Grade: Grade 3 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Grammar: Verbs & Adjectives SAT: StandardEnglishConventions ACT: English

Verb Tenses

Verbs are action words that tell us what someone or something does. But verbs also tell us WHEN something happens - in the past, present, or future. Let's become verb tense experts!

What Are Verb Tenses?

Verb Tenses Tell Us WHEN!

A verb's tense tells us whether something already happened, is happening now, or will happen later. Think of it like a time machine for words!

PAST walked
PRESENT walk
FUTURE will walk
Past Tense
Already Happened

Yesterday, last week, a long time ago

I played soccer.
She jumped high.
We ate dinner.
Present Tense
Happening Now

Today, right now, every day

I play soccer.
She jumps high.
We eat dinner.
Future Tense
Will Happen Later

Tomorrow, next week, someday

I will play soccer.
She will jump high.
We will eat dinner.
Time Clue Words: Look for words like "yesterday," "now," "tomorrow," "last year," or "next week" to help you choose the right tense!

Regular Verbs

+ed Past Tense Rule

Most verbs follow a simple pattern. To make the past tense, just add -ed to the end!

walk + ed = walked

I walked to school yesterday.

Base Verb Past Tense (+ed) Present Tense Future Tense (will + verb)
walk walked walk / walks will walk
jump jumped jump / jumps will jump
play played play / plays will play
help helped help / helps will help
talk talked talk / talks will talk

Spelling Tips Special -ed Rules

Some regular verbs need small spelling changes:

  • Verbs ending in -e: Just add -d (like -> liked, hope -> hoped)
  • Verbs ending in consonant + y: Change y to i, add -ed (try -> tried, cry -> cried)
  • Short verbs ending in consonant: Double the last letter (stop -> stopped, hop -> hopped)

Irregular Verbs

Some Verbs Break the Rules!

Irregular verbs don't just add -ed. They change in special ways, and you need to memorize them!

Common Irregular Verbs to Know

go
went / will go
eat
ate / will eat
run
ran / will run
see
saw / will see
come
came / will come
have
had / will have
do
did / will do
say
said / will say
make
made / will make
take
took / will take
write
wrote / will write
give
gave / will give
Base Verb Past Tense Present Tense Future Tense
be was / were am / is / are will be
go went go / goes will go
eat ate eat / eats will eat
see saw see / sees will see
run ran run / runs will run
Memory Trick: Practice irregular verbs by saying them in a pattern: "Today I GO, yesterday I WENT, tomorrow I WILL GO." The rhythm helps you remember!

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects and Verbs Must Match!

The subject (who or what does the action) and the verb must agree in number. Singular subjects need singular verbs. Plural subjects need plural verbs.

1 Singular Subjects

When talking about ONE person or thing, add -s or -es to present tense verbs:

The dog runs fast.

She plays piano.

He watches TV.

One dog, one she, one he = add -s to the verb!

2+ Plural Subjects

When talking about MORE THAN ONE, use the base verb (no -s):

The dogs run fast.

They play piano.

We watch TV.

Many dogs, they, we = no -s on the verb!

Subject Verb: to run Verb: to be Verb: to have
I run am have
You run are have
He / She / It runs is has
We run are have
They run are have
Special Note: "I" is singular but uses plural verb forms (I run, not I runs). "You" can be singular or plural but always uses plural forms too!

Verb Conjugation Practice

Practice changing verbs to different tenses! Type the correct form and press Enter or click Check.

walk
Change to: Past Tense
Score: 0 / 0

Practice Problems

Choose the correct verb form to complete each sentence!

Problem 1

Yesterday, I _____ to the park.

Problem 2

Tomorrow, she _____ her grandma.

Problem 3

Right now, the birds _____ in the tree.

Problem 4

Last week, we _____ pizza for dinner.

Problem 5

The cat _____ on the couch every day.

Fill in the Blank Challenge

Read the sentence and type the correct verb form. Pay attention to the time clues!

Complete the Sentence

Yesterday, the dog across the yard.

Use the verb: run

Score: 0 / 0

Check Your Understanding

Which sentence uses the PAST tense correctly?

What is the past tense of "run"?

Which verb agrees with the subject? "The dogs _____ loudly."

Which word signals FUTURE tense?

What We Learned

Past

Past Tense

Already happened. Often ends in -ed or changes form.

Now

Present Tense

Happening now. Add -s for he/she/it.

Soon

Future Tense

Will happen. Use "will" + base verb.

Match

Agreement

Subjects and verbs must match in number!

Keep Practicing! The more you read and write, the more natural verb tenses will feel. Try keeping a journal and practice using different tenses to describe your day!

Next Steps

  • Practice identifying verb tenses when you read books
  • Write sentences using past, present, and future tense
  • Study the irregular verb list - try to memorize 3 new ones each day
  • When ready, move on to Using Adjectives!