Rifai's-Blog

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

Base Form	To walk
Present Simple	I walk every day.
Present Progressive/Continuous	I am walking.  (now)
Present Perfect Simple	I have walked twice so far today.
Present Perfect Progressive/Continuous	I have been walking for 2 hours.
Past Simple	I walked yesterday.
Past Progressive/Continuous	I was walking yesterday when I saw a bear.
Past Perfect Simple	I had walked for five miles by the time I got home.
Past Perfect Progressive/Continuous	I had been walking for 2 hours when I saw the bear.
Future Simple	I will go for a walk tomorrow.
Future Progressive/Continuous	I am walking tomorrow.
Future Perfect Simple	I will have already gone for a walk by the time I meet my friends.
Future Perfect Progressive	I will have been walking for 2 hours by the time I meet my friends.

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.