Regular Verbs Simple Past / Past Participle Spelling Rules
The simple past tense is formed by adding -ed to the end of the verb. However there are several rules depending on the spelling of the verb, these are:-
If the base of the verb ends in:-
- -e only add -d (raid - raided)
- a consonant plus -y the y is turned into -ied (study - studied / try - tried)
- -c add -ked (panic - panicked)
- a single vowel plus a consonant and is stressed on its final syllable the consonant is usually doubled and -ed added (plan - planned)
- -p, g or -m the consonant is usually doubled and -ed added (ram - rammed / tap - tapped / gag - gagged)
- -l the consonant is usually doubled (travel - travelled)
Regular Verbs
Irregular Verbs
The only rule is that there are no rules for the spelling of irregular verbs, they have to be learnt. Sorry!
For example:-
| To run | |
|---|---|
| Present Simple | I run every day. |
| Present Progressive/Continuous | I am running. (now) |
| Present Perfect Simple | I have run twice so far today. |
| Present Perfect Progressive/Continuous | I have been running for 2 hours. |
| Past Simple | I ran yesterday. |
| Past Progressive/Continuous | I was running yesterday when I saw a bear. |
| Past Perfect Simple | I had run for five miles by the time I got home. |
| Past Perfect Progressive/Continuous | I had been running for 2 hours when I saw the bear. |
| Future Simple | I will go for a run tomorrow. |
| Future Progressive/Continuous | I am running tomorrow. |
| Future Perfect Simple | I will have already gone for a run by the time I meet my friends. |
| Future Perfect Progressive | I will have been running for 2 hours by the time I meet my friends. |
There is a list of irregular verbs here.