Clothe past tense

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Meaning of clothe

to put clothes on; to dress.

Infinitive

Word: clothe /kloʊð/
Examples:
  • 1. They clothe their children with second-hand garments to save money.
  • 2. This organization aims to clothe the homeless before winter arrives.
  • 3. Many designers clothe celebrities for red carpet events to gain publicity for their brands.

Past Simple

Word: clothed /kləʊðd/
Examples:
  • 1. The charity organization clothed the homeless during the winter to protect them from the cold.
  • 2. Many years ago, parents primarily clothed their children in hand-me-downs to save money.
  • 3. Before the advent of fast fashion, people often sewed their own garments and clothed their families with handmade attire.

Past Participle

Word: clothed /kləʊðd/
Examples:
  • 1. The children were clothed by their grandmother every morning before school.
  • 2. The old paintings had been carefully clothed in protective frames by the museum staff.
  • 3. The windows were clothed in lavish curtains by the interior designer.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Statements or Facts Use the Present Simple form to describe general actions, especially routines or habits relating to dressing oneself or others.
    Example. I clothe my children for school every morning.
    Example. Mothers usually clothe their newborns carefully.
  2. Timeless Truths Use it to state timeless truths about functions or roles related to clothing.
    Example. I clothe my children for school every morning.
    Example. Mothers usually clothe their newborns carefully.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past Use the Past Simple form to describe actions that were completed at a definite time in the past.
    Example. Yesterday, I clothed the mannequins for the display window.
    Example. In the past, people clothed themselves in more layers than they do now.
    Example. I clothed the baby, fed her, and then put her to bed last night.
  2. Past Habits or States Use it to talk about habits or states in the past, not necessarily happening now.
    Example. Yesterday, I clothed the mannequins for the display window.
    Example. In the past, people clothed themselves in more layers than they do now.
    Example. I clothed the baby, fed her, and then put her to bed last night.
  3. Sequence of Events Use it to describe a sequence of completed actions in the past.
    Example. Yesterday, I clothed the mannequins for the display window.
    Example. In the past, people clothed themselves in more layers than they do now.
    Example. I clothed the baby, fed her, and then put her to bed last night.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses a. Present Perfect. Use the Past Participle with 'have/has' to talk about actions completed at some point in the past but relevant or connected to the present.
    Example. I have clothed my children, so we are ready to go out.
    Example. By the time winter arrived, we had already clothed the scarecrow in warm attire.
    Example. By next week, I will have clothed all the actors for the play.
    Example. The children were well clothed by their parents.
  2. b. Past Perfect. Use it with 'had' to describe an action completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. I have clothed my children, so we are ready to go out.
    Example. By the time winter arrived, we had already clothed the scarecrow in warm attire.
    Example. By next week, I will have clothed all the actors for the play.
    Example. The children were well clothed by their parents.
  3. c. Future Perfect. Use it with 'will have' to talk about an action that will be completed by a certain point in the future.
    Example. I have clothed my children, so we are ready to go out.
    Example. By the time winter arrived, we had already clothed the scarecrow in warm attire.
    Example. By next week, I will have clothed all the actors for the play.
    Example. The children were well clothed by their parents.
  4. Passive Voice Use the Past Participle to form the passive voice, indicating that the subject receives the action rather than does it.
    Example. I have clothed my children, so we are ready to go out.
    Example. By the time winter arrived, we had already clothed the scarecrow in warm attire.
    Example. By next week, I will have clothed all the actors for the play.
    Example. The children were well clothed by their parents.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Verb Form

A common mistake is using the wrong verb form for the past simple and past participle of 'clothe.' The correct past simple form is 'clothed,' and the correct past participle form is also 'clothed.' However, people often mistakenly use 'clothed' as the past participle but incorrectly use 'clad' as the past simple form, or vice versa, mixing them up. 'Clad' is an acceptable past participle variant, especially in passive constructions or adjectival use, but it's crucial to remember that 'clothed' is the standard form for both past simple and past participle.

— 02

Misusing 'Clothed' and 'Clad'

Another mistake involves the contextual use of 'clothed' versus 'clad.' While both words refer to the act of dressing or covering with clothes, 'clad' is often used in more formal or literary contexts or to emphasize the type of clothing someone is wearing (e.g., 'iron-clad,' 'tree-clad'). People sometimes mistakenly use 'clad' in everyday contexts where 'clothed' would be more appropriate, leading to a mismatch in the formality level of the language.

— 03

Irregular Verb Patterns

A further mistake is overgeneralizing the patterns of irregular verbs and misapplying those patterns to 'clothe.' Because many irregular verbs have distinct past simple and past participle forms (e.g., 'sing/sang/sung'), learners might incorrectly assume 'clothe' should follow a similar pattern, leading to invented forms like 'clothe/clothe/clothen' or other erroneous constructions. Remembering that 'clothed' serves as both the past simple and past participle form can help avoid this error.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'clothe'?

The past simple form of 'clothe' is 'clothed.' This form is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I clothed the baby in warm pajamas.'

Can 'clad' be used as the past simple form of 'clothe'?

Yes, 'clad' is an alternative past simple and past participle form of 'clothe,' though it's considered more formal or literary. For instance, 'The warriors were clad in heavy armor for the battle.' Both 'clad' and 'clothed' are correct, but 'clad' might be less commonly used in everyday conversation.

What is the past participle form of 'clothe'?

The past participle form of 'clothe' is 'clothed' or 'clad.' This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice. For example, in the perfect tense, you might say, 'By noon, I had already clothed the children.' In passive voice, an example would be, 'The children were clothed in warm clothes by their parents.'

How do I know when to use 'clothed' or 'clad' in a sentence?

Choosing between 'clothed' and 'clad' often depends on the tone or style of your writing or speech. 'Clothed' is more commonly used in everyday language and is the more straightforward option for most situations. 'Clad' can add a touch of formality or poetic flair to your sentence. For instance, in a historical novel, you might prefer 'clad' for its older, more traditional sound. However, in a casual conversation about what you wore yesterday, 'clothed' would be more appropriate. Both are correct, but context can guide you on which feels more suitable.