Correct Structure for Past Tense: “Yesterday, I Helped My Mother Wash the Dishes”

Understanding the correct structure for past tense in English can be a bit tricky, especially when it involves complex sentences with multiple verbs. A common question that arises is how to correctly use past tense in sentences like “Yesterday, I helped my mother wash the dishes”. Is it correct to say “Yesterday, I helped my mother washed the dishes”? This article will delve into the intricacies of past tense structure in English and provide clear explanations and examples to help you master this aspect of English grammar.

Understanding the Past Tense

The past tense in English is used to talk about actions or states that were in the past. It’s typically formed by adding -ed to the base form of regular verbs. However, many common verbs are irregular, and their past tense forms have to be memorized. For example, the past tense of “help” is “helped”.

Using Past Tense in Complex Sentences

When a sentence involves more than one verb, it’s important to consider the relationship between the actions. In the sentence “Yesterday, I helped my mother wash the dishes”, the action of helping and washing are happening at the same time. In such cases, the second verb (“wash”) should be in base form, not in past tense. Therefore, “Yesterday, I helped my mother washed the dishes” is incorrect.

Examples of Correct Past Tense Structure

• Yesterday, I helped my father fix the car.
• Last week, I watched my sister play soccer.
• I saw him cross the street.

In all these examples, the second verb is in its base form, even though the actions happened in the past.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

One common mistake is to put all verbs in a sentence in past tense, like “Yesterday, I helped my mother washed the dishes”. Remember, when one action is helping or enabling another, the second verb should be in base form.

Conclusion

Mastering the past tense in English requires understanding not just the forms of individual verbs, but also how verbs interact in a sentence. When one action helps or enables another, the second verb should be in its base form, not past tense. So, “Yesterday, I helped my mother wash the dishes” is the correct sentence. Keep practicing and soon you’ll be able to use the past tense correctly in all types of sentences.