When it comes to mastering verb tenses in English, it’s important to understand how each verb forms its past tense. One common verb that people may encounter is “hurry.” Whether you’re writing or speaking, knowing how to use the past tense of “hurry” can make your communication more effective and clear.
What Is the Past Tense of “Hurry”?
The past tense of “hurry” is “hurried.” Like many regular verbs in English, the past tense of “hurry” is formed by adding -ed to the base form of the verb.
For example:
- Present Tense: “I hurry to get to work.”
- Past Tense: “I hurried to get to work yesterday.”
When to Use “Hurried”
You use the past tense “hurried” when talking about something that has already happened in the past. It refers to an action that was done in a rush or with urgency at a specific time.
For instance:
- “She hurried to finish her homework before the deadline.”
- “They hurried out of the house when they heard the fire alarm.”
- “We hurried to catch the last train.”
The Meaning of “Hurry” and Its Past Tense
“Hurry” itself means to move, act, or do something quickly because there is a sense of urgency or time pressure. When used in the past tense, “hurried” conveys that this quick movement or action has already been completed.
For example, if you say “He hurried to the store,” you’re saying that he rushed to the store at some point in the past, but the action is finished.
Variations in Usage
Sometimes, people might use the verb in different contexts:
- As an intransitive verb: “She hurried to the station.”
- As a transitive verb: “He hurried the children out of the room.”
In the second example, “hurried” is directly acting on the object (the children), meaning it’s more of a forceful action.
Understanding the past tense of “hurry”—”hurried”—is simple because it follows the regular verb rule of adding -ed. However, knowing when and how to use it can add clarity to your speech and writing when talking about past events. Whether you are describing an action taken in a rush or an event that occurred swiftly, using the past tense of “hurry” will help you express urgency in the past.