Past participles are words formed from verbs, that can be used as adjectives (i.e. broken

glass, hired help) or as part of verb tenses (i.e. I have broken the glass, he has hired the

woman). To form the past participle, a few rules apply:

 

✅ Regular verbs

If forming a past participle from a regular verb, the participle is the same as the simple past.

Usually, it is formed by adding -ed to the verb.

Examples: 

Kick > kicked        Paint > painted

 

✅ Consonant-vowel-consonant

If the verb ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant, double the final consonant and add -ed.

Examples: chat chatted stop stopped

*WXY: But if the verb ends in a w, x, or y, don’t double the final consonant.

Examples: 

Sew > sewed        Fix > fixed

 

✅ Last syllable stress

If the last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant, double

the final consonant and add -ed.

Examples:

Incur > incurred        Refer > referred

 

✅ First syllable stress

If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant, just

add -ed.

Examples: 

Open > opened        Enter > entered

 

✅ Ends in E

If the verb ends in -e, just add -d to the end.

Examples: 

Thrive >  thrived     change > changed

 

✅ Ends in Y

If the verb ends in consonant+y, change the -y to an -i and add -ed.

Examples: 

Cry > cried        fry > fried

 

Let’s practice!

Write some sentences using the Past Participle in the comments section!

 

We hope these tips help you communicate with confidence!

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