Crack the Verb Code : Verb Tense Puzzle Fun!

This fun and vibrant puzzle has been created by a teacher to assist children in their knowledge of verb tense. In this Pop Puzzle, students will need to match the different verb tenses of words (past, present and future) and find a matching image to complete each puzzle. 

Understanding verb tense is a crucial element in your students’ writing journey. Here are some ways understanding verb tense can improve a child’s writing ability:

• Helps them to convey the time of actions occurring in their writing.
• Improves sentence structures and grammar.
• Assists in their editing and revising as they can spot errors more easily during the editing process.

Not Just a Puzzle in the Classroom

While the main intent behind this resource is a simple matching activity to create a picture of an ice block. There are a number of different fun and active ways you could use this resource in the classroom. Here are some suggestions from our resident teachers:

• Verb tense scavenger hunt – hide the different parts around the classroom and get students to find the correct match and build their ice cream.
• Find verb tense friends – give each student one piece and get them to find their friends to complete the ice cream. Once they find all their matching friends they sit down where they are!
• Warm up activity – laminate the pieces and stick a magnetic strip on the back so they can stick to a whiteboard – get students to work together to complete each ice block.

How to Download and use this Resource

Use the drop down menu to choose between the editable Google Slide version or the easy to print PDF version. 

It is advised to print this resource on thick card or laminate it to ensure the durability and long lasting use of this activity.

This resource was created by Lisamarie Del Valle, a teacher in Florida and a Teach Starter Collaborator.

More Verb Tense Resources

Looking for more resources to use in the classroom for verb tense? We have you covered…

teaching resource

Verb Tense Regular and Irregular Sorting Activity

Help students understand the difference between a regular and irregular verb tense group with this hands-on verb sorting activity.

teaching resource

Past, Present, and Future Verb Tense Sentence Sort

Identify sentences written in past, present, and future tense with task cards designed for primary grades.

teaching resource

Present and Past Tense Regular Verbs Matchup Cards

Learn about simple present tense and simple past tense of regular verbs with this match up activity.