一、規(guī)則動詞的過去式由“動詞原形+-ed”構(gòu)成,具體變化有：
1.直接在詞尾加-ed.如:want—wanted,work—worked,need—needed,clean—cleaned
2.以不發(fā)音的e結(jié)尾的在詞尾加-d.如：like—liked,live—lived,use—used,move—moved
3.以一個元音字母加一個輔音字母結(jié)尾的重讀閉音節(jié)動詞,先雙寫結(jié)尾的輔音字母,再加-ed.如：stop—stopped,trip—tripped
4.以輔音字母加y結(jié)尾的動詞,先把y變成i,再加-ed.如：study—studied,carry—carried,hurry—hurried,marry—married
二、不規(guī)則動詞的過去式大體上歸納有以下六條記憶法：
1.以t結(jié)尾的詞,過去式與原形相同.如：put—put,let—let,cut—cut,beat—beat
2.以d結(jié)尾的詞,把d變成t.如:build—built,lend—lent,send—sent,spend—spent
3.以n結(jié)尾的詞,在詞后加t.如：mean—meant,burn—burnt,learn—learnt
4.以ow / aw結(jié)尾的詞,把ow / aw變成ew.如：blow—blew,draw—drew,know—knew,grow—grew
5.含有雙寫字母的詞,將雙寫改為單寫,在詞尾加t.如：keep—kept,sleep—slept,feel—felt,smell—smelt
6.含有元音字母o / i的詞,將o / i變成a.如：sing—sang,give—gave,sit—sat,drink—drank