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Keeping Verb Tense Consistent — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the 5th Grade verbs & tenses worksheet.

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Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheet5th Grade · English · Verbs & Tenses

Keeping Verb Tense Consistent — Answers

Part A: Keep it steady

When a sentence is about one time, keep the verbs in the same tense. Circle the verb that fits.

1.Yesterday we walked to the park and (answer space) on the swings.
  1. Aplay
  2. Bplayed
  3. Cwill play

Answer: played

Yesterday and walked are past, so played keeps the tense.

2.Every morning, Lina feeds her fish and then (answer space) her teeth.
  1. Abrushed
  2. Bbrushes
  3. Cwill brush

Answer: brushes

Every morning and feeds are present, so brushes keeps the tense.

3.Next week we will visit our cousins and (answer space) a picnic with them.
  1. Awill have
  2. Bhad
  3. Chaving

Answer: will have

Next week and will visit are future, so will have keeps the tense.

4.The dog barked loudly and (answer space) after the ball.
  1. Aruns
  2. Bran
  3. Cwill run

Answer: ran

Barked is past, so ran keeps the tense.

5.Owen opens the door, looks around and (answer space) inside.
  1. Astepped
  2. Bsteps
  3. Cwill step

Answer: steps

Opens and looks are present, so steps keeps the tense.

6.Last month the class planted seeds and (answer space) them every day.
  1. Awater
  2. Bwatered
  3. Cwill water

Answer: watered

Last month and planted are past, so watered keeps the tense.

Part B: Spot the slip

One verb in each sentence is in the wrong tense. Write the wrong verb and the correct verb, like this: finds → found.

7.Sara opened the box and finds a small key.

Answer: finds → found

  1. Opened is past, so finds should be found.
8.We were eating dinner when the lights go out.

Answer: go → went

  1. Were eating is past, so go should be went.
9.Every Saturday, my dad makes pancakes and we ate them together.

Answer: ate → eat

  1. Every Saturday and makes are present, so ate should be eat.
10.The bird built a nest and lays three eggs.

Answer: lays → laid

  1. Built is past, so lays should be laid.
11.Tomorrow I will pack my bag and caught the early bus.

Answer: caught → catch

  1. Will pack is future, so caught should be (will) catch.

Part C: Is the change correct?

Tense can change when the time changes. Write True if the sentence is correct and False if the tense slips.

12.I am tired today because I stayed up late last night.

Answer: True

Correct. The time changes from today to last night, so the tense changes too.

13.She walks into the room and sat down.

Answer: False

Both actions happen at the same time, so they need the same tense: She walked into the room and sat down.

14.We went to the beach yesterday, and we will go again tomorrow.

Answer: True

Correct. Yesterday is past and tomorrow is future, so the tense changes.

15.The wind howled and the rain pours down.

Answer: False

Both happen at the same time: The wind howled and the rain poured down.

Part D: Your turn

Last Saturday, Jay and his sister go to the beach. They built a sandcastle and dig a moat around it. A big wave rolls in and washed it away. They laughed and start again.

16.Your turn: rewrite this paragraph so that every verb is in the past tense. Underline each verb you change.

Model answer: Last Saturday, Jay and his sister went to the beach. They built a sandcastle and dug a moat around it. A big wave rolled in and washed it away. They laughed and started again.

Success criteria:

  • Every verb in the past tense
  • go, dig, rolls and start changed correctly
  • Irregular past forms spelled correctly (went, dug)
  • Changed verbs underlined
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