Apologize past tense

Type your word here
Try:

Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of apologize

to express regret for something that one has done wrong.

Infinitive

Word: apologize /əˈpɑləˌdʒaɪz/
Examples:
  • 1. He always apologizes when he realizes he's made a mistake.
  • 2. She never apologizes, even when she's clearly in the wrong.
  • 3. John apologizes too much, even for things that are not his fault.

Past Simple

Word: apologized /ˈæp.ə.lə.dʒaɪzd/
Examples:
  • 1. I apologized for arriving late to the meeting.
  • 2. She apologized for losing my favorite book.
  • 3. After realizing his mistake, he quickly apologized to everyone involved.

Past Participle

Word: apologized /ˈæp.ə.lə.ˌdʒaɪzd/
Examples:
  • 1. The mistake was apologized for by the team in a formal statement.
  • 2. He has apologized for the misunderstanding that occurred.
  • 3. The comment was apologized for after it was recognized as offensive.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app
cta-section-decorative-line-left
cta-section-decorative-line-left

Bare infinitive

  1. Routine or Habitual Action
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.
  2. This tense is used to describe actions that are habitual or usually happen in a routine.
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.
  3. General Truths or Facts
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.
  4. It describes actions that are generally true or are factual.
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.
  5. Scheduled Events (in the near future)
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.
  6. Sometimes used for events on a timetable or schedule.
    Example. I apologize every time I realize I'm wrong.
    Example. To apologize is to show regret for something wrong done.
    Example. He apologizes at the meeting tomorrow.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Action in the Past
    Example. She apologized for her mistake yesterday.
    Example. He first denied the accusations, then he apologized and promised not to repeat the mistake.
  2. This tense indicates actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. She apologized for her mistake yesterday.
    Example. He first denied the accusations, then he apologized and promised not to repeat the mistake.
  3. Sequence of Actions in the Past
    Example. She apologized for her mistake yesterday.
    Example. He first denied the accusations, then he apologized and promised not to repeat the mistake.
  4. It's used to describe a series of completed actions in the past.
    Example. She apologized for her mistake yesterday.
    Example. He first denied the accusations, then he apologized and promised not to repeat the mistake.

Past Participle

  1. the Past Participle This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  2. Present Perfect Tense
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  3. To describe an action that has happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  4. Past Perfect Tense
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  5. To talk about actions that were completed before another action in the past.
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  6. Future Perfect Tense
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.
  7. It describes actions that will be completed by a certain point in the future.
    Example. She has apologized for the misunderstanding.
    Example. They had apologized before leaving the conference.
    Example. By next week, he will have apologized to everyone affected.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form of 'apologize' (apologized) with its past participle form (also apologized). While both forms are spelled the same, their usage differs significantly. The past simple form is used to indicate an action that happened and was completed at a specific time in the past, e.g., 'I apologized to her yesterday.' In contrast, the past participle form is primarily used in perfect tenses and passive voice, e.g., 'I have apologized for my mistake,' or 'He was apologized to by the team.' Mistaking these usages can lead to incorrect tense constructions and misunderstandings about the action's timing or completeness.

— 02

Incorrect Past Participle

Another common error is Incorrect Past Participle of 'apologize' by adding an extra 'd' or 'ed' at the end, such as 'apologizeded' instead of the correct 'apologized.' This mistake likely arises from overgeneralizing the rule of adding 'ed' to form the past participle for regular verbs, without recognizing that 'apologize' already ends in 'ed' in its past simple and past participle forms. It's essential to remember that not all verbs follow the same pattern and to memorize those, like 'apologize,' that deviate from the norm.

— 03

Wrong Tense

A subtle yet impactful mistake involves choosing the past simple when the past participle form would more accurately convey the intended meaning, especially in perfect tenses. For example, saying 'I apologized for the errors' when the speaker means to emphasize the action's relevance or consequence in the present requires the perfect tense. 'I have apologized for the errors.' This misuse can lead to confusion about the action's implications or its temporal relationship to other events. Recognizing the nuanced differences between the past simple and past participle forms, and their appropriate contexts, is crucial for clear and accurate communication.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'apologize'?

The past simple form of 'apologize' is 'apologized.' This form is used to describe actions that happened and were completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'I apologized to her yesterday for my mistake.'

How is the past participle form of 'apologize' used?

The past participle form of 'apologize' is also 'apologized.' It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. In perfect tenses, it helps to indicate actions that have been completed at some point in the past, up to the present, or will be completed in the future. For example, in the present perfect tense. 'I have apologized for what I said.' In passive voice constructions, it might be used like this. 'An apology was apologized by the company for the inconvenience caused.'

Can you give an example of 'apologized' used in a sentence in the past perfect tense?

Yes, an example of 'apologized' in the past perfect tense would be. 'She had apologized before I had the chance to explain the situation.' This sentence indicates that her action of apologizing occurred before another past action (my chance to explain). Is there a difference in the usage of 'apologized' between American and British English