Grammar & Usage

Spelling Rules:
Regular Past Verbs
Reference

# Rule Examples

• like  liked
1 If a verb ends in -e, add -d. • arrive  arrived
• decide  decided

• carry  carried
2 If a verb ends in consonant + -y, change -y to -i and add -ed. • try  tried
• study  studied

• play  played
3 If a verb ends in vowel + -y, add -ed.* • stay  stayed
• enjoy  enjoyed

• hug  hugged
If a verb ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern,
4 • plan  planned
double the final consonant and add -ed.**
• stop  stopped

• watch  watched
5 For all other verbs, add -ed. • ask  asked
• clean  cleaned

*Note: **Note:
There are some exceptions to this rule: This rule is true only for verbs that have the stress
on the final syllable. Notice the difference below:
• pay  paid
• lay  laid • prefer  preferred
• visit  visited

Copyright 2018, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( V E R S I O N 1. 0) 1
 Spelling Rules: Regular Past Verbs
Grammar & Usage

Practice
Write the past tense form for each of the following verbs.

# Present Past # Present Past

1 cry 11 pour

2 decide 12 check

3 walk 13 visit

4 sob 14 dye

5 enjoy 15 smile

6 wash 16 bake

7 hurry 17 admit

8 refer 18 love

9 clean 19 pray

10 free 20 listen

Copyright 2018, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. ( V E R S I O N 1. 0) 2