Calm past tense

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Meaning of calm

make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe.

Infinitive

Word: calm /kɑːm/
Examples:
  • 1. She always remains calm under pressure, demonstrating incredible composure.
  • 2. The sea is calm today, perfect for a boat trip.
  • 3. He speaks in a calm and soothing voice, which helps to ease my worries.

Past Simple

Word: calmed /kɑːmd/
Examples:
  • 1. The storm finally calmed, and the sea became smooth again.
  • 2. She calmed her nerves before the presentation with a few deep breaths.
  • 3. After the argument, they calmed down and discussed the issue rationally.

Past Participle

Word: calmed /kɑːmd/
Examples:
  • 1. The situation was calmed by the quick response of the emergency services.
  • 2. The turbulent seas had been calmed by the break of dawn.
  • 3. The children were calmed by the gentle story told by their grandmother.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual actions or routines.
    Example. He calms his mind with meditation every morning.
    Example. Meditation calms the mind.
    Example. Her voice is calm and soothing.
    Example. The therapy session calms at 10 AM sharp every Tuesday.
  2. General truths or facts.
    Example. He calms his mind with meditation every morning.
    Example. Meditation calms the mind.
    Example. Her voice is calm and soothing.
    Example. The therapy session calms at 10 AM sharp every Tuesday.
  3. Descriptions or characteristics.
    Example. He calms his mind with meditation every morning.
    Example. Meditation calms the mind.
    Example. Her voice is calm and soothing.
    Example. The therapy session calms at 10 AM sharp every Tuesday.
  4. Scheduled events in the near future (often related to public transportation, timetables).
    Example. He calms his mind with meditation every morning.
    Example. Meditation calms the mind.
    Example. Her voice is calm and soothing.
    Example. The therapy session calms at 10 AM sharp every Tuesday.

Past Simple

  1. Actions completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. She calmed the crying baby last night.
    Example. He calmed the dog, fed it, and then went to bed.
    Example. When I was a child, listening to music calmed me before sleep.
    Example. In ancient times, people believed music calmed the gods.
  2. A series of completed actions in the past.
    Example. She calmed the crying baby last night.
    Example. He calmed the dog, fed it, and then went to bed.
    Example. When I was a child, listening to music calmed me before sleep.
    Example. In ancient times, people believed music calmed the gods.
  3. Habits in the past.
    Example. She calmed the crying baby last night.
    Example. He calmed the dog, fed it, and then went to bed.
    Example. When I was a child, listening to music calmed me before sleep.
    Example. In ancient times, people believed music calmed the gods.
  4. Past facts or generalizations which are no longer true.
    Example. She calmed the crying baby last night.
    Example. He calmed the dog, fed it, and then went to bed.
    Example. When I was a child, listening to music calmed me before sleep.
    Example. In ancient times, people believed music calmed the gods.

Past Participle

  1. Present Perfect tense, action at an unspecified time before now.
    Example. She has calmed many anxious patients.
    Example. By the time we arrived, the teacher had already calmed the class. Passive voice, emphasizing the action rather than the subject.
    Example. The angry mob was calmed by the mayor’s speech.
  2. Past Perfect tense, action before another action in the past.
    Example. She has calmed many anxious patients.
    Example. By the time we arrived, the teacher had already calmed the class. Passive voice, emphasizing the action rather than the subject.
    Example. The angry mob was calmed by the mayor’s speech.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Verb Form Usage

A common mistake with the word 'calm' is treating it as an irregular verb and using incorrect past simple and past participle forms. The correct past simple and past participle form of 'calm' is 'calmed' for both. However, learners might mistakenly believe it follows an irregular pattern and say 'calm' or 'calmen' instead of 'calmed' for its past forms.

— 02

Misapplication in Perfect Tenses

Another mistake involves using the wrong form of 'calm' in perfect tenses. Since 'calm' is a regular verb, its past participle should be 'calmed,' as in 'have calmed' or 'had calmed.' Errors occur when learners use the base form or an incorrect past participle, saying 'have calm' or 'had calm,' which disrupts the grammatical structure of perfect tenses.

— 03

Confusion with Adjective Usage

The word 'calm' can also serve as an adjective, leading to confusion when forming past tenses. Some might mistakenly use the adjective form in place of the verb form in past constructions, saying sentences like 'I was very calm the situation' instead of correctly using the verb form in 'I calmed the situation down.' This mistake stems from not distinguishing between when 'calm' is used as a verb requiring a past tense form and when it is used as an adjective, which does not change according to tense.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'calm'?

The past simple form of 'calm' is 'calmed.' It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I calmed the baby when she started crying.' This indicates a completed action in the past.

How do you form the past participle of 'calm'?

The past participle form of 'calm' is also 'calmed.' Past participles can be used in perfect tense forms or as adjectives. For instance, in the sentence 'I have calmed down after the stressful meeting,' 'calmed' is used as the past participle in the present perfect tense. As an adjective, you might say, 'The calmed seas allowed for a smoother voyage.'

Can you provide an example of 'calmed' used in a sentence as a past participle?

Certainly! In a sentence, you might see, 'By the time the counselors arrived, the situation had already been calmed by the quick-thinking teacher.' Here, 'calmed' is used as a past participle in the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another past action. Is there any difference in using 'calmed' in American and British English