Choosing the Right Tense in a School Report
Ms. Dube is helping a Standard 7 class prepare short reports about a school garden project. Neo writes: "Last term we plant beans near the fence. Every morning the Grade 6 pupils water them. Now the plants are tall and we will harvest next week." Ms. Dube asks the class to check whether the verbs show clearly when each action happens. She reminds them that the report must describe a finished event, a regular routine, and a future plan. Neo's group argues that "plant" is correct because the beans are still there. Another pupil says the first sentence should change but the others are fine. Ms. Dube wants the class to explain their choices using time clues in the sentences, not just guess which verb sounds better.
1. Identify which verb in Neo's report does not match its time clue, and explain how you know.
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The verb "plant" does not match its time clue. The sentence begins with "Last term", which points to a finished time in the past. The correct form is "planted". The other verbs match their clues: "Every morning" signals a regular routine, so "water" (simple present) is correct; "Now" signals the present state, so "are" is correct; "next week" signals the future, so "will harvest" is correct. The key reasoning is to locate the time expression first, then check whether the verb form agrees with it. Neo's group confused the fact that the beans still exist with the time of the action of planting, which was completed last term.
2. A classmate says "we will harvest next week" should be "we harvest next week." Using the time clues, decide whether the original is acceptable and justify your answer.
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Both forms can be acceptable, but the original "will harvest" is correct and clear. "Next week" is a future time clue, and will + base verb is a standard way to express a future plan. The simple present "harvest" can also describe a scheduled future event, especially in a timetable style, so "we harvest next week" is not wrong. The judgement call is that the original sentence already fits the future clue and needs no correction. A pupil should not change a correct verb just because another form is possible. The strongest answer notes that the first sentence is the one with the real error, while the last sentence is acceptable as written.