She says. She knows. We know.
She said so. She knows it. We know her.
The past tense is often a problem. But it has simple solutions.
A friend on Facebook asked whether to use span out of control or spun.
My first reaction is definitely span, past definitive action. It span once yesterday.
Past Participles - have and had
Spun is the past participle, and passive. What is a past participle? A participle is a part of a verb which has two words, usually has or had as the first word to indicate previous to another past event. For example,
Past Participles - have and had
Spun is the past participle, and passive. What is a past participle? A participle is a part of a verb which has two words, usually has or had as the first word to indicate previous to another past event. For example,
I did it yesterday. I had done it the day before, in fact I had done it every day of my life.
Therefore, I would say, I span it yesterday but it had spun the day before yesterday and prior to that it had been spun for years.
Therefore, I would say, I span it yesterday but it had spun the day before yesterday and prior to that it had been spun for years.
He had spun it around, and it had been spun by several people.
Many verbs don't have a past participle. But the verb to do has this distinction, because you often need to know when an action had been done (wow - three words for that tense).
Many verbs don't have a past participle. But the verb to do has this distinction, because you often need to know when an action had been done (wow - three words for that tense).
I do.
I did
I had done
CHECKING DICTIONARIES
However, I could be wrong. However sure you are, still check three classic references. I haven't time to check, but any big dictionary such as the Oxford Dictionary, one of the larger versions.
When I was a sub-editor we checked three dictionaries and usually then picked our house style dictionary. If still not sure - we sub-editors all held adamant views, we picked the majority of the sources, that is if two out of three dictionaries gave one answer, we took that as the most popular.
When I was a sub-editor we checked three dictionaries and usually then picked our house style dictionary. If still not sure - we sub-editors all held adamant views, we picked the majority of the sources, that is if two out of three dictionaries gave one answer, we took that as the most popular.
Alternatively, check a dictionary of English grammar, or a German-English and English-German dictionary with a list of past participles will show you lists of all the verbs.
Nowadays you should be able to get major dictionaries on line. American Webster simplified spelling and grammar to speed things up and make them easy for immigrants.
Nowadays you should be able to get major dictionaries on line. American Webster simplified spelling and grammar to speed things up and make them easy for immigrants.
WEBSTER'S House
If in the USA visit Webster's house.
Angela Lansbury, former sub-editor and teacher of English O level and A level and EFL, travel writer.
