Break past tense

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Meaning of break

to cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently; smash.

Infinitive

Word: break /breɪk/
Examples:
  • 1. Every time I use it, this machine easily breaks.
  • 2. She always breaks her promises, no matter how small they are.
  • 3. If you apply too much pressure, the thin ice breaks instantly.

Past Simple

Word: broke /broʊk/
Examples:
  • 1. They broke the world record for the longest dance marathon.
  • 2. He broke his arm during the football game, requiring immediate medical attention.
  • 3. The news of the celebrity couple's split broke on social media, spreading rapidly among fans.

Past Participle

Word: broken /ˈbroʊkən/
Examples:
  • 1. The window had been broken by a stray ball.
  • 2. The code was finally broken after hours of effort.
  • 3. The news had been broken gently to her by a close friend.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To express habitual actions. Use the present simple form 'break' when talking about actions that happen regularly or are habits.
    Example. 'I always break my pencils when I'm nervous.'
    Example. 'Weak branches break easily in strong winds.'
    Example. 'The conference breaks for lunch at noon.'
  2. General truths or facts. When discussing something that is generally true or a fact.
    Example. 'I always break my pencils when I'm nervous.'
    Example. 'Weak branches break easily in strong winds.'
    Example. 'The conference breaks for lunch at noon.'
  3. Scheduled events in the near future (especially in formal contexts like timetables or programs).
    Example. 'I always break my pencils when I'm nervous.'
    Example. 'Weak branches break easily in strong winds.'
    Example. 'The conference breaks for lunch at noon.'

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past. Use the past simple form 'broke' when talking about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. 'He broke his leg while skiing last winter.'
    Example. 'When I was a kid, I frequently broke glasses.'
    Example. 'She broke the silence before dawn, whispering about her departure.'
  2. Past habits or states (often used with expressions like 'used to' for states).
    Example. 'He broke his leg while skiing last winter.'
    Example. 'When I was a kid, I frequently broke glasses.'
    Example. 'She broke the silence before dawn, whispering about her departure.'
  3. Narrative form. In storytelling, to describe actions that happened in the sequence of events.
    Example. 'He broke his leg while skiing last winter.'
    Example. 'When I was a kid, I frequently broke glasses.'
    Example. 'She broke the silence before dawn, whispering about her departure.'

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses.
    Example. 'I have never broken a bone.'
    Example. 'By the time we arrived, they had already broken the door.'
    Example. 'The window was broken by the storm last night.'
    Example. 'Be careful with that chair; it's broken.'
  2. Present Perfect. For actions in the past that have relevance to the present.
    Example. 'I have never broken a bone.'
    Example. 'By the time we arrived, they had already broken the door.'
    Example. 'The window was broken by the storm last night.'
    Example. 'Be careful with that chair; it's broken.'
  3. Past Perfect. For actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. 'I have never broken a bone.'
    Example. 'By the time we arrived, they had already broken the door.'
    Example. 'The window was broken by the storm last night.'
    Example. 'Be careful with that chair; it's broken.'
  4. Passive voice. When the focus is on the action rather than who performed it.
    Example. 'I have never broken a bone.'
    Example. 'By the time we arrived, they had already broken the door.'
    Example. 'The window was broken by the storm last night.'
    Example. 'Be careful with that chair; it's broken.'
  5. Adjectival use. Sometimes, the past participle form is used as an adjective to describe a state.
    Example. 'I have never broken a bone.'
    Example. 'By the time we arrived, they had already broken the door.'
    Example. 'The window was broken by the storm last night.'
    Example. 'Be careful with that chair; it's broken.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Irregular Verbs

One of the most common mistakes involves mixing up the past simple and past participle forms of irregular verbs. Unlike regular verbs, which simply add -ed for both forms (e.g., 'walked'), irregular verbs can have entirely different forms. For example, the verb 'break' has the past simple form 'broke' and the past participle 'broken.' A frequent error is using the past simple form when the past participle is needed (and vice versa), such as saying 'I have broke the glass' instead of the correct 'I have broken the glass.'

— 02

Using Regular Verb Patterns

Another mistake is Wrong Patterns. This happens when learners, either out of habit or uncertainty, add -ed to an irregular verb, treating it as if it were regular. For instance, someone might incorrectly say 'breaked' instead of 'broke' for the past simple or 'broken' for the past participle. This error not only distorts the verb's correct form but can also confuse listeners or readers about the intended meaning.

— 03

Omitting the Auxiliaries

In perfect tenses, the past participle form is used with an auxiliary verb, such as 'has' or 'had.' A common error is omitting the auxiliary verb, which leads to incorrect sentence structures. For example, saying 'I broken the vase' instead of the correct 'I have broken the vase.' This mistake disrupts the grammatical integrity of the sentence, making it challenging for the audience to grasp the intended time frame and aspect of the action.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'break' is 'broke.' This form is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'I broke my phone yesterday.' The past participle form of 'break' is 'broken.' This form is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For example, in the sentence 'My phone has been broken since last week,' 'broken' is used with 'has been' to form the present perfect tense in the passive voice.

How do I use 'broke' and 'broken' in a sentence?

Using 'broke'. In the past simple tense. 'She broke the glass when she was washing dishes.' As a past action without specifying the time. 'I just realized I broke my pencil.' Using 'broken'. In the present perfect tense. 'He has broken his promise.' In the past perfect tense. 'By the time they arrived, the machine had already been broken.' In the passive voice. 'The window was broken during the storm.'

Can 'broken' be used without auxiliary verbs?

Typically, 'broken' is used with auxiliary verbs to form various tenses or the passive voice. However, 'broken' can also function as an adjective without auxiliary verbs to describe the state of something. For example, 'The chair is broken,' or 'After the news, they were heartbroken.' Is there a difference in meaning when using 'broke' vs. 'broken'