📚 Grammar: Irregular Verbs & Articles
1ère Bac Sciences et Technologies Mécaniques STM
📌 Introduction
This lesson covers two essential grammar topics:
- Irregular Verbs: Verbs that don’t follow the usual “-ed” pattern in past tense.
- Articles: a, an, the – used before nouns to specify them.
Science Tip: “In science reports, use past tense (often irregular) for experiments: ‘We took samples and found bacteria.”
⚡ Irregular Verbs
Unlike regular verbs, irregular verbs change completely in the past tense.
Common Irregular Verbs in Science Contexts
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| take | took | taken | prélever |
| find | found | found | trouver |
| see | saw | seen | voir |
| go | went | gone | aller |
| do | did | done | faire |
Example: “We took water samples and found microorganisms. Then we saw their movement under the microscope.”
🔍 Articles: a, an, the
Articles help specify nouns. There are two types:
Indefinite Articles
a = before consonant sounds
an = before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u)
- a plant
- an experiment
- a test tube
- an observation
Definite Article
the = specific or already mentioned things
- The sun (only one)
- The experiment we did yesterday
- The results were surprising
Example: “We started an experiment on plant growth. The plants received a different amount of light each day.”
✅ Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Irregular Verbs)
Complete with the correct past form:
1. We (take) samples from the river.
2. They (find) bacteria in the water.
3. I (see) the results yesterday.
4. She (go) to the lab early.
✅ Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Article
Select a, an, or the:
1. We started _____ experiment on photosynthesis.
2. _____ sun provides energy for plants.
3. She made _____ important observation.
✍️ Writing Practice
Write 3 sentences about a science experiment using:
📌 Summary
- Irregular verbs have unique past forms (take → took → taken).
- a/an = general or first mention (a plant, an idea).
- the = specific or already known (the sun, the results).
- In science writing, use past tense for experiments and the for specific results.
