Held or Helded – Which is Correct?
You may have come across the verb “to hold” numerous times in your English language learning journey. It is a common verb used to indicate the act of grasping or gripping something. But have you ever wondered if the past tense of “to hold” is “held” or “helded”? This is a question that can cause confusion for English learners, and in this article, we will explore the correct form and provide a comprehensive explanation.
The correct past tense of “to hold” is indeed “held.” “Helded” is not a valid word in standard English and is considered incorrect. Let’s dive into the why behind this rule.
Irregular verbs, like “to hold,” have unique forms for their past tense, which do not follow the regular pattern of adding “-ed” to the base verb. Instead, they undergo a change in their internal structure. This can lead to some confusing situations for English learners who are accustomed to the regular conjugation patterns.
Here are some examples to illustrate the correct use of “held” as the past tense of “to hold”:
1. He held his hand out and helped the elderly woman cross the street.
2. The teacher held a meeting to discuss the upcoming exam.
3. She held her breath and dived into the deep blue sea.
4. The athlete held the world record for the fastest marathon time.
5. They held a party to celebrate their anniversary.
As you can see, the verb “held” is consistently used in these sentences to express an action that occurred in the past. It is essential to remember that irregular verbs, such as “to hold,” have unique conjugation patterns, and the past tense form must be memorized individually.
Using “helded” as the past tense of “to hold” is a common mistake made by English learners. It is important to avoid using this non-standard form as it can lead to confusion and hinder effective communication.
To reinforce the correct usage of “held” as the past tense of “to hold,” let’s consider some additional irregular verbs and their past tense forms:
1. “Swim” – swam (not swimmed)
2. “Go” – went (not goed)
3. “Take” – took (not taked)
4. “Break” – broke (not breaked)
5. “Write” – wrote (not writed)
In all these examples, the past tense forms deviate from the regular “-ed” pattern, just like “held” does. Thus, it is crucial to recognize and memorize irregular verbs separately to ensure accurate and effective communication.
In conclusion, “held” is the correct past tense form of the verb “to hold,” whereas “helded” is incorrect. When using irregular verbs, it is necessary to know their unique conjugation patterns and memorize them individually. So, the next time you want to express an action that occurred in the past, remember to use “held” as the correct form to avoid confusion and maintain grammatical accuracy. Happy learning!