Verb tense shows the time of an action or state of being. A verb can tell us if something happened in the past, is happening now, or will happen in the future.
Always check the verb to see when the action takes place—past, present, or future.
Each tense is formed in a different way by changing the verb or adding helping words.
Some verbs are irregular and do not follow the usual -ed rule (e.g., go → went for past tense).
Certain words and phrases can give clues about whether a verb is in the past, present, or future tense.
Look for time words in the sentence to help decide the verb tense quickly and accurately.
Read these sentences carefully. Notice how the verb changes to match the time of the action.
Focus on the verb form to tell which tense is used. Time words can also support your choice.
Writers must use the correct tense so readers know when events happened. Consistency makes writing clear and easy to understand.
Keep your verbs in the same tense unless you clearly need to shift the time in your story.