What’s the Past Tense of Tell: Understanding Simple Past Tense Usage
Quick Answer
The past tense of tell is told. With “have” or “has,” it is also told.
Every day: I tell my children a story.
Yesterday: I told my children a story.
Many times: I have told my children many stories.
Tell and Told — See the Pattern
Read these sentences. Look at how the verb changes:
- She tells me everything. (now — every day)
- She told me the news yesterday. (past — it is finished)
- She has told me this story before. (past with “has”)
Did you see the pattern? The past form is always told — for the past and with have/has/had.
| When? | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Now / every day | tell | I tell the truth. |
| In the past | told | I told the truth yesterday. |
| With have / has / had | told | I have told the truth many times. |
Why “Told” and Not “Telled”?
Tell is an irregular verb. That means it does not follow the normal rule of adding -ed to make the past tense.
Most verbs in English are simple. You just add -ed:
- walk → walked
- play → played
But tell does not work like that. It changes in a special way:
- tell → told (NOT “telled”)
Easy way to remember: Think of tell → told like sell → sold. Both change -ell to -old. If you know one, you know the other.
The Rule in One Line: Tell becomes told — every time, no exceptions.
How to Use Told in Everyday English
- She told me a secret. (she shared something private in the past)
- My boss told us about the new plan. (he gave us information)
- I have told you three times already! (from past to now — repeated action)
- He told the children to be quiet. (he gave an instruction in the past)
- Nobody told me about the meeting. (I did not get the information)
You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.
The Most Common Mistake With Tell
Even native speakers’ children say “telled” when they are little. If you make this mistake, you are not alone — it is one of the most natural errors in English.
✗ She telled me the answer.
✓ She told me the answer.
✗ He has telled everyone the news.
✓ He has told everyone the news.
How to remember: “Telled” does not exist in English. The word is always told. Think: tell → told, like sell → sold. Both swap -ell for -old.
Other verbs like this: sell → sold, spell → spelt, smell → smelt.
Test Yourself: Told or Telled?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. She _______ me the good news yesterday.
2. My brother has _______ everyone about the party.
3. The teacher _______ us to open our books.
4. Nobody _______ him about the meeting.
5. I _______ you this would happen!
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned tell → told. That is one more irregular verb you will never get wrong again.
You know that tell and speak are both about talking. But did you know they work differently? You tell someone a story, but you speak to someone. And the past tense of speak has two forms — spoke and spoken. Do you know when to use each one?
Next lesson: Spoke or Spoken: The Past Tense of Speak
Source
tell (v.) — Online Etymology Dictionary
tell — TheFreeDictionary.com
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
