SPELLING RULES OF THE PAST TENSE
-If a regular verb ends with CONSONANT + Y change the Y to I before adding ED for both the
simple past form.
carry------carried
copy-----copied
cry-----cried
marry-----married
reply-----replied
study-----studied
-If a regular verb ends with CONSONANT+VOWEL+Y add ED with no other
spelling changes for both the simple past form.
annoy-----annoyed
enjoy-----enjoyed
play-----played
stay-----stayed
obey-----obeyed
-If a regular verb ends with E add only D for both the simple past.
advise-----advised
agree-----agreed
-If a one-syllable verb ends with CONSONANT+VOWEL+CONSONANT, double the
final consonant before adding ED to form the past simple.
plan-----planned
rob-----robbed
top-----stopped
stir-----stirred
zip-----zipped
-If a verb with more than one syllable ends with CONSONANT + VOWEL
+CONSONANT, double the final consonant before adding ED (only when the last
syllable is pronounced more strongly than the others).
prefer-----preferred
regret-----regretted
permit-----permitted
but...visit-----visited
listen-----listened
develop-----developed
remember-----remembered
-If a regular verb ends with L and the last syllable is not pronounced more
strongly than the others, the final L is often doubled in British English but not in
American English.
Cancel-------canceled (Am)----- cancelled
(Br)Travel--------traveled (Am)------- travelled (Br