Click on the word or phrase which answers the question. This word will be a verb. Click "Check" and look in this box to see if you are right. Feedback will appear in a pop-up window, and your cumulative score will appear here.
What word in the following sentence indicates that the event occurred in the past?
The King sat on his throne.
The
King
sat
on
his
throne
What phrase in the following sentence indicates that the event will take place in the future?
In the meadow we will build a snowman.
In the meadow
we
will build
a snowman
What phrase in the following sentence indicates that the event will occur in the future?
I shall check on the patient in the morning.
I
shall check
on the patient
in the morning
What word in the following sentence indicates that the event is happening now?
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
I
lift
my lamp
beside
the
golden
door
Now it's time to make some distinctions, for verbs are not the only words that refer to time. Some adverbs and adverbial expressions do as well. However, only verbs change form in response to changes in time. We say, "I sing" for what happens either today or on a regular basis (in the present, that is), but "I sang" for the past and "I will sing" for the future. We can refer to these three layers of time with adverbs as well: now for the present, then for the past, and someday for the future. Notice, however, that the three adverbs are entirely different words, whereas sing / sang / will sing are different forms of the same word. That is what is meant when we say that verbs "change form in response to changes in time." In the following sentences you are asked to distinguish the verb from any adverbs that may be in the sentence. The way to do this is to suppose that the sentence referred to a time different from the one it actually refers to. What changes would be necessary? The words you would replace with quite different words are adverbs, but the words you would replace with another form of the same word are verbs.
The following sentence refers to the future. What is the verb in this sentence?
The volcano will erupt someday.
The volcano
will erupt
someday
What is the verb in the following sentence? (Imagine how it would read if it referred to the past.)
People nowadays have little use for good china or silverware.
People
nowadays
have
little
use
for
good
china
or
silverware
What is the verb in the following sentence? (To find it, suppose that it referred to past time and see what phrase changes form.)
Later on, we'll conspire.
Later on
we
'll conspire
Every sentence contains a verb. Which of the following groups of words is a sentence?
Yes, we have no bananas. We have no bananas today.