1. Those weak verbs which add -d or -ed to form the past tense and past participle, and have no change of vowel, are so easily recognized as to need no special treatment. Some of them are already given as secondary forms of the strong verbs.
But the rest, which may be called irregular weak verbs, need some attention and explanation.
2. The irregular weak verbs are divided into two classes,—
The two classes of irregular weak verbs.
(1) Those which retain the -d or -t in the past tense, with some change of form for the past tense and past participle.
(2) Those which end in -d or -t, and have lost the ending which formerly was added to this.
The old ending to verbs of Class II. was -de or -te; as,—
This worthi man ful wel his wit bisette [used].—Chaucer.
Of smale houndes hadde she, that sche fedde With rosted flessh, or mylk and wastel breed.—Id.
This ending has now dropped off, leaving some weak verbs with the same form throughout: as set, set, set; put, put, put.
.:: What is a Strong Verb? ::.
Poor writing, that often found in student essays, relies on adverbs and adjectives. Good writing relies on verbs, strong verbs.
1) Strong verbs show instead of tell
1) Strong verbs show instead of tell
Example: The tiger ate the antelope.
The tiger devoured the antelope.
Example: The Buffalo injured the hunter.
The Buffalo gored the hunter.
2) Single verbs show better than verb/adverb combinations.Example: He uses time wisely when writing essays.
Example: The lion ferociously ate the gazelle.
The lion gobbled the gazelle (note the serendipitous use of alliteration).
3) Be verbs (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) suck the life out of your writing!Example: He was bludgeoned by the boxer.
The boxer bludgeoned him.
Example: The pedestrian was run over by the school bus.
The school bus ran over the pedestrian.
4) Have/has/had combined with a noun encourage readers to wedge their head in a vice.Example: I had an argument with the referee.
I argued with the referee
Example: I had dinner with the sheriff.
I dined with the sheriff.
