Talk:English verbs

	This article is within the scope of WikiProject English Language, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of articles related to the English language on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.English LanguageWikipedia:WikiProject English LanguageTemplate:WikiProject English LanguageEnglish Language articles
High	This article has been rated as High-importance on the importance scale.

Linguistics: Theoretical Linguistics Mid‑importance

	Linguistics portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Linguistics, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of linguistics on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.LinguisticsWikipedia:WikiProject LinguisticsTemplate:WikiProject LinguisticsLinguistics articles
Mid	This article has been rated as Mid-importance on the project's importance scale.
	This article is supported by Theoretical Linguistics Task Force.

Archives

Index

Archive 1

This page has archives. Sections older than 90 days may be automatically archived by when more than 5 sections are present.

Non-standard past tense

I've noticed that some English people say things like "I sung" or "I drunk" instead of "I sang" and "I drank". Is this characteristic of certain areas? Something should be written on this in Wikipedia, but I can't find anything. Eric Kvaalen (talk) 14:51, 22 October 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Does wast really rhyme with must?

In section English verbs#Archaic forms it is stated that wast rhymes with must; however I've always understood it to be pronounced to rhyme with lost, i.e. as wost. So do I have the stick by the wrong end, is there some ambiguity, or is the article wrong or just incomplete in regard to this issue?

It should be pronounced similar to whichever way you pronounce the word was. Just change the final /z/ to /st/. The vowel in the word will depend on your dialect of English. Indefatigable (talk) 19:24, 15 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, but does that solve the problem? That is, is there a single word that rhymes with “wast”, in at least the major dialects of English? Because I don’t think “must” is it.

I admit, this may be in part because I don't think people who pronounce "was" as wuz talk proper, like what I do. Anyroad, in most cases I know of where "was" is wuz, most of 'em would say "were", as in "Ah were goin' tut' shop fur us tey" ["I was on my way to the shop for my supper"]. Oh wait, they would say "We wuz goin'...".

Also, wouldn't those who say wuz pronounce "lost" more nearly like the R.P. of "lust", so "wast" and "lost" should still rhyme if both are in dialect?

Not that I'm saying that lust is especially common in the West Riding or owt.

And, if there is no single word that rhymes with "wast", how should that be dealt with? Graham.Fountain | Talk 11:40, 16 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I can see how must would be very misleading for those who lack the foot–strut split and pronounce must /mʊst/. But does wast even need pronunciation help? I don't think any native English speaker would guess wrong, unlike with doth and dost, which the uninitiated often mispronounce. I think I will just delete rhymes-with phrase altogether. Indefatigable (talk) 14:35, 17 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Letter doubling -ck exceptions

From the article "exceptions include zinc → zincked or zinced, arc → usually arced" The article also states that the last letter is only doubled "if the base form ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant." Neither of these words meet these requirements, so they should not be considered "exceptions" --Pigi5 (talk) 20:15, 29 January 2015 (UTC)[reply]

"Ain't" as another form of "be", but only in the contracted negative...

Are there any sources that discuss this particular usage the copula? I looked at the article on Ain't, but it didn't really seem to source anything in this way. Hires an editor (talk) 15:29, 5 April 2020 (UTC)[reply]

English

Please can you tell me what is the verb. I really want to know. It is a homework. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.114.215.200 (talk) 18:13, 19 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]