49. Correct Usage—Went, Saw, Came, Did

An interesting game is sometimes played by pupils, which teaches them to use four words, went, saw, came, and did, correctly. Besides, it teaches them to have sharp eyes.

Game. Many things are placed on the teacher's desk. At a word all the pupils in the class march past the desk and try to see everything on it as they pass. When they have returned to their seats, the teacher asks questions that the pupils answer. For example:

Teacher (to first pupil): Tom, what did you do?

Tom: I went to your desk, I saw a pencil on it, and I came to my seat. That is what I did.

Teacher (to the next pupil): Mary, what did you do?

Mary: I went to your desk, I saw a knife on it, and I came to my seat. That is what I did.

Each pupil must name an object on the desk that no other pupil has spoken of. One of these objects the teacher has marked on its under side. The pupil who names that object wins the game, if he has made no mistake in his language, and he may go to the desk and mark another object for the next game. In this second game only those may play who made no mistake in the first.