Class Note: Telling Our Stories – Using the Simple Past Tense
Subject: English
Class: Basic 1
Topic: Expression of Simple Past of Common Verbs
Theme: Grammar and Communication
1. Comprehensive Core Concepts: The "Yesterday" Words
What is the Simple Past?
When we talk about things we are doing right now, we use words like "jump," "eat," or "play." But what happens when we want to tell a story about something that is already finished? We use the Simple Past Tense.
Think of the Simple Past as our "Yesterday" voice. We use it to talk about actions that happened five minutes ago, this morning, yesterday, or even last year. It helps us tell people what we have already done so they can understand our history.
The "Magic ED" Rule (Regular Verbs)
For most common verbs, we can turn them into "Yesterday" words by adding a small "tail" at the end. That tail is the letters -ed.
- Today/Now: I walk to school.
- Yesterday/Past: I walked to school.
In this example, "walk" is the action. When we add -ed, it becomes "walked," which tells everyone the walking is finished.
More Examples of the "Magic ED":
- Play → Played: "Amina played with her doll yesterday afternoon."
- Cook → Cooked: "Daddy cooked delicious Jollof rice for lunch."
- Wash → Washed: "I washed my hands before eating my yam."
- Help → Helped: "Obi helped his teacher carry the books."
The "Changing Shape" Words (Irregular Verbs)
Some verbs are a bit "stubborn." They don't like the -ed tail. Instead, they change their whole shape when they move into the past. We have to memorize these because they are very common.
- Go becomes Went: "Today I go to the market. Yesterday I went to the market."
- Eat becomes Ate: "I eat my breakfast now. I ate my breakfast this morning."
- See becomes Saw: "I see a bird now. I saw a beautiful bird at the park."
- Drink becomes Drank: "I drink water. I drank my juice already."
2. Real-World Examples: When Do We Use This?
In Nigeria, we use the simple past every single day! Here are three scenarios where you will need these words:
Scenario A: Reporting to Parents
When you get home from school, your Mummy might ask, "What did you do today?"
- You say: "I learned (learn + ed) how to count. I painted (paint + ed) a picture. I ate (past of eat) my snacks during break time."
Scenario B: Telling a Story about the Weekend
Imagine you went to visit your Grandma in the village.
- You say: "We traveled to the village. Grandma hugged me. She gave me a big mango, and I ate it all!"
Scenario C: Explaining an Accident
If you are playing and someone gets hurt, you need to tell the teacher what happened accurately.
- You say: "We ran on the field. Tunde tripped on a stone and fell down."
3. Practical Applications: Step-by-Step Guide
How can you practice changing words into the past? Follow these steps:
- Identify the Action: Look at what is happening (e.g., Jump).
- Check the Time: Did it happen already? If yes, it needs to be in the past.
- Apply the Rule:
- Try adding -ed first (Jump + ed = Jumped).
- Check if it sounds right. (Most words use -ed).
- The "Special List" Check: Is it one of our "Changing Shape" words? (Like Go or Eat).
- Say the Sentence: "Yesterday, I jumped over the puddle."
4. Suggested Project-Based Learning: "My Yesterday Album"
This project helps you see the past tense in your own life.
Materials Needed:
- 3 sheets of plain paper.
- Crayons or colored pencils.
- A pencil.
- A stapler (with help from an adult) or a piece of string.
Procedure:
- Page 1 (Morning): Draw a picture of yourself waking up or brushing your teeth this morning. Under the picture, write: "This morning, I brushed my teeth."
- Page 2 (Afternoon): Draw a picture of yourself eating lunch or playing. Under the picture, write: "At noon, I ate my lunch." (Notice we used ate, not eat!)
- Page 3 (Evening): Draw yourself helping at home. Under the picture, write: "In the evening, I helped my Mommy."
- Finish: Staple the pages together to make a book. Read your book out loud to your family, emphasizing the "Yesterday" words!
5. Life Skills Integration: Why This Matters
Why is this important?
Being able to use the simple past helps you become a Truth-Teller and a Clear Communicator.
- In Careers: Doctors need to know what a patient felt yesterday. Lawyers need to know what happened at a scene. Scientists explain what they observed during an experiment.
- In Daily Life: It helps you share your memories and history. If you cannot use the past tense, you cannot tell stories about your ancestors or your own childhood!
6. Home Practice Activities: The "Time Traveler" Interview
Activity: Become a reporter!
- Materials: A small notebook or paper and a pen.
- The Task: Interview an adult at home (Daddy, Mummy, or an older sibling). Ask them three questions about their morning:
- "What did you cook?" (Expected answer: "I cooked...")
- "Where did you go?" (Expected answer: "I went...")
- "What did you see on the road?" (Expected answer: "I saw...")
- Outcome: Write down the past tense verbs they used. See if you can find at least two "-ed" words and two "Changing Shape" words.
7. Assessment Through Application
To see if you have mastered the "Yesterday" words, try these tasks:
- The "Action Mime": (Perform with a friend or parent). Act out an action (like brushing hair). Your friend must say what you did using the past tense: "You brushed your hair!"
- The "Now and Then" Sort: Look at these words: Talk, Went, Cooked, Run, Ate, Jump. Can you pick out only the ones that are in the Past?
- Story Completion: Finish this sentence orally: "Last Sunday, my family and I ________ (go) to church/mosque and we ________ (sing) many songs." (Correct answers: went, sang).
8. Student Reflection Questions
- How does a word change when we want to show it happened yesterday?
- Can you think of a word that doesn't use "-ed" but changes its whole shape in the past?
- Why do you think it is important to tell people exactly when something happened?
- What was the most exciting thing you did yesterday? (Try to answer using a past tense verb!)
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