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English irregular verbs, past forms of Teach: Teach - Taught - Taught

Teach is a common English verb but often confuses learners due to its slightly different past form compared to the base form. So, how do we correctly conjugate the past forms of Teach? Let's read the article below by PREP to find the answers to the above question and learn more valuable knowledge!

I. What is Teach?

Before exploring the past forms of Teach in English, let's learn the meaning and usage of Teach.

Teach is pronounced /tiːtʃ/ and functions as a verb with the meaning: to give someone knowledge or to train someone; to instruct:. For example:

Ms. Smith teaches English to foreign students.
Who taught you to cook this dish?

II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Teach? The past forms of Teach in English

What are the past forms of Teach in English? What are V0, V2, V3 of Teach? V0, V2, V3 stand for: Infinitive, Simple Past, and Past Participle. Let's delve into the past forms of Teach in the table below!

Past forms of Teach		Example
V0	Teach /tiːtʃ/	Mr.Jack and Ms.Smith teach English very well.
V2	Taught /tɑːt/	Mr.Jack and Ms.Smith taught English in my school 5 years ago.
V3	Taught /tɑːt/	Mr.Jack and Ms.Smith have taught English in my school for 5 years.

In conclusion, the past forms of Teach are: the past form of Teach in past simple is Taught and the past participle of Teach is Taught.

III. How to conjugate the verb Teach

How is the verb Teach conjugated in the 12 English tenses and special structures? After exploring the past forms of Teach, let’s take a look at the conjugation rules of the verb Teach in various contexts with PREP!

1. In tenses

12 English tenses	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Present simple tense	teach	teaches	teach
	For example: I teach Music at the local school. He teaches math to high school students. They teach science in the afternoons.
Present continuous tense	am teaching	is teaching	are teaching
	For example: I am teaching a class on Art right now. He is teaching his students how to play the piano. They are teaching a new language course this semester.
Present perfect tense	have taught	has taught	have taught
	For example: I have taught Korean for six years. He has taught Literature to many students over the years. They have taught various subjects in high school.
Present perfect continuous tense	have been teaching	has been teaching	have been teaching
	For example: I have been teaching Chinese at the language center in recent years. He has been teaching Physics online since the pandemic began. They have been teaching geography courses at the university for several semesters.
Past simple tense	taught	taught	taught
	For example: I taught Math to elementary students last year. He taught Biology at the local school before retiring. They taught Science classes at the university three years ago.
Past continuous tense	was teaching	was teaching	were teaching
	For example: I was teaching Math when the principal called me into the office. He was teaching a History class when I came in. They were teaching Science courses while the renovations were taking place at the university.
Past Perfect Tense	had taught	had taught	had taught
	For example: I had taught Literature for many years before retiring. He had taught English at the same school for over a decade. They had taught various subjects at different universities before settling down in their current positions.
Past perfect continuous tense	had been teaching	had been teaching	had been teaching
	For example: I had been teaching Music for three years when I decided to pursue my singing dream. He had been teaching Art online for several months before he returned to teaching in person. They had been teaching at the same school for years before they moved to a different city.
Simple future tense	will teach	will teach	will teach
	For example: I will teach Thai at the language center next semester. He will teach Chemistry to high school students starting next week. They will teach a new course on programming at the university next fall.
Future continuous tense	will be teaching	will be teaching	will be teaching
	For example: I will be teaching Korean at the language center this time next year. He will be teaching History online while he travels abroad. They will be teaching leadership skills at the conference next month.
Future Perfect tense	will have taught	will have eaten	will have eaten
	For example: I will have taught Math for fifteen years by the time I retire. He will have taught Finance at the university for twenty years when he reaches retirement age. They will have taught a variety of subjects by the time they finish their careers in education.
Future perfect continuous tense	will have been teaching	will have been teaching	will have been teaching
	For example: I will have been teaching Chemistry for twenty years by June next year. By November, he will have been teaching Geography online for five years when he decides to take a break. By March 15th, they will have been teaching at the same school for a decade by the time they relocate to another city.

2. In special sentence structures

Special structure	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Conditional sentences
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	would teach	would teach	would teach
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	For example: If I had more time, I would teach a singing class. If he had the opportunity, he would teach Art to children. If they had the resources, they would teach computer skills to underprivileged youth.
Conditional sentence type 2 - Variation of the main clause	would be teaching	would be teaching	would be teaching
Conditional sentence type 2 - Variation of the main clause	For example: If I had the qualifications, I would be teaching Accounting right now. If he had the necessary experience, he would be teaching Biology at the university. If they had the opportunity, they would be teaching Art classes in their community.
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	would have taught	would have taught	would have taught
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	For example: If I had studied education, I would have taught Geography. If he had chosen a different career path, he would have taught Chemistry. If they had lived in a different country, they would have taught Portuguese as a second language.
Conditional sentence type 3 - Variation of the main clause	would have been teaching	would have been teaching	would have been teaching
Conditional sentence type 3 - Variation of the main clause	For example: If I hadn’t pursued a career in Accounting, I would have been teaching at the university by now. If he had not changed his major, he would have been teaching History at this school. If they had been more proactive in seeking employment opportunities, they would have been teaching in their desired field.
Hypothetical sentence
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Present Event	teach	teach	teach
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Present	taught	taught	taught
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Past	had taught	had taught	had taught
For example	If I teach languages, I always use interactive activities. If she taught Math, she preferred to work through problems step by step. I wish I had taught my younger sister about swimming.

IV. Exercise on the past forms of Teach with answers

To further understand the past forms of Teach in English, let's complete the exercise below by PREP!

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Conjugate the verb Teach:

Yesterday, Mrs. Jackson_______ English to the 8-year-olds.
I really love _______ children to make paper models.
Now John’s mother _______ the children about healthy eating and green lifestyle.
The teacher _______ the students about the history of the Civil War before they took the test.
Have you ever _______ someone how to ride a bike?
So far this course _______ me to deal with different customers.
One of the most important lessons I _______ when I was in high school is never be late.
One day I _______ students in mountainous areas learned how to read and write.
Jack and John _______ me the importance of friendship since we met.
We are trying to convince them _______ these students for free.

Answer:

taught
teaching
is teaching
had taught
taught

has taught
was taught
will teach
have taught
to teach

PREP hopes that after reading the above article, you have gained an understanding of the definition and past forms of Teach in English. Keep following PREP to stay updated with more useful English knowledge!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Mr. Tú Phạm is the founder of PREP, a Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of teaching and test preparation experience, he has assisted thousands of students in achieving high scores on the IELTS exam. Additionally, Mr. Tú Phạm serves as a consultant for British Council programs and as a speaker at numerous premier education events, programs, and seminars.