Changing Verbs From Present to Past and Future

Second Grade Grammar

Three Tenses of Verbs

Verb Tense

past

present

future

Past Tense Verbs

Most past tense verbs end in ed, but there are several rules to use while changing the present to past tense. Past tense verbs tell action that has already happened. Some words change spelling to show past tense.

Examples: Beg = begged Feed = fed Run = ran

grow = grew like = liked play = played

Present Tense Verbs

Actions that happen now or today Some present tense verbs have ing, s, or es on the end of them. Clue words: now, today

Examples: Stays plays Flies juggles Floats jogs

hikes fusses runs

drives dresses carries

Future tense verbs

Many verbs have the helping verb will in front of them to show they will be happening. Clue words to look for are: tomorrow, some day, next time, or next week. Examples: Will play will lead will be happy Will have will eat will like

From Present to Past

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

There are five ways to change a verb from present tense to past tense. Just add ed. Double the final consonant and add ed. Drop the final e and add ed. Change the y to i and add ed. Change the spelling.

We did this when we changed a singular noun to a plural noun and with verb agreement too.

Just add -ed

Most verbs can change from the present to the past by just adding ed.

Today I walk home. Yesterday I walked home. Did it rain today? It rained yesterday.

Doubling the Final Consonant

When a present tense verb ends with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant and add ed to make the verb change to past tense.

Drop the ball. He dropped the ball. Hop on one foot. She hopped on one foot.

Dropping the Final e

When a present tense verb ends with a sneaky/silent e, drop the e and add ed to make the verb change to past tense. Skate with me. We skated together at the rink.

I like to shop. I liked shopping with you.

Changing y to i

When a present tense verb ends with a y, change the y to i and add ed to make the verb change to past tense.

Will you help me carry the groceries? We carried them to the kitchen. Eric asked me to marry him on New Years Day. We got married on August 2, 1997.

Changing the Spelling

Sometimes a present tense verb changes its entire spelling to make the verb change to past tense. If it helps say, Yesterday I ______, to help find the right word to use in the past tense.

We eat lunch at 11:30. We ate lunch at 11:30 yesterday. Stand straight in line. We stood straight in line.

Now its your turn!

How can you make these present tense verbs past tense verbs? like A. liked take A. taked

B. likeed

C. likked

B. took

C. takeed

Try Some More

bury A. buried mop A. mopped

B. buryed

C. buryyed

B. moped

C. mopeed

go A. goed

B. gone

C. went

Future Tense
The future has not yet happened, but we know it will. Add will to the present tense verb to make the future tense.

Present - Today I go. Past - Yesterday I went. Future - Tomorrow I will go.

Adding ing to a present tense verb

All the rules used for changing the present tense verb to a past tense verb can also be used when adding ing to the verb except for changing the spelling and do not drop the y when adding ing.

Present carry eat walk like drop

Past with-ed carried ate walked liked dropped

Present with -ing carrying eating walking liking dropping