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What is Past Participle? When to Use + Example Sentence

Updated: Sep 23


1. What is the difference between Past tense & Past Participle?


Let's look at the verb 'play' in the present, past simple & past participle form:

present past simple past participle

e.g. play > played > played


Note: (Difference between past participle vs present participle):

Form - present participle = verb + -ing, e.g. play >> playing



2. What is Past Participle & When to Use?

i. Past participle form = regular verb + -ed

e.g. work > worked


ii. We use the auxiliary verb e.g. 'be', 'have' + (Past Participle) to form:

a) Perfect tenses ( Present Perfect, Past Perfect)

b) Passive form / voice (Present Passive, Past Passive)


Below are 10 example sentences of the Past Participle:


i) Perfect tense: has / had + (past participle)

Jeff has played golf before.
has + past participle = Present Perfect Simple

1. Jeff has played golf before.

2. Have you ever been to the US?

3. They have arrived at the airport.

4. Has Daisy spoken to you about the new product yet?

5. He had given the book to his daughter.






ii) Passive form - am/is/are, was/were + (past participle)

Coffee is served fresh at our canteen daily.
is + past participle = Present Simple Passive

1. Coffee is served fresh at our canteen daily.


2. Our coffee is made from 100% beans.


3. The injured pupil was seen by a doctor.


4. The rock concert was attended by more than 10,000 fans.


5. Breakfast at our cafeteria is usually prepared by the chef.



3. How to make verb into the Past Participle form?


- Past Participle Word List


*Note the different spelling rules / changes for:

i. regular verb

ii. irregular verbs



i) REGULAR VERBS

- We form the Past Participles by adding -ed to the base verb.


Present Past Simple Past Participle

splash > splashed > splashed

work > worked > worked

clean > cleaned > cleaned

cook > cooked > cooked

wash > washed > washed


a) Words with last letter 'e': we add 'd':

Present Past Simple Past Participle

rinse > rinsed > rinsed

calculate > calculated > calculated

close > closed > closed

arrange > arranged > arranged

change > changed > changed



b) Words with last letters are *consonant-vowel-consonant:

i. double the last consonant e.g. 'p'

ii. add 'ed'


Present Past Simple Past Participle

clip > clipped > clipped

mop > mopped > mopped

top > topped > topped

crop > cropped > cropped

plan > planned > planned


Note!

*Letters of the Alphabet - a to z

- vowel = a, e, i, o, u

- consonant = b, c, d, f, g, h, etc..



c) Words with last letters are *consonant + 'y':


i. remove '-y'

ii. add '-ied'


Word Example:


Present Past Simple Past Participle

dry > dried > dried

try > tried > tried

cry > cried > cried

fry > fried > fried

pry > pried > pried


Note!

Look out for the irregular Past Participles as they look very different from the base form.



ii) IRREGULAR VERBS


Present Past Simple Past Participle

(be)

is,am,are > was, were > been

break > broke > broken

drink > drank > drunk

leave > left > left

eat > ate > eaten

take > took > taken

go > went > gone

make > made > made

write > wrote > written

do > did > done

put > put > put

fly > flew > flown

know > knew > known

catch > caught > caught

swim > swam > swum



4. What are the Uses of Past Participles? How do we use it?


i) We use the *Auxiliary Verb + Past Participle to make Perfect tenses:

e.g.


1. Present Perfect Simple

2. Past Perfect Simple

3. Future Perfect Simple

Note!

*Auxiliary verb e.g. have, be


She hasn't been to the US before.
has not + past participle

a. Present Perfect Simple

- have + (past participle)


1. I have already booked the tickets.

2. She has not been to the US before.

3. What have you done?

4. They have not arrived at the station yet.

5. Has he asked her out before?


Go to >>



Note!

Compare : (Past Simple tense)

e.g. I booked the tickets




b. Past Perfect Simple

- had + (past participle)


1. The flight had departed when he finally reached the airport.

2. Naomi looked so happy. Her boyfriend had proposed to her earlier that evening.

3. I was so hungry. I had skipped lunch that day.

4. When Robert came home at midnight, his wife had already left.

5. There were no eggs in the fridge, he had forgotten to buy them.



Sue will have become a grandma by that time.
will + have + past participle

Future Perfect Simple

- shall / will + have + (past participle)


1. We will have finished this project by next week.

2. The next time we meet, Anna will have moved to Bangkok.

3. Hurry! The train will have left by the time we reach the station.

4. Sue will have become a grandma by that time.

5. This time next year, Sam will have graduated university.


Go to




ii) We use the *Auxiliary Verb + (Past Participle) to make Passive form/voice

e.g.


Present Simple (Passive)

Present Continuous (Passive)


Past Simple (Passive)

Past Continuous (Passive)


Present Perfect (Passive)

Past Perfect (Passive)


Future Simple (Passive)

Future Perfect (Passive)


1. Present Simple (Passive)

- am, is, are + (past participle)


1. Many kinds of vegetables are imported from Malaysia.

2. Our goldfish is fed daily.

3. The rubbish bins are emptied by the cleaning lady every morning.

4. Thrift shops in that area are visited by many tourists.

5. This popular movie is seen by many people.




2. Present Continuous (Passive)

- is, am, are + being + (past participle)


1. Lessons are being taught by volunteers.

2. The walking tour is being conducted by a school teacher.

3. Many new flats are being built in the suburbs.

4. Action is being taken by the police.

5. The laundry is being hung out to dry.




3. Past Simple (Passive)

- was, were + (past participle)


1. The injured student was taken to hospital.

2. Her bags were stolen at the airport.

3. The novel "Emma" was written by Jane Austen in 1815.

4. The song "Hey Jude" was sung by the Beatles.

5. Were those pastries baked by your mum?






The house was being watched by the police.
was + being + watched = Past Continuous Passive



4. Past Continuous (Passive)

was/were + being + verb(past participle)








1. The fire victims were being taken to hospital.

2. The house was being watched by the police.

3. Martha was being cared for by the babysitter while I was at the salon.

4. Avocados were being blended with dates to make a smoothie.

5. People were being told to stay indoors during lockdown.



Go to >> Past Continuous (Passive) - How to Use + Example Sentence



5. Present Perfect (Passive)

- has / have + been + (past participle)


1. It's ok. The housework has been done by my mum.

2. Has the broken gate been fixed yet?

3. The lunch boxes haven't been delivered.

4. Have all the kitchen appliances been turned off?

5. All plans have been put on hold due to the bad weather.


Go to >> Present Perfect (Passive) - How to Use + Example Sentence



6. Past Perfect (Passive)

- had + been + (past participle)


1. Brian couldn't open the door. It had been locked from inside.

2. Her mum realised that the laundry had not been done.

3. It was a quiet night. The children had been put to bed.

4. We were so relieved that train service hadn't been cancelled.

5. It was time to eat but dinner hadn't been made yet.

Go to >> Past Perfect (Passive) - How to Use + Example Sentence



7. Future Simple (Passive)

- shall / will + be + (past participle)


1. Those old books will be collected tomorrow afternoon.

2. This painting will be completed by the end of next month.

3. Our office will be renovated before December.

4. All my plants in the garden will be watered soon.

5. Dad's luggage will be packed later.




8. Future Perfect (Passive)

- shall / will + have + been + (past participle)


1. Many new houses will have been built by 2030.

2. You will have been married to Fumi by then.

3. Will those boxes have been picked up by the company after lunchtime next Friday?

4. All the banners will have been removed by tomorrow.

5. The cake will have been baked on Pip's birthday.


Go to >> Future Perfect (Passive) - How to Use + Example Sentence




Thank you so much for reading. Have Questions? Contact us.


Happy learning!


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