What is the past tense of cough?
Examples of using ‘coughed’ in a sentence
Here are some examples of how to use the past tense of “cough” in everyday English:
- She coughed all night because of her cold.
- He coughed loudly to get everyone’s attention.
- The baby coughed after drinking water too quickly.
- I suddenly coughed when I inhaled some dust.
- They coughed a lot after walking through the smoky air.
Synonyms and alternative expressions
While “coughed” is the correct past tense of “cough,” here are some alternative ways to describe the act of coughing in the past:
- “Cleared one’s throat” – She cleared her throat before speaking.
- “Hacked” – He hacked all night due to a sore throat.
- “Spluttered” – She spluttered after choking on water.
- “Choked” – He choked on the spicy food and needed water.
Practice exercise: Choose the correct past tense verb
1. The little boy ____ when he drank his juice too fast.
2. She ____ the answer after thinking for a long time.
3. He ____ into his elbow to avoid spreading germs.
4. They ____ when they heard the funny joke.
5. I ____ a lot last night because of the cold air.
6. She ____ her book before going to bed.
Show answers
- 1. Coughed – “Coughs” is incorrect because it is present tense. “Coughing” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
- 2. Guessed – “Guess” is incorrect because it is present tense. “Guessing” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
- 3. Coughed – “Cough” is incorrect because it is the base form. “Coughing” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
- 4. Laughed – “Laugh” is incorrect because it is present tense. “Laughing” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
- 5. Coughed – “Coughs” is incorrect because it is present tense. “Coughing” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
- 6. Read – “Reads” is incorrect because it is present tense. “Reading” is incorrect because it is the continuous form.
Usage of ‘cough’ in different English-speaking regions
- The word “cough” and its past tense “coughed” are used universally in all English-speaking countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
- There are no regional variations in spelling or usage for this verb.
Conclusion
Now you know that the past tense of “cough” is “coughed,” following the standard rules for regular verbs in English. To improve your English fluency, practicing verb forms in context with a tutor can be incredibly helpful. Start learning with Preply English tutors today!
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