1. Staying on Top of the System!
Past Tense Verbs:
Staying on Top of the System!

2. English has only two kinds of verbs, each with the same three main parts.
(1) REGULAR
Infinitive: to WALK
Past tense: WALKED
(no helping verb used)
Past participle:
WALKED
(always with helping verb)
(2) IRREGULAR
Infinitive: to FLY
Past tense: FLEW
(no helping verb used)
Past participle:
FLOWN
(always with helping verb)

3. Every verb tense in English is formed from these three principal parts.
I love you.
I will love you always.
I loved you in the past, but at the time you didn’t love me.
I had loved you long before you spoke to me in our writing class.
I wanted you to love me for myself, not for my ability to correct comma splices.

4. What’s the difference between a regular and an irregular verb?
A regular verb never changes the main verb itself; it just adds a d or an ed when describing past actions:
dance—danced talk—talked
Irregular verbs are unpredictable. When describing past actions, they might (1) stay the same, (2) change just a part of the word, or (3) change the whole word:
cut— cut grow—grew think— thought

5. Regular past tense verbs: Tip #1
Remember to add the d or ed endings to mark the past, especially those endings that we don’t hear clearly!
Every day, I walk to work.
Yesterday, I walked to work.
For weeks now, I have walked to work.
Every night, we dance till dawn.
Last night, we danced till dawn.
On many nights, we have danced till dawn.

6. REGULAR past tense verbs: Tip #2
Be extra careful when the word “to” follows a past tense verb; it’s easy to forget the verb ending because we don’t hear it.
Grammar use to be easy.
This is suppose to be fun. d d

7. Regular past tense verbs:Tip #3
Remember to use the “change y to i when you add –ed ” rule!
Present
Past
We testify.
We testified.
They apply.
They have applied.

8. Irregular past tense verbs:Tip #1
Some verbs stay the same in the present and the past. Don’t be tempted to add an ending.
Present
Past
I quit!
Yesterday I quit!
They cost a lot nowadays.
Earlier, they had cost a lot.

9. Irregular past tense verbs: Tip #2
The past tense of “TO BE” has both a singular and a plural form. Watch the subject/verb agreement.
Present
Past
Singular
Today she is happy.
Yesterday she was happy.
Plural
Today they are happy.
Yesterday they were happy

10. What About Other Tenses?
All other past-tense verbs are formed from the past participle and some kind of a helping verb like has/ have/ had/ is/ was/ were:
He has asked the $64,000 question.
The case was decided in their favor.
She had written a prize-winning essay.
You have been selected to enter the Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes!

11. Past participles of regular verbs end in d or ed, just as the past tense verb does.
Present
Past
Past Participle
talk
talked
(has) talked
depend
depended
(has) depended
testify
testified
(has) testified
scare
scared
(has) scared

12. Unfortunately, the past participles of irregular verbs are as unpredictable as the past tense is.
Present
Past
Past participle
begin
began
become
became
choose
chose
cut
lead
led
Present
Past
Past participle go
went
see
saw
forget
forgot
give
gave do
did
begun
gone
seen
become
chosen
forgotten
given
cut
led
done

13. And just to make things really confusing, there’s always…
Present
Past
Past Participle
lie (=recline)
lay
has lain
lay (=put)
laid
has laid
sit
sat
has sat
set (=place)
set
has set

14. Warning: Potential Trouble Spot!
Past participles are often used as adjectives, to describe other words. Remember the –ed ending!
What is the prescribe solution?
( = the solution which someone has prescribed)
You seem shock .
( = something has shocked you) d ed

15. Try some out! Are there any missing endings below?
She appears to be a very prejudice person.
My critical thinking teacher was astonish that I finished the quiz so early.
I think everything is finally settle to everyone’s satisfaction. d ed d

16. Warning: Potential Trouble Spot #2!
Don’t confuse the past tense of the irregular verbs (no helping verb) with the past participle (with helping verb).
I begun my homework early this week.
He had gave me his address. X
began: past tense
begun: past participle X
gave: past tense
given: past participle

17. Warning: Potential Trouble Spot #3!
Watch the passive verbs (= a combination of is, are, was, were, be, been, or being plus the past participle). Be sure to use the participle form.
My heart is broken.
(not is broke)
The course was well designed.
(not was well design)
The report will soon be written.
(not will soon be wrote).

18. And that’s all there is to it!
Verbs are easy, when you understand the system!