Irregular verb
The verb to teach
teach → taught → taught
A2Meaning: to help someone learn something; to give lessons · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they teach·he/she/it teaches - Past Simple:
taught(pronounced /tɔːt/) - Past participle:
taught(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
teaching
Conjugation of the verb to teach
Present Simple
| I | teach |
| You | teach |
| He / She / It | teaches |
| We | teach |
| You (pl.) | teach |
| They | teach |
Past Simple
| I | taught |
| You | taught |
| He / She / It | taught |
| We | taught |
| You (pl.) | taught |
| They | taught |
All the forms of the verb to teach
Present Simple
Full pageteach / teaches
“She teaches English.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are teaching
“I am teaching English right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagetaught
“He taught me how to swim.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were teaching
“I was teaching English when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has taught
“I have already taught English.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad taught
“She had already taught English when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill teach
“I will teach English tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to teach
“I'm going to teach English this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould teach
“I would teach English if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to teach
1. Teaching a subject or a language
- She teaches English.
- He teaches at a high school.
2. Teaching someone to do something
Teach + person + how to + verb: teach someone how to swim.
- He taught me how to play guitar.
- My mum taught me cooking.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. My English professor ❌
Teach + -er = teacher, a very common word. At school, say my English teacher. A professor teaches at a university.
2. Teach or learn?
The teacher teaches. The student learns. The teacher teaches the students, and the students learn. The two verbs go together.
Going further
Conjugating to teach is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to teach. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to teach on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to teach in class
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Related pages: teach
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of teach?+
The Past Simple of teach is taught, the same for every person. The past participle is also taught. Teach → taught → taught.
What is the difference between teach and learn?+
Teach is what the teacher does: they give knowledge. Learn is what the student does: they receive it. A classic mistake is I learn my brother instead of I teach my brother. The teacher teaches the students. The students learn.
How do you pronounce taught?+
Taught is pronounced /tɔːt/, like bought (/bɔːt/), caught (/kɔːt/), thought (/θɔːt/) and fought (/fɔːt/). Same sound /ɔːt/, but two spellings: -aught (taught, caught) and -ought (bought, thought). The gh is silent.
Is it teach me to swim or teach me how to swim?+
Both are correct. Teach + person + how to + verb is very common: He taught me how to swim. You can also say teach + person + thing: She teaches me English.
Is it taught or teached?+
Teach is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is taught (the sound /ɔːt/, spelt -aught, with a silent gh). Never say teached.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/teach
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.