11+ English · Topic explained
Verbs and tenses
How can one word show whether something happened yesterday, today or tomorrow?
The big idea
A verb is a doing or being word, and its tense shows when it happens.
Picture it
Tense is a time machine: the verb changes its form to travel to the past, the present or the future.
Key words
- verb
- A doing or being word: run, think, is, seem.
- past tense
- Something that has already happened: jumped, ran, was.
- present tense
- Something happening now, or that usually happens: jump, am jumping.
- auxiliary verb
- A helping verb that goes with the main verb: is, was, has, will.
Worked examples
- 1Warm-up
Sam kicks the ball. → Sam kicked the ball.
- kicks: present tense (now)
- kicked: past tense, made by adding -ed
- 211+ standard
Yesterday, we swam in the lake.
- swim is an irregular verb.
- Its past tense is swam, never "swimmed".
- 311+ standard
She has finished her homework.
- has + finished: the present perfect.
- It happened in the past but still matters now (she's free to play).
- 411+ standard
They were playing when the bell rang.
- were playing: the past progressive, an action that was going on
- rang: the simple past, a quick action that interrupted it
The common mistake
The mistake
Verbs are only action words like run and jump.
Instead
Being and having words like is, was, seem and has are verbs too.
Why: A verb tells you what the subject does or is. "The cake is delicious": is is the verb.
Where it comes up in the 11+
Expect "Which word is a verb?", "Change this into the past tense" and cloze gaps where the tense must match.
The video
Video coming soon
We're making a short video that explains verbs and tenses step by step. Until then, everything it covers is on this page.
Free printable
Verbs and tenses worksheet
Practice questions on this topic to print and try on paper, at home or on the way to school.
Download the worksheet (PDF)Free account needed: it takes a minute.
Quick quiz
Have a go first, then tap to see the answer.
1. Which is the past tense of "catch"?
- catched
- caught
- catching
- catches
Show the answerHide the answer
caught
Catch is irregular: today I catch, yesterday I caught.
2. Which word is the verb? "The old castle seemed empty."
- old
- castle
- seemed
- empty
Show the answerHide the answer
seemed
Seemed is a being verb: it tells us what the castle was like.
3. Which sentence is about the future?
- I ate my lunch.
- I am eating my lunch.
- I will eat my lunch.
- I have eaten my lunch.
Show the answerHide the answer
I will eat my lunch.
Will + eat shows something that hasn't happened yet.