Simple past

Simple past

Once present tense verbs (Present progressive and simple present) have been learned, simple past (or past simple tense) verbs are usually taught to ESL students. Simple past tenses have both regular and irregular verbs

Regular past simple tense verbs are created by ‘ed’ being added at the end of the base verb (dress = dressed, shout = shouted). Verbs already ending in ‘e’ will only need ‘d’ added (race = raced, bake = baked).

When teaching verb tense, English as a Second Language (ESL) students learn three essentials: 1. Verb form, 2. Verb conjugation, and 3. Verb function.

Verb Conjugation (Simple Past) has one form only of a verb, no matter the subject.

1. I walked. I cared. I talked. I danced.

2. You walked. You cared. You talked. You danced.

3. He/She/It walked. He/She/It cared. He/She/It talked. He/She/It danced.

4. They walked. They cared. They talked. They danced.

5. We walked. We cared. We talked. We danced.

Verb Form (Simple Past) (ESL students required to learn five forms.)

1. Affirmative use (He walked)

2. Negative use (He did not walk)

3. Yes or No question (Did he walk?)

4. Short answer (Yes, he did. No, he did not)

5. WH questions (When did he walk?)

The ESL student will find conjugation difficult unless they remember the “auxiliary” or “helping” verb. “To do” is the correct verb to use.

Past simple verb tense is used for one function: to state a situation or activity started and ended at a particular time in the past. For example, “I washed the clothes yesterday,” “I drove to town yesterday.”

ESL Student Difficulties

Apart from having to remember the correct verb helpers (to do), ESL students need to memorize and understand Past Tense irregular verbs. The general rule for verbs is to add ‘ed’; however irregulars do not follow that rule. ESL students also need to know that they have to change the verbs spelt with a ‘y’ (for example – ‘study’ to ‘studied’) as well as some consonants (for example – ‘nod’ to ‘nodded’.)