English grammar
Irregular past: ate, wrote, went out, came back
Say what you did — and didn't do.
From the scene I ate in the office
In short
Many common verbs change in the past: eat, ate. After did or didn't, go back to the base verb.
Your turn
Which one goes with write?
Options: I wrote (not "writed") · I ate (not "eated") · she went out
Show answer
write → I wrote (not "writed")
How it works
Many common verbs don't take -ed in the past — they change: eat → ate, write → wrote, go out → went out, come back → came back.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Yes, she (blank) very late.
Options: came back · come back · comed back
Show answer
Yes, she came back very late.
Sí, volvió muy tarde.
Good to know
In negatives and questions, did carries the past, so the verb goes back to its base form: I didn't go out (not "I didn't went out"), Did she come back? (not "Did she came back?").
eat I ate (not "eated")
Nuria
I ate at work. I didn't go out.
Comí en el trabajo. No salí.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) at work. I didn't go out.
Options: I ate · I wrote · She went out
Show answer
Nuria
I ate at work. I didn't go out.
Comí en el trabajo. No salí.
write I wrote (not "writed")
Nuria
I wrote emails all day.
Escribí correos todo el día.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) emails all day.
Options: I ate · She went out · I wrote
Show answer
Nuria
I wrote emails all day.
Escribí correos todo el día.
go out she went out
Nuria
Yes. She went out with her friends.
Sí. Salió con sus amigos.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Yes. (blank) with her friends.
Options: She went out · I ate · I wrote
Show answer
Nuria
Yes. She went out with her friends.
Sí. Salió con sus amigos.
negative I didn't go out (not "didn't went")
Nuria
I ate at work. I didn't go out.
Comí en el trabajo. No salí.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
I ate at work. (blank).
Options: I didn't go out · I wrote · She went out
Show answer
Nuria
I ate at work. I didn't go out.
Comí en el trabajo. No salí.
question did she come back? (not "did she came")
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| eat | I ate (not "eated") |
|---|---|
| write | I wrote (not "writed") |
| go out | she went out |
| negative | I didn't go out (not "didn't went") |
| question | did she come back? (not "did she came") |
More lines from the story
- NuriaYes, she came back very late.Sí, volvió muy tarde.
- TomásWell, write one more... to another company!Pues escribe uno más... ¡a otra empresa!
- NuriaI know. And when she came back, she wrote me ten emails!Ya lo sé. Y cuando volvió, ¡me escribió diez correos!