NoteVerbs that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern where the final letter is “w,” “x,” or “y” usually don’t have their final consonant doubled (e.g., “mix” becomes “mixed”). Long verbs with a stressed syllable at the end, where the last three letters follow a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern Short verbs, where the last three letters follow a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern However, this can vary depending on the verb’s ending. The simple past of regular verbs is usually formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the verb (e.g., “guess” becomes “guessed”). We visited a museum, walked the Champs-Élysées, and dined at a fancy restaurant. Examples:The concert ended at midnight.Īriana rented a car and drove to the coast. Most verbs in the simple past tense don’t follow subject-verb agreement (i.e., they don’t change form depending on the subject). Irregular verbs don’t follow a specific pattern: some take the same form as the infinitive (e.g., “put”), while others change completely (e.g., “go” becomes “went”). The past simple of regular verbs is typically formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the infinitive (e.g., “talk” becomes “talked”). The simple past tense (also called the past simple or preterite) is used to describe an action or series of actions that occurred in the past.
Frequently asked questions about the simple past tense.
