Goal: Use Past Tense Verbs in Conversational Speech
When we talk about verbs that have happened in the past, we must change them to reflect the past tense. Usually that’s as easy as adding an -ed to the end. Unfortunately, our amazing language also has a wide variety of irregular past tense verbs that don’t follow this pattern! Here’s a quick guide to help you teach a child past tense verbs of all kinds!
Sample Goal:
Client will correctly use past tense verbs (irregular and regular) with at least 80% accuracy during unstructured conversational speech when discussing past events.
Download the No-Prep Therapy Kit:
We have a start-to-finish therapy kit that will give you everything you need to practice this skill in therapy and send home homework. Click the packet below to open it. Then, print it out and place it in the child’s notebook or binder.
Therapy Phases:
- Regular Past Tense Verbs in Short Sentences: Client will correctly use regular past tense verbs (by adding “-ed” to the end of a verb) in short sentences with at least 80% accuracy when answering “what happened” about a past event or picture.
- Irregular Past Tense Verbs in Short Sentences: Client will correctly use irregular past tense verbs (by changing the verb to the correct past tense form) in short sentences with at least 80% accuracy when answering “what happened” about a past event or picture.
- Mixed Past Tense Verbs when Answering Questions: Client will correctly use regular and irregular past tense verbs when answering questions about a story or picture with at least 80% accuracy.
- Mixed Past Tense Verbs in Structured Conversation: Client will correctly use regular and irregular past tense verbs when providing answers to open-ended questions or prompts (such as “tell me about your last birthday party”) with at least 80% accuracy.
- Mixed Past Tense Verbs in Unstructured Conversation: Client will correctly use past tense verbs (irregular and regular) with at least 80% accuracy during unstructured conversational speech when discussing past events.
What’s Next?
- Once the client is correctly using past tense verbs, you can encourage the client to remember to do this throughout the day as well. You can provide check-ins as necessary and train teachers and caretakers to provide reminders as well.
Supplemental Materials
Here are some other resources that may help you when working on this skill:
Past Tense Verbs Worksheets
Additional worksheets for practicing past tense verbs. Includes before and after pictures for prompts.
Irregular Past Tense Verbs Worksheets
These worksheets provide opportunities for clients to change present tense sentences and paragraphs to the past tense (using irregular past tense verbs).