Simple Past

In  lesson 1.2 we saw simple past. Here you have a summary of what I explained in class.

There are two kinds of verbs: REGULAR and IRREGULAR verbs. To get the past form of the first group, just add -ED to the infinitive; e.g. to work --- worked;  to play --- played
You have some rules for the spelling of this form:

• when the verb ends in -E you only add -D; e.g.: move --- moved . Logically you cannot write moveed because the pronunciation should be /mu:vi:d/
• when the verb ends in CONSONANT+VOWEL+CONSONANT and the vowel is stressed you must double the last consonant of the infinitive like in these examples: fit --- fitted; prefer --- preferred but only if it's stressed, if not you leave it: open --- opened   listen --- listened (you don't double the consonant)
• when the verb ends in CONSONANT+Y you change that Y for -IED like copy --- copied; but not in verbs like play --- played

Another problem we have with the REGULAR verbs is the way of pronouncing the ending -ED:

• /d/ : vowels and most consonants (voiced consonats, that is, with vibration); e.g. lived, played, opened, preferred
• /t/ : with voiceless consonants, and the most common ones are /k/, /p/ and /∫/; e.g. worked, stopped or finished
• /ɪd/ : when the last sound is /d/ or /t/ you add an extra syllable; e.g. end  ---  ended /'endɪd/ ; fit ---fitted

You can see this video to practise the pronunciation; click here

The IRREGULAR verbs are those which have different forms in past and/or past participle and they are presented in a long list you must learn by heart (de memoria), usually in alphabetical order like in this video but I recommend studying them in different ways:

1. Choose a letter and try to say as many verbs as possible; e.g. H --- hurt-hurt-hurt; hit-hit-hit, hide-hid-hidden, have-had-had, hear-heard-heard and so on. It's funnier if you work with someone else!
2. Learn them according to the pattern: A-A-A (cut-cut-cut), A-B-B (buy-bought-bought), A-B-C (write-wrote-written) and A-B-A (come-came-come). You can watch this video to help you: click here
3. By meaning like senses (hear-heard-heard; see-saw-seen; smell-smelt-smelt...), money (buy-bought-bought, sell-sold-sold, spend-spent-spent...), learning (learn-learnt-learnt, teach-taught-taught, , write-wrote-written...), speaking (speak-spoke-spoken, say-said-said, tell-told-told, understand-understood-understood...), everyday activities (do-did-done, cut-cut-cut, put-put-put, sleep-slept-slept, eat-ate-eaten...) Notice that most of these typical actions are irregular verbs while more "modern" ones are regular, especially those which come from Latin: copy, phone, film, register, etc.
4. Try to recognise similar spellings and pronunciation: -ought /ɔ:t/ (bring-brought-bought, buy-bought-bought, seek-sought-sought, think-thought-thought...); - /i:/- /e/ - /e/ (read-read-read, feel-felt-felt, meet-met-met, leave-left-left...); /əʊ/-/u:/-/əʊn/( grow-grew-grown, blow-blew-blown, fly-flew-flown...) or /əʊ/ - /ən/ in the last form (write-wrote-written, drive-drove-driven, ride-rode-ridden... and also notice other similarities in the present and past form. This is a video about this topic but in a different way.

You also have some pages to find a list of irregular verbs:

http://www.englishpage.com/irregularverbs/irregularverbs.html : with the meaning but not the pronunciation

http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/irregular-verbs/ : this includes the 3rd person in singular in present

http://www.saberingles.com.ar/lists/irregular-verbs.html : with the translation into Spanish but without pronunciation.

Both regular and irregular verbs use the auxiliary DID for questions and negative form; e.g. Did you go to work last Saturday?  No, I didn't. Notice that the reference of time is very important, using words such as:

• Last ________
• When I was a child _____
• In _____ (past dates)
• Yesterday _________
• __________ ago

To finish with, you should practise with these verbs to get familiar with them. Here you have some exercises to practise:

• exercise 1 : a page with many exercises
• exercise 2 : divided in different levels of difficulty
• exercise 3 : with different games to practise
• exercise 4: the traditional form of studying the list
• exercise 5: a video with the 50 most used irregular verbs
• exercise 6: 5 more exercises about irregular verbs oriented to ESO students

NOTE: there is also a previous post in this blog I published in May 2009 about past tenses and the pronunciation:

If you are interested in practising the ending of regular past tense have a look at this chart and them do this exercise. It's quite interesting. When you have it clearer, try to do this practice with pronunciation. It's slow but you can practise with it. To finish with, you have a listening comprehension; it's a bit difficult but the questions aren't difficult. Have a look but don't worry if you can't do it perfectly.

And after so much grammar, let's sing a song by Adele. First do this exercise of filling the gaps and then go to this link Set Fire to the Rain. 

I don't know it you've noticed it but I love Adele.