|
English (and language in general) uses tense to indicate the timing of a verb's action in the present, the past, or the future.
The simple past tense in English communicates that an action occurred at an earlier time. The action has been completed, and it is not continuing in the present or into the future.
Examples
John walked to the hardware store.
Fyodor opened a checking account.
Cara threw a penny into the well. |
Simple Past Tense: Regular Verbs
To form the simple past tense with regular verbs, we add -ed to the verb root or -d if the verb ends in e.
| Verb Root |
Suffix |
Simple Past Tense |
|
Verb Root |
Suffix |
Simple Past Tense |
| call |
-ed |
called |
|
live |
-d |
lived |
| fix |
-ed |
fixed |
|
move |
-d |
moved |
| mow |
-ed |
mowed |
|
produce |
-d |
produced |
| wash |
-ed |
washed |
|
revise |
-d |
revised |
The simple past tense for regular verbs is the same for the first, second, and third persons.
| Examples |
|
| I called |
you (plural) called |
| you called |
we called |
| he/she/it called |
they called |
If a regular verb of one syllable ends with a sequence of consonant-vowel-consonant, we double the final consonant and add -ed: bat > batted, plop > plopped. The exception is when the final consonant is a w, x, or y: mix > mixed, spray > sprayed.
If a longer verb's last syllable is stressed and it ends with consonant-vowel-consonant, we double the last consonant and add -ed: demur > demurred, refer > referred.
If a longer verb's first syllable is stressed and it ends with consonant-vowel-consonant, we add just -ed: borrow > borrowed, center > centered.
If a regular verb ends in consonant + y, change the y to an i and add -ed: marry > married, study > studied.
Simple Past Tense: Irregular Verbs
English includes hundreds of irregular verbs, which are verbs that do not form their simple past tense and past participle with the standard endings used for regular verbs.
Because irregular verbs have no set format for conjugation, accurately forming the simple past tense for them requires getting familiar with them.
The following table includes examples of irregular verbs in the simple past tense.
| Verb Root |
Simple Past Tense |
|
Verb Root |
Simple Past Tense |
| be |
am, were, was |
|
fall |
fell |
| catch |
caught |
|
give |
gave |
| cost |
cost |
|
hang |
hung |
| drive |
drove |
|
hit |
hit |
As with regular verbs, the simple past tense of irregular verbs is the same for the first, second, and third persons.
| Examples |
|
| I fell |
you (plural) fell |
| you fell |
we fell |
| he/she/it fell |
they fell |
Simple Past Tense: Forming the Negative
To form the negative of the simple past tense, we use the past tense of the irregular verb do (did), the word not, and the root of the verb, i.e., did + not + verb.
Examples
Robert did not fix the broken doorknob.
The sales team did not produce the targeted numbers this quarter.
Amanda did not catch as many fish as she would have liked.
Terry did not hang the picture on the wall yesterday. |
The negative form of the simple past tense also can be contracted.
Examples
Robert didn't fix the broken doorknob.
Amanda didn't catch as many fish as she would have liked. |
An exception to these guidelines is the verb be. Be does not include did to form the negative in the simple past tense. The verb also comes before the negative, i.e., simple past tense of be + not.
Examples
I was not a participant in the shuffleboard tournament.
You were not available when I tried to call.
They were not qualified to fix the leak in the pipe. |
Related Topics
What Is a Past Participle?
Past Perfect Tense
English Verb Conjugation
|
