Bare past tense
Meaning of bare
to uncover and expose to view.
Infinitive
- 1. The walls in her apartment are completely bare; she prefers a minimalist style.
- 2. He prefers to walk barefoot on the beach to feel the sand between his toes.
- 3. The shelves in the store are bare, indicating they haven't restocked recently.
Past Simple
- 1. She bared her feelings to me last night, revealing truths I had never known.
- 2. The artist bared his soul through his latest masterpiece, captivating the audience.
- 3. He quickly bared his teeth in a defensive gesture when confronted by the stray dog.
Past Participle
- 1. The trees had been completely bared by the fierce storm.
- 2. The room was bared of all furniture before the renovation began.
- 3. Each secret was bared during the intense interrogation session.
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Bare infinitive
- To describe habitual actions or routines involving uncovering or exposing something to view.Example. She bares her soul when she writes music.Example. This artist bares the complexities of human nature through his sculptures.Example. To feel the grass under your feet, bare your soles.
- To state facts or general truths about the act of uncovering or exposing.Example. She bares her soul when she writes music.Example. This artist bares the complexities of human nature through his sculptures.Example. To feel the grass under your feet, bare your soles.
- To give instructions or advice related to the process of revealing or uncovering.Example. She bares her soul when she writes music.Example. This artist bares the complexities of human nature through his sculptures.Example. To feel the grass under your feet, bare your soles.
Past Simple
- To talk about a specific instance in the past when something was uncovered or exposed to view.Example. He bared his teeth in a snarl during the confrontation.Example. The storm bared the roots of the old tree, revealing them to the sky.Example. In her early works, she rarely bared her true feelings.
- To describe a series of actions in the past involving the uncovering or exposing of something.Example. He bared his teeth in a snarl during the confrontation.Example. The storm bared the roots of the old tree, revealing them to the sky.Example. In her early works, she rarely bared her true feelings.
- To express a past habit or state involving revealing or uncovering that is no longer current.Example. He bared his teeth in a snarl during the confrontation.Example. The storm bared the roots of the old tree, revealing them to the sky.Example. In her early works, she rarely bared her true feelings.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of uncovering or exposing to view that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.Example. The secrets were bared to all, leaving no room for doubt.
- Example (Present Perfect). She has bared her thoughts in her latest book more than ever before.Example. The secrets were bared to all, leaving no room for doubt.
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time the interview was published, he had already bared his future plans.Example. The secrets were bared to all, leaving no room for doubt.
- Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something that was uncovered or exposed, rather than who did the uncovering.Example. The secrets were bared to all, leaving no room for doubt.
Common mistakes
— 01
Confusing Forms
A common mistake is using 'bare' instead of its correct past simple and past participle forms. The verb 'to bear' (meaning to carry or to endure) has 'bore' as its past simple form and 'borne' as its past participle. For example, it's incorrect to say 'I bare the weight on my shoulders'; it should be 'I bore the weight on my shoulders.' Similarly, 'The idea was barely conceived' should be 'The idea was borne out of necessity.'
— 02
Incorrectly Using 'Bare'
Another mistake involves using 'bare' in passive voice constructions that require the past participle. For instance, saying 'The responsibility was bared by him' is incorrect; the correct form is 'The responsibility was borne by him.' This mistake stems from not recognizing 'bare' as an adjective or a verb meaning to uncover, which is unrelated to 'bear' in the context of carrying or enduring.
— 03
Mistaking 'Bare' for 'Bore'
In storytelling or when describing past events, some might mistakenly use 'bare' instead of 'bore' when they mean to use the verb 'to bear' in the past tense. For example, 'She bare her soul to him' is incorrect; the correct sentence is 'She bore her soul to him.' This mistake disrupts the intended temporal narrative by confusing the verb forms.
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