What is Past Participle? How to use Past Participle in English

When delving into grammar, it often becomes challenging to discern various elements of a sentence, especially with inconsistencies in sentence patterns and structures. Investing some time in familiarizing yourself with grammar will enhance your communication skills.

Understanding Past Participle

Past Participle, also known as the past tense form, takes the form of V-ed, with verbs typically listed in column 3 of irregular verb charts.

Utilized in the context of perfect tenses.

Perfect tenses typically depict something that has occurred in the past but still holds a connection to another point in time. In perfect tenses, the past participle is used with the presence of has, have, or had.

Present Perfect Tense [has/have + past participle]

• The renovation work remains incomplete.
• The thief responsible for the jewelry remains elusive to the detective.

Past Perfect Tense [had + past participle]

• Jessica excelled in her exam because she had dedicated the entire night to studying.
• Concerned, they brought their dog to the vet as it had abstained from eating for several days.

Future Perfect Tense [will have + past participle]

• Upon completion of this course, you will have mastered the fundamental concepts of algebra.
• Do you anticipate finishing your homework before my return home?

Conditional Perfect Tense [would have + past participle]

• If not for the unfortunate call, he would have emerged victorious in the basketball match.
• My success would have been unattainable without your assistance.

Used in passive voice sentences.

There are two forms used when speaking or writing: active and passive. In the active form, the subject performs the action, and the object receives the action.

When using the passive voice, the recipients are emphasized over the performers near the end of the sentence. The passive voice is sometimes employed to highlight the recipients of the action. In all passive forms, past participles are used with auxiliary or helping verbs.

• The girl was bitten by the dog. (the girl is the subject)


• The bill was paid by a generous stranger. (the bill is the subject)

Used as an adjective/descriptor.

Participants from the past can also be used as an adjective to describe a noun. Here are some examples:

• Be cautious as you tread upon the icy pond.

  (Exercise care while walking across the frozen pond)

Thank you all for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to leave your comments below to contribute your thoughts.