This document discusses the simple past tense in English. It explains that there are regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs form the past tense by adding "-ed" like "walked" and "studied". Irregular verbs have unpredictable spelling changes like "gave" and "taught". Examples of regular and irregular verbs are provided. Rules for adding "-ed" to regular verbs depending on their spelling are also outlined. The purpose and pronunciation of regular past tense verbs is explained. Ways to practice past tense verbs are suggested at the end.

1. Simple
Past
Tense
-Form
-Meaning and Use
-Pronunciation

2. How do we form the simple past
tense?
English has two types
of verbs in the past:
-regular
-irregular

3. Let’s read the following list of past
tense verbs….. Which are regular
and which are irregular?
 walked regular
 studied regular
 taught irregular
 gave irregular
 became irregular
 cried regular
 lived regular
 did irregular

4. Regular verbs are verbs that end
Simple form verbs: Past tense verbs:
with -ed
walk walked
study studied
cry cried
live lived

5. Rules for adding –ed:
 Add –ed to most verbs
 Drop the “e” and add “ed” to verbs
that end with “e” (smile= smiled).
 Change the “y” to “i” and add –ed to
verbs that end with a consonant and
“y” (carry= carried, study= studied).
 Double the consonant and add –ed to
verbs that end with one vowel and
one consonant ( drag= dragged,
stop= stopped).

6. Irregular verbs are verbs that don’t
end in –ed……..
Sometimes with irregular
past tense verbs you
have to change the
vowel to make the verb
past tense:
become
became
give gave
drive drove
forget forgot

7. Other irregular verbs have a different kind
of change…..you need to memorize
these!
teach taught
bring brought
leave left
hear heard
buy
bought

8. Why do we use past tense
verbs?
TO TELL THAT AN ACTION IS
COMPLETED!!!!!! FINISHED!!! OVER!!!

9. PRONOUNCIATION OF REGULAR
VERBS……
The –ed ending in English has three different sounds:
t: walked, talked, jumped
d: played, loved, answered
id: invited, waited
decided....
*With –id sounding words,
there is another syllable!

10. How can you practice past
tense verbs?
 Phonemically (word sorts)
 Bingo!
 Modeling
 Surveysays……
 Nancy Fetzer………
Direct instruction + muiltiple opportunities to
practice = Skill mastery!!!!!