How to classify ru-verbs and u-verbs

Does not end in iru/eru → u-verb

Ends in iru/eru → ru-verb with some exceptions

All ru-verbs end in 「る」 while u-verbs can end in a number of u-vowel sounds including 「る」.

Therefore, if a verb does not end in 「る」, it will always be an u-verb.

For verbs ending in 「る」, if the vowel sound preceding the 「る」 is an /a/, /u/ or /o/ vowel sound, it
will always be an u-verb.
Example:
とる – to take

Otherwise, if the preceding sound is an /i/ or /e/ vowel sound, it will be a ru-verb in most cases

Conjugations

~ masu Form
Remove the final ~u, and add ~ imasu
Group 1
(kaku --- kakimasu, nomu --- nomimasu)
Remove the final ~ru, and add ~ masu
Group 2
(miru --- mimasu, taberu --- tabemasu)
Group 3 kuru --- kimasu, suru --- shimasu

Past Tense
Group 1
kaku --- kakimashita
Formal Replace ~ u with ~ imashita
nomu --- nomimashita
(1) Verb ending with ~ ku: kaku --- kaita
replace ~ ku with ~ ita kiku --- kiita
(2) Verb ending with ~ gu: isogu --- isoida
replace ~ gu with ~ ida oyogu --- oyoida
(3) Verb ending with ~ u, ~tsu and utau --- utatta
~ ru: matsu --- matta
Informal
replace them with ~ tta kaeru --- kaetta
(4) Verb ending with ~ nu, ~bu shinu --- shinda
and ~ mu: asobu --- asonda
replace them with ~ nda nomu --- nonda
(5) Verb ending with ~ su: hanasu --- hanashita
replace ~ su with ~ shita dasu --- dashita

Group 2
miru --- mimashita
Formal Take off ~ru, and add ~ mashita
taberu ---tabemashita
Informal Take off ~ru, and add ~ ta miru --- mita
 taberu --- tabeta

Group 3
Formal kuru --- kimashita, suru --- shimashita
Informal kuru --- kita, suru ---shita