Clean past tense

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Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of clean

to make something free from dirt, marks, or mess, especially by washing, wiping, or brushing.

Infinitive

Word: clean /kliːn/
Examples:
  • 1. Every Sunday, I clean my entire house to start the week fresh.
  • 2. She cleans her glasses with a special cloth to avoid scratches.
  • 3. He always cleans his desk before starting his homework to have a clear working space.

Past Simple

Word: cleaned /kliːnd/
Examples:
  • 1. Yesterday, I cleaned my room because it was getting too cluttered.
  • 2. Last weekend, she cleaned her car thoroughly for the first time in months.
  • 3. They cleaned the kitchen after the huge dinner party to avoid any pests.

Past Participle

Word: cleaned /kliːnd/
Examples:
  • 1. The house had been cleaned thoroughly before the guests arrived.
  • 2. By the end of the day, all the rooms will have been cleaned.
  • 3. The windows had not been cleaned for months until yesterday.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions. Used to express routines or things that happen regularly.
    Example. I clean my room every Saturday.
    Example. Soap and water clean effectively.
    Example. The janitor cleans the office at 9 PM sharp.
  2. General Truths or Facts. When stating something that is generally true or a fact.
    Example. I clean my room every Saturday.
    Example. Soap and water clean effectively.
    Example. The janitor cleans the office at 9 PM sharp.
  3. Fixed Arrangements. In some contexts, it can indicate a scheduled event in the near future (mostly in formal English).
    Example. I clean my room every Saturday.
    Example. Soap and water clean effectively.
    Example. The janitor cleans the office at 9 PM sharp.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past. To talk about actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
    Example. I cleaned my kitchen yesterday.
    Example. I cleaned my bike every weekend when I lived by the coast.
    Example. I finished my homework, cleaned my room, and went to bed early.
    Example. If I cleaned my car now, it would just get dirty in the rain tomorrow.
  2. Past Habit. To describe a habit which no longer exists.
    Example. I cleaned my kitchen yesterday.
    Example. I cleaned my bike every weekend when I lived by the coast.
    Example. I finished my homework, cleaned my room, and went to bed early.
    Example. If I cleaned my car now, it would just get dirty in the rain tomorrow.
  3. Series of Completed Actions. To list actions that happened one after another in the past.
    Example. I cleaned my kitchen yesterday.
    Example. I cleaned my bike every weekend when I lived by the coast.
    Example. I finished my homework, cleaned my room, and went to bed early.
    Example. If I cleaned my car now, it would just get dirty in the rain tomorrow.
  4. Conditional Sentences. In the second conditional structure, indicating unlikely or hypothetical situations.
    Example. I cleaned my kitchen yesterday.
    Example. I cleaned my bike every weekend when I lived by the coast.
    Example. I finished my homework, cleaned my room, and went to bed early.
    Example. If I cleaned my car now, it would just get dirty in the rain tomorrow.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses.
    Example. I have already cleaned the windows.
    Example. She realized she had cleaned the same spot twice.
    Example. By next week, I will have cleaned the entire house.
  2. Present Perfect. To describe actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or actions that started in the past but continue to the present.
    Example. I have already cleaned the windows.
    Example. She realized she had cleaned the same spot twice.
    Example. By next week, I will have cleaned the entire house.
  3. Past Perfect. To describe an action that was completed before another past action or time.
    Example. I have already cleaned the windows.
    Example. She realized she had cleaned the same spot twice.
    Example. By next week, I will have cleaned the entire house.
  4. Future Perfect. To describe an action that will have been completed by or before a specified future time.
    Example. I have already cleaned the windows.
    Example. She realized she had cleaned the same spot twice.
    Example. By next week, I will have cleaned the entire house.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form of 'clean' (cleaned) with its past participle form (also cleaned). While they look the same for regular verbs like 'clean,' their usage differs. The past simple is used for actions completed in the past at a specific time (e.g., 'I cleaned my room yesterday.'), whereas the past participle is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice (e.g., 'The room has been cleaned.').

— 02

Incorrect Use in Perfect Tenses

Another mistake involves using the base form of the verb instead of the past participle in perfect tenses. For example, saying 'I have clean the house' instead of the correct form 'I have cleaned the house.' This mistake alters the grammatical structure and the meaning of the sentence, leading to confusion.

— 03

Omitting Auxiliary Verb

When forming passive sentences, some learners might omit the auxiliary verb 'be' and use only the past participle, leading to incorrect sentences. For instance, saying 'The car cleaned' instead of 'The car was cleaned.' The correct passive construction requires the appropriate form of the verb 'be' followed by the past participle of the main verb to convey the action correctly.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'clean' is 'cleaned'. The past participle form is also 'cleaned'. Both forms are identical for this regular verb.

How do I use the past simple form of 'clean' in a sentence?

The past simple form is used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past. For example. 'I cleaned my room yesterday.' This sentence indicates that the action of cleaning occurred at a specific point in the past, which is yesterday. When should I use the past participle form of 'clean'

Can you give an example of 'cleaned' used in both the past simple and past participle in a narrative?

Sure! Here's a short narrative that illustrates both uses. 'Last Saturday, I cleaned my entire house because my parents were visiting. By the time they arrived, I had cleaned every nook and cranny, ensuring everything was spotless. The house had never been cleaned so thoroughly before. My parents were impressed by how clean everything was.' In this narrative, 'I cleaned my entire house' uses the past simple to denote a specific action completed in the past. 'I had cleaned every nook and cranny' employs the past participle in a perfect tense to indicate an action completed before a certain point in the past. This narrative demonstrates how both forms can be used to convey different aspects of past actions.