Language and Grammar: Engage in Discussion

Group Talk Imagine that the family in “The Forgotten Treasure” did not listen to the youngest son. What do you think might have happened? Use present and past tense verbs in your discussion.

I agree with you. I felt bad for the youngest son, too. What did you think about the family?

Writing and Grammar: Write About the Past

Study the Models At almost any age, people make personal discoveries. When writers tell about a discovery, they let the reader know when things happen.

Not Ok

Last year, I am very shy. I was afraid to speak in front of the class or to join groups. Then a new student came to our class. She has no friends. I decide to say hello. I discovered that I was not so shy after all! Soon, Dana and I were good friends.

The writer uses some present tense verbs to tell about the past. The reader is confused: “I can’t tell if the narrator is still shy.”

Ok

When I was a little kid, I was different from a lot of my friends. They screamed when they saw big, ugly bugs, but I just wanted to learn more about them. I collected insects and studied them. One day I learned about entomology, or the study of insects. I was so excited! Today, I work at a university. I am an entomologist.

The reader can tell from past tense verbs when things happened.

This part is about today, so the writer uses the present tense.

Revise It Look back at the NOT OK passage. Work with a partner to revise it. Fix verb tenses so they don’t confuse readers.

Illustration of a pen icon WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write about a personal discovery of your own. Use correct verb tenses.

REMEMBER

Regular VerbsForms of BeForms of Have
Present Tensediscoverlearnamisarehavehas
Past Tensediscoveredlearnedwaswaswerehadhad