 English
Simple Past - Regular VerbsThe simple past is used to describe
an action that occurred and was completed in the past. For regular verbs, the simple
past is formed by adding -ed to the base form of the
verb (the infinitive without
to).
| verb |
+ ed = |
simple past |
| walk |
walked |
| push |
pushed |
| greet |
greeted |
| cover |
covered |
Verbs ending in vowels
For regular verbs ending in the
vowel -e, add -d.
| bake |
baked |
| prize |
prized |
| hope |
hoped |
| assume |
assumed |
| tie |
tied |
| hoe |
hoed |
| free |
freed |
Not many English verbs end in a vowel other than e.
For those that do, add -ed.
| henna |
hennaed |
| ski |
skied |
| echo |
echoed |
Exceptions: The verbs do and go are
irregular - see below.
Verbs ending in vowels
For regular verbs that end in a vowel + y, add -ed.
| play |
played |
| decay |
decayed |
| survey |
surveyed |
| enjoy |
enjoyed |
Exception: The verbs say and buy are irregular - see below.
For regular verbs that end in a
consonant + y, change the -y to
-i and add -ed.
| cry |
cried |
| dirty |
dirtied |
| ready |
readied |
| magnify |
magnified |
Exception: The verb fly is irregular - see below.
Verbs ending in consonants
For regular verbs ending in
short vowel sounds followed by a consonant,
double the final consonant before adding -ed.
| dam |
dammed |
| beg |
begged |
| sin |
sinned |
| stop |
stopped |
| rub |
rubbed |
When the regular verb has more than one syllable, in
American English the final consonant is doubled only when
the syllable stress in on
the final syllable.
| defer |
defered |
deferred |
| regret |
regreted |
regretted |
| reship |
reshiped |
reshipped |
| compel |
compeled |
compelled |
| |
| orbit |
orbited |
orbitted |
| listen |
listened |
listenned |
| travel |
traveled |
travelled |
| consider |
considered |
considerred |
Examples
| simple present |
simple past |
| I walk to school. |
I walked to school. |
| She works downtown. |
She worked downtown. |
| They help on Tuesday. |
They helped on Tuesday. |
| He asks a lot of questions. |
He asked a lot of questions. |
The simple past tense of all regular verbs is the same for
all persons.
| I |
worked |
downtown. |
| You |
worked |
downtown. |
| He |
worked |
downtown. |
| She |
worked |
downtown. |
| We |
worked |
downtown. |
| They |
worked |
downtown. |
Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs do not form the past tense by adding -ed. Irregular
verbs form the past tense by a change in spelling.
| infinitive |
simple past |
| buy |
bought |
| do |
did |
| fly |
flew |
| forget |
forgot |
| light |
lit |
| go |
went |
| say |
said |
Related lessons
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