I Went To The Zoo

s t T e n s e St o ri
a
P seri s of l - t e-bl sto i s s
fi l in- h
eank
e re
A an d
r k s he e ts to boost stude
wo nts’
verb comprehension
Free Sample Story
This Download Includes
□ How-to guide
□ One 15-verb past tense
story
□ Three writing and matching
worksheets
□ Story answer key
Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014

Past Tense Stories How-to Page 2
Travis
teacher
Introduction @gmail.com
Learning the unwritten rules that shape each sentence and every verb is one of the biggest
challenges facing children; even more difficult for ESL/EFL students who speak a language with a
different sentence structure.
The difference between the verbs “see,” “look” and “watch” is easy for a native speaker to
know, but difficult to teach and even harder to explain. There are many cases where learning the
dictionary definition only adds to the confusion.
Preparing for school, a day at the park or a visit to a grandparent; these stories are about
situations and activities that every student can relate to. But key verbs from each sentence are
removed. By fitting the verbs back into the stories, students will improve their comprehension of verb
use in a natural English context.
With these stories, students will learn the rules of grammar that dictate how people “saw”
what was around them, “looked” at objects and “watched” an activity. Best of all, these stories are a
fun and challenging activity that every student will enjoy.
□ This free download includes the Sample Story
□ Levels 1-10 are available for $9.99
□ Levels 11-20 are available for $11.99
Index
3 How-to: General tips and “Writing” worksheet
4 How-to: “Matching” and “Write and Match” worksheet
5 How-to: “Blank story”
6 How-to: Story summaries for Levels 1-10
7 How-to: Story summaries for Levels 11-20
8 Sample Story: “Writing”
9 Sample Story: “Matching”
10 Sample Story: “Write and Match”
11 Sample Story: “Blank Story”
12 Sample Story: “Finished Story”

Travis
teacher
How-to Guide @gmail.com
General Tips
□ The order of the PDF files is: “Writing,” “Matching,” “Write and Match,” “Blank Story,” and last the
“Finished Story.” This is the order I give to students but your preferences may differ.
□ Hopefully you have a two-sided printer. You can print all 5 pages on three sheets of paper at
once, so that the “Writing” and “Matching” will print on one sheet of paper, “Write and Match”
and “Blank Story” on a second sheet and the “Finished Story” on a third.
□ I start my students with the “Writing” page, and the “Watching” page printed on the reverse
side. Click print and select pages 8-9. Print as many copies as needed.
□ With more advanced students, you may skip these pages and go straight to the “Write and
Match” and “Blank Story” pages. Click print and select pages 10-11.
□ Printing the fifth, “Finished Story” on page 12 of this document is optional; this is included as a
teacher’s answer key or for students to self-check their work after completion.
□ Check every student’s work after each section on each page. Check early, check often.
Writing
□ This is where I start younger students.
□ Write the present and past tense forms of the
verbs.
□ I usually have them write each word three times.
□ Advanced students can use this paper to write
short sentences.
□ This can be done individually, in small groups or
as a class
□ Another option is to have students find example
sentences from other stories and write on the
lines.

Travis
teacher
Matching
□ Draw a line matching the present tense to the
past tense.
□ Check students’ work before they move to the
bottom section and conjugate irregular verbs.
□ This is included on every “matching” page up to
and including level 15.
□ Students write the correct conjugation of four
irregular verbs after pronouns I/you/he/she/it/
we/they.
Write and Match
□ This reviews the activities of the previous two
pages
□ I print this page with the “blank story” on the
reverse side.
□ Students write the present tense one time, draw
a line to the past tense and write. Ideally.
□ Usually students go down the columns, writing
the present then the past and then match. As
long as it gets done.
□ Check work before they move to the story.

Travis
teacher
Blank Story
□ Students start at the
bottom, writing the past
tense form of the verb.
□ This is not a memory test;
students can use previous
worksheets or a dictionary.
□ Check spelling before
moving to the story.
□ Students write the past
tense verbs in the blanks.
□ I like to do the first story
together as a class.
□ As they get more
comfortable, move to
smaller groups or work
individually.
□ I prefer to check students’
work after they fill in every
2-3 verbs.
□ If the student writes the correct verb, check off the box next to the sentence.
□ Only the teacher can check off the boxes next to the sentences.
□ Students should keep track of the verbs they complete and check the box next to the verb.
□ Have a game or activity ready for students who finish early.
□ Sticker charts are a great motivational tool for students as they progress through the levels.

Travis
teacher
Story Summaries 1 to 10 @gmail.com
1 Sara Drew a Picture

Sara rides the bus to school and prepares for her day, but it is raining outside so she draws a
picture of the playground. (15 verbs)
2 Paul Lived in his Shirt
Paul got a blue shirt from his father so he eats, drinks, plays and goes about his day, always
wearing his favorite shirt. (15 verbs)
3 Max Went to School
Max goes to school and gets ready for his day until recess time when he can go outside to
climb, crawl, swing and slide around the playground. (15 verbs)
4 We Went to the Park
(Story written in first-person) A class goes for a field trip to a park so they walk around, feed the
fish in the pond and make a big sandcastle in the sandbox. (15 verbs)
5 Amy Played with Trains
Amy’s train is her favorite toy; she pushes it around her room, pulls it to the top of the hill and
plays with it all day long. (15 verbs)
6 I Had a Hamster
(Story written in first-person) A child feeds and cares for a hamster until it grows so big the child
asks mom to make the hamster a bigger house. (15 verbs)
7 Jane Had a Birthday Party
All of Jane’s friends come over to celebrate her birthday with cake, ice cream and lots of
presents. (15 verbs)
8 Yesterday Was Sports Day
(Story written in first-person) It’s sports day at school and one child has trouble finding success
at the games until all the children work together to win at tug-of-war. (15 verbs)
9 Adam Rode a Bike
Adam rides around town on the new bicycle he got for his birthday until he takes a spill and
decides to go home. (18 verbs)
10 Dave and Jessica Played Baseball
Dave asks his friend Jessica to play baseball and together they go to the park to play but they
almost lose the ball when Jessica hits it too far in the trees. (18 verbs)
Travis
teacher
Story Summaries 11 to 20 @gmail.com
11 The Boys Dug a Hole

Two brothers go to the beach to find money at a spot where one boy found some the day
before, but they find an angry crab instead. (18 verbs)
12 George Went to a Party
George is going to a party so he puts on his clothes and looks through his closet for the perfect
jacket to wear. (18 verbs)
13 The Children Made Animals
John’s class uses markers, scissors and glue to trace, color, cut and fold paper animals but he is
not sure what animal to make. (18 verbs)
14 Kara Learned to Play the Piano
Kara walks into music class and wants to learn to play piano, so she practices every day until she
becomes the best in the class. (18 verbs)
15 Kate and Kim Made a Salad
Kate is hungry so she asks her sister Kim to go shopping with her for some fresh vegetables and
they make a delicious salad at home. (18 verbs)
16 The Girls Went to a Farm (Part 1)
Julie and Ashley meet a nice farmer who shows the girls all the animals and takes them on a
tractor ride around the farm. (21 verbs)
17 The Girls Went to a Farm (Part 2)
After Julie and Ashley finish their tractor ride, they help the farmer feed the horse, wash the dirty
pig and tell their parents all about it. (21 verbs)
18 Kevin Found a Puppy
Kevin goes for a walk in the woods and finds a lost little puppy, they play together and the puppy
becomes his best friend. (24 verbs)
19 Mike Saw His Grandfather (Part 1)
Mike’s mother drives him to grandfather’s house where he helps set the table and they have a
delicious pasta dinner. (24 verbs)
20 Mike Saw His Grandfather (Part 2)
Mike and grandfather finish their meal, clear the dishes and clean up the kitchen, then Mike sits
down to listen to one of grandfather’s funny stories. (24 verbs)
Name Class Sample Story
Travis
I Went to the Zoo

teacher
@gmail.com
Writing
1 am/are/is was/were
2 ask asked
3 can could
4 climb climbed
5 crawl crawled
6 fly flew
7 go went
8 have/has had
9 jump jumped
10 say said
11 see saw
12 swim swam
13 swing swung
14 walk walked
15 will would

