Brake past tense

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Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of brake

to slow down or stop by using a brake.

Infinitive

Word: break /breɪk/
Examples:
  • 1. Every morning, she checks if her bike's brake works properly before heading out.
  • 2. The brake on my car needs adjustment because it doesn't respond as quickly as it should.
  • 3. If the brake is not applied on time, it can lead to serious accidents.

Past Simple

Word: broke /broʊk/
Examples:
  • 1. He broke hard at the stop sign to avoid running it.
  • 2. She broke suddenly when a dog ran into the street.
  • 3. They broke too late and ended up bumping into the car in front of them.

Past Participle

Word: braked /breɪkt/
Examples:
  • 1. The car was braked hard to avoid the collision.
  • 2. The brakes have been checked and repaired by the mechanic.
  • 3. By the time they noticed the obstacle, the bike had already been braked to a stop.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe a habitual action or routine.
    Example. I always brake gently at stop signs.
  2. For general statements or truths.
    Example. Cars brake more efficiently with ABS.
  3. To give instructions or directions.
    Example. To stop your bicycle, simply brake slowly.

Past Simple

  1. To describe an action that was completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He braked suddenly to avoid hitting the dog.
  2. To mention a past habit.
    Example. She always braked hard at that corner.
  3. For sequences of actions in the past.
    Example. She braked, swerved, and then regained control of her bike.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses to refer to actions that were completed before another time or action. Used with 'have'/'has' for present perfect and 'had' for past perfect. Example (Present Perfect). He has already braked to stop the car. Example (Past Perfect). They had braked before the light turned red.
  2. Passive voice to describe an action done to the subject, usually with a form of 'be.'
    Example. The emergency maneuver was braked too late by the driver.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing with 'brake'

A common mistake is Confusing Forms of 'break' with the noun 'brake,' which refers to a device used to slow or stop a vehicle. The past simple form of 'break' is 'broke,' and the past participle form is 'broken.' For example, it's incorrect to say, 'I brake the glass,' when it should be, 'I broke the glass.' Similarly, saying 'The glass has brake' is incorrect, whereas 'The glass has broken' is correct. This mistake stems from mishearing or misunderstanding the differences in pronunciation and usage between 'break' (and its forms) and 'brake.'

— 02

Misusing 'broken'

Another common error is using 'broken' instead of 'broke' when referring to the past simple tense. For instance, saying 'I broken the vase yesterday' is incorrect; the correct form is 'I broke the vase yesterday.' The error occurs because some learners of English might not fully grasp the difference between past simple (used for completed actions in the past) and past participle (used in perfect tenses and passive voice), leading to confusion and incorrect usage.

— 03

Incorrectly using 'broke'

A frequent mistake involves using 'broke' instead of 'broken' in perfect tenses. For example, saying 'I have broke my watch' is incorrect, while the correct form is 'I have broken my watch.' This mistake can happen when speakers are unaware of or forget the rule that perfect tenses require the past participle form of a verb, not the past simple form. Remembering the distinction between 'broke' (past simple) and 'broken' (past participle) can help avoid this error.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'brake'?

The past simple form of 'brake' is 'braked.' It is used to describe an action that happened and was completed at a specific time in the past. For example, 'She braked suddenly to avoid hitting the dog.'

What is the past participle form of 'brake'?

The past participle form of 'brake' is also 'braked.' This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For instance, in the sentence 'The car had braked by the time it reached the stop sign,' 'braked' is used as a past participle in the past perfect tense.

How do I use 'braked' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'braked' correctly, determine if you are describing an action in the past simple tense or if you need the past participle form for perfect tenses or passive voice. For past simple. 'He braked at the red light.' For a perfect tense or passive voice. 'The car has braked at every stop sign so far.'

Can 'braked' be used for both regular and irregular verbs?

'Brake' is considered a regular verb because it follows the standard pattern of adding -ed to form both its past simple and past participle forms ('braked'). Unlike irregular verbs, which can have unique past simple and past participle forms, 'brake' maintains consistency, making it easier to remember and use correctly.