Ideas for Exploring the Past Tense of Cost

Let’s begin by banishing the myth that “cost” only has one past tense. It’s like a chameleon, changing its form depending on the context.

“cost” actually has two acceptable past tense forms – cost itself and costed. Now, before you start panicking like you spilled ink on your test paper, let me add that choosing the right one depends on a little time-traveling twist.

1. Cost

This is your everyday, run-of-the-mill past tense. Remember that time you splurged on those fancy sneakers? You could say, “Those shoes cost me a fortune!”

That’s simple, clear, and perfectly acceptable. The same goes for sentences like, “The trip to Hawaii cost us more than we planned.” or “The construction project cost millions.”

2. Costed

This one kicks it up a notch, adding a touch of formality or specificity. Think of it as the “I mean business” version of the past tense.

For example, if you’re a project manager, you might say, “The new software costed us more than the original estimate.”

Or, an accountant could report, “The company costed the new marketing campaign last month.” It’s like adding a little extra detail to your time travel ticket.

Contents

0.1 Past participle
0.2 But Which Should You Use?
0.3 Here’s A Cheat Sheet To Keep in Your Back Pocket

1 Final Thoughts

Past participle

Remember the participle? It’s that verb form that gets slapped with “-ing” or “-ed” and hangs out with auxiliary verbs like “have” and “be.”

In the case of “cost,” the participle is “cost” or “costed” again. Yes, they’re both valid participles, depending on the context.

For example,

You could say, “The flowers we bought were costing a pretty penny.” Or, “The house that was costed by a reputable contractor ended up being well within budget.”

Remember: When choosing between “cost” and “costed” as a participle, consider the tense of your sentence. If it’s past perfect (like in the second example), “costed” sounds more natural. Otherwise, “cost” is usually your safe bet.

But Which Should You Use?

The choice between “cost” and “costed” isn’t always clear-cut. It depends on the vibe you’re going for and the type of writing you’re doing.

In casual conversation, “cost” will almost always do the trick. But if you’re writing a formal report or presentation, “costed” might add a touch of professionalism.

Here’s A Cheat Sheet To Keep in Your Back Pocket

Simple past: Use “cost” for general statements or questions about the price.
Past participle: Use “cost” or “costed” depending on the context: “cost” if it’s used as an adjective, like “The mistake cost them a fortune”. “costed” if it’s used with an auxiliary verb like “have” or “had,” like “We have costed the project at $10,000.”

Final Thoughts

It’s a wrap, guys! And I’m glad you got it. There are two kings here, “cost” and “costed” and the usage depends on the context.

So, the next time you’re time-traveling through a sentence with “cost,” don’t get lost in the past. Remember, it’s all about painting pictures with words and choosing the right tense is like picking the perfect brush.

“Cost” is your broad landscape brush, while “costed” is the fine-detail brush for those intricate nooks and crannies.

Wordility