Grammar Lesson : PAST TENSE

INSTRUCTION : BEFORE ATTEMPTING THIS MODULE, DISABLE THE AUTO CORRECT

* ESSENTIAL TENSE TO KNOW WHEN WRITING A RECOUNT / STORY / NARRATIVE

* I do not suggest ever to write a story unless your vocabulary is vast.
A recount is a recall of an event which occurred( happened) in the past. It can be an event that you have attended and need to
tell someone or a group of people about , example : a speech/ report/ a letter/ an article.

Notes:

A time in the
past Now/ current

A simple past tense is used to describe:

1. An action that happened in the past.
2. A truth about a time in the past.

How to change present tense verbs into past tense.

Regular verbs ( Where the verb doesn’t change in spelling when it sifts tenses)
Add “ed” or “d”

Eg. Walk -> walked / Cause -> Caused

Add”ied” or “id” if the verb ends with ‘y’

Eg. Carry -> Carried / pay -> paid

Irregular verbs ( words changes form * there is no formula to this type of verbs.)

Eg. Eat -> Ate / drive -> drove

* certain irregular words maintain their original spelling even when it is the past tense.
Eg. Cost / hit/ split / bid / cast/ bet / set / put / let / cut / hurt / wet/ quit/ burst/read/rid/ shed/ spread

Warm up exercise :

Fill in below with the appropriate past form.

Present Past Present Past Present Past

awake forsake compare
become grind study
break Hang ( an item) arranged
bring Hang ( a person) kneel
catch know throw
creep lay withdraw
deal grow wring
feel add wind
forgive change tear
Below I will give you 5 vocabulary which are all verbs. Each verb comes with its meaning and sample use.

1. Agitate
Meaning: (1) stir or disturb (something) / (2) make someone troubled ( upset/ nervous)
Sentence: (1) We need to agitate the water to mix the powder./ Try agitating the blender to see whether it grinds the
vegetable fine.
(2) The thought of calling the operator agitates him because he will have to wait for a long time.

2. Annihilate
Meaning : to destroy something/ someone ( rarely used)
Sentence : We as citizens of the country must follow government orders to annihilate the presence of Covid 19.

3. Bear
Meaning : (1) to have as a characteristic
(2) To have a child
(3) To bring forth/ to produce
(4) To put up with/ to withstand/ to endure/ to suffer patiently
Sentence: (1) She bears a strong resemblance( being alike) to your mother.
(2) Judy will bear her first child later in August.
(3) My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.
(4) I can’t bear her complaining any longer.

4. Capitalize
Meaning: to use to your advantage.
Sentence : I will capitalize on your math skills by having your work as a cashier.
I will capitalize on this situation and make more money by selling items at a higher price.

5. Condone
Meaning : to approve / allow
Sentence : She will condone this idea if it brings advantages to our company.
Jamie condones this recipe as she thinks it is very good and tasty.

Exercise 1 :

Change the words to past tense by first stating whether it is a regular or irregular verb and then changing its form.
Eg. Confine - (regular verb) Confin

1. Agitate

2. Annihilate

3. Bear

4. Capitalize

5. Condone

Exercise 2.
With the topic ‘ living a healthy lifestyle’ , write a sentence using the 5 verbs given above in its past form.

Verb Sentence
 From the above words we are going to attempt a speech.

Format for speech.

F1 : OPENING / SALUTATION
F2: INTRODUCTION
F3: CONCLUSION

Eg:

A very good morning to the principal, Pn. Low Lai Khun, senior assistants, teachers and friends I am, proudly .

standing here as the ……(position)….. , and am really honoured to be given this opportunity to talk to all of you today. In conjunction

with the ……..(theme/ title of a campaign), I would like to talk about the(further details of your topic)
* Do not write fellow friends. X

….. - opening….. - introduction….. - guiding statement ( telling the readers what it will be)

* In between paragraphs insert : Ladies and gentlemen / teachers and students.

A very good morning to the principal, Pn. Low Lai Khun, senior assistants, teachers and friends. I am,

proudly standing here as the ……(position), and am really honoured to be given this oppurtunity to talk to all of you today.

In conjunction with the ……..(theme/ title of a campaign), I would like to talk about the(further details of your
Paragraph 1
topic).

Teachers and students, - salutations in the middle to gain attention of the audience

Paragraph 2
We need to realise …

* if the questions asks you to talk about something you have attended - past tense, if it is something that is about to happen -
future tense, if it is happening - present tense.

Exercise: You have been asked to give a speech during the assembly about living a healthy lifestyle based on a seminar which
you attended a week ago. In about 200 words, write an essay using the points given below and must use all the 5 words we
have studied before or the words studied in the previous class.

C1: Eat a variety of foods. C7. Should exercise

C2: replace food with high sugar C8. Cut down processed food ( like chips/ canned fruits)
content. C3: Eat regularly, control the C9. stop eating when you feel full
portion size C4: drink plenty of fluids C10. Don’t drink alcohol.
C5. Reduce salt intake C11 & C12 : give 2 more steps of your own.
C6. Change cooking methods