Changing Verb Tense by Adding ‘ed’

What is past tense? The past tense tells us what has happened in the past. For example, this statement is written in the present tense: I am skateboarding down my road. I skateboarded down my road.

skateboard skateboarded Adding ‘ed’ to make a past tense verb The difference between the present and past tense statements was the verb ‘skateboarding’. In the past tense, an ‘ed’ was added to make the past tense verb. skateboard skateboarded Making a past tense verb is not always as simple as adding an ‘ed’ to the verb. Sometimes the past tense can change the spelling of the original (root) word too.

Adding ‘ed’ bake baked hope hoped whine whined If a regular verb already ends with an ‘e’, make sure it ends in ‘ed’. Here are some examples: bake baked hope hoped whine whined

Here are some examples: Changing ‘y’ to ‘i’ If the present tense verb ends in a consonant and a ‘y’, the ‘y’ becomes an ‘i’. Here are some examples: hurry hurried worry worried Don’t change the ‘y’ if the word ends in a vowel and a verb. For example: stay stayed

Doubling the Consonant If a regular verb with one syllable ends with one vowel and a consonant, double the consonant before adding ‘ed’ Here are some examples: wrap wrapped beg begged step stepped soar soared (soar ends with 2 vowels and a consonant)

Here are some examples: Doubling the ‘l’ If a regular verb ends with a vowel and an ‘l’, double the ‘l’ before adding ‘ed’ Here are some examples: equal equalled travel travelled

Doubling the Consonant in Longer Words If a regular verb with more than one syllable ends with a vowel and a consonant and the last syllable is stressed, double the consonant before adding ‘ed’ Here are some examples (the stress is underlined): prefer preferred admit admitted target targeted

Adding a ‘k’ panic panicked traffic trafficked If the regular verb ends with ‘c’, add a ‘k’ before you add ‘ed’. Here are some examples: panic panicked traffic trafficked

Brave Little Penguin   In a white peppermint world as far as the eye could see lived a Papa Penguin and Little Penguin. “Wait here, Little Penguin, I’ll be back soon,” said Papa Penguin. “What will I do?” asked Little Penguin. “Imagine you are in charge of the icicle mountain. I will be back before the moon,” said Papa Penguin. “Back before the moon,” called Little Penguin as Papa Penguin waddled away. Little Penguin felt sad. But Little Penguin decided to be brave. Little Penguin marched with icy soldiers to the top of the icicle mountain…and then slippery-dipped down. Little Penguin floated over the ice to a forest of treasure, and made a fortress to keep home safe. Little Penguin sailed boaty far and wide over rolling seas…and back home through a wild, wild storm. The white peppermint world turned red and orange and purple. And just as the big silver moon began to peep through the clouds… “I’m back,” said Papa Penguin. And together Papa Penguin and Little Penguin called the stars in one by one. They snuggled up close and the winter weather sighed.