What Are Past Participles?
What Are Past Participles?
Past participles are formed from verbs. Past participles (just like present participles) can be used as adjectives or used to form verb tenses.Let's look at the verb to whisper:
Here's the past participle: whispered
There are two types of participles:
- Here it is used as an adjective: The whispered word
- Here it is used to form a verb tense: The message was whispered.
- The Past Participle (Past participles usually end with -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n.)
- The Present Participle (Present participles end with -ing.)
Examples of Past Participles Being Used As Adjectives
Here are some examples of past participles being used as adjectives:The Verb | The Past Participle |
---|---|
To swell | swollen eyes |
To break | broken plate |
To ruin | ruined cake |
Past Participles in Participle Phrases
Past participles can often be found in participle phrases. A participle phrase acts like an adjective. In the examples below, the participle phrases are shaded and the past participles are in bold:- The boy taken to hospital has recovered. (The participle phrase taken to hospital describes the boy.)
- I have a heart wracked with sorrow. (The participle phrase wracked with sorrow describes a heart.)
- Battered by the wind, John fell to his knees. (The participle phrase "Battered by the wind describes john.)
- Finally broken , Lee lowered his gloves. (The participle phrase Finally broken describes Lee.)
More Examples of Past Participles Used as Adjectives
Here are some examples of past participles (shaded) being used as adjectives:- Here is a laminated copy to replace your torn one.
- Stuffed deer heads on walls are bad enough, but it's worse when they have streamers in their antlers because then you know they were enjoying themselves when they were shot. (Ellen DeGeneres)
- A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words bruise the heart of a child. (Henry Longfellow)
- Scandal is gossip made tedious by morality. (Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900)
- The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on. (Joseph Heller, 1923- 1999)
Past Participles Used in Verb Tenses
As well as being used as adjectives, past participles are also used to form verb tenses. Here are the verb tenses (past participles shaded):The 4 Past Tenses | Example |
---|---|
simple past tense | I broke |
past progressive tense | I was breaking |
past perfect tense | I had broken |
past perfect progressive tense | I had been breaking |
The 4 Present Tenses | Example |
simple present tense | I break |
present progressive tense | I am breaking |
present perfect tense | I have broken |
present perfect progressive tense | I have been breaking |
The 4 Future Tenses | Example |
simple future tense | I will break |
future progressive tense | I will be breaking |
future perfect tense | I will have broken |
future perfect progressive tense | I will have been breaking |
Click on the past participles:
Forming the Past Participle (Regular Verbs)
If it's a regular verb, the past participle is the same as the simple past tense. In other words, it is formed like this:Add "ed" to most verbs:
- jump > jumped
- paint > painted
If a verb of one syllable ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the final consonant and add "ed":
- chat > chatted
- stop > stopped
If the final consonant is w, x or y, don't double it:
- sew > sewed
- play > played
- fix > fixed
If last syllable of a longer verb is stressed and ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], double the last consonant and add "ed":
- incur > incurred
- prefer > preferred
If the first syllable of a longer verb is stressed and the verb ends [consonant-vowel-consonant], just add "ed":
- open > opened
- enter > entered
- swallow > swallowed
If the verb ends "e", just add "d":
- thrive > thrived
- guzzle > guzzled
If the verb ends [consonant + "y"], change the "y" to an "i" and add "ed":
- cry > cried
- fry > fried
Forming the Past Participle (Irregular Verbs)
If it's an irregular verb, the past participle is formed in all sorts of different ways. Here are some examples:- arise > arisen
- catch > caught
- choose > chosen
- know > known
You just have to learn them.
Click here for a list of the most common irregular verbs.
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