Travis
I Went to the Zoo

teacher
@gmail.com
Matching
am/are/is □ □ asked
ask □ □ crawled
can □ □ climbed
climb □ □ was/were
crawl □ □ could
fly □ □ had
go □ □ jumped
have/has □ □ flew
jump □ □ said
say □ □ went
see □ □ swung
swim □ □ saw
swing □ □ would
walk □ □ swam
will □ □ walked
am/are/is have/has do/does was/were

I I I I
You You You You
He He He He
She She She She
It It It It
We We We We
They They They They
Travis
I Went to the Zoo

teacher
@gmail.com
Write and Match

1 am/are/is □ □ could
2 ask □ □ was/were
3 can □ □ asked
4 climb □ □ crawled
5 crawl □ □ climbed
6 fly □ □ went
7 go □ □ jumped
8 have/has □ □ flew
9 jump □ □ said
10 say □ □ had
11 see □ □ walked
12 swim □ □ saw
13 swing □ □ swam
14 walk □ □ would
15 will □ □ swung

Travis
I Went to the Zoo

teacher
@gmail.com
□ Yesterday I to the zoo with my family.
□ “I want to see all the animals,” I .
□ “What animal would you like to see first?” my mother .
□ “I like to see the monkeys,” I said.
□ The monkeys up to the top of the tree.
□ And they from the ropes on the tree.
□ We all around the zoo.
□ We lots of animals.
□ The alligators down on the ground.
□ The kangaroos in the grass.
□ The fish in the water.
□ The birds around to look for seeds.
□ I happy to see so many animals.
□ But then we to go home.
□ I wish I go to the zoo every day.
□ am/are/is □ fly □ see

□ ask □ go □ swim
□ can □ have/has □ swing
□ climb □ jump □ walk
□ crawl □ say □ will
Travis
I Went to the Zoo

teacher
@gmail.com
Yesterday I went to the zoo with my family.
“I want to see all the animals,” I said.
“What animal would you like to see first?” my mother asked.
“I would like to see the monkeys,” I said.
The monkeys climbed up to the top of the tree.
And they swung from the ropes on the tree.
We walked all around the zoo.
We saw lots of animals.
The alligators crawled down on the ground.
The kangaroos jumped in the grass.
The fish swam in the water.
The birds flew around to look for seeds.
I was happy to see so many animals.
But then we had to go home.
I wish I could go to the zoo every day.

I Went To The Zoo

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s t T e n s e St o ri

Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014

different sentence structure.

dictionary definition only adds to the confusion.

use in a natural English context.

fun and challenging activity that every student will enjoy.

□ This free download includes the Sample Story

□ Levels 1-10 are available for $9.99

□ Levels 11-20 are available for $11.99

4 How-to: “Matching” and “Write and Match” worksheet

5 How-to: “Blank story”

6 How-to: Story summaries for Levels 1-10

7 How-to: Story summaries for Levels 11-20

8 Sample Story: “Writing”

9 Sample Story: “Matching”

10 Sample Story: “Write and Match”

11 Sample Story: “Blank Story”

12 Sample Story: “Finished Story”

□ This is where I start younger students.

□ Write the present and past tense forms of the

□ I usually have them write each word three times.

□ Advanced students can use this paper to write

□ This can be done individually, in small groups or

□ Another option is to have students find example

sentences from other stories and write on the

Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014

□ Draw a line matching the present tense to the

□ Check students’ work before they move to the

bottom section and conjugate irregular verbs.

□ This is included on every “matching” page up to

and including level 15.

□ Students write the correct conjugation of four

irregular verbs after pronouns I/you/he/she/it/

Write and Match

□ This reviews the activities of the previous two

□ I print this page with the “blank story” on the

□ Students write the present tense one time, draw

a line to the past tense and write. Ideally.

□ Usually students go down the columns, writing

the present then the past and then match. As

long as it gets done.

□ Check work before they move to the story.

Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014

□ Students start at the

bottom, writing the past

tense form of the verb.

□ This is not a memory test;

students can use previous

□ Check spelling before

moving to the story.

□ Students write the past

tense verbs in the blanks.

□ I like to do the first story

□ As they get more

smaller groups or work

□ I prefer to check students’

work after they fill in every

□ Have a game or activity ready for students who finish early.

Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014

1 Sara Drew a Picture

11 The Boys Dug a Hole

I Went to the Zoo

Copyright © TravisTeacher 2014