⏰ Verbs and Tenses
Class 5 English · Unit 6 of 11 · about 120 minutes
Students learn to identify and use simple and continuous tenses (present, past, future), understand subject–verb agreement with singular and plural subjects, and use helping verbs (be, have, do, will) correctly. They apply these skills in speaking and writing about their daily life, school, and community.
What your child will learn
- Students will be able to identify the tense (present, past, future) of a given sentence.
- Students will be able to form the simple present, simple past, and simple future tense of regular and common irregular verbs.
- Students will be able to form the present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous tense using the correct helping verb and -ing form.
- Students will be able to choose the correct verb form that agrees with a singular or plural subject in the simple present tense.
- Students will be able to use helping verbs (is, am, are, was, were, have, has, do, does, will) correctly in sentences.
- Students will be able to choose the correct tense (simple or continuous) to describe an action in a given context.
Lessons in this unit
- What is tense?: Understand that verbs change form to show time: present, past, future. Recognize time words like 'now', 'yesterday', 'tomorrow'.
- Simple tenses: present, past, future: Form and use the simple present (habit/routine), simple past (completed action), and simple future (will + base verb). Include common irregular verbs.
- Continuous tenses: present, past, future: Form and use present continuous (am/is/are + -ing), past continuous (was/were + -ing), and future continuous (will be + -ing). Understand that continuous shows an action in progress.
- Subject–verb agreement: Match the verb to the subject in the simple present tense: singular subjects take -s/-es, plural subjects take the base form. Include 'am/is/are' and 'has/have'.
- Helping verbs: Use helping verbs correctly: be (am/is/are/was/were), have/has, do/does, will. Understand that helping verbs work with main verbs.
- Choosing the right tense: Analyze a context to decide between simple and continuous tenses. Use time expressions and clues like 'look!', 'every day', 'yesterday'.
Key words
- verb
- A word that shows an action or a state, like 'run' or 'is'.
- tense
- The form of a verb that tells when something happens: now, before, or later.
- present tense
- Shows something happening now or regularly, like 'I eat'.
- past tense
- Shows something already happened, like 'I ate'.
- future tense
- Shows something that will happen later, like 'I will eat'.
- continuous tense
- Shows an action that is happening at that time, like 'I am eating'.
- helping verb
- A small verb that helps the main verb, like 'is', 'have', 'do', or 'will'.
- subject
- The person or thing that does the action, like 'Riya' in 'Riya sings'.
- agreement
- When the verb matches the subject: 'I am', 'she is', 'they are'.
Help your child at home
What to watch for
- A verb ending in -ed is always past tense (e.g., 'played' is past, but 'walked' is past).
- Help: Many verbs add -ed for past, but some do not (e.g., 'go' → 'went'). Always check the time word.
- All verbs form the past by adding -ed (e.g., 'goed', 'eated').
- Help: Some verbs are irregular: 'go' becomes 'went', 'eat' becomes 'ate'. Memorize these.
- Continuous tense is formed by just adding -ing (e.g., 'I eating').
- Help: Always use a helping verb: am/is/are, was/were, or will be before the -ing verb.
- Add -s to the verb when the subject is plural (e.g., 'The dogs runs').
- Help: In present tense, -s goes with singular subjects: 'The dog runs', but 'The dogs run'.
Try this at home
- Sort sentences into present, past, future
- Fill in the blank with the correct verb form
- Fill in the blank with the correct continuous form
- Choose the correct verb form
Quick questions to ask aloud
- Which sentence is in the past tense? (Riya plays with her doll. / Riya played with her doll. / Riya will play with her doll.)
Show answer
Riya played with her doll.. The word 'played' shows it happened before. That is past tense. - Choose the correct past tense of 'go'. (goed / went / gone)
Show answer
'Go' is irregular. Its past form is 'went'. - Choose the correct present continuous form: 'Look! The boys ______ football.' (are playing / is playing / play)
Show answer
For present continuous with plural 'boys', use 'are playing'.
Frequently asked questions
What will my child learn in "Verbs and Tenses" (Class 5 English)?
Your child will be able to: identify the tense (present, past, future) of a given sentence.; form the simple present, simple past, and simple future tense of regular and common irregular verbs.; form the present continuous, past continuous, and future continuous tense using the correct helping verb and -ing form.; choose the correct verb form that agrees with a singular or plural subject in the simple present tense.; use helping verbs (is, am, are, was, were, have, has, do, does, will) correctly in sentences.; choose the correct tense (simple or continuous) to describe an action in a given context..
How does MangoMindz teach "Verbs and Tenses"?
In 6 short parts (What is tense?, Simple tenses: present, past, future, Continuous tenses: present, past, future, Subject–verb agreement, Helping verbs, Choosing the right tense). Each part has a picture-based lesson read aloud by Mango Teacher, a quick check, and a quiz built from common mistakes children make, with Mango, a study buddy, for questions.
How long does "Verbs and Tenses" take?
About 120 minutes in total, spread over 6 parts of 15–25 minutes each.
How can I help my child with "Verbs and Tenses" at home?
Work through a small example together, such as: Sort sentences into present, past, future; Fill in the blank with the correct verb form. Then ask a quick question aloud: Which sentence is in the past tense? (Riya plays with her doll. / Riya played with her doll. / Riya will play with her doll.)
What mistakes do children often make in "Verbs and Tenses"?
A verb ending in -ed is always past tense (e.g., 'played' is past, but 'walked' is past). Fix: Many verbs add -ed for past, but some do not (e.g., 'go' → 'went'). Always check the time word. All verbs form the past by adding -ed (e.g., 'goed', 'eated'). Fix: Some verbs are irregular: 'go' becomes 'went', 'eat' becomes 'ate'. Memorize these. Continuous tense is formed by just adding -ing (e.g., 'I eating'). Fix: Always use a helping verb: am/is/are, was/were, or will be before the -ing verb.
Is "Verbs and Tenses" free on MangoMindz?
Yes. Every lesson part and quiz in "Verbs and Tenses" is free on MangoMindz, with no ads.