ABSTRACT
Verbs are the basic building blocks of language, telling us what someone or something is doing or what is happening. All children in Key Stage 3 and above should easily be able to identify verbs in sentences, and, certainly for native speakers, conjugating verbs within a sentence of any tense should not pose too much of a problem. However, many children – and teachers! – may struggle to identify which exact form of verb they are using and why, or the name of the verb tense and what that tense signifies. A solid understanding of different tense constructions and the different functions of a verb within a sentence can enable students to make a more precise analysis of a character or writer’s intention, as well as help the students to construct more effective sentences in their own writing. For those working in an environment where there are a number of EAL students, it will also be of significant help to your students if you are able to explain clearly the exact uses of tense constructions to avoid grammatical mistakes and confusion between simple, continuous and perfect tenses.
