Grammar Lesson Plan · Grades 3–5
Verb Tense Lesson
Teach students how verbs change form to show when an action happens. This three-page combined lesson and worksheet covers present tense (things happening now), past tense (things that already happened — including regular -ed endings and irregular forms), and future tense (things that will happen). Five practice exercises have students identify the tense of underlined verbs. Answer key included.
Subject
Grammar
Grades
Grades 3–5
Skill Focus
Verb tense, present tense, past tense, future tense, irregular verbs
Lesson Length
30 minutes
Lesson Overview
Verb Tense
Verbs change their form to show the time of an action or state of being. This time is called the verb’s tense. Verbs in sentences about things happening now are in the present tense: I watch videos after school. Note that the present tense form changes to match the subject: Mary watches videos after school.
Verbs in sentences about things that already happened are in the past tense. Regular verbs add -ed in the past tense: watched. Irregular verbs have different past tense forms that must be learned separately: run becomes ran, not runned.
Verbs in sentences about things that have not happened yet are in the future tense, formed with will: I will watch videos tomorrow. The five practice exercises ask students to identify whether the underlined verb in each sentence is present, past, or future tense. The answer key is on page 3.
How to Use This Lesson
1. Use pages 1–2 to introduce verb tense. Read the examples aloud and have students supply their own present, past, and future sentences using the same verb.
2. Discuss the difference between regular verbs (add -ed in the past) and irregular verbs (different past tense form). Ask students for examples of irregular verbs they know.
3. Have students complete the five practice exercises on page 2. Students choose whether each underlined verb is past, present, or future. Review answers using the key on page 3.
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Verb Tense Lesson and Worksheet
Three-page combined lesson and worksheet: explanation of present, past (regular and irregular), and future tense with examples, five practice exercises, and answer key. Grades 3–5.
Keep Exploring Grammar
Verb Tense Quiz
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What does verb tense indicate?
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Which sentence is in the past tense?
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Which sentence is in the future tense?
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What is the past tense of 'bring'?
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Which sentence uses present progressive tense?