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Classroom · Grammar · 1st and 2nd grade

Past tense verbs worksheets

A free five-page pack: learn the rule with pictures, then sort words, find them in sentences and use them in writing, with an answer key.

Download the past tense verbs pack(5 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

Watch it solved

45 sec · with voice and captions

A pencil works one example of each activity, so you can see how the worksheet goes before you print it. Tap a step to jump to it. The rest of the sheet is left for your child to finish.

Read what the video says
  1. 0:00 Let's practice past tense verbs, step by step.
  2. 0:03 A past tense verb tells about something that already happened. Add -ed to most verbs (jump, jumped). Some verbs change (run, ran). For example: Yesterday I jumped and ran in the park.
  3. 0:17 Look and say: jumped, played, painted.
  4. 0:21 Read each word, and write it in the right box. Walk goes in the now box.
  5. 0:27 Read each sentence. Circle the past tense verb. We played in the park.
  6. 0:32 Today it happens. Yesterday it already happened. Today I jump. Yesterday I jumped.
  7. 0:38 Great job! Now print the free worksheet, and finish the rest on your own.

The rule

A past tense verb tells about something that already happened. Add -ed to most verbs (jump, jumped). Some verbs change (run, ran).

Yesterday I jumped and ran in the park.

Look and say

  • jumpedThe frog jumped.
  • playedWe played ball.
  • paintedI painted a sun.
  • plantedWe planted a seed.
  • walkedI walked home.
  • bakedMom baked a cake.
  • rainedIt rained all day.
  • openedI opened the box.

Try some

We played in the park.Show answer
The dog jumped up.Show answer
Mom baked a cake.Show answer
I walked to school.Show answer
It rained all day.Show answer
Sam ran to the bus.Show answer
The cat sat on the mat.Show answer
We planted a seed.Show answer

Find the words in each sentence, then tap to check.

What the worksheets look like

Past tense verbs worksheet, page 1
Page 1: learn the rule
Past tense verbs worksheet, page 2
Page 2: sort the words

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Common questions

What are past tense verbs?

A past tense verb tells about something that already happened. Add -ed to most verbs (jump, jumped). Some verbs change (run, ran).

How do I teach past tense verbs?

Use "Yesterday I..." as a starter. Children add -ed and listen: it can sound like t (jumped), d (played) or id (planted). The spelling is always -ed.

What mistake should I watch for?

Adding -ed to verbs that change, as in "runned" or "sitted". This shows the child knows the rule, so praise that, then teach the special ones a few at a time.

What grade learns past tense verbs?

Usually 1st and 2nd grade. In the Common Core it is part of L.1.1e, L.2.1d.