The Mother Tongue, Book I: Lessons in Speaking, Reading and Writing English · Secs. 461–463 · Part 2: Part Second
128. He walks, they walk: verb forms
Goal: Your child uses the s-form of the verb only with a singular subject and uses verb-phrases like "have broken" correctly.
You'll need
- The book, open to this lesson
- Paper and pencil (a notebook kept just for this book works well)
What's in the book
Section 461 shows walk and walks, run and runs, and the rule for the s-form of the verb. Section 462 gives twelve "I" sentences to change to "he". Section 463 gives twenty-four words (blown, chosen, done, drunk, eaten, written ...) to use in verb-phrases, as in "I have broken my kite."
The lesson, step by step
Read the rule (Section 461)
Read the three groups of sentences aloud.
Never use the s-form of the verb with a plural subject.
The book's note: is, was, has and does follow the same rule.
Change I to he (Section 462)
Your child reads each sentence aloud with "He" instead of "I", changing the verb: "He sees the pine boughs waving in the wind."
Verb-phrases (Section 463)
Read the words aloud together. Each one goes after have, has or had: "I have broken my kite." Your child says sentences for ten of them.
Common slips
Gently: these are words people often get wrong in speech ("I have went", "I seen it"). The book's list helps us say "I have gone", "I have seen it".
Write
Your child writes eight sentences using words from Section 463 with have, has or had.
Check it gently
Read each aloud. If one sounds wrong, say both versions and let your child choose. Fix one or two.
What a good result looks like
Example (written for this guide, not from the book):
My cousin has written a letter.
The pond has frozen over.
We had eaten our lunch before the rain came.
She walks to the library every Tuesday.
Answers to the book's problems
Section 462: 1. He sees the dew on the daisies and clover. 2. He watches the sun as it sinks in the west. 3. He knows a bank where the wild thyme blows. 4. He brings fresh showers for the thirsting flowers. 5. He enjoys many happy days. 6. He knows a shady hollow near the brook. 7. He uses acorn cups for saucers. 8. He likes a boy who tells the truth. 9. He calls the ocean his friend. 10. He has a plan for our summer excursion. 11. He thinks John does his best. 12. He does all that he can to please you.
Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.