WebQuest
Grammar: Verb Tenses!
Introduction
Once upon a time, There was a Princess named Lila. She was a beautiful princess but she has a very big problem. She looks smart but she is having a hard time constructing her sentences in the correct verb tense.
Will you help Princess Lila learn more about using the correct verb tenses? Will you able to help Princess Lila realize value why we should learn these verb tenses?
We all know that even scholars themselves are having a hard time perfecting their grammar, expecially their tenses. Even good speakers make simple mistakes. These writers and speakers sometimes have trouble choosing the correct form of a verb. Like Princess Lila, let us learn more and discover new ways to practice and to enhance our writing as well as our speaking skills with the use of the correct tenses and verb forms.
Task
The student’s tasks will be first, to define what a verb is, and be able to identify it upon seeing a sentence. The students should also be able to use the verbs in their different forms correctly by filling up the blanks in the exercises attached. In the second exercise/activity that is attached, they should be able to identify the verb tenses used in each sentence. And lastly, they have to formulate an essay using the correct tenses of the verbs with consistency.
Process
WE are your Fairies who will teach you the diffrent Tenses of the VERB.
English requires a thorough understanding of how verbs are used. Even the best speakers and writers sometimes have some troubles in choosing the appropriate or correct form of a verb for a sentence. For an instance, how often have you heard "I sung the song" instead of "I sang the song"?
My students, together with Princess Lila are now about to study and learn the variety of verb forms and the way verbs are used to express time.
But, we first have to know what a verb is.
1. What is a verb?
A category of words that indicate an action, event or a state; in a clause, a verb forms the head of the predicate. In most languages verbs uniquely inflect for tense.
2. What is a Tense
The time of a verb's action or state of being, such as present or past.
3. Verb Tenses
An important use of the verb is to indicate when something happens. It is the tense of a verb that tells you if something is happening right now , was happening at some time in the past or will be happening at some time in the future.
There are two ways in forming the past tense of the verb.
The tense of a verb suggests the time of its action--present, past, or future. We rely on the past tense to show that an action has already been completed.
Adding -d or -ed to Form the Past Tense
In the following sentences, the verbs in bold are in the past tense:
Wallace moved into his new house last Saturday.
Yesterday I visited him for tea.
Both move and visit are called regular verbs because they have the same past-tense ending
of -ed.
If the present form of a regular verb ends in -e, we add -d to form the past tense:
Wallace and Gromit move frequently. (present tense)
Wallace and Gromit moved into their new house last Saturday. (past tense)
If the present form of a regular verb ends in a letter other than -e, we usually add -ed to form the past tense:
I visit Wallace and Gromit every Tuesday evening. (present tense)
Yesterday I visited them for tea. (past tense)
Note that a spelling rule comes into play with verbs ending in -y. If the present form of a regular verb ends in -y preceded by a consonant (for example, cry, fry, try, carry), change the y to i and add -ed to form the past tense (cried, fried, tried, carried):
Wallace and Gromit carry the cheese and crackers into the kitchen. (present tense)
Wallace and Gromit carried the cheese and crackers into the kitchen. (past tense)
4. The Six Tenses of Verbs !
Truly, learning the verb tense is one of the major requirements for us to learn more about the language to give us a clearer view of the rules on using these verb tenses :
Present Simple Every day - When do you get up? / Tom usually eats lunch at home.
Present Continuous Now - She's watching TV at the moment. / I'm not working, I'm reading a newspaper.
Past Simple Yesterday - They went on vacation last July. / Where did you meet Tim?
Past Continuous Yesterday, at X o'clock They were watching TV at 5 o'clock yesterday. / What were you doing when he came home?
Present Perfect Since / For - I've lived here a long time. / Have you ever seen that film?
Past Simple vs. Present Perfect I've lived here for many years. vs. I lived there before I moved to New York.
Present Perfect Continuous Since / For + Time - We've been working since 8 this morning. / What has she been doing recently?
Past Perfect Already - They had already eaten when she arrived. / Had you finished the report by the time he asked for it?
Future with Will Tomorrow, Next week - We'll get together next week. / Will you be able to come tomorrow?
Future with Going to Tomorrow, Next year, semester, etc. - They're going to study Russian next semester. / Where are you going to stay?
Future Perfect By, By the time - I'll have finished by the time he arrives. / Will you have done the work by six?
Future Continuous At X o'clock, This time next year, month, week / What will you be doing this time next year?
- She'll be working tomorrow at 10 o'clock.
Conditional Forms If questions - What would you do if you had enough time? / If she is in town, she'll come to the meeting.
Alternate Conditional Forms
Modal Forms Asking Permission, Giving Advice, etc. - May I help you? / He should see a doctor.
Modal Verbs of Probability Stating guesses - He must have stayed at home today. / She might be downstairs.
Tense Use Rules - For Beginners
These tense explanations cover basic tenses and are especially for beginners. They include easier English as well as example dialogues of tense use.
Present Simple
Present Continuous
Past Simple
Past Continuous
Present Perfect
Future with Will
Future with Going to
Modal Form Basics
Conclusion
There are three main categories of time: Present, Past and Future. The Tenses of Verbs allows us to express time within these categories in a variety of ways. These actions could be done during the conversation, before or after another action and even continously doing the action. This enables us to understand when the action had happend in this time-bound world.
Without these tenses of the verbs, we would never understand each other like the way we do today. The time of an action is relevant for it has been part of our daily living. In simple conversations we use these different verbs thus it is a must that we too should be aware of the diffrent tenses of the verb for better communication and understanding.
Thank you for helping Princess Lila lunderstand the value of using the correct Verb Tense.
