The question about the endings of third form verbs.

Question

Perhaps, my question seem to someone very stupid, but I am trying to ask it

Some verbs has a third form, with endings "itten" E.g. written
Some verbs has a third form, with ending "ed" E.g. watched.
My question is: why some verbs has endings "itten", but another verbs has endings "ed" ((I mean, why not "watchin (just for example, I know this is wrong); instead of "watched")) This is a bit confusing me, when I try to choose right tense.
Or this is a very small amount of verbs, who ends with endings "ed"
What rule do I need to know? Or I just need to remember that?
Sorry, perhaps, for a stupid question.
Kind regards.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

DanilSorry, perhaps, for a stupid question.

No, not at all.

Most English verbs have the regular past participle '-ed'; many of these verbs have been introduced into Middle & Modern English.

About 200 verbs have irregular verb endings of various classes; all (?) of these have been retained from Old English forums. Essentially, you need to learn the list of irregular verbs.

Wikipedia is an adequate overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_irregular_verbs#Strong_verbs

Danil · Answer

Mister MicawberEssentially, you need to learn the list of irregular verbs.

Mister Micawber, thank you. I start to learn this list.

Mister MicawberAbout 200 verbs have irregular verb endings of various classes

Some of them have "ed" endings, some of them have "itten" endings, and some of them have another, different endings forms, am I right? Dear Sir, sorry that I am reasking you (google translator not always could help). Just for a more clearly understanding from my side.

Anonymous · Answer

DanilSome of them have "ed" endings, some of them have "itten" endings, and some of them have another, different endings forms, am I right?

Well, some irregular verbs end with -itten, but many have other endings, or simply don't have any ending added (such as "put", which retains the form in all tenses.Some other verbs change vowel instead such as eat, ate, eaten. There are patterns, but they're not very easy to spot and it is probably not worth spending time on trying to spot them.
I teach English to second language learners and I always tell my students that, unfortunately, when it comes to irregular verbs you just have to learn them as though they were three separate words.

Danil · Answer

Dear Sir, thank you very very much for this unfurled answer.
Kind Regards

AlpheccaStars · Answer

DanilSome of them have "ed" endings, some of them have "itten" endings, and some of them have another, different endings forms, am I right? Dear Sir, sorry that I am reasking you (google translator not always could help). Just for a more clearly understanding from my side.

The irregular ending is not "itten" but "-en". This was a verb inflection in Old English.

Note that all newly invented verbs are regular, and have the -ed ending.

I googled to find an answer.

Some verbs used to be irregular, but now they have become regular. The old strong forms are not used any more.

help (Old English helpan (class III strong verb; past tense healp, past participle holpen)
The most common verbs are irregular; they have resisted change over time.

Some verbs have the new regular (-ed) form, but you still see the older strong form. Examples are learn and burn.
Sometimes the old forms are more common in British English, or Indian English. American English will use only the new (regular) forms.

I learned the irregular verbs. (American English)
I learnt the irregular verbs. (British English)

Mother burned the toast this morning.
The marshmallows were burnt to a crisp.

Shine and hang have both forms, but different contexts:
He shined his shoes.
The moon shone brightly.

The criminal was hanged.
The picture was hung on the west wall.

Danil · Answer

AlpheccaStars, Mister Micawber, thank you very very much! All that I need to do that is start to learn them. I mean, irregular verbs.
Kind Regards

The question about the endings of third form verbs.

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions