Cost past tense

Meaning of cost

to require payment of (a specified amount of money); to have a price (for an object itself).

Infinitive

Word: cost /kɒst/

Examples:

1. The movie ticket usually costs ten dollars.
2. How much does a new laptop cost these days?
3. The dinner at the fancy restaurant costs more than I expected.

Past Simple

Word: cost /kɒst/

Examples:

1. The concert tickets cost more than I expected, but it was worth it for the experience.
2. That vacation cost us a lot, but the memories will last a lifetime.
3. The repair work on the house cost a fortune, leaving us tight on our budget for months.

Past Participle

Word: cost /kɔst/

Examples:

1. The repairs had been cost by the storm last year.
2. An immense amount of money has been cost by the project so far.
3. The damages were cost by unforeseen circumstances.

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Bare infinitive

Use case. To describe habitual actions, general truths, or actions that are not tied to any specific time.
Example. 'It costs $5 to enter the museum.'

Past Simple

To describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
Example. 'The concert cost me $50 last night.'
Example. 'My old computer cost much less than the one I have now.'
Example. 'I bought a drink, it cost $3, then I found a seat.'
To describe past states or conditions.
Example. 'The concert cost me $50 last night.'
Example. 'My old computer cost much less than the one I have now.'
Example. 'I bought a drink, it cost $3, then I found a seat.'
To describe a sequence of actions in the past.
Example. 'The concert cost me $50 last night.'
Example. 'My old computer cost much less than the one I have now.'
Example. 'I bought a drink, it cost $3, then I found a seat.'

Past Participle

In perfect tenses, to describe actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or actions that influence the present.
Example. 'I have never understood how much it cost.'
Example. 'The bridge was costed at over a million dollars.'
Example. 'The costed project showed higher expenses than expected.' Note. This usage is uncommon in everyday English and more often found in specific contexts (like budgeting or finance) where 'costed' refers to something having been assigned a cost.
In passive voice, to describe an action done to the subject by someone/something.
Example. 'I have never understood how much it cost.'
Example. 'The bridge was costed at over a million dollars.'
Example. 'The costed project showed higher expenses than expected.' Note. This usage is uncommon in everyday English and more often found in specific contexts (like budgeting or finance) where 'costed' refers to something having been assigned a cost.
Adjectival use, to describe something in a particular state resulting from an action.
Example. 'I have never understood how much it cost.'
Example. 'The bridge was costed at over a million dollars.'
Example. 'The costed project showed higher expenses than expected.' Note. This usage is uncommon in everyday English and more often found in specific contexts (like budgeting or finance) where 'costed' refers to something having been assigned a cost.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Use of Past Simple Form

A common mistake is altering the past simple form of 'cost' by adding an unnecessary suffix, such as '-ed'. The correct past simple form of 'cost' is the same as its base form; it does not change. Some might incorrectly write 'costed' when referring to past transactions. For example, the correct usage is 'The meal cost $50 last night,' not 'The meal costed $50 last night.'

— 02

Misuse of Past Participle Form

Similar to the past simple form, the past participle form of 'cost' remains unchanged and is 'cost.' A frequent error is using 'costed' as the past participle form, especially in perfect tenses or passive voice. For instance, the correct formation in a sentence is 'The project has cost a lot of money,' not 'The project has costed a lot of money.'

— 03

Confusion with Regular Verb Patterns

Many learners of English mistakenly apply the regular verb conjugation pattern (adding '-ed' for both past simple and past participle forms) to irregular verbs like 'cost.' This mistake arises from the general tendency to regularize irregular verbs, especially for those whose base, past simple, and past participle forms are identical, leading to incorrect forms such as 'costed' in both past and perfect constructions. Understanding and remembering that 'cost' is an irregular verb that does not change form across these tenses is crucial to avoid this mistake.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'cost'?

The past simple form of 'cost' remains 'cost.' Unlike many other verbs in English, 'cost' does not change its form when used in the past tense. For example, you would say, 'Yesterday, the book cost $20.'

What is the past participle form of 'cost'?

Similar to its past simple form, the past participle form of 'cost' is also 'cost.' This means that when you are using 'cost' in perfect tenses, it remains unchanged. For instance, 'The project has already cost a significant amount of money.'

How do I use 'cost' in a sentence properly when referring to past events?

When referring to past events, you can use 'cost' directly without changing its form. Ensure the rest of your sentence is in the correct tense to convey the time frame accurately. For example. Past Simple. 'The concert ticket cost me $50 last year.' Present Perfect. 'The repairs have cost me over $1,000 so far.' The context of the sentence will help indicate the time period you are referring to.

Can you give examples of sentences using 'cost' in both the past simple and past participle forms?

Certainly! Here are examples showcasing 'cost' in both forms. Past Simple. 'The wedding cost them a fortune five years ago.' Past Perfect. 'By the end of the renovation, it had cost them more than they initially expected.' Present Perfect. 'So far, my trip has cost more than I budgeted for.' In all these instances, 'cost' remains unchanged, but the tense and meaning of the sentence are clear from the context and the auxiliary verbs used.