Past, Present, and Future Verbs

Section 1

The Story of Verbs

People have always needed to talk about when things happen. Did it happen already? Is it happening right now? Will it happen later? Verbs are the special words that help us tell time in our sentences!

A verb is a word that shows action — like run, eat, or play. When we change a verb just a little, we can show if something happened before, is happening now, or will happen later. Let's see how people learned this!

Long, Long Ago

The first people talked to each other using sounds. They needed a way to tell stories about what happened yesterday and what they would do tomorrow.

People Started Writing

When people learned to write, they wrote down their words. They changed verb endings to show time. For example, adding -ed to show the past!

Schools Began Teaching It

Teachers started showing children how verbs change. They called these changes verb tenses. "Tense" is just a fancy word for "time."

Today — You!

Now it is your turn! You get to learn how to use verbs for the past, present, and future. This will make your writing and speaking even better!

Here is the big question: How do we change a verb to show when something happens? That is what we will learn today!

Section 2

The Big Ideas

There are three times we talk about. We call them past, present, and future. Each one uses a verb in a different way.

Verbs Are Action Words

A verb tells what someone does. Words like jump, sing, and walk are all verbs.

Past = Already Done

The past tense tells about something that already happened. We often add -ed to the end. Example: walked.

Present = Right Now

The present tense tells about something happening right now or something you do every day. Example: walk.

Future = Not Yet

The future tense tells about something that will happen later. We add the word will before the verb. Example: will walk.

✦ Key Takeaway

Think of time like a road. Behind you is the past — things you already did. Right where you stand is the present — what you do now. Ahead of you is the future — what you will do next. Verbs change to show where on the road you are!

Section 3

Picture It: The Time Road

Look at the picture below. It shows the Time Road. On the left is yesterday (past). In the middle is today (present). On the right is tomorrow (future). See how the verb walk changes!

The Time Road — showing how the verb "walk" changes for past, present, and future.

See how the verb walk stays the same for today, but adds -ed for yesterday, and gets the word will in front for tomorrow? That is how verbs show time!

Section 4

How It Works

Let's look at the rules for changing verbs. These rules are easy to remember!

Past Tense Rule

verb + ed = past

Add -ed to the end of the verb. Example: play → played

For the past tense, we usually add -ed to the end of the verb. "I played at the park." This tells us it already happened!

Present Tense Rule

verb = present

Keep the verb just the way it is. Example: play

For the present tense, we keep the verb just how it is. "I play at the park." This tells us it happens now or every day!

Future Tense Rule

will + verb = future

Put the word will before the verb. Example: will play

For the future tense, we put the word will in front of the verb. "I will play at the park." This tells us it has not happened yet!

How the verb "jump" changes for past, present, and future tenses.

✦ Key Takeaway

Think of it like getting dressed! For the past, the verb puts on an -ed coat. For the present, the verb stays in its regular clothes. For the future, the verb gets a helper friend named will who walks in front!

Section 5

Time Words That Help

Some special words called time words give us clues about which verb tense to use. Let's learn them!

Verb Tenses Over Time

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

Already happenedWill happen

Past Time Words	Present Time Words	Future Time Words
Yesterday	Today	Tomorrow
Last week	Right now	Next week
Last night	Every day	Later
This morning (if it's afternoon now)	Now	Soon

When you see a time word in a sentence, it is a clue! If the time word is about before, use the past tense. If it is about now, use the present tense. If it is about later, use the future tense.

Yesterday I played with my dog.

Today I play with my dog.

Tomorrow I will play with my dog.

Section 6

Let's Try One Together!

Let's pick the right verb for each sentence. We will use the verb cook.

Working with the Verb "cook"

Step 1 — Read the Time WordOur sentence says: "Last night, Mom _____ dinner." The time word is last night. That means it already happened. We need the past tense!

Step 2 — Change the VerbThe verb is cook. To make it past tense, we add -ed to the end. cook + ed = cooked

Step 3 — Write the Sentence"Last night, Mom cooked dinner." ✅

Step 4 — Now Try Present!"Every day, Mom _____ dinner." The time word is every day. That means now! We keep the verb the same. "Every day, Mom cooks dinner." ✅

Step 5 — Now Try Future!"Tomorrow, Mom _____ dinner." The time word is tomorrow. That means it has not happened yet! We add will. "Tomorrow, Mom will cook dinner." ✅

Great job! Did you see how we looked at the time word first? That is the trick. The time word tells us which tense to pick!

Section 7

Compare the Three Tenses

Let's put all three tenses side by side so you can see how they look with different verbs.

Base Verb	Past (+ ed)	Present	Future (will +)
walk	walked	walk	will walk
jump	jumped	jump	will jump
play	played	play	will play
talk	talked	talk	will talk
help	helped	help	will help

Do you see the pattern? The past always ends with -ed. The present stays the same. The future always has will in front. Nice!

One thing to know: some verbs are tricky! Words like run become ran in the past, not "runned." And eat becomes ate, not "eated." These are called irregular verbs. But for now, most verbs follow the -ed rule, and that is a great place to start!

✦ Key Takeaway

The three tenses are like a traffic light! 🔴 Past = stop, it's done. 🟢 Present = go, it's happening! 🟣 Future = get ready, it's coming! Just like you know what a traffic light means, you can know what a verb tense means!

Section 8

What Comes Next?

You are doing amazing! Now that you know the past, present, and future tenses, here is what you will learn as you grow as a reader and writer.

What You Know Now	What You'll Learn Later
Add -ed for past tense	Some verbs change in special ways (ran, ate, went)
Add will for future tense	Other ways to talk about the future (going to + verb)
Use the base verb for present	Adding -s or -ing for different kinds of present

For now, you have all the tools you need. Keep practicing, and these verbs will feel easy and fun!

Section 9

Practice Time! 🎉

Try these problems! Click the button to see the answer when you are ready.

PROBLEM 1 — WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

What do we add to the end of a verb to make it past tense?

PROBLEM 2 — PICK THE RIGHT VERB

Fill in the blank: "Yesterday, I _____ my room." (clean)

PROBLEM 3 — PAST, PRESENT, OR FUTURE?

Read this sentence: "I will paint a picture." Is this verb in the past, present, or future tense?

PROBLEM 4 — WRITE THREE SENTENCES

Use the verb kick to write three sentences — one for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. (Try it on paper first!)

PROBLEM 5 — THINK ABOUT IT

Your friend writes this sentence: "Tomorrow, I played at the park." Something is wrong! Can you find the mistake and fix it? Explain why.

Summary

What We Learned

Today we learned that verbs are action words, and they can change to show when something happens. There are three verb tenses. The past tense tells about things that already happened — we add -ed to the verb (like walked and played). The present tense tells about things happening right now — we keep the verb the same (like walk and play). The future tense tells about things that will happen later — we put the word will before the verb (like will walk and will play).

Time words like yesterday, today, and tomorrow are helpful clues that tell us which tense to use. When you write or speak, look for these clue words, pick the right verb form, and your sentences will be clear and correct. Keep practicing, and you'll be a verb expert in no time! 🌟