Find out all about what past participle verbs are and how to use them with our lesson, complete with examples in easy way.
What is the past participle?
Past Participle is the form of a verb, typically ending in -ed or -t to the base form of a regular verb, which is used in forming perfect and passive tenses and sometimes as an adjective.
In English grammar, the past participle refers to an action that was started and completed entirely in the past.
How to use past participle?
The past participle of a verb is one of two past forms. As an English student, you’ve probably studied some irregular verbs or regular verbs:
| Regular | past participles | Irregular | past participles |
|---|---|---|---|
| move | moved | be | been |
| close | closed | choose | chosen |
| walk | walked | catch | caught |
| scoop | scooped | run | run |
| strut | strutted | get | gotten |
In addition to the perfect aspect (or perfect tense), the past participle can be used in a passive voice or as an adjective.
Past participle in perfect tenses
The past participle is used in the perfect tenses that are preceded by (have, has, had):
- Present Perfect: I have seen it.
- Past Perfect: I had seen it.
- Future Perfect: I will have seen it.
Past participle in passive voices
The past participle is used in the passive form that precedes it (am, is, are, was, were, been, be):
- The door was closed.
- The letters were sent.
- The shoes have been repaired.
Past participle in adjectives
It is also possible to use past participles on their own as adjectives. In this case, the past participle becomes a word that describes a noun (a person or an object).
Here are some examples of past participles used as adjectives:
- I am pleased to write you this site.
- My window is broken.
- I was really bored.
References