What Is the Past Tense of Teach?
The past tense of "teach" is "taught." This irregular verb changes form to express past actions, unlike regular verbs that simply add "-ed."
Understanding the Past Tense
The past tense in English grammar expresses actions or states that occurred in the past.
Regular verbs form the past tense by adding "-ed" to the base form. Irregular verbs, like "teach," have unique past tense forms that learners must memorize.
The Simple Past Form of "Teach"
The simple past form of "teach" is "taught." Pronounced as /tɔːt/, "taught" can be tricky for non-native speakers. Here are examples of "taught" in use:
Yesterday, she taught the new lesson.
He taught his kids to ride bikes last weekend.
They taught English online during the pandemic.
My grandmother taught me how to bake cookies.
The instructor taught the students about safety procedures.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Learners often confuse "teach" with other verbs or incorrectly use regular verb rules. To avoid mistakes:
Always use "taught" as the past tense of "teach."
Practice with sentences like:
Incorrect: She teached math last year.
Correct: She taught math last year.
Incorrect: He teaches history two years ago.
Correct: He taught history two years ago.
Incorrect: They teach us last month.
Correct: They taught us last month.
Practice Makes Perfect: Exercises
Practice using "taught" with these exercises:
Fill in the blanks:
Last week, he ____ a cooking class. (taught)
She ____ her dog new tricks. (taught)
They ____ their children about honesty. (taught)
We ____ them to solve the problem. (taught)
The coach ____ the team new strategies. (taught)
Convert to past tense:
They teach every summer. ➔ They taught every summer.
He teaches at the university. ➔ He taught at the university.
She teaches music on weekends. ➔ She taught music on weekends.
The mentor teaches leadership skills. ➔ The mentor taught leadership skills.