I text her vs I texted her

[Comito]

For some reason, people saying 'I text her' rather than 'I texted her' (past tense) really grates on me. What should it be?

Text is a noun not a verb, although it is changing over recent years just like the word 'google' developed so that it could be used as a verb in 'I google something' or 'I googled it'

I know two people who say "I text her", and they both also say, eg, "I sent her two texes."

SOOOOO, my theory is that they believe tex is the actual word, therefore texes is the plural and texed is the past tense. Does that make sense?

I text her is correct in the same way as I read a book yesterday. You wouldn't say I readed a book would you? My personal pet hate is 'I inboxed her' it's like saying 'I letter boxed her' instead of sent her a letter.

Sammylee - Nooo! The past tense of 'read' (reed) is 'read' (red) - although they are spelled the same, they are pronounced differently and are not the same word. And 'I text her' is also wrong.

While I agree that "texted" is probably closer to grammatically correct in a verbing-of-nouns kind of way, it's an ugly word with a cumbersome extra syllable. It grates.

I loathe 'I text her'; it really grates on me too. It's simply not correct. I like the sound of a corner for pedants. I must hunt it out.

If text is classed as a verb it could be irregular.

Look at the verb cut -

bare infinitive cut
past simple cut
past participle cut

or regular eg want
wanted
wanted

I think that over a period of time one version for the past simple of "To text" will become dominant and therefore become the rule. Could be 'I text last night', could be 'I texted last night'. thus our language develops.

I would say 'I have text her' probably wrong, but sounds better than 'texted' to me.

I agree pointeshoes to me 'I text her last night' or 'I have text' her both sound wrong. what I am trying to say is that over a period of time one usage will be used more than the other and therefore become the norm/rule.

Cambridge Dictionary of English

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/text

Agreed - 'texted' grates on me too but is probably (going to be) the correct form.

"I text her" is wrong and makes me want to throw up.

"I texted her" is acceptable.

Middleagedmotheroftwo - that was aimed at you. In my defence, you did put a cross face by your comment, and people do seem to get genuinely angry at small things on Pedants' Corner, so I failed to realise you were joking. Sorry - my mistake.

I think the reason people say "I text someone" as a past tense is because it sounds like it should be the past tense (i.e. the t at the end has a similar sound to the -ed suffix of a past participle.)

Loving this thread, though! The misuse of the word really annoys me too. Of course, I do appreciate that I should get out more.

Definitely "texted". Where I live (East Midlands), people who speak in the local dialect often use phrases such as "we was going" or "I've gave it to him".

I've only ever heard "text" used as a past tense by people who would also use these types of construction for the past tense,: I assumed that it was just another variant of the "Leicestershire past".

I sent her a text - solves all problems

I agree with the theory above - people think the word is tex, therefore 'text' sounds like the past tense.

Texted sounds fine to me, text does not.

It should be

i sent her a text

Anything else sounds clumsy and illiterate [gavel]

I think it's an age thing. To me it is definitely textED. But I am old and I reckon my 11 year old would say text.

aaaaauuuugh my ears, my ears

I agree it should be 'texted' (who needs more irregular verbs?!) but it sticks in the mouth like fishbones. If you don't mind that, then 'I texted her', otherwise, 'I sent her a text'.

I love Pedants' Corner! #happy

God, I text her sounds completely illiterate. When people say that it lowers, to paraphrase Sherlock, the IQ of not just the street but the entire world.

If it has to be anything, it has to be texted.

yes, yes to spanish fly

...a laziness that means people hear/say the final t of text as an ed sound, making it the verb

so you texed a tex by texing

Of course it's 'texted'. How could it be anything else?

In my experience, people who use "text" in the past tense also say "Markses" when shortening "Marks and Spencer". Both make my teeth itch.

It is "texted" and that is that!

I've only just realised this was still being debated but I'm awfully pleased most of you agree with me.

Now I just need to express my displeasure at 'lol' and '!' being used instead of full stops and I will be happy.

Thank you, pedantic MNers.