Texas Court Reporter Practice Exam

Which is the correct past tense form of the verb 'to hear'?

1. Heard

2. Herd

3. Herded

4. Hearing

The correct answer is: Heard

The correct past tense form of the verb 'to hear' is 'heard.' This is an irregular verb, and its past tense does not follow the standard pattern of simply adding -ed to the base form. Instead, 'to hear' transforms into 'heard' in the past tense, indicating that the action of hearing has already occurred. The other options do not serve as the correct past tense form. 'Herd' is a noun or a verb that refers to a group of animals, particularly livestock. 'Herded' is the past tense of 'to herd,' which means to drive or lead a group of animals. 'Hearing' is the present participle of 'to hear,' used to indicate an ongoing action, but it does not represent the completed action required in the past tense. Thus, 'heard' is the only option that accurately reflects the past tense of 'to hear.'