Past Simple: More irregular verbs (take, get, come, say)

Irregular verbs change their spelling in the past. They do not use the -ed ending. This can feel like a memory game at first. However, these changes are very consistent. Once you learn the past form, it stays the same. It does not change for I, you, he, or they. This makes things a bit easier for you. For example, take always becomes took. You don't need to worry about adding an s. You just need to remember the new word. It is like learning a nickname for a friend. The person is the same, but the name is different. Even native speakers had to learn these as kids. If you say taked, people will still understand you. But saying took makes you sound like a pro.

1. 1For positive sentences, use the special past form.
2. 2take becomes took.
3. 3get becomes got.
4. 4come becomes came.
5. 5say becomes said.
6. 6For negative sentences, use did not plus the base verb.
7. 7Example: I did not take the bus.
8. 8Note: Do not use the past form here!
9. 9It is never did not took. That is a double past.
10. 10For questions, put did at the start of the sentence.
11. 11Example: Did you come to the party?
12. 12Again, use the base verb, not the past form.
13. 13Think of did as a magnet. It pulls the past tense away from the verb.

Use these verbs for finished actions in the past. Use took when you moved something or used transport. For example, "I took a taxi to the airport." Use got when you received something or arrived somewhere. "I got your email this morning." Use came when someone moved toward a specific place. "My friend came to visit me yesterday." Use said when you report what someone spoke. "She said hello to everyone." These are perfect for telling stories about your weekend. They work well for describing your last vacation too. You can also use them in job interviews. "I took a course in management last year."

Do not use these for things happening right now. For current habits, use the present simple instead. If the action is still continuing, use the past continuous. For example, do not say "I took a shower" if you are still wet! Also, avoid these forms if you are using have or has. That is a different tense called the present perfect. Keep the past simple for specific, finished times. If you don't mention a time, it might feel unfinished. Don't use took if you are talking about the future. That sounds like a time-traveler mistake! Stick to the past for these specific irregular forms.

Many people try to add -ed to these verbs. They say taked, getted, comed, or sayed. These words do not actually exist in standard English. It is a very common trap for new learners. Another mistake is using the past form in negatives. People often say "I didn't took it." Remember, the word did already shows the past. You only need one past marker per sentence. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. Only one light can be on at a time. Also, watch out for the pronunciation of said. It sounds like "sed," not "say-ed." If you say it wrong, people might get confused.

Compare the past simple with the present simple. In the present, we say "I get coffee every day." In the past, we say "I got coffee yesterday." The meaning is almost the same, but the time changed. Now, compare it with regular verbs like walk. We say "I walked" because walk is a rule-follower. But come is a rebel, so we say "I came." It is helpful to group these rebels together. They don't follow the -ed crowd. They prefer to have their own unique style. This is what makes English interesting and a bit tricky. Just remember that the most common verbs are usually irregular.