The past tense tells us something has already happened. Most verbs add -ed (jump → jumped), but some common verbs change in their own way (run → ran, go → went).
What your child will learn
- Add -ed to make the past tense of regular verbs
- Double the last letter when needed (hop → hopped)
- Learn common irregular past tenses such as ran, went, saw and ate
- Recognise sentences written in the past
Regular and irregular
Regular verbs follow the -ed rule. Irregular verbs are rule-breakers, so they have to be learned: I run today, I ran yesterday. Children often say “runned” or “goed” — that shows they know the rule, they just need to learn the exceptions.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Today I jump. Yesterday I ___.
- jumpt
- jumping
- jumps
- jumped
Show answer
Answer: jumped. Add -ed: jump → jumped.
2. Today I look. Yesterday I ___.
- looks
- lookt
- looking
- looked
Show answer
Answer: looked. Add -ed: look → looked.
3. Today I help. Yesterday I ___.
- helpt
- helped
- helps
- helping
Show answer
Answer: helped. Add -ed: help → helped.
Tips for grown-ups
- At dinner, ask “What did you do today?” and listen for past-tense verbs.
- Make a “rule-breakers” poster of irregular verbs: go/went, see/saw, eat/ate.