Present and past tense
You learn to tell the present tense from the past tense.
How to do the test
- Look for a time word, such as yesterday, now or last week.
- Words like yesterday and last week point to the past tense.
- Words like now and every day point to the present tense.
Tap the verb in the past tense. Every day I walk to school, but yesterday I ran.
- Yesterday shows when it happens.
- The other verb, walk, is in the present tense.
- Ran is the past tense.
More examples
Tap the verb in the past tense. The baby sleeps now, but an hour ago she cried.
- An hour ago shows when it happens.
- The other verb, sleeps, is in the present tense.
- Cried is the past tense.
Tap the verb in the present tense. Last night we watched a film, and tonight we watch a play.
- Tonight shows when it happens.
- The other verb, watched, is in the past tense.
- Watch is the present tense.