Download Information Verb Tenses

Section
4
Workbook 2(i)
Subject-Verb
Agreement/Verb Tense
© 2006
Flexible Learning
______________
Ideal for blended (tutor/distance) learning
Literacy
Communication
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Rs/L1.1
Information
Verb Tenses
Verbs are written in different forms to tell us more about the time at which the action of the
verb takes place - in the past, the present or the future.
Example:
She came home at midnight.
came is in the past tense because
the action has already taken place.
Look! He is coming down our street
is coming is in the present tense
because the action is happening now.
They will come by train
will come is in the future tense because
the action will take place later.
Exercise 1
Read the following football match report and try to work out which tense is used for
the main part of the report.
Even though City was without their main striker, Bowen, they easily overcame their opponents
at the Trade Stadium on Saturday. Town went into an early lead after Himpey put Jingles
through to score with only thirteen minutes on the clock. The remainder of the first half was
scrappy with City almost equalising just before half time when Town’s goalkeeper, Dobbs,
was left stranded, but Peskey’s shot was just wide of the post. The second half started well
for City with Goates scoring from a free kick and six minutes later Peskey made sure of his
second attempt with a header after a perfectly taken corner by Anklemann. After sixty-five
minutes Himpey was again in action for Town, but this time he was judged to have fouled
Pupson, the City goalkeeper, and the referee had no hesitation in sending him off. Himpey
will now miss next week’s home tie against United and the mid-week cup-tie away to
Rangers. Goates scored from the resulting penalty and the match finished with the score 3-1.
After the match City’s manager, Alf Wince, said, “ I am worried about Pupson’s injury. It was
a bad tackle and his back is giving him a lot of pain. He will continue to have treatment on it
for a few days but we will probably have to play our reserve keeper in our mid-week game.”
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
2
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Rs/L1.1
Exercise 2
Most of the verbs in the report were used in the past tense.
Can you think why?
A few verbs were in other tenses.
Read through the report again, highlighting any verbs you find that are not written in
the past tense.
Make a list of these verbs and alongside put the correct tense of the verb. You should
have two verbs in the present tense and three in the future.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
3
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Ws/L1.1
Information
Subject Verb Agreement
The subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun (the person or thing) which performs the
action in a sentence. The subject can be either singular or plural, but in either case the verb
must agree with its subject. Look at these examples. The subject of each sentence is in
bold; the verb is underlined.





James and his mum spent three hours in casualty.
James had fallen off his skateboard.
The doctor told him that he had broken his arm.
A nurse plastered his arm for him.
They left the hospital and went home.
Exercise 3
Choose the correct verb to fit with each subject in the sentences below by crossing out
the verb that does not fit.
I (go, goes) to school.
I (come, comes) home at 4 o’clock.
I (catch, catches) the bus.
I (reach, reaches) home at 4.30.
I (have, has) my tea at 5 o’clock.
I (am, is) in bed by 9 o’clock.
He (go, goes) to college.
He (come, comes) home at 5 o’clock.
He (catch, catches) the train.
He (reach, reaches) home at 5.45.
He (have, has) his tea at 6 o’clock.
He (stay, stays) up until 11 o’clock.
Exercise 4
Read the paragraph below and underline the subject of each verb in the sentences.
Highlight the correct verb from inside each of the brackets so that the verb you choose
agrees with the subject of the sentence. You may need to read the whole of the
sentence in order to work out which verb is correct.
On Saturday, Darren (play, played) basketball for his local college team. They (meet,
met) in the car park and (was, were) (took, taken) by minibus to their match at the
leisure centre. We (follow, followed) them in our car so that we (don’t, didn’t) get lost.
The game (was, were) very exciting because Darren’s team, The Codders, (win, won)
by only two points. After the match we (met, meet) the team at the pub for a drink. It
(were, was) a good night because The Codders (had, has) defeated the League
Champions and (was, were) in line for promotion.
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
4
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Ws/L1.2
Information
Verb Tenses
In writing, different verb tenses are used to inform the reader when an event has taken place.
We use three main tenses – present, past and future.
The present tense is used when the action is taking place as the writer is actually writing. It
is often used in letters or in an autobiography, when the writer is writing about his or her own
experience.
Example:
I am writing this letter as I watch my daughter playing happily.
The past tense is used in newspaper and magazine reports, in stories or narratives or when
the writer is writing about an event that has already taken place.
Example:
The Stags were relegated to Division 3 after a disastrous season.
The future tense is used when the writer is writing about something that will take place in
the future.
Example:
Next season we hope they will improve.
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
5
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Ws/L1.2
Exercise 5
Most of this report has been written in the past tense because the action has already taken
place. However the writer has made several mistakes, putting some verbs in the wrong
tense.
Can you spot the mistakes? Underline the verbs that you think are in the wrong tense
and write the correct verb underneath the paragraph. The first one has been done for
you. You should be able to find 8 more.
