2006-06-19 12:29:43 · 7 answers · asked by Dean B 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Special Education
lol - should be bept!!!
2006-06-19 12:35:36 · answer #1 · answered by Iamnotarobot (former believer) 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Most past-tense verbs are conjugated with -ed, which can have the sound /d/ or /t/. If the ending consonant of the root word is non-voiced (breath-only, no vocal cord vibration), then the -ed makes the /t/ sound. If the ending consonant is voiced, or the last sound is a vowel, then the -ed makes the /d/ sound.
However, just as with irregular plurals for nouns, there are irregular verb conjugations. There is one family of irregulars that ends in -t rather than in -ed, as you noted in your question. These verbs that end in -t are usually derived from Middle English, spoken between 500 to 1000 years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English
English has so many irregular forms because it actually is a mix of many different languages, including Germanic, Romance, and Greek word origins, combined with a foundation of Old and Middle English.
2006-06-20 08:36:17 · answer #2 · answered by spedusource 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Beeped" is the normal way of forming past tense--with
"-ed.". "Leaped" is the correct past tense of "Leap," not "leapt." Kept and swept are "irregular" past tense forms of keep and sweep.
English, like other languages, had those irregular verb forms. There are many more, too!
2006-06-19 19:43:08 · answer #3 · answered by EnglishGraduate 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Now you know why English is the second hardest language in the world! (Mandarin Chinese is the first)
2006-06-19 19:45:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
good question!
2006-06-19 19:34:15 · answer #5 · answered by calgal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know why?
2006-06-19 19:33:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
WHAT????
2006-06-19 19:33:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