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Paid or payed?

Is “Paid” or “Payed” Correct?

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What is the correct past tense of “pay”?

The verb pay, which describes giving money to someone for something you want to buy or for services provided, has two correct past tenses: payed and paid.

👍🏼Usage Note: Past Tense of 'Pay'

I paid for the groceries. (Correct: ‘Paid’ is the standard past tense for monetary payments.)
The sailor payed out the anchor chain. (Correct: ‘Payed’ is used for letting out ropes or cables.)
She pay her bills yesterday. (Incorrect: Use of present tense ‘pay’ for a past action; should be ‘paid’ or ‘payed’.)
He payd for his ticket. (Incorrect: Misspelling; should be ‘paid’ or ‘payed’.)

Is “I have paid” the correct phrase?

Either paid or payed can be used to refer to the past tense of pay, though ‘paid’ is the more common spelling. Regardless, both “I have paid” and “I have payed” use correct English.

Pay/paid, synonyms

  • allowance
  • compensation
  • fee
  • income
  • payment
  • profit
  • reimbursement
  • remuneration
  • reward
  • salary
  • stipend
  • wage

Verb forms of pay

present past future
simple I pay I paid (or payed) I will pay
continuous I am paying I was paying I will be paying
perfect I have paid (or payed) I had paid (or payed) I will have paid (or payed)
perfect continuous I have been paying I had been paying I will have been paying

12 verb tenses of ‘pay‘.

💡Study Tip

Practice using the verb in different tenses with example sentences to memorize the correct forms.

Pay/payed/paid, used in sentence examples

Examples: “pay”, used in sentences
You have to pay extra for a single room.

Many consumers are willing to pay more for better service.

How much did you pay for your new car?

I would gladly pay for the benefits such a tax would bring.

The revenue will be used to help pay for environmental improvements.

Examples: “paid”, used in sentences
Her parents paid for her to go to Canada.

The union paid all her legal costs.

He still hasn’t paid me the money he owes me.

Membership fees should be paid to the secretary.

Worksheet: tenses of pay

Questions Answer options:
1. True or false: “Pay” is a regular verb. a. true b. false c. both
2. True or false: Pay looks the same in the past tense as it does in the present. a. true b. false
3. Choose the correct tense: I paid the driver in cash. a. simple present b. simple past c. past perfect d. present perfect
Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentences:
4. I pay my taxes. a. simple present b. simple past c. past perfect d. present perfect
5. How much did you ____ for the tickets? a. paidb. payingc. paysd. pay

Answers

  1. b
  2. b
  3. b
  4. c
  5. a
  6. d

The origin of pay

From etymonline on pay (v.):

c. 1200, paien, “to appease, pacify, satisfy, be to the liking of,” from Old French paier “to pay, pay up” (12c., Modern French payer), from Latin pacare “to please, pacify, satisfy” (in Medieval Latin especially “satisfy a creditor”), literally “make peaceful,” from pax (genitive pacis) “peace” (see peace).

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Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

Which is grammatically correct?




What makes a sentence grammatically correct?




Question 3: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 4: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 5: Grammar rules help with:




Question 6: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 7: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 8: Grammar rules help with:




Question 9: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 10: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Which aspect is most important when learning grammar?

How can you improve your grammar skills?



Frequently Asked Questions

What are literary devices?
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Techniques writers use to enhance their writing and convey messages effectively.

How do literary devices differ from rhetorical devices?
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Literary devices are specific to creative writing, while rhetorical devices are broader.

Why should I learn about literary devices?
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They help you understand and appreciate literature more deeply.

Can I use literary devices in my own writing?
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Yes, they can make your writing more engaging and effective.

What’s the best way to remember different devices?
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Practice identifying them in texts you read regularly.

Sources

  1. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of pay.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/pay. Accessed 1 April, 2024.

Grammar Expert. "Is Paid Or Payed Correct." GrammarFlex, Jun 1, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/is-paid-or-payed-correct/.

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