EXCEPTIONS AND IRREGULAR VERBS

EXCEPTIONS

1. For verbs that end in an "e", we only add "-d".

Ex .: reduce   reduced
        believe   believed

2. If the verb ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (except "y" or "w") and also the last syllable is tonic, we double the final consonant.

Ex: drag           dragged
       crop           cropped

but listen -> listened

3. With verbs that end in a consonant and a "y", the "y" is changed to an "i".

Ex: modify              modified
      fry                     fried

IRREGULAR VERBS

 

The simple past in irregular verbs does not have a definite norm for all verbs, so it is necessary to learn them individually. It is important to keep in mind that this irregular form is only used in affirmative phrases. In the negative and interrogative sentences they work just like regular verbs. 

SIMPLE PAST INTERROGATIVE

• Even if the verbs are regular, to make an interrogation the auxiliary verb "to do" is used in the past (did). The proper structure of this verb tense is the following:
  

 

Did + [Subject] + [Verb in infinitive (without "to")]?

• If the interrogation had an interrogative particle, the structure would be as follows:
  

[Interrogative particle] + did + [Subject] + [Verb in infinitive]? 

 

 

 

 

SIMPLE PAST NEGATIVE

Even in cases of regular verbs, the formation of the "past simple" negation is simpler than the affirmation, since its structure is reduced to the following expression:
[Subject] + did + not + [Verb in infinitive (without "to")].

For the verb to be, you don’t need the auxiliary did. When the subject of the sentence is singular, use was not or wasn’t. When the subject is plural, use were not or weren’t.

 

SIMPLE PAST USE

It's the past in English. It serves to express past actions, both close in time and distant. It is not relevant the duration of the action itself, but whether the action has been completed or not. It is formed with the regular or irregular past of the main verb and the auxiliary verb do.

Below, some of its most relevant uses:

1. The simple past is used to talk about a concrete action that began and ended in the past, which usually equates to the indefinite Spanish past. We use it with adverbs of time like "last year", "yesterday", "last night" ...

2. The simple past is used for a set of actions carried out in the past.

3. Likewise, it is common to use it for repeated or daily actions in the past, similar to the imperfect Spanish past tense.

4. It is used to talk about generalities or past events.