When learning English, there are many cases where the pronunciation and writing of words confuse students, especially when it comes to verbs and their past forms. You’ve probably seen similar issues with words like ‘fly’ and ‘flew’ or ‘buy’ and ‘bought.’ But what about simpler verbs like ‘try’? How does it change when we talk about something that happened in the past? Let’s break it down.
The correct form is tried. In English, the past tense and past participle of “try” are formed by adding -ed to the base verb. However, when a verb ends in y preceded by a consonant, the y changes to i before adding -ed. Therefore, “try” becomes “tried”.
For example, you might say, “I tried to learn English last year.” This usage shows that you attempted something in the past. The form “tryed” is incorrect and not used in standard English.
Understanding Regular and Irregular Verbs
English verbs can be either regular or irregular. What does this mean?
Regular verbs follow a pattern. They add ‘-ed’ or ‘-d’ to the base form of the verb when they switch to the past tense. For example, ‘play’ becomes ‘played’ and ‘call’ turns into ‘called’.
Irregular verbs, on the other hand, don’t follow this simple rule. They might change entirely or only slightly. Take ‘go,’ which becomes ‘went,’ or ‘sing,’ which turns into ‘sang.’ It’s not what you might expect!
What about ‘try’?
Does ‘try’ follow the regular rule, or is it an exception? Think about this: If you have to add ‘-ed,’ would you spell it ‘tryed’?
Actually, ‘try’ follows the rule but with a small twist. When a verb ends in ‘y,’ we often change the ‘y’ to ‘i’, and then add ‘-ed.’
So, ‘cry’ becomes ‘cried’ and ‘fry’ turns into ‘fried’.
How Does ‘Try’ Transform?
Following this rule, ‘try’ changes its ‘y’ to ‘i’ and adds ‘-ed.’ Therefore, the correct past form of ‘try’ is ‘tried.’
‘Tryed’ might seem logical if you’re thinking of just adding ‘ed’, but it doesn’t follow English spelling rules. ‘Tried’ is the only correct form.
Examples to Help You Understand
- I tried a new recipe last night.
- She tried calling you yesterday.
- They tried to fix the car but couldn’t.
Did you notice how we used ‘tried’ in these examples? That’s how you should use it when talking about actions in the past.
Key Points to Remember for ESL Leaners
Don’t get tricked by the simplicity of just adding ‘-ed’!
Verbs ending in ‘y’ can be deceptive, but always remember: change that ‘y’ to an ‘i’ and then add ‘-ed.’ It’s like turning a caterpillar into a butterfly—transform the word so it fits into the past tense smoothly.
Let me give you a simple metaphor. Imagine each verb is a character in a play. Regular verbs wear the common ‘past tense costume,’ which is the ‘-ed’ ending. But some characters, like ‘try’ change their costumes slightly to fit better, changing ‘y’ to ‘i’ before putting on their ‘-ed’ costume.
Do you see how that works? It’s not just about memorizing forms; it’s about understanding patterns. This knowledge lets you predict how to spell words correctly more often.
Practice Makes Perfect
To get a hold of this, keep practicing. Write down sentences in the present and then change them to the past. This way, you reinforce your learning and start noticing patterns yourself.
Remembering the correct form ‘tried’ over ‘tryed’ becomes easier with practice. Soon, you won’t even have to think about it!
If this explanation helped clarify things, you’re on the right track! Keep using these tips as you learn, and soon, you’ll find mastering English verb forms much easier. What will you try to learn next?。
