PAST FORM OF VERBS

We use the past forms of a verb

when we talk about actions that
happened and were completed
at a specific time in the past.
Verbs form their past tense in different
ways.

Most regular verbs form their past

by adding -d or -ed to their base
form.
erase – erased arrive – arrived
Ex
wait – waited laugh – laughed
However, the following rules must be
remembered:
1. When a regular verb ends with a consonant
having a short vowel before it, the consonant
is doubled before –ed is added.

Ex. stop – stopped drag – dragged

2. When a regular verb ends in y preceded
by a consonant, change y to i before adding
-ed.
Ex. fry – fried try – tried
3. When a regular verb ends in y preceded
by a vowel, just add -ed
Ex. stay – stayed enjoy – enjoyed
Irregular verbs do not follow definite rules when
forming the past tense. They show past form by
changing the spelling or by keeping the same
form.
IRREGULAR VERBS
Base Form Past Form
eat ate
write wrote
say said
go went