Verbs 動詞
BasicVerb tenses: past and present.
- Habits (every day, usually) use the simple present; add s for he/she/it.
- Happening now uses am/is/are + -ing: I am doing my homework now.
- Two kinds of past: regular adds ed (walked); irregular must be memorized (went, ate, saw, had).
文體小知識：Learn basic grammar.
§Text Passage
1Every Sunday, I visit my grandmother in Sha Tin. Yesterday was special because my cousins came too. We ran to the park near her home. We played football for an hour and laughed a lot. Then we ate egg tarts and drank lemon tea. I saw a beautiful rainbow on the way home.
2Today it is raining, so I am staying at home. I am doing my homework at my desk now. My sister is watching TV in the living room. She watched the same cartoon yesterday, but she still loves it. The rain is heavy, but I feel cosy at home. Mum is baking a cake in the kitchen, and the smell is wonderful.
3I usually read a storybook after dinner. Tomorrow we will visit our uncle in Macau. We will take the ferry and eat Portuguese egg tarts there. I will read my new storybook on the ferry. I had a great weekend, and the fun is not over yet!
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Every Sunday, I visit my grandmother in Sha Tin.
每逢星期日，我都會去沙田探奶奶。
Yesterday was special because my cousins came too.
昨天很特別，因為表兄弟姊妹都來了。
We ran to the park near her home.
我們一起跑去他家附近的公園。
We played football for an hour and laughed a lot.
我們踢了一個小時足球，笑得好開心。
Then we ate egg tarts and drank lemon tea.
之後我們吃蛋撻、喝檸檬茶。
I saw a beautiful rainbow on the way home.
回家途中，我見到一道美麗的彩虹。
Today it is raining, so I am staying at home.
今日正在下雨，所以我留在家。
I am doing my homework at my desk now.
我現在在書桌前做功課。
My sister is watching TV in the living room.
妹妹正在客廳看電視。
She watched the same cartoon yesterday, but she still loves it.
這齣卡通他昨天才看過，但他依然很喜歡。
The rain is heavy, but I feel cosy at home.
雨雖然好大，但我在家覺得好舒服。
Mum is baking a cake in the kitchen, and the smell is wonderful.
媽媽正在廚房烤蛋糕，香味真好聞。
I usually read a storybook after dinner.
晚飯之後，我通常會看故事書。
Tomorrow we will visit our uncle in Macau.
明天我們會去澳門探叔叔。
We will take the ferry and eat Portuguese egg tarts there.
我們會搭船，還會在那裡吃葡撻。
I will read my new storybook on the ferry.
我會在船上看我的新故事書。
I had a great weekend, and the fun is not over yet!
我這個週末過得好開心，而且歡樂還未完呀！
1Summary 重點摘要
Verb tenses: past and present.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
To move fast on your feet. Past: ran — We ran to the park.
To put food in your mouth. Past: ate — We ate egg tarts.
To have fun or do a sport. Past: played — We played football.
To look at words in a book. Past: read (sounds like red).
To go and see a person or place. I visit my grandmother every Sunday.
To smile with a sound. We laughed a lot.
To take in liquid. Past: drank — We drank lemon tea.
To look at something for a time. She is watching TV.
To cook in an oven. Mum is baking a cake.
3Step by step Steps
- Habits use the simple presentEvery Sunday, I visit my grandmother. Time words like usually, every day and always signal a habit, so use the simple present: after I, you, we and they the verb stays in its base form. This tense is for things that happen again and again, not for this moment. Find the time word first, then choose.
- Add s for he/she/itShe watches TV every night. After he, she or it the verb takes s or es: watch becomes watches, go becomes goes, and most verbs just add s, like plays. Long sentences cause slips: My sister and her friend like... names two people, so there is no s. Circle the subject before you write the verb.
- Happening now: present continuousThe present continuous is am/is/are + verb-ing: I am doing my homework now. Mum is baking a cake. It describes what is happening at this moment, often with now or at the moment. Choose am for I, is for one, are for many. The common mistake is dropping the be verb: I doing my homework is not a sentence.
- Regular past adds edWith yesterday or last week, switch to the past: walk becomes walked, play becomes played, like becomes liked. Spelling: add ed; after e just add d; after a consonant + y change y to i and add ed, as in studied. The usual mistake is keeping the base form — I walk to school yesterday is wrong. Check that the time word and the verb match.
- Irregular past to memorizego becomes went, eat becomes ate, see becomes saw, have becomes had, come becomes came, run becomes ran, drink becomes drank. These past forms follow no rule, so learn three a day and use each one in a sentence, such as I saw a film last night. Words remembered inside sentences come back fastest in a test.
- Future with will + base formTomorrow we will visit our uncle in Macau. After will the verb never changes: He will come. They will come. Plans can also use be going to: I am going to visit my uncle. The mistakes to avoid are will visits and will came — the moment will appears, the verb goes back to its base form.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we choose the right tense for yesterday, now and tomorrow?
- Step 1: Let the time word decide: yesterday takes the past, now takes the -ing form, tomorrow takes will + base form.
- Step 2: Write about the past — Yesterday we played football and ate egg tarts. — played and ate are both past forms.
- Step 3: Write about right now — Now I am doing my homework and my sister is watching TV. — the verb takes -ing after am/is.
- Step 4: Write about tomorrow — Tomorrow we will take the ferry to Macau. — after will, take stays in its base form.
- Step 5: Watch the negatives: the past negative is didn't + base form — I didn't go., never didn't went.
- Answer: Sample answer: Yesterday I visited my grandmother and ate egg tarts. Now I am doing my homework. Tomorrow we will visit our uncle in Macau and eat Portuguese egg tarts.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Past of go?
Q2Past of eat?
Q3I ___ now.
Q4She ___ every night.
Q5They ___ yesterday.
8Recap Recap
- Habits (every day, usually) use the simple present; add s for he/she/it.
- Happening now uses am/is/are + -ing: I am doing my homework now.
- Two kinds of past: regular adds ed (walked); irregular must be memorized (went, ate, saw, had).
- After didn't, use the base form: I didn't go. (not didn't went)
- Future uses will + base form: Tomorrow we will take the ferry.