Befall past tense

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Meaning of befall

to happen or occur.

Infinitive

Word: befall /bɪˈfɔːl/
Examples:
  • 1. Accidents often befall travelers who are not careful on their journeys.
  • 2. It's hard to predict what may befall us in the future.
  • 3. Tragedies can befall anyone at any time, proving that life is unpredictable.

Past Simple

Word: befell /bɪˈfɛl/
Examples:
  • 1. A strange fate befell him as he ventured into the unknown forest, leaving the villagers puzzled.
  • 2. Misfortune befell the ancient city, leading to its inevitable ruin over centuries.
  • 3. As the prophecy had predicted, disaster befell the kingdom when the comet passed, altering its destiny forever.

Past Participle

Word: befallen /bɪˈfɔːlən/
Examples:
  • 1. A terrible fate has befallen the ancient city, leaving ruins in its wake.
  • 2. The responsibility that befell her was greater than any she had known before.
  • 3. Many changes have befallen this land, shaping it into what we see today.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Statements or Facts Use when making a generalization or stating a fact that is always true.
    Example. 'Misfortunes befall people when they least expect them.'
    Example. 'Similar incidents befall him every other week.'
  2. Habitual Actions Use when describing actions that happen regularly or habits.
    Example. 'Misfortunes befall people when they least expect them.'
    Example. 'Similar incidents befall him every other week.'
  3. Fixed Arrangements in the Near Future
    Example. Rarely used in this context for the verb 'befall,' as it typically describes events that occur without planning.
    Example. 'Misfortunes befall people when they least expect them.'
    Example. 'Similar incidents befall him every other week.'

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past Use when discussing actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
    Example. 'Tragedy befell the community last year.'
    Example. 'First, a storm hit, then darkness befell the town.'
    Example. 'Long ago, a great calamity befell the ancient civilization.'
  2. A Sequence of Actions in the Past Use when narrating events that happened one after another.
    Example. 'Tragedy befell the community last year.'
    Example. 'First, a storm hit, then darkness befell the town.'
    Example. 'Long ago, a great calamity befell the ancient civilization.'
  3. When Setting the Scene in a Story Use when starting a narrative by describing events.
    Example. 'Tragedy befell the community last year.'
    Example. 'First, a storm hit, then darkness befell the town.'
    Example. 'Long ago, a great calamity befell the ancient civilization.'

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses Present Perfect. Use to talk about actions that have happened at some time in the past and have relevance to the present moment.
    Example. 'Many troubles have befallen the expedition team.'
    Example. 'By the time help arrived, a disaster had already befallen them.'
    Example. 'A great honor was befallen upon the hero.'
    Example. 'They walked through the befallen city, observing the aftermath.'
  2. Past Perfect. Use to discuss actions that were completed before some other action or time in the past.
    Example. 'Many troubles have befallen the expedition team.'
    Example. 'By the time help arrived, a disaster had already befallen them.'
    Example. 'A great honor was befallen upon the hero.'
    Example. 'They walked through the befallen city, observing the aftermath.'
  3. Future Perfect. Use to talk about actions that will have been completed by a certain future time.
    Example. 'By the end of the month, a decision will have befallen us.'
    Example. 'Many troubles have befallen the expedition team.'
    Example. 'By the time help arrived, a disaster had already befallen them.'
    Example. 'A great honor was befallen upon the hero.'
    Example. 'They walked through the befallen city, observing the aftermath.'
  4. Passive Voice Use when the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action, though it's less common with 'befallen.'
    Example. 'Many troubles have befallen the expedition team.'
    Example. 'By the time help arrived, a disaster had already befallen them.'
    Example. 'A great honor was befallen upon the hero.'
    Example. 'They walked through the befallen city, observing the aftermath.'
  5. Adjectival Use Sometimes used in a Past Participle form to describe a noun, though not a common usage for 'befallen.'
    Example. 'Many troubles have befallen the expedition team.'
    Example. 'By the time help arrived, a disaster had already befallen them.'
    Example. 'A great honor was befallen upon the hero.'
    Example. 'They walked through the befallen city, observing the aftermath.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form 'befell' with the past participle form 'befallen.' While 'befell' is used for the simple past tense to describe something that happened in the past, 'befallen' is used as a past participle in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For example, it's incorrect to say 'It has befell me;' the correct form is 'It has befallen me.'

— 02

Incorrect ending

Another mistake is treating 'befall' as a regular verb by adding -ed to make its past forms, leading to errors like 'befalled' instead of 'befell' for the past simple, and 'befalled' instead of 'befallen' for the past participle. This error stems from not recognizing 'befall' as an irregular verb. The correct forms are 'befell' for the past simple and 'befallen' for the past participle.

— 03

Misapplication in sentence structure

Some learners incorrectly apply the past participle 'befallen' without auxiliary verbs, leading to grammatical inaccuracies. For instance, saying 'A tragedy befallen them' instead of correctly using the past participle with an auxiliary verb, as in 'A tragedy has befallen them.' This mistake overlooks the need for auxiliary verbs like 'has' or 'had' to accompany past participles in forming perfect tenses or passive constructions.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the past simple and past participle forms of 'befall'?

The past simple form of 'befall' is 'befell'. The past participle form is 'befallen'. These forms are used to describe events that happened at a specific time in the past or to describe conditions resulting from past events, respectively.

How do I use 'befell' in a sentence?

'Befell' is used to describe something (usually something bad) that happened to someone or something in the past. It is the past tense and is typically followed by the person or thing that experienced the event. For example. 'A terrible fate befell the ancient city.' In this sentence, 'befell' indicates that the terrible fate happened in the past.

How is 'befallen' correctly used in sentences?

'Befallen' is the past participle form and is often used with auxiliary verbs like 'has,' 'have,' or 'had' to form perfect tenses or to describe conditions resulting from past events. For example. 'A misfortune has befallen our village.' In this sentence, 'has befallen' indicates that the misfortune occurred in the past but its effects are relevant to the present situation.

Can you give an example of a sentence using both the past simple and past participle forms of 'befall'?

Yes. An example that uses both forms to illustrate different aspects of an event could be. 'A great calamity befell our ancestors, the effects of which have befallen us as well.' In this sentence, 'befell' is used to indicate the original occurrence of the calamity in the past, while 'have befallen' shows the ongoing impact or result of that original event on the present.