GradeMap

Grade 5 · English Language Arts · Unit 7 of 10

Verb Tenses

Past, present, future and agreement

What your child practises

Choosing irregular past-tense verbs (brought, swam, froze), making verbs agree with their subjects, naming tenses and keeping tense consistent within a sentence.

Saskatchewan Curriculum outcome: CC5.4 · verb tenses in writing

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Which verb agrees with the subject?

    The children on the bus ____ a song.

    • sings
    • sing
    • is singing
    Show answer

    sing

    Hint: “Children” is plural, so the verb has no -s.

  2. Question 2

    Which sentence keeps the verb tense the same all the way through?

    • Lena finishes her homework and then called her friend.
    • Lena finished her homework and then calls her friend.
    • Lena finished her homework and then called her friend.
    Show answer

    Lena finished her homework and then called her friend.

    Hint: Both actions happened at the same time, so both verbs should be in the same tense.

  3. Question 3

    Which past-tense form of “swim” completes the sentence?

    Last summer, Priya ____ across the lake.

    • swim
    • swam
    • swammed
    • swimmed
    Show answer

    swam

    Hint: “swim” is an irregular verb, so its past tense doesn't just add -ed. Today I swim; yesterday I swam.

  4. Question 4

    What is the tense of the verb in this sentence?

    Lena painted a mural on the fence.

    • past
    • present
    • future
    Show answer

    past

    Hint: Past tense tells about something that already happened, often with -ed or an irregular form.

  5. Question 5

    Which verb agrees with the subject?

    One of my friends ____ in a band.

    • are playing
    • plays
    • play
    Show answer

    plays

    Hint: The subject is “one,” not “friends.” One person needs a verb ending in -s.

  6. Question 6

    Which verb agrees with the subject?

    The flowers in the garden ____ blooming.

    • was
    • is
    • are
    Show answer

    are

    Hint: The subject is “flowers,” more than one, so use “are.”