During the summer holidays I went to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland to spend a week with
some renowned archaeologists digging at a Roman site. We will spend the first few days
clearing the land, taking up the grass turfs and digging a deep trench. We had to use a
machine to dig the trench until it is about 5 feet deep. The Roman historian, who was in
charge of the dig, then asks us to carefully scrape away the mud that was surrounding some
old stones. He says that these stones were part of a Roman fort where Roman soldiers kept
guard and watch for enemy soldiers coming to plunder their villages. One of the diggers find
some Roman coins but they were not in very good condition. However, we did find some old
pieces of pottery but we were told that they were not Roman. On the last day, we discover a
gold bangle. It is very dirty when it was taken out of the earth but after it had been cleaned up
it will look beautiful.
will spend - spent
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
6
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Ws/L1.2
Information
Present/Past Tense
Verbs in the present tense are used when the writer is writing about something that is
happening at the moment of writing. They can be written in various ways:
Example:
I write my name.
She eats her tea.
They go to the disco.
I am writing my name.
She is eating her tea.
They are going to the disco.
The past tense of verbs is used when the action has already happened. It can also be written
in various ways.
Example:
I wrote my name.
She ate her tea.
They went to the disco.
I have written my name.
She has eaten her tea.
They have been to the disco.
Exercise 6
This is the script for a news reporter from a local radio station. It is about a dog show that is
taking place at a country fair. The news reporter is talking about the competition as it is taking
place so all the verbs are written in the present tense.
Read the report and highlight all the verbs in the present tense that you can find,
taking care to include the entire verb, as there may be more than one word.
I am standing by the entrance to the dog ring here at the country fair in Mendham, waiting for
the next group of dogs to enter. It is a lovely sunny day and a large crowd is gathering to see
the climax of this exciting competition. Into the ring comes the poodle class and owners.
They all line up across the middle of the ring and are asked to stand for a few moments while
the three judges walk up and down the line looking carefully at the way the dogs stand and
how patient they are while they are waiting. The owners are now being asked to walk their
dogs individually to the edge of the circle. The crowd has become very quiet as the judges
take a final look. They are conferring now and don’t seem to have much doubt which dog is
the winner of this poodle class. I think that I agree with them – Mizzi is certainly a handsome
animal and is a very popular winner.
Exercise 7
The reporter has been asked to rewrite his script so that it can be put into the local
newspaper. Because the event will already have happened when the newspaper is printed,
the reporter will have to change all the verbs into the past tense. There will be other words in
the report that will need changing too in order that it makes sense in the past tense.
Can you help him to rewrite the report ready for the newspaper?
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
7
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Ws/L1.2
Information
Future Tense
Verbs are written in the future tense when the action of the verb is still to happen sometime in
the future. They can be written in different forms.
I shall write to your mother.
It will freeze overnight.
They will return tomorrow.
We shall join you later.
I shall be writing to your mother.
It will be freezing overnight.
They will be returning tomorrow.
We shall be joining you later.
Exercise 8
In this advertisement for a health farm all the verbs are written in the future tense because it is
telling the reader the things that will be available to them if they win the first prize in a
competition.
Underline all the verbs that you can find that are in the future tense. Remember that
they may contain more than one word.
By winning this amazing competition, you will be able to take advantage of all our facilities
throughout your three-day stay. There will not only be our highly qualified staff to pamper
you, but you will also be offered only the freshest, local organic produce for every meal. You
and your partner will have full use of our heated swimming pool, jacuzzis, whirlpools and
spas. For more energetic types, the gymnasium will be available to you with a fully qualified
trainer to help you get the most out of your exercise. We will also give you the opportunity to
take part in many indoor and outdoor sports such as squash, tennis, badminton, golf or one of
the many water sports that will be on offer to you during your stay. After a hard day’s workout
you will be able to enjoy some time in a Turkish bath and, after a massage by one of our
expert masseuses, you will be ready to enjoy your candlelit dinner in the relaxed atmosphere
of our highly commended restaurant.
Exercise 9
Using most of the same words, rewrite the paragraph as though you were telling a
friend in a letter about your experiences at the health farm. You will need to change all
the verbs from the future tense into the past tense and there will be several other
alterations you will have to make too. You may find it easier to rewrite the paragraph
using “we” instead of “you” as the subject of some of the verbs.
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
8
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006
WORKBOOK 2(i)
bksb● FLEXIBLE LEARNING
Sentence Focus
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT/VERB TENSE
SECTION 4
Rs/L1.1
Ws/L1.1
Ws/L1.2
Glossary of Grammatical Terms Used in this Workbook
Adverb
A word or phrase that adds meaning to another word, particularly a
verb, e.g. The sun shone brightly.
Phrase
A collection of words that are not a complete sentence, but add colour
or meaning to the rest of the sentence, e.g. The football team, dressed
ready in their new strip, arrived at the ground.
Pronoun
A word which replaces a noun, e.g. He (the goalkeeper) let in 6 goals!
Negative Verbs
Verbs which tell you not to do something. They may be verbs
preceded by no or don’t, e.g. No Parking, Don’t Walk on the Grass, or
verbs with a negative suffix, e.g. undecided, distrust.
Tense
A verb form which indicates time, e.g. I am going to college today
(present tense), I was going to work yesterday (past tense), I will be
going to the pub tomorrow (future tense).
Instructions
Well done. If you are working towards Level 1 you have completed the
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense Workbook.
If you are working towards Level 2, or if you are working towards Level 1 but
would like to continue your learning, go to Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Section 5.
Subject-Verb Agreement/Verb Tense
Towards Level 1/2 Literacy/Communications
9
© West Nottinghamshire College 2006