Role-Play With a group, act out a news conference with explorers of Titanic. Some of you ask questions as news reporters. The explorers answer. Use past tense verbs. Trade roles.

Where did you search?

We searched the part of the Atlantic Ocean near New York.

Study the Models When you write about an event that already happened, you use verbs in the past tense. Once you choose a verb tense for your writing, stick with it.

WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write about something you discovered when you were younger. Pay attention to the tense of your verbs. Check your verbs for correct spelling, too.

Remember

• • Use the past tense to tell about something that already happened.

• • Many past tense verbs end in -ed.

  • learnedwalked

Spelling Rules

• 1. Often, you just have to add -ed.

  • look + -ed = lookedThe guard looked right at me.

• 2. If a verb ends in silent e, drop the e before you add -ed.

  

• 3. If the verb has one syllable and ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant.

  • plan + n + -ed = plannedHe planned to walk to the museum.

• 4. If the verb ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i. Then add -ed.