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VERBS WITH -ED ENDINGS

Most students know that regular verbs in English form the past tense by adding -ed. Remember, a verb tells about an action in a sentence. People usually pronounce the –ed when they speak, but sometimes, if a person speaks fast or softly, the –ed gets lost: “I helped him” and “I help him” may sound the same. In proofreading your papers, take special care to put in the past-tense indicators. Irregular verbs may give you less trouble in the past because their forms are different and obvious (are to were, do to did, etc.). But, you may not see that you have forgotten the –ed endings. Do not be overwhelmed! There are many ways to train yourself to recognize when and where –ed endings should be used. Proofreading very carefully aloud will help you remember to put in –ed endings.

Graphics: illustration of a face with the mouth as repeated -eds for teeth for past tense

Simple With –ed Ending

Walk	Walked
Marry	Married
Show	Showed

Some adjectives that come from verbs also need –ed endings that students often forget to add. Notice the correct spellings: A handicapped person appreciates ramps instead of stairs. I am prejudiced against any salad with pasta in it.

Practice Chart: Spelling and –ed Endings

END OF VERB	DOUBLE THE CONSONANT?	SIMPLE FORM	-ED
-e	No	Exist	Existed
Two Consonants	No	Grant	Granted
Two Vowels + One Consonant	No	Shout	Shouted
One Vowel + One Consonant	One-Syllable Verbs
	Yes	Pat	Patted
	Two-Syllable Verbs (Stress on FIRST syllable)
	No	Visit	Visited
	Two-Syllable Verbs (Stress on SECOND Syllable)
	Yes	Admit	Admitted
-y	No	Pry	Pried
-ie	No	Tie	Tied

Exercise:

Underline the incorrect verb or adjective form in the following sentences and write the correct form above it.

I use to think she was very different.
Ellen wash her mother’s clothes yesterday.
The next morning Crystal awoke at sunrise and look out at the lake.
For three days Joe and Cheryl fill sacks with dirt and laid these in the flood path.
Eric took the box, open it, and found a Mexican jumping bean.
Please, I am a marry woman!
The mean customer slap Sheldon’s hand.
Melissa is suppose to work today.
Brian made a detail schedule for the day and followed it.
Yesterday, Jen and Adam wandered for several miles along the shore and pick up shells.
I have never believe in superstitions.
Jose smell very bad yesterday.
Stacy was excuse from class by her professor.
Stephanie ask Lou for his advice.
Jocelyn’s classes were dismiss early during the heat wave.

This handout was based on the following text:
Fawcett, Susan and Sandberg, Alvin. Evergreen with Readings. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company,1992.
For further information in this subject see:
Hacker, Diana, A Writer’s Reference. 4th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999.
Matthies, Barbara F. and Betty Schrampfer Azar. Fundamentals of English Grammar. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1995. 24-25.

All of the above texts are available in The Writing Center.

Rev.06/13/06

Download the PDF version of the handout