Past Tense vs. Past Participle on the SAT
A Simple Rule for Easy Points
Master sentence structure, punctuation, and clarity with repeatable rules.
Guard the Sentence Core
Identify the subject and verb, then make sure punctuation does not split them or add extra ideas.
- Find the subject + verb first. That is the sentence core.
- Only add commas around extra information, never inside the core.
- Re-read the sentence without the modifier to test clarity.
Why Past Tense vs. Past Participle Matters on the SAT
Verb form errors rank among the most frequently tested grammar concepts on the SAT Reading and Writing section, and they are also among the most commonly missed. The difference between "The pipe has broke" and "The pipe has broken" might seem tiny, but it is exactly the kind of detail that separates a good score from a great one. One simple rule makes these questions almost automatic: master it, and you will spot the answer in seconds with no guesswork required.
The Core Rule: Two Forms, Two Jobs
Every verb has multiple forms. The two that trip students up on the SAT are the past tense and the past participle. They have different jobs, and the SAT will test whether you know which one belongs where.
- Past tense stands alone. It describes a completed action with no helper:
"She wrote the essay last night." - Past participle always appears with a
helping verb (has, have, had, was, were, is, are, been, being):
"She has written three essays this week."
For regular verbs, walked, talked, played, the past tense and past participle look identical (both end in -ed), so they never cause confusion. The SAT's trap is irregular verbs, where the two forms are different words entirely.
The Irregular Verbs That Show Up on the SAT
You don't need to memorize hundreds of irregular verbs. The SAT draws from a relatively small pool. Here are the ones most likely to appear:
Common Irregular Verbs
- break → broke (past) / broken (participle)
- write → wrote (past) / written (participle)
- speak → spoke (past) / spoken (participle)
- choose → chose (past) / chosen (participle)
- go → went (past) / gone (participle)
- do → did (past) / done (participle)
- begin → began (past) / begun (participle)
- swim → swam (past) / swum (participle)
- fall → fell (past) / fallen (participle)
- drive → drove (past) / driven (participle)
Notice the pattern: many past participles end in -en or -n (broken, written, spoken, chosen, fallen, driven). That's a useful clue when you're working quickly.
Your 5-Second Decision Rule
When you see a verb form question on the SAT, don't re-read the entire passage. Just look at the clause containing the underlined verb and ask yourself one question:
Is there a helping verb (has, have, had, was, were, is, are, been, being) right before this verb?
- Yes → use the past participle (broken, written, spoken)
- No, and the action is in the past → use the past tense (broke, wrote, spoke)
That's it. One check, one answer. The SAT isn't trying to trick you with obscure grammar, it's testing whether you know this fundamental distinction.
Why Your Ear Can't Always Be Trusted
Here's the trap: in casual conversation, many people say things like "I had went" or "She has broke" and nobody bats an eye. These phrases sound normal because you hear them constantly. But on the SAT, they are always wrong. The test rewards students who apply the rule rather than trusting what "sounds right." If you remember nothing else from this post, remember this: trust the rule, not your ear.
Practice Past Tense vs. Past Participle with SAT-Style Questions
Let's put the rule to work. Each question below mirrors what you'll encounter on the actual SAT Reading and Writing section. Focus on finding (or ruling out) a helping verb, then pick your answer with confidence.
Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?
Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?
Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?
Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?
Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the sentence?
Key Takeaways for Past Tense vs. Past Participle
- Helping verb present → past participle. If you see has, have, had, was, were, or any form of "be" before the verb, use the participle (broken, written, chosen, fallen).
- No helping verb → simple past tense. If the verb stands alone describing a completed action, use the past tense (broke, wrote, chose, fell).
- Irregular verbs are where the SAT sets its traps. Regular verbs look the same in both forms, so they're never tested this way. Focus your energy on memorizing the common irregular ones listed above.
- Trust the rule, not your ear. "Had went" and "has broke" sound perfectly normal in everyday speech. On the SAT, they are always wrong.
Conclusion: The Core Rule for Past Tense vs. Past Participle
This is one of the most learnable rules on the entire SAT Reading and Writing section. Once you train yourself to check for a helping verb, the answer becomes mechanical, no guessing, no second-guessing. Drill the irregular verbs on the list above, apply the decision rule on every practice test, and you'll pick up these points every single time.
Remember: Helping verb → participle. No helping verb → past tense. One rule, easy points.
