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Verb Tenses Worksheets

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All nine verb tenses, time clues, irregular verbs, and fixing tense shifts, with a chart and keyed practice.

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Learn the Nine Tenses

A chart with one verb in all nine tenses, and a page to name the tense of each verb.

  • Preview of the printable “The nine verb tenses” worksheet: knowing the simple, progressive, and perfect tenses in the past, present, and futureView larger

    The nine verb tenses

    Knowing the simple, progressive, and perfect tenses in the past, present, and future

    1 page38 KB

Choose and Form the Right Tense

Use time clues, show time, sequence, state, and condition, write irregular past forms, and sort sentences by tense.

  • Preview of the printable “Irregular past tense and past participles” worksheet: forming the past tense and the past participle of irregular verbsView all 2 pages

    Irregular past tense and past participles

    Forming the past tense and the past participle of irregular verbs

    Answer key on page 2

    2 pages53 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Sort by Tense: cut and paste” worksheet: sorting sentences by simple, progressive, and perfect tense (cut and paste)View all 2 pages

    Sort by Tense: cut and paste

    Sorting sentences by simple, progressive, and perfect tense (cut and paste)

    Answer key on page 2

    2 pages69 KB

Fix Tense Shifts

Spot the sentence that keeps its tense, then fix tense shifts in sentences and paragraphs.

  • Preview of the printable “Fix the tense shifts in a paragraph” worksheet: finding and correcting inappropriate shifts in verb tense in a paragraphView all 2 pages

    Fix the tense shifts in a paragraph

    Finding and correcting inappropriate shifts in verb tense in a paragraph

    Answer key on page 2

    2 pages49 KB

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More verb tenses worksheets

About these verb tenses worksheets

A verb's tense tells when an action happens. English has three simple tenses (past, present, and future), and each one also has a progressive form and a perfect form, so there are nine tenses in all. Take the verb paint. Simple: "I painted," "I paint," "I will paint." Progressive, for an action that keeps going: "I was painting," "I am painting," "I will be painting." Perfect, for an action finished before a certain time: "I had painted," "I have painted," "I will have painted."

Fifth graders learn to choose the tense that fits the meaning. Time clues like yesterday, right now, by the time, and next June point to the right tense. Tense can also show sequence ("By the time we arrived, the rain had stopped"), a state ("This clock belonged to my great-grandmother"), or a condition ("If it snows tomorrow, school will be closed").

A tense shift happens when a writer switches tense for no reason: "Last night, Kira opened the box and finds a kitten." The fix is to keep the verbs in the same tense unless the time really changes: "Last night, Kira opened the box and found a kitten."

These printable worksheets start with a chart that shows one verb in all nine tenses, then move to naming tenses, using time clues, irregular past forms, sorting, and fixing tense shifts in sentences and paragraphs. Every practice page has an answer key.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.BForm and use the perfect (e.g., I had walked; I have walked; I will have walked) verb tenses.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.CUse verb tense to convey various times, sequences, states, and conditions.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.1.DRecognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.

How to use them

  1. Read the Nine Verb Tenses chart together and say the nine forms of one verb aloud.
  2. Use Name the Tense and the sort to practice telling the tenses apart.
  3. Move on to Use the Time Clue and Using Verb Tenses to choose the tense that fits the meaning.
  4. Finish with the tense shift pages, first in single sentences and then in paragraphs.

Teaching tips

  • Have children underline the time clue before they choose a verb.
  • The helping verbs give the tense away: will for the future, a form of be with an -ing verb for progressive, and a form of have for perfect.
  • Keep a list of irregular verbs, such as begin, began, begun, where children can see it while they write.
  • When children edit their own writing, ask them to read only the verbs, one after another, to spot shifts.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What are the nine verb tenses?

Simple past, present, and future; past, present, and future progressive; and past, present, and future perfect. For example: walked, walk, will walk; was walking, am walking, will be walking; had walked, have walked, will have walked.

What is an inappropriate tense shift?

It is a change in verb tense that does not match a change in time, such as "Yesterday we hiked to the lake and swim in the water." Both verbs should be in the past: hiked and swam.

Which grade learns verb tenses?

Children meet past, present, and future in the early grades, the progressive tenses in 4th grade, and the perfect tenses and fixing tense shifts in 5th grade.

Are answer keys included?

Yes. Every practice page has an answer key.