Is it barked or barked? - briefly
The correct form is "barked".
Is it barked or barked? - in detail
The correct form of the past tense for the verb "to bark" is indeed "barked." This can be somewhat confusing due to the irregularity in English verb conjugation, where many verbs do not follow the standard pattern of adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form. In the case of "bark," despite its apparent regularity, the past tense is "barked."
To illustrate this, consider the following sentences:
In both examples, "barked" is used correctly to indicate past action. It's important to remember such irregularities when learning or teaching English grammar, as they are a fundamental part of the language's structure.