Come past tense

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Meaning of come

move or travel toward or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker.

Infinitive

Word: come /kʌm/
Examples:
  • 1. She comes to visit us every summer without fail.
  • 2. Every morning, the sun comes up and brings new hope.
  • 3. Whenever I call, he always comes running to help.

Past Simple

Word: came /keɪm/
Examples:
  • 1. He came to the party despite feeling slightly under the weather.
  • 2. The moment she came into the room, everyone's attention shifted towards her.
  • 3. After hours of working on the puzzle, the solution finally came to him.

Past Participle

Word: come /kʌm/
Examples:
  • 1. The cake has come to be known as the best in town.
  • 2. The letters were come upon unexpectedly in the attic.
  • 3. By evening, the storm had come to an end.

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Bare infinitive

  1. This form is used for habitual or regular actions, facts, or general truths.
    Example. She comes to class early every day.
    Example. The train comes at 5 PM every evening.
    Example. The sun comes up in the east.
  2. We use it to describe something that happens regularly.
    Example. She comes to class early every day.
    Example. The train comes at 5 PM every evening.
    Example. The sun comes up in the east.
  3. It is used to express fixed arrangements.
    Example. She comes to class early every day.
    Example. The train comes at 5 PM every evening.
    Example. The sun comes up in the east.
  4. To reference universal truths or facts.
    Example. She comes to class early every day.
    Example. The train comes at 5 PM every evening.
    Example. The sun comes up in the east.

Past Simple

  1. The past simple form is used to describe actions or events that happened at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He came to visit me last week.
    Example. I came home, took a shower, and went to bed early last night.
    Example. When I was younger, I came to this park every Sunday with my family.
  2. For actions completed at a definite time in the past.
    Example. He came to visit me last week.
    Example. I came home, took a shower, and went to bed early last night.
    Example. When I was younger, I came to this park every Sunday with my family.
  3. For a sequence of events in the past.
    Example. He came to visit me last week.
    Example. I came home, took a shower, and went to bed early last night.
    Example. When I was younger, I came to this park every Sunday with my family.
  4. When describing past habits or routines (often used with expressions like 'when I was a child').
    Example. He came to visit me last week.
    Example. I came home, took a shower, and went to bed early last night.
    Example. When I was younger, I came to this park every Sunday with my family.

Past Participle

  1. The past participle form is primarily used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.
    Example. She has already come to the conclusion that she needs a new job.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the concert had come to an end.
    Example. By next year, he will have come to visit us twice.
  2. Present Perfect Tense. for actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
    Example. She has already come to the conclusion that she needs a new job.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the concert had come to an end.
    Example. By next year, he will have come to visit us twice.
  3. Past Perfect Tense. for actions completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. She has already come to the conclusion that she needs a new job.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the concert had come to an end.
    Example. By next year, he will have come to visit us twice.
  4. Future Perfect Tense. to describe actions that will be completed by a specific future time.
    Example. She has already come to the conclusion that she needs a new job.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the concert had come to an end.
    Example. By next year, he will have come to visit us twice.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Verb Form Usage

A common mistake with the word 'come' is confusing its past simple form ('came') