Language and Grammar: Persuade

Group Debate Work in a group. Divide into two teams. Take turns debating the pros and cons of genetically modified food. Use present tense, past tense, and future tense verbs in your arguments, depending on the time of the action.

I think genetically modified food will help solve the world’s hunger problem.

I think genetically modified food may be dangerous. We don’t know the effects of eating some of these foods.

Writing and Grammar: Write Effectively About Events

Study the Models When you write, make sure your readers can understand what you want to say. Choose verbs carefully to make it clear when events happen.

Not Ok

A virus hurts the sweet potato plants, and the plants died. Some farmers lose most of their crop because of the virus. Then scientists studied ways to grow better plants. They focused on genes and create a strong plant. The plants produced magnificent sweet potatoes.

This writer confuses the reader by switching between what happened in the past and what is happening now in the present.

Ok

A virus hurt the sweet potato plants, and the plants died. Some farmers lost most of their crop because of the virus. Then scientists studied ways to grow better plants. They focused on plant genes and created a strong plant. The plants produced magnificent sweet potatoes.

This writer sticks to the past.

Add Sentences Think of two sentences to add to the OK model above. Be sure to use words correctly as you tell when events occur.

Illustration of the pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Think about a time when you helped prepare a meal. Describe the events. Be careful to choose words that make it clear when the events happened.

Remember

  • • Present tense verbs tell about actions that happen now or on a regular basis.

  • • Past tense verbs tell about an action that already happened.

  • • Future tense verbs tell about actions that haven’t happened yet.