Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition · Lesson 17 · Part 1: Part I: The elementary course
16. Saw and seen, did and done, was and were
Goal: Your child corrects common mistakes with saw/seen, went/gone, did/done, came/come and was/were.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and a pencil (or a slate)
What's in the book
Lesson 17, "Incorrect Language," gives five cautions with sentences containing mistakes to correct.
The lesson, step by step
Review
Ask your child to name the verb in "Cats catch mice" and say what class it is.
Cautions I and II
Read:
Do not use saw for seen, or went for gone, after has, have, has been, or have been.
Do not use see or seen for saw in expressing past time.
SayI saw it yesterday. I have seen it. I went home. I have gone home.
Fix them aloud
Read the book's examples and let your child say them correctly:
I have saw a fine horse to-day.
The little boy has went into the woods.
I seen a dog running after a fox.
Cautions III to V
Read:
Do not use done for did, or come for came, in expressing past time.
The book also cautions against using is, was or has been when the subject means more than one, and against "you was."
Write the corrections
Write correct versions of some of the book's sentences:
He done his work well yesterday.
The horse and the cow is in the stable.
You was there, we know.
Check together
Check with the answers. Read the right versions aloud a few times so they start to sound right.
Use it today
Listen for one of these mistakes today, in conversation or on the radio, and say quietly what the right form would be.
Tip
Correct gently, and only by repeating the right form. The goal is an ear for good English, not embarrassment.
Answers to the book's problems
I have seen a fine horse to-day. The little boy has gone into the woods. George has gone there several times. Have you seen Mr. Olds to-day? Hiram saw a flock of wild turkeys yesterday. I saw a dog running after a fox. I know John was whispering; I saw him. It is the largest peach I ever saw. He did his work well yesterday. My father came home last week. I did my task before Eli came. The horse and the cow are in the stable. Weasels were plenty around there. Eliza and Sarah have been here. We were very much surprised. Are you sure that they were there? You were there, we know. Perhaps you were trying to hide somewhere.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.