Past participle
/pæst ˈpɑːrtɪsɪpl/
B2
Definition
A past participle is a form of a verb that usually ends with -ed, -d, -t, -en, or -n in English. It is used with helping verbs like "have" or "be" to show actions that are finished or to describe something done to the subject. For example, "eaten" in "She has eaten" or "broken" in "The window was broken."
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See It in Action
Verb form used to make perfect tenses (have + past participle)
- •She has finished her homework.
- •They have gone to the store.
- •I had seen that movie before.
Verb form used in passive voice (be + past participle)
- •The cake was baked by my mother.
- •The door is locked.
- •The letters were sent yesterday.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "past participle" like the word "finished" (A1 word), but it is a form of a verb that helps say something is done or happened before now.
- ✓Picture a box with a label "done" on it, showing the action inside is completed.
- ✓It's the feeling when you say "I have already eaten," meaning the eating is finished.
- ✓Sounds like "past PAR-ti-ci-ple" → imagine a party where all the actions are done and people are talking about what happened.
- ✓Think of stories where you say "He has broken the vase" — the action is complete, and the past participle "broken" shows this.
- ✓NOT like the simple past tense "broke" which stands alone; past participle needs helping verbs like "have" or "was."
- ✓NOT like the present participle ending in -ing ("breaking"), which shows ongoing action.
- ✓NOT just a past action but a verb form that connects with other verbs to show time or voice.
Try Other Words
- •Past form: the simple past tense of a verb (Use when talking about actions that happened before, but not for perfect tenses or passive voice)
- •Perfect form: verb form used with "have" to show completed action (Use when focusing on completed actions in grammar)
- •Passive form: verb form used with "be" to show something is done to the subject (Use when focusing on passive voice)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "past" (time before now) + "participle" (a special verb form)
- •Etymology: From Latin "participium," meaning "sharing" or "part of" (a verb that shares qualities of verbs and adjectives)
- •Historical development: Used in grammar since Latin times to describe verb forms that act like both verbs and adjectives
- •Modern usage: In English, past participles help make perfect tenses and passive voice, important for expressing time and action clearly
Reflect & Connect
•How does using the past participle help you talk about things that happened before now?
•Can you find sentences in your language that use a form like the past participle to show completed actions or passive voice?
Fill in the blanks
1.The past participle is used with "have" to show ___ actions that are finished before now.
2.In the sentence "The book was ___ by the author," the past participle shows the action was done to the book.
3.Unlike the simple past tense, the past participle often needs a ___ verb like "have" or "be" to make sense.
4.When you say "She has ___ the letter," the past participle tells us the letter is already sent.
5.The past participle form can end with ___, -ed, or -en, depending on the verb.
6.In perfect tenses, the past participle helps show the ___ of an action, not just when it happened.
7.You can recognize a past participle because it often describes something that is ___ or completed.