Examples:
- bleed, bled;
- breed, bred;
- feed, fed;
- speed, sped;
- lead, led;
- read (pronounced reed), read (pronounced red);
- meet, met;
- light, lit (also lighted).
6. Some verbs in d or t have in the past the same form as in the present.
Examples:
- shed, past shed;
- spread, past spread;
- bet, past bet;
- hit, past hit;
- set, past set;
- put, past put;
- shut, past shut;
- cut, past cut;
- hurt, past hurt;
- cast, past cast.
Note. The verbs in 5 and 6 might appear to be strong verbs, since they have no ending in the past and some of them change the vowel. They are, however, all weak verbs. Their lack of ending is due to the fact that the d or t of the termination has been absorbed in the final d or t of the verb itself. Thus, the past set was originally settë (dissyllabic), and this form, after the loss of -ë, became indistinguishable in sound from set, the present.
For lists of irregular weak verbs, see [pp. 291–299].
PERSON AND NUMBER—THE PERSONAL ENDINGS
222. A verb must agree with its subject in number and person.
Verbs, like substantives, have two numbers (singular and plural) and three persons (first, second, and third).