What Is The Past Tense Of Talk?
The past tense of “talk” is “talked.” It is a regular verb, and the past tense is formed by adding “-ed” to the base form. The past participle of “talk” is also “talked”.
Check out the below table to learn more about other verb forms of talk:
| Base Form/Infinitive Form (V1) | talk |
| Present Form/3rd Person/Singular Form | talks |
| Past Simple Tense Form (V2) | talked |
| Past Participle Form (V3) | talked |
| Present Participle/Gerund | talking |
How To Pronounce “Talk” And “Talked” Correctly?
“Talk” is pronounced as /tɔːk/, and “talked” is pronounced as /tɔːkt/ in both British and American English. You can refer to the table below for more details:
| Verb Forms | Pronunciation | |
| British English spelling | American English language | |
| talk | /tɔːk/ | /tɔːk/ |
| talked
(V2) |
/tɔːkt/ | /tɔːkt/ |
| talked
(V3) |
/tɔːkt/ | /tɔːkt/ |
| talking | /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ | /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/ |
How to pronounce “talk” and “talked” as naturally as English native speakers? You can watch and learn from the below video:
What Are The Definitions Of “Talk”? How To Use “Talked”?
We use the past tense of “talk” to refer to an event or action that happened and was completed in the past. Below are some meanings of the verb “talk” and examples:
- To express thoughts or emotions through speech.
Example: She talked about her dreams and aspirations at the event last night.
- To discuss something with somebody, often about significant matters.
Example: Last Sunday, our team talked through our strategy for the upcoming game to defeat the opponent.
- To say words in a language
My brother and his friends talked fluently in French during the language exchange in 2002.
- To speak nonsensically.
Example: The tired child talked gibberish before falling asleep.
- To emphasize a specific monetary value or cost.
Example: She felt happy because the salesman talked the price down during negotiations this morning.
- To gossip about someone’s personal affairs.
Example: They talked about their neighbor’s recent breakup, but the neighbor overheard their conversation.
- To provide information when unwilling to do so.
Example: Despite being hesitant, she talked about her involvement in the incident.
Exercises
FAQs
What Are The Differences Between Speak And Talk?
Formality
- “Speak” is more formal and is used for official or professional settings. (Click here to learn the past tense of “speak”)
Example: The professor will speak at the academic conference next Monday.
- “Talk” is informal and is used in everyday conversations.
Example: Let’s talk about our weekend plans. Do you want to go camping? (See what is the past tense of go here)
Language usage
- “Speak” is used when referring to the ability to use a particular language.
Example: She can speak English fluently.
- “Talk” is not used to discuss language proficiency.
Example: We talked about our favorite books.
Focus of communication
- “Speak” emphasizes the person who is producing the words.
Example: The politician is speaking about the country’s economic policies.
- “Talk” emphasizes both the speaker and at least one listener.
Example: John and Sarah talked for hours about their hobbies.
What Are Some Common Phrasal Verbs Of “Talk”?
Talk at somebody: Speak to someone without allowing them to participate or respond.
Example: During the meeting, the manager talked at his employees without giving them a chance to share their opinions.
Talk over: Discuss something thoroughly with others, exchanging ideas and opinions to reach an agreement.
Example: Let’s talk over the project proposal during the team meeting to make improvements.
Talk out: To discuss or resolve a problem, issue, or disagreement through conversation.
Example: John and Mary had a misunderstanding, but they decided to talk it out and resolve their differences.
Are There Any Idioms Of “Talk”?
Yes. Below are 3 commons idioms of “talk”:
Talk some sense into somebody: To persuade or convince someone to think more rationally, reasonably, or sensibly.
Example: Sarah’s friend talked some sense into her, helping her see the potential consequences of her actions.
Talk a good game: to talk about something that sounds convincing but may not be sincere.
Example: He talks a good game about starting a new business but hasn’t taken any steps to make it happen yet.
Money talks: people who have a lot of money have significant influence or power in various situations.
Example: In the business world, money talks. Companies with more resources can often gain advantages over their competitors.
His name is Benjamin Essek – The founder of Grammar Wiki. He is an English native speaker and has joined many English classes, learning communities to support other people with this common language as well.