Spot the Verb
Verb Tense
Change the tense
When did it happen
What happened first
100

What is the verb?

 After school, Marcus grabbed his backpack and headed toward the gym.

What is grabbed?

What is headed?

100

What tense is the verb

Every morning, Jordan walks to the corner before school

What is present tense?

100

Rewrite the sentence in past tense.

Elena practices her presentation after school.

What is, Elena practiced her presentation after school?

100

When does the action happen?

Leah checks her messages before school.

What is the present?

100

Which happened first?

Mia grabbed her backpack after she finished her homework.

She finished her homework first.

200

What are the verbs?

Nina opened her laptop and checked the assignment before dinner

What is opened? What is checked?

200

What is the clue word(s) that tells you when it happened

Maya finished her science project last night


What is last night?

What is past tense?

200

Rewrite the sentence in future tense.

Marcus finished his homework before dinner.

What is, Marcus will finish his homework before dinner?

200

What clue word tells you that the action happened in the past?

Devin packed his lunch before leaving for school.

What is before?

200

Which action happened first,

The class had started when Tyler walked into the room.

The class started first.

300

What is the complete verb phrase?

By the time I got to class, everyone was talking about the surprise quiz 

What is "was talking"? 

300

What is the verb tense?

By this time tomorrow, we will start our final presentations

What is future tense?

300

Rewrite the sentence so the action has already happened.

The students are discussing the results of the experiment.

The students discussed the results of the experiment.

300

Which action happened first?

By the time we arrived at the theater, the movie had already started.

What is, the the movie starting? 

300

Fix the sentence to make the first verb present

 Jordan will finish practice, he will meet his friends for dinner.

“After Jordan finishes practice, he will meet his friends for dinner.”

400

How many verbs are in the sentence, and what are they?

Jordan looked at the clock, grabbed his jacket, and rushed out the door.

What is looked, grabbed and rushed?

400

Identify verb phrases and when

Marcus is practicing his speech today because he will present it tomorrow

What is practicing? Present?

What is will present? Future?

400

Rewrite the sentence to happen now

After the game, the team celebrates with their families.

The team is celebrating with their families.

400

Identify verb phrases and tense

Ava is finishing her homework now, but she will review her notes before class tomorrow.



What is, is finishing? Present

What is, will review? Future

400

Which just happened

Ava was putting away her supplies when the teacher announced that the class would be moving to the library.

The teacher announced the class moving

500

Identify verbs and verb phrases

I had been waiting for twenty minutes when my friend finally texted me back 

What is had been waiting? and texted?

500

Identify verb phrases and explain which happened first 

I was finishing my homework when my sister asked me to help with her project

What is was finishing? 

What is asked? Finishing happened first when asked occurred.

500

Rewrite to have happened already

When the bell rings, everyone gathers their things and heads toward the door.



When the bell rang, everyone gathered their things and headed toward the door.

500

Put the actions in order

Noah had packed his bag before his mom reminded him to bring his permission slip.


Noah packed his bag first

His mom reminded him after

500

Put the actions in order

Noah had finished setting up the game when his friends arrived and started choosing teams.

  • Noah finished setting up the game.
  • His friends arrived.
  • His friends started choosing teams.
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