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Basic 4 · Ghanaian Language · Use of Action Words

Past Tense Action Words

In this topic you will recognise past tense action words in short sentences.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Explain the past tense
  • Recognise regular and irregular past tense verbs
  • Use past tense verbs in sentences

What you already know

  • Writing a story about a past event

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
Grammar Usage
Sub-strand
Use of Action Words
Indicator
B4.5.3.1.1-3 – Recognize past tense action words in short sentences

Introduction

Yesterday, Kwesi planted maize, carried water and swept the compound. The words "planted", "carried" and "swept" tell us the actions already happened.

1. The Past Tense

Past tense: The form of an action word that shows the action already happened.

2. Regular and Irregular Verbs

Regular verbs (add -ed)
PresentPast
plantplanted
carrycarried
playplayed
cookcooked
Irregular verbs (change form)
PresentPast
gowent
eatate
sweepswept
buybought
singsang
A boy who has planted, carried water and swept, shown as completed actions
Figure 1: Actions in the past Draw three things you did yesterday.Illustration: Sirbus

3. Recognising Past Tense

  • Look for -ed endings.
  • Look for time words: yesterday, last week, ago.
  • Learn irregular verbs by heart.

Tip: Ghanaian languages show past actions in their own ways. Learn the past tense markers of your language.

New words

action word
A verb; a word that shows action.
past tense
Shows an action already happened.
regular verb
A verb that adds -ed in the past.
irregular verb
A verb that changes form in the past.
present tense
Shows an action happening now or usually.
time word
A word like yesterday that shows when.

Summary

  • The past tense shows actions that already happened.
  • Regular verbs add -ed.
  • Irregular verbs change form, like go → went.
  • Time words like yesterday signal the past tense.

Class activity: Action Cards

  1. Use the action-picture cards of farming and market life.
  2. Say what each person did yesterday using the past tense.
  3. Sort the verbs into regular and irregular.

You need: Printed action-picture cards of farming, Fishing, Locally made verb cards, Exercise books, Pencils

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. What is the past tense of "play"?

    • A. played
    • B. plays
    • C. playing
    • D. play
    Show answer
    Answer: playedAdd -ed.

  2. 2. What is the past tense of "go"?

    • A. went
    • B. goed
    • C. gone
    • D. goes
    Show answer
    Answer: wentIt is irregular.

  3. 3. Which verb is irregular?

    • A. eat
    • B. cook
    • C. plant
    • D. jump
    Show answer
    Answer: eateat → ate.

  4. 4. "Swept" is the past tense of "sweep".

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueIt is irregular.

  5. 5. All verbs add -ed in the past tense.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseIrregular verbs change form.

  6. 6. Yesterday, we ______ (sing) at church.

    Show answer
    Answer: sangsing → sang.

  7. 7. Write the past tense of buy, carry and eat.

    Show answer
    Answer: bought, carried, ateTwo irregular, one regular.

  8. 8. Write two sentences about last weekend using past tense verbs.

    Show answer
    Answer: E.g. I visited my grandmother. We ate fufu.Use past tense.

Homework

  1. List ten things you did yesterday using past tense verbs.