ENGLISH
REFERENCE

taught

v.
US //ˈtɔt// UK //tˈɔːt// taught
  1. 1 past tense of teach (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the past form of 'teach', used to say that you helped someone learn a subject or skill.

    the past tense and past participle of 'teach', denoting the completed action of providing instruction or training.

    Example

    My father taught me how to ride a bike when I was six years old.

    Example

    The professor taught advanced linguistics for over thirty years before retiring to write his memoirs.

    Usage

    As a past participle, it can be used in passive structures or perfect tenses.

    Teacher's tip

    Learners often confuse the spelling with 'thought' (past of think) or 'bought' (past of buy).
    Pitfall
    He teached me how to drive.
    He taught me how to drive.

    The verb 'teach' is irregular; do not add '-ed' to make the past tense.

Origin

From Middle English taught(e), tau(h)t(e), from Old English tāhte, tǣhte, from Proto-Germanic *taihtē.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 19, 2026