Breed past tense
Meaning of breed
to produce offspring through reproduction.
Infinitive
- 1. Rabbits breed very quickly, often overwhelming their environment.
- 2. Farmers breed cattle to produce the best meat and milk.
- 3. Certain fish species breed only in fresh water.
Past Simple
- 1. They bred several types of roses in their garden last summer.
- 2. The farmer bred his best horses to produce a stronger racehorse.
- 3. The zoo successfully bred a pair of endangered tigers two years ago.
Past Participle
- 1. The new species was bred in the laboratory by genetic engineers.
- 2. Many varieties of dogs have been bred for specific characteristics over centuries.
- 3. The rare plants were successfully bred in a controlled environment by the botanists.
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Bare infinitive
- To describe habits, general truths, repeated actions, and fixed arrangements.Example. She breeds exotic birds in her backyard.Example. To breed healthy plants, you need to ensure they get enough sunlight.
- For giving instructions or directions.Example. She breeds exotic birds in her backyard.Example. To breed healthy plants, you need to ensure they get enough sunlight.
Past Simple
- To talk about completed actions at some point in the past.Example. They bred a new species of rose last year.Example. She bred several champions before retiring.Example. He bred dogs when he lived on the farm.
- To describe a series of completed actions in the past.Example. They bred a new species of rose last year.Example. She bred several champions before retiring.Example. He bred dogs when he lived on the farm.
- To express habits in the past.Example. They bred a new species of rose last year.Example. She bred several champions before retiring.Example. He bred dogs when he lived on the farm.
Past Participle
- To form the perfect aspect, indicating a completed action or condition that has consequences in the present or future.Example. They have bred over fifty types of tomatoes in their greenhouse.Example. A new strain of wheat was bred to resist pests. To serve as an adjective describing a state resulting from an action.Example. The bred animals are healthier than those found in the wild.
- To create passive voice, indicating the subject is acted upon.Example. They have bred over fifty types of tomatoes in their greenhouse.Example. A new strain of wheat was bred to resist pests. To serve as an adjective describing a state resulting from an action.Example. The bred animals are healthier than those found in the wild.
Common mistakes
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Confusing forms
One of the most common mistakes when using the verb 'breed' is confusing its past simple form, 'bred,' with its past participle form, which is also 'bred.' This confusion can affect the construction of perfect tenses. For example, a correct sentence in the present perfect tense should be, 'They have bred several champions,' not 'They have breed several champions.' Understanding that both the past simple and past participle forms of 'breed' are 'bred' helps in correctly constructing sentences in various tenses.
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Incorrect Use in Passive Voice
Another mistake involves using the incorrect form of 'breed' in passive voice constructions. Because 'bred' serves as both the past simple and past participle form, it's crucial to use it correctly in passive sentences. A common error might be saying, 'The dogs was breed for agility,' instead of the correct form, 'The dogs were bred for agility.' Recognizing that 'bred' is the form needed for passive voice ensures grammatical accuracy in sentences describing how something was produced or raised.
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Misapplication in Conditional
Lastly, a mistake can occur when 'breed' is incorrectly used in conditional sentences, especially in the third conditional, which deals with past hypothetical situations. The mistake often lies in not using the correct form, 'had bred,' for these hypotheticals. For instance, saying, 'If they would breed the species, they could save it,' instead of the grammatically correct, 'If they had bred the species, they could have saved it,' demonstrates this error.
Past tense quiz
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