The Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense is used to talk about a specific action that happened in the past. The simple past tense has a few simple rules. A simple past tense verb will have on of three endings: -d, -ed, or –ied. All past tense verbs except for the past of “to be” will be used for all persons.
If a verb ends with an “e” we will add “d” to the word.
Example = Taste becomes Tasted
Smile becomes Smiled
If a verb ends with a “y” and has a consonant before it we will remove the “y” and add ied”
Example = Cry becomes Cried
Reply becomes Replied
If a verb ends with a “y” but has a vowel before it, we will add –ed to the y.
Example = Play becomes Played
Spray becomes Sprayed
If a verb ends with any other letters then add –ed.
Example = Climb becomes Climbed
Argue becomes Argued
If a verb ends with a consonant + vowel + consonant we must double the last consonant unless it has more than one syllable and the firs syllable is stressed. (Never double x, w, or y)
Example = Strap becomes Strapped
Trap becomes Trapped
Tan becomes Tanned
Refer becomes Referred
Enter becomes Entered (first syllable is stressed)