The Simple Past

The past tense can be taught in a combination of ways. First the student could learn that there are irregular and regular forms that are forms where the voices remain more or less constant. Regular forms are easier to learn and can be introduced through some basic verbs like “worked” and “walked.” The voices remain the same throughout and can be contrasted to the change that takes place for the third person singular with irregular verbs.

There use of the simple past is relegated to actions that are finished at a definite moment before the present. Usually a time phrase like using words like “last night” or “yesterday” would help the learner understand the differences between what has terminated and what is can still be continuing. Otherwise the present perfect would be used.

Sentences in the past tense can be used with or without objects depending what verbs they are. Some may even use a pronoun object and another object afterwards, like “She bought him a book.” The pronoun may be left out to read, “She bought a book.” Not all verbs have this ability. A good example would be when using verbs relating emotion such as like. We can only use like then with a singular object such as “She likes him” or “She liked it.”

It is a good idea for students to look up irregular verbs usually listed in table form at the end of their texts and get acquainted with them, the old fashioned way, meaning by memory. They can be organized in similar structural forms as I discovered in another methodology and this will facilitate the memorization process. So fly, grow and blow, and know can be learned together since their pasts all end in “ew.”