LoginPast Participles
What Is Past Participle?
Past participles are a type of verb form that are used to form several tenses and moods, including the present perfect, past perfect, and passive voice. They are also used to form adjectives and participle clauses, which serve as adjectives or adverbs in a sentence.
Past Participle: Form
The past participle is the third principal part of a verb. With regular verbs, we can simply form past participles by adding '-ed,' '-d,' or '-t' to the base form of the regular verb. Check out the examples:
To look → Looked
To work → Worked
However, there are several irregular verbs in English that form their past participles in different ways. It's important to memorize these irregular verbs because they don't follow the typical pattern. For example:
To be → Been
To write → Written
Now pay attention to their use in sentences:
We’ve been here for hours!
When I got home my husband had already arrived.
Spelling Rules
there are certain spelling rules to be followed when forming the past participle of regular verbs:
If the verb ends in a vowel + 'y' add 'ed'.
Play → Played
Employ → Employed
If the verb ends in a consonant + 'y', 'y' is replaced by '-i' before 'ed' is added.
Study → Studied
Hurry → Hurried
If the verb ends with the vowel '-e' add '-d' after it.
Live → Lived
Dance → Danced
If a monosyllabic verb ends in consonant + vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding 'ed.'
Stop → Stopped
Plan → Planned
If the verb has more than one syllable and the final syllable is stressed, double the final consonant before adding 'ed'.
Permit → Permitted
Prefer → Preferred
If the final syllable of the verb is not stressed, do not double the final consonant before adding 'ed.'
Listen → Listened
Develop → Developed
Past Participles: Uses
Past participles can serve various functions, including the following:
in verb forms
forming participle clauses
as adjectives
1. In Verb Forms
The table below presents a list of the verb tenses, moods, and voices that use the past participle, along with some examples. The use of past participles in tenses is marked by the 'perfect' aspect.
Tenses | Examples |
|---|---|
I've met him before. | |
I had already heard the song. | |
They'll have finished by now. | |
If I hadn't missed the train, I would have been here by now. | |
He could have tried harder. | |
Apple company was founded by Steve Jobs. |
2. Forming Participle Clauses
Participle clauses are dependent clauses that use the participle form of the verb. They are typically used to shorten the main clause. Past participle clauses are used as adjective or adverbs that time, reason, and situation. For example:
The soldier wounded in the battle was taken to the hospital.
past participle clause used as adjective for the noun "soldier"
Horrified by the news, she ran out of the room.
past participle clause used as adverb
3. As Adjectives
Past participles can also be used as adjectives to modify a noun or a pronoun. Take a look at the examples:
He was really tired.
Here, 'tired' as an adjective modifies the pronoun 'he'.
I was so bored while I waited for you.
Tip!
The past participle form of the verb "give", which is "given" can be used as a preposition. Here is an example:
Given the weather, the event will be postponed.
Review
Participles are special forms of verbs that are used as:
Verb forms
Clauses
Adjectives
Quiz:
What is the past participle form of the verb "write"?
Writed
Written
Wrote
Writing
Match the verb form ending with the correct past participle spelling rule.
Fill in the blanks with the correct past participle form of the verbs in parentheses.
He felt
(bore) during the meeting.
They were
(surprise) by the sudden announcement.
The vase
(break) during the move was not replaceable.
The documents
(lose) in the mail were never found.
He has
(study) for the exam all week.
The company has
(develop) a new software.
Sort the words to form a sentences using a past participle.
Fill in the table with the correct usage of past participle in the sentences.
| Sentence | Role of past participle |
|---|---|
I have written the report already. | |
Dressed in a suit, he looked very professional. | |
He was so excited to start the new job. | |
By next week, they will have completed the project. | |
After the long run, I felt tired. | |
Shocked by the news, she couldn’t speak. |
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