forgets 15. is
8. Cares 16. is
 Activity 2
1. lived 8. ripped
2. raised 9. escaped
3. looked 10. sailed
4. studied 11. married
5. played 12. wanted
6. tried 13. died
7. ended
 Activity 2- part 2
1. Saw
2. Did
3. Traveled
4. Did
5. Washed
6. bought
 Activity 3
1. Will you help
2. Will come, will we need
3. Will you get
4. Will run
5. Don’t think
6. Will walk
7. Will see
 Activity 3- Future
1. Will not do
2. Won’t
3. Will be
4. Is going to be
5. Will be
6. Is going to be
7. Will
8. Is going to win
 Activity 4
1. Had 9. sold
2. Began 10 forgets
3. Drunk
4. Trimmed
5. Will finish
6. Coughed
7. Sing
8. noticed
 Activity 4- Part 2
1. bit
2. Could not
3. Would help
4. No change is necessary
5. Have
 Activity 5
1. present 8. past
2. future 9. future
3. sweeps 10. present
4. touched
5. will blaze
6. settled
7. future
 Activity 6
1. b 8. a
2. b 9. c
3. a 10. b
4. b
5. b
6. b
7. b
 Activity7 & 8
1. call 1. saw 8. said
2. always 2. said
3. draw 3. saw
4. cry 4. seemed
5. round 5. threw
6. please 6. jumped
7. pass 7. wet