Difference between irregular and irregular verbs in past tense

Past Tense Regular Verbs

To change a regular verb into its past tense form, we normally add –ED to the end of the verb.

• play – played
• cook – cooked
• rain – rained
• wait – waited

There are some exceptions with a slight change in spelling which you can see here:

Examples of sentences using regular verbs in the past tense

• Last night I played my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.
• She kissed me on the cheek.
• It rained yesterday.
• Angela watched TV all night.
• John wanted to go to the museum.

Note: There are three different ways of pronouncing the –ed at the end of a verb in the past tense.
We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of –ED at the end of words.

Negative sentences in the Past Tense

We use didn't (did not) to make a negative sentence in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)

Compare the following:

Present: They don't live in Canada.
Past: They didn't live in Canada.

The main verb (live in the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The auxiliary DIDN'T shows that the sentence is negative AND in the past tense.

NOTICE: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative sentence in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.

Both don't and doesn't in the present tense become didn't in the past tense.

Compare the negative sentences in the examples below:

Present: You don't need a mechanic.
Past: You didn't need a mechanic.

Present: You don't walk to work.
Past: You didn't walk to work.

Present: He doesn't speak Japanese.
Past: He didn't speak Japanese.

Examples of negative sentences in the Past Tense

• I didn't want to go to the dentist.
• She didn't have time.
• You didn't close the door.
• He didn't come to my party.
• They didn't study so they didn't pass the test.
• We didn't sleep well last night.                                                                                                       Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
• Irregular verbs are ONLY irregular in affirmative/positive sentences.
  (An exception to this is with the verb TO BE in the Past Tense).
  For example: The past tense of GO is WENT.
  It does not end in –ED so it is considered irregular.
  The word went is used for all subjects – I, you, we, they, he, she, it.
  • I went to the beach
  • He went to the park.
  • She went to the zoo.
  • They went to the library.
  BUT, as we mentioned before, it is only in its irregular form (went) in sentences that are affirmative/positive.
  Compare the following using GO in the past tense.
  • They went to the beach
  • They didn't go to the beach --- Didn't shows that we are talking in the past tense.
  • Did they go to the beach? --- Did shows that we are talking in the past tense.
  Another example with an irregular verb.
  The past of EAT is ATE.
• You ate my cake.
• You didn't eat my cake.
• Did you eat my cake?

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