Foundations
Build a form from its dictionary stem
Explanation
A dictionary entry usually ends in 다. Remove 다 to find the stem, then choose an ending that expresses the intended tense, politeness or relationship between clauses. The book organizes endings by final consonants, stem vowels and endings that keep one form.
For everyday polite present forms, ㅏ/ㅗ often leads to 아요, other vowels to 어요, and 하다 to 해요. Contractions and irregular stems still need practice: 가다 → 가요, 먹다 → 먹어요, 공부하다 → 공부해요. Learn the word with one complete sentence, rather than memorizing an ending without a stem.
Examples and what to notice
가다 → 가요 → 갔어요
go → go/goes in polite speech → went
먹다 → 먹어요 → 먹었어요
eat → eat/eats in polite speech → ate
공부하다 → 공부해요 → 공부했어요
study → study/studies in polite speech → studied
춥다 → 추워요 / 듣다 → 들어요
Common irregular changes; not every ㅂ or ㄷ stem changes.
Apply it to a question
- Read each example and identify the form that carries the information discussed above.
- Cover the explanation and explain the difference in meaning in your own words.
- Move to a listening or reading question type and check the complete sentence before choosing an answer.