There is no doubt that learning a new language has its complications. The main one being that we can never directly translate from our native language into the second language. For example, we say in English I am hungry but if we make a direct translation in Spanish Estoy hambre, it doesn´t make any sense as the verb they use is Tener (to have) not Estar (to be) = Tengo hambre.
Not only do we have the problem of not translating directly but we also have the challenge of learning the numerous verb endings. They seem endless. We have just become familiar with the regular verbs and another family of verbs appear. The irregular ones whose endings make no sense and can only be learned by rote. For example, make -made, see-saw, write-wrote. Once we have mastered those ones, in come the phrasal verbs, the challenge of all challenges! Here we need to know which preposition or adverb follows the verb. For example, is it bring about or bring on? It doesn´t help that there is no specific rule for why we use one preposition or adverb over another. We are left with no option but to rely on our memory and internalise them.
Having said all that, English does have a simple side! Welcome to the verbs whose past tense is the same as the present tense!
For example:
I quit smoking today (present simple)
I quit my job yesterday (past simple)
We can usually guess from the context which of the two verb forms it is in. Plus, the third person singular in the present tense gives it away as it always ends in -s.
For example:
He shuts the door quietly behind him
The following table illustrates some of the more common ones you will find:
| Present simple | Past simple |
| read | read |
| bet | bet |
| broadcast | broadcast |
| burst | burst |
| cut | cut |
| put | put |
| cast | cast |
| shut | shut |
| quit | quit |
| let | let |
| hit | hit |
| forecast | forecast |
| hurt | hurt |
| reset | reset |
NOTE: The pronunciation of read in the present simple sounds like reed but read in the past simple sounds like red