Past tense of “text”

Ultimately, the issue we all face is that 'text', as a verb, is a product of evolution, and was not a real word until the concept of 'texting' came about. We are also faced with the fact that English is a complex language with many hundreds of tenses and verbs, seemingly all with a different set of rules, but always with an elusive 'exception'.

There are rules to support every argument, but I think that ultimately every rule you throw at it is utterly pointless and it should be left to its creation, evolution. I, more often than not, here people saying 'texted', so I am left to conclude that 'texted' is the accepted verb.

But it is for the reasons I have mentioned that I love the English language. It is organic and always changing. We can weave thousands of different verbs and nouns together to create a single idea and yet, with all these variations, we still understand what we're talking about.

OK, once again ... text has been in English language as a VERB for over 400 ... that's four HUNDRED years. For those four hundred years, the past tense has been "texted". This is not something new!

If folks want to try to change it strong, irregular verb ... giv it a try. But as it stands now, the right past tense is "texted".

Your right, but never in the same context.

And so consequently, it is, effectively a new verb. I'm just interested to see how it evolves.

For example: hang/hanged hang/hung. Both similar verbs with similar meanings - but the operative word is similar, not the same.

Not that I disagree with you about the past tense being 'texted', it's just a thought. That's all!

@Methatica - I totally agree with you that one of the joys of the English language is that it is organic, but the underlying principles don't change so much. There are precisely twelve active tenses, and eight passive, hardly hundreds. And even the 180 or so irregular verbs, of which we commonly use less than a hundred, follow relatively few patterns which are easily recognisable.

By the way, I was always brought up to believe that hang/hanged and hang/hung had two rather different meanings: people get hanged; things, like pictures, get hung.

@Monocle - The verbs you list form a pretty well closed group. How many of these verbs have been coined in the last hundred years? Or even two hundred? Precisely one - preset, and that's simply the prefix pre added to an existing irregular verb. Of the rest the youngest is bust, which dates back to 1764, and is really a variation of the irregular verb bust. All the others are from at least 1600, and many of them date back to 1200 or beyond, as I'm sure AnWulf will be able to verify. Incidentally two of your examples - sweat and knit - are totally regular. And interestingly, one - fit is regular in BrE, but can be irregular in AmE. There are really no precedents for totally new verbs joining this august band. And absolutely none for text texd.

Virtually every new verb that enters the language is regular, and even when old verbs are put to new uses, they tend to be given a regular form. Hence a baseball batter 'flied out', not 'flew out'. In fact, the number of irregular verbs is declining, not increasing.

There's an interesting discussion about this at StackExchange - http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/53660/is-it-possible-for-a-new-irregular-verb-to-appear-in-english-language.

Agreed that hanged and hung are absolutely different in definition, but as a base verb both, ultimately, 'hang'. And it is just an example of how two verbs, at the fundamental level, are the same, but branch off in different directions through evolution.

Again, I am in agreement with the verb tenses, but I bet, if you really put you mind to it, you can find hundreds of way of saying 'I sent you a text'. ;-)

@Methatica - you're obviously more imaginative than me; I doubt I could manage five.:) Except as I live in Poland, I would have to say 'I sent you an SMS'; text is not really used much in international English, at least not here. Anyway, I see texted seems to be winning the day on your Facebook page. Good sense prevails!

@the naysayers
Other newish technology verbs:
ping - pinged (not pang)
tweet - tweeted (not twet or twat)
ngram - ngrammed
google - googled
rip - ripped

All these other new techie verbs are regular, so even if AnWulf is wrong and text is a new verb, why should it be any different from these other verbs? And I bet most people say they burned a CD, not burnt a CD, even in the UK, where in the standard meaning of burn, burnt is the more popular past form.

It's not as if the alternatives put forward have much to offer. And I really can't understand why anyone would feel he had to 'admit that he was guilty of using the word "texted" when telling someone that [he] just sent them a text message' ( @lush). If we can say 'I phoned you', 'I called you', 'I emailed you', why on earth should someone feel guilty for saying 'I texted you'. It's beyond me!

Well maybe not hundreds... Perhaps I was having a lucid moment :-)

However, that's another good point you raise regarding burn/burned and burn/burnt, though. Effectively, that has become a new verb.

But adding 'ed', making a weak verb, does sound the most appropriate way to bring it into the past tense.

But that's just English! Hehe

Wouldn'tthe easiest solution be for us all to be less lazy and just say "Text Messaged"? "Texted" sounds unintelligent anyway. I can't bring myself to say it.....at all. If you are in that much of a hurry..... like, "Someones gonna die if I say more words than necessary", then "I" think the "fastest past tense" should be simply "Text", as in, "I text her earlier, but got no response." There are plenty of words in the English language which share the rule that present, and past tense, are the same spelling:

hit and hit
hurt and hurt
Let and let
Quit and Quit
Set and Set
Shut and Shut
Spread and Spread
Cut and Cut
Wet and Wet

Thanks for your consideration : )

'Text' is 'written', surely?
'I wrote you a text.'
Back in the real world, though - yes, it's 'texted'. New technology - like the printing press in days of yore - always bring in new words.

'Brings in', blast it.

After reading many arguments for both sides here's my two cents: the verb text should be considered irregular and should not be conjugated in the simple past tense as a regular verb. The reason I have come to this conclusion is because of the vowel sound created by the combination of ex in the middle of the word. This makes the verb text behave phonically like a word that ends with t preceded by a vowel, such as hit or cut, rather than a verb that ends with t preceded by a consonant, such as start. Grammatical rule changes based on phonics is not unheard of (pun intended) since we all know to precede some nouns beginning with the consonant h with "an" rather than "a" based on that fact that words like hour sound as though they begin with a vowel. Therefore, I will use text as both the present and past tense of the verb to text.

Interesting. Do you say fax or faxed?

I say faxed because it ends with an x, not and xt. Clearly, my argument was based on verbs that end in t, so if you'd like to give me an example of a a verb that ends with t preceded by a vowel sound that ends with ed in the past tense then I will concede my point.

AND ALLISON, FOR THAT EXAMPLE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR: I FARTED ON YOUR BURGER AFTER I TEXTED YOUR MOM

I never comment on these types of things...usually just enjoy reading the mindless banter. But I can hardly believe how many people are so ignorant regarding the English language. People really, it's not that difficult. Stop and think for just a moment. Stop saying it "sounds funny" to say "texted." It is not like we are saying "he walked-ed the dog" or "she closed-ed" the door. Yes, those examples DO sound funny....because the past tense addition of "ed" was duplicated unnecessarily, and of course, incorrectly. Just because "text" ends in the letter "t" does not make it an exception in tense just because you think it sounds funny. Here are a few examples...say these words to yourself then follow up by saying "texted" maybe it won't seem so strange anymore: "The storm LASTED ten minutes." "The man EXITED the building." "I TESTED the temperature of the water. " "My dad RESTED on the sofa."
I could go on and on with verbs that end in "t" that properly transform to past tense with the simple addition of "ed" at the end of the word. So there you have it....LASTED, EXITED, TESTED, RESTED.... AND
...TEXTED. Make sense? Saying "text" as the past tense sounds lazy and uneducated, like when some people - instead of saying ASK- say "AKS" (sounding like "axe"). Don't be one of those people...don't be lazy. Use proper English. It is TEXTED. :) Get to know it.

@Really??

We're are not ignorant of the rules of English, but the question is whether the word 'text' should follow the conjugation of regular verbs or irregular verbs.

*Remove the 'are'.

@Really?? - while agreeing with your grammatical conclusions, I wonder whether it is really necessary to be quite so condescending.

I am an elementary school teacher with the audacity to require that my parents make a strategic effort to use the grammatically correct form of English with their children at home, as unfortunately, the color of their skin or even the intonation of their phrasing would be enough to cut them out of a job without adding the further impediment of a dialect perceived as a measure of intellect or ability. While teaching regular verbs in the past tense, I invariably have to state the rule someone mentioned further back in the thread: Regular verbs whose roots end in "t" or "d" always get a sounded "e", while all other regular verbs get a silent "e" when (-ed) is added. What I noticed is that my students will often overkill attempts to refrain from sounding the "ed" as "dead"(as in drop-ded), by neglecting to sound the "e" in ANY word which has the suffix (-ed). What sticks with them is that the sound of "dead" is "bad"(overgeneralization and classic modern day American problem -that of overgeneralization or taking things to extremes without thought - which will ultimately be our country's downfall as there are those poised to capitalize on this weakness) Back to the matter at hand, my urban 6 year olds forget that, in some cases, when following the rules, of the English language, you will hear "dead" or "ted" at the ends of regular verbs. Since it the word "text" now has widespread use as a verb and it endss in "t", it should be pronoinced TEX-TED, following the traditional rules of English, which is NOT the same as saying fix-ded or drop-ded, but probably evokes some feelings of wrongness (not a word) due to your elementary school teacher harping on wrkng uses of ted or ded or ed. Personally, I stick with the rules of English, but I assume that what rolls off the tongue most naturally for the majority of Americans is what will prevail in the end. Such is the way of the American masses. Whether it makes me and other lovers of language and diction cringe and whether rules of grammar are breached are moot at thus point in our country's evolution. Really important is whether we CAN and will attempt to understand each other when we commimicate. I will mot, however, be berated for following correct rules of English grammar before the rules have officially been changed. I think that is what bothers me about this debate. Also, what bothers me is the inability of some to acquire new information and an accompanyg set of rules and discriminate between appropriate and inappropriate applications of those rules.For those who call to mind the irregular verbs ending in "t", look up the reasons for their irregularity.

I'm OK with using "texted" as long as the "ed" is not pronounced when speaking it. As an English teacher it drives me crazy to hear someone pronounce it "text-ted." It's just like the work "worked," you don't pronounce it "work-ted." But as I see it, using texted in writing for the past tense of text is fine.

@CB and "started"? "butted"? "farted"? "matted"? "tested"? "textiles"? "contextual"?

@Chris Beaver - why on earth 'as an English teacher' would it drive you crazy to hear a verb pronounced in its normal regular way? As an English teacher you will of course know that there are three ways of pronouncing regular past forms:

1. silent e followed by 't' - worked, hoped, dropped, pushed, slipped
these follow the voiceless consonants - p, k, s, ch, h, f, x, h

2. silent e followed by 'd' - played, called, damaged, encouraged, opened, stayed
these follow a larger group of voiced consonants and vowel sounds

3. voiced e followed by 'd' when the final consonant of the main verb form is t (as in jayles' examples - and in texted), or d, as in - sounded, graduated, hated, provided, treated

Texted is not at all like the verb worked, where the base verb form ends with the voiceless consonant k. The verb text ends with a t (sorry to state the obvious) so its past form naturally follows all other regular verbs ending in 't', and the final syllable is pronounced, just as in all others of that group.

http://esl.about.com/od/beginnerpronunciation/a/past_pronounce_3.htm

I stand corrected. It simply does not sound correct to my ear, but after reviewing the rules of English, everyone is correct! You do pronounce the -ed at the end of "text." I am just used to correcting my ESL students when pronouncing the -ed in words like work, etc. My apologies!

@Chris Beaver - you were unlucky to land on a page where at least two other English teachers are commenting, and I'm sorry if my previous comment was a bit brusque. Apropos your comment on workéd, when my EFL students do that I tell them only Shakespeare is allowed to pronounce it that way. They seem to quite like that.

I have said texted but some non smart people have not evenben corrected and I take that as non smart

"lose" , "lost"? What are the differences?

When you lose something, it is lost.

And if it happened yesterday, it was lost, you lost it and it has been lost.

And if you find it, it is no longer lost, but you can lose it again!

What about the verb "put"? Today I put my keys on the table. Yesterday I ____ [put] them there. I have always put them there. You don't say "putted".
The following verbs work this way. Hit. Hurt. Set. Split. Let. Bet. Cut. Burst. Why would the word "text" not work that way? The only reason I can think of is because too many people started saying "texted" and the result has been that others are hearing it that way... so they say it, too... because in their world it sounds right. Therefore, it is becoming common, even though, by my grammar background, "text" should be the proper past tense of the verb. If your mom says "I seen" or "they've went" the whole time you're growing up, those sound right to you. But they are wrong. And we do have rules in grammar for a reason.... so we can understand one another's thoughts and meanings. If we don't all follow the same rules, it causes confusion. Language must have rules. But language is fluid and changes over time. That's why English is such a mess in the first place... because it was influenced by so many different groups of people over a long period of time. Now here we are.... with a new word. And we can't agree on what to do with it. No doubt, however the media handles it, that is how everyone will eventually use it. Comfortable or not. Or it will end up being like other words that came to have options. Yesterday I [hanged or hung] the flowers on the balcony. There was probably a huge debate over that one once upon a time.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/35030/where-did-snuck-come-from

It is indeed true that some verbs have changed from the "ablaut" (vowel-change) sytem to the common "regular" inflection system, and a few have gone the other way. So technically there's no reason why "text" shouldn't one day become the standard past form. Stick around a few decades and we'll see.

In the meantime there seem to be lots more hits on google for phrases like "she texted yesterday" than "she text yesterday"; so at the moment "texted" seems more common.

@DRae - there has already been a lot of discussion about the 'put' group of verbs before your comment. Why make something irregular when a perfectly good regular version exists? The trend in English is towards regularisation, not the reverse. Why add a possibly ambiguous form when there is absolutely no need?

There isn't actually much disagreement about 'texted' except in forums like this:

'if she was going to go she would have texted us' - Oxford Dictionaries Online
tr.v. text·ed, text·ing, texts - 'She texted me when she arrived.' American Heritage at the Free Dictionary
' He texted a long wish list to his parents' - Random House at Dictionary.com

As for hanged and hung - they are traditionally used in different contexts (also discussed above), although that distinction seems to be slipping.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with "texted". It's just a matter of people who don't understand grammatical rules hyper-correcting yet again. Btw, I'm a grammar nazi.

@chris beaver
"As an English teacher" you should quit your day job. You really don't get it.

@chris beaver
Oops. I just saw that you reviewed the grammatical rules and did a little error analysis. You can keep your day job.

While "text" may not be considered a verb by all, the majority of people use it as such. Therefore, it should be treated like other regular verbs that end in a 't' or 'd' sound. Paint goes to painted, wait goes to waited, mend goes to mended, paste goes to pasted. Yes, there are verbs such as "find" and "fight" that have irregular past tense forms, but unless the speakers of common English are going to come up with an irregular past tense for for "text", then we should go with what makes sense....TEXTED. The reason we add a second syllable to these verbs ending with 't' or 'd' is so that we can mark the tense change so people know we are referring to a time in the past. Using "fax" as an example does not make any sense, because fax ends with an /s/ sound not a /t/ sound. Just because there is an 'x' in "text" does not make it the same as all other words that have 'x' them.

Why are we getting our panties in a bunch for the past tense of a simple word as 'text'. Its not that there are no words in English language which lives with all it's tenses past or past participle as same, such as 'Cost', 'Cut', 'Hit', 'Let'etc...

Why can't we leave 'text' alone with its own past tense?

My two cents

There are approximately twenty irregular verbs that have all three forms the same, and most of these have been around for hundreds of years. And, as you show, most of these have a single vowel followed by a single consonant - hit, cut, etc and so are not really analogous. Only two, I think, end with a double consonant - cost and burst.

Meanwhile there are thousands of similarish verbs, such as test, post etc which form their 2nd and 3rd forms regularly. It's arguable whether text is a new verb or not, but in any case virtually all new verbs take regular past forms - fax, faxed; google, googled, tweet, tweeted etc. Why on earth should text be any different? What makes it so special that it should it be included in a tiny group which has been closed for over two centuries?

On an idiomatic note, the British (and I believe, original) version of 'get your panties in a bunch' is 'get your knickers in a twist'.

How about matching/comparing it with the word CAST. We don't say the director casted the movie, we say "He cast the movie". How about just saying "I text you, I will text you, I have text you" as in I have cast the movie/ I cast the movie (I'm being redundant).

Yes, it iS a quandary. At least its not has hideous as: "I aksed /AXED my mom what time it was". GEEZ! How can that poor word be butchered (axed) so badly- talk about lazy speak (oh-oh, I verbed a noun- eeeeee!). Is it an Ebonic thing, a south thing?A race thing?(can't be, lots of different races use that particular way of saying "ASK". Sigh....sooooo sad. Another one I've heard recently in the north east (NY) area is "Expecially" instead of especially - How the HAY does THAT happen? OUCH!

People that don't talk good are so laxidazy! - How's that one for ya?!!

I don't know why but "texted" sounds wrong to me!

It's mind boggling!!!! I feel like a criminal when I use the word texted. I have to think long and hard before I push the send button, for fear that the grammar police will be busting down my door. Prior to having a cell phone I did not use the word text. But, I am finding myself accepting things that I don't completely understand. I am just happy to know that this is actually a topic worthy of discussion. I thought I was all alone in lack of understanding in the "texting grammer" world.

The word is just TEXT! You didn't cutted your hair or letted someone in the door....It's just TEXT past, present and future...TEXT!!!!

It should be tested, its past tense, when you are referring to. She tested me last night. Just my opinion

Basil Hallward paints a picture of his pure and beautiful friend Dorian Gray. It is the best portrait Basil has ever drawn. While posing for it, Dorian met Lord Henry, another friend of Basil‘s, who has a bad influence on him. Basil said that he want to finish the picture today.Henry and Dorian went in the garden. Basil painted alone in the hause. Two houers later Basil cried:,, The Picture is ready. Dorian and Henry come in the room. They said that the picture was beautiful. Dorian said:,, I wish I could ever always be young, and the portrait could grow old. Basil gives Dorian his image. A few months later tells Dorian Lord Henry that he has fallen in love with an actress. Dorian went every night in the theater to see his Sibyl Vane. After the show he goes backstage and talks with Sibyl Vane. She calls him Prince Charming. Sibyl tells her mother and her brother James Vane that she is in love with Dorian Gray. Her mother find this not so beautiful, because she wants a son in law with a lot of money. Her brother James says that he kills Dorian when he hurt his sister. James is sailing with a ship for a few weeks to Australia. Dorian says that he wants to marry Sibyl. Lord Henry goes to see with Dorian to the theater to Sibyl again. That evening Sibyl plays very poorly. Lord Henry is outraged about that and he goes home. Dorian goes back behind the stage and he finds Sibyl wines. They talk to each other and she promises him that she makes even better on the next night. Dorian comes home late. He goes to the library where he has his portrait. He sees the image that not looks young it looks a little bite older. He is very shocked by that and he hides the image so that nobody can see it. A few days later comes his friend Basil. He wants the image to see but Dorian shows it is not him . Basil told Dorian the Sibyl is dead . Dorian is shocked . Dorian goes with Basil in the Bublothek and shows him the picture . Basil looks scared . Then Dorian takes a knife and kills Basil. The next day meets Dorian Alan Campbell. Dorian told him all over the dead body. He wants the dead body disappears with a strong acid. Alan Campbell is a chemist. Dorian shows him the dead body. Alan makes him disappear with an acid. At midnight comes Dorian on the harbor walk. Suddenly someone accesses he on the shoulder and keeps a weapon at the head. It is James the brother of Sibyl. Dorian talks to him and finally leaves James Dorian run. A few weeks later, Dorian meets Lord Henry with. They talk about the last six weeks. At night Dorian goes to the library. He looks at the picture. On picture is not a young one but a very old one. The man on the picture has bloody fingers and the feet’s. Dorian cries out against the terrible picture. Dorian takes a knife and stabs the picture. The caretaker has heard the scream and he ran into the library. He finds a young picture of Dorian Gray and an old man that lies on the floor.

I can not bring myself to say "texted". It sounds grammatically incorrect. I use "text", in past, present and future conversations. It may not be correct, but I have not found anything to say what "is" grammatically correct. I will continue my way until it is proven wrong!

I used to use "texted" but it sounds all wrong, so I went to "text", and i do believe for me the explanation from Tranaut suits me just fine.

I was just looking this up, but have not found anything "conclusive". I prefer to use "text" for present and past tense though most of my friends use "texted". To me "texted" sounds ignorant and childish. I was hoping to find support for my view, but so far have not.

I really don't like the sound of 'texted', sounds so unwieldy.
I appreciate the correct usage if a noun is turned into a verb, yet........

I think I can see what has happened by reading all the comments. Text has become a verb because it has replaced the longer word it once described, message. You messaged a message, and now you texted a text (message). So, instead of saying text messaged you, we have shortened it to texted and created a verb from an adjective, along with a past tense. However, text has always been a noun on its own. It may be similar to the word phone. You can phone someone, or talk to someone on the phone. Then, you have phoned them.

"I sent him a text"

If the past tense of twist (a verb) is twisted then the past tense of text (also a verb) would be texted, would it not?

I have some friends

So would you use text or texts for multiple text messages. For some reason it bothers me to hear/read "texts". What's appropriate?

Spelt: texed
Pronounced: texd or text... as one can't really hear the difference.
Easy way to get over that troublesome t thing.

Spelt: texed
Pronounced: texd or text... as one can't really hear the difference.
Easy way to get over that troublesome t thing.

Text past tense stays the same. He text mr today. He text me yesterday.

Past tense should remain the same as present tense. "Text" is much more smooth since the "t" sound at the end can have a "d" sound...almost redundant to add another.

I text you today. I text you yesterday.

Just say 'texd' sounds like text but when written denotes past tense.

decided, raided, braided, caged, flogged, graded, hiked, jailed, kicked, loaned, mailed, nailed, prattled, rested, tested, voted, waded...AND TEXTED!!!

aided, braided, crated, decided, faked, gated, hiked, jeered, kicked, licked, mated, noted, prattled, quibbled, rested, stated, tested, urinated, voted, waited, AND TEXTED!!!!!

When one says, "I text John the other day," it sounds ridiculous!!! There are all kinds of words that serve as nouns and verbs. For example, take the word permit: "The permit was signed by the official." Here we have the word used as a noun. As a verb, we add th suffix "ed" to it like so: "The teacher permitted the student to use the restroom." Why is there even a discussion on this issue?!

Just hard for me to believe,"texted" would be proper. Just saying ????????????????????

The past tense of Text is Text.

Using texted shows that you know how to properly use the english language and not sound like an illerate (verbal) moron

Excuse the spelling mistake. Should have been illiterate. Fat fingers!!!!

Text

Texed.

I have many different arguments about this there is only text-noun,texting-verb,and text-past tense. Also, after reading some of the comments there needs to be a "thumb down" option. For me its not even about their opinion , we all are entitled to one, it is wrong facts that they use to support them.

My feeling is this - people seem to be put off by "texted" because it sounds like the "d" sound is redundant due to what 'Rdajer' referred to as an, "awkward two syllable jump," which is uncomfortable in the mouth to some people when saying it. To them, it 'feels' wrong. To me, "texted" is correct because "text," as a noun is in and of itself a complete word; a complete thought. Add "ed" to the end of "text" to get the past tense, just as in "tested." Otherwise, its like saying that the thing isn't "text" at all, but rather a "tex," (as in, "I sent her a "tex" this afternoon"), in which case we would use "texed" as the past tense.

After reading many (although not all) of these comments, I have observed that those who prefer "text" as a past tense verb tend to have more grammatical errors of other kinds in their posts than those who prefer "texted," giving them less credibility as qualified judges of what should be considered grammatically correct. I vote for texted.

When someone says "I text you", meaning it was something they did in the past, it makes me think that they are trying so hard not to sound illiterate that they sound, well, illiterate.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the proper form of the past tense of "text" is "texted", and that's what I use. My BFF refuses to say "texted", but I think she sounds ignorant when she says, "I text you last night."

Honestly, I think we are just so hung up on what everybody else thinks about us that we've lost touch with common sense!

Text... not texted... "She text me yesterday."

The word text is the right way to say I TEXT YOU ok yesterday.? The Beast out.

On second thought maybe it should be pronounced as I TEXT,S YOU YOU LAST NIGHT and I TEXTED YOU as pasttens? Da. Beast out?

Following a paragliding accident, Philippe, a wealthy aristocrat, hires Driss, a young suburban boy just released from prison as a home help. Two universes will collide, become tame, to give birth to a friendship as crazy, funny and strong as it is unexpected, a relationship

Merriam Webster has recognized texted with the ed pronounced as standard. I have been an irregular verb advocate, but see no point in arguing with Webster. I will teach it as texted and hope I can correct it in my speech.

Past tense of "text" is text' as in "he text' her his reply"
The implied "ed" is not spoken, much as in the same way that the "s" is not added or pronounced when we attribute ownership to a name ending in "s" e.g. "the robe belongs to Jesus" or "that is Jesus' robe" not "Jesus's"