Past Tense Rules

For regular verbs, add “-ed” to the end of the base form of the verb.

Stay Stayed Watch Watched

Walk Walked Listen Listened

Irregular verbs:

STUDY THEM!!!

Basic Formation Rules:

If the verb ends in a SILENT “E”, only add “-d”

Like Liked Save Saved

If the word has ONE SYLLABLE and ends in ONE VOWEL AND ONE CONSONANT, double the last consonant before adding “–ed”

Plan Planned Stop Stopped

If the word ends in a CONSONANT+Y, change the “y” to an “i” before adding “-ed”

Cry Cried Study Studied

More Rules: The Exceptions

Add “didn’t” or “did not” before the verb in the base form.

I did not know the answer.He didn’t study for the exam.We did not go to the store.They didn’t run on Saturday.You didn’t go to the cinema.

How to form the NEGATIVE past:

Put “did” before the subject and the verb in the base form.

Did you go on vacation this summer?

For short answers, put “did” or “didn’t” after the subject pronoun.

Yes, I did.No, I didn’t.

How to form QUESTIONS in the past:

Last year I (spend) ___________ my holiday in Ireland.

It (be) ___________ great.

I (travel) ___________ around by car with two friends and we (visit) __________ lots of interesting places.

In the evenings we usually (go) ________ to a pub.

Practice

One night we even (learn) _________ some Irish dances.

We (be) _________ very lucky with the weather.

It (not/rain) _______________ a lot.

But we (see) ______ some beautiful rainbows.

Where (spend/you) _______________ your last vacation?

Practice

When words sound like they end in a “-t” or a “-d”, you pronounce “-ed” at the end of the word. This adds another syllable.

Want Wanted Decide Decided(“want-ed”) (“decide-

ed”)

Need Needed Hate Hated(“need-ed”) (“hate-ed”)

Pronunciation Rules

If the verb ends in a STRONG (voiced) sound, pronounce the word like there is a “-d” at the end of the base form– do NOT pronounce the “-e” in the “-ed” ending.

Pronunciation Rules

BASE FORM PAST TENSE PRONUNCIATION

Live Lived Live/D

Growl Growled Growl/D

Slither Slithered Slither/D

Climb Climbed Climb/D

If the word ends in a SOFT (unvoiced) sound, pronounce the word like there is a “-t” at the end of the base form.

Pronunciation Rules

BASE FORM PAST TENSE PRONUNCIATION

Laugh Laughed Laugh/T

Pop Popped Pop/T

Like Liked Like/T

Hiss Hissed Hiss/T

Dance

Start

Study

Cook

Stuff

Miss

End

Clean

Walk

Finish

How do you pronounce these verbs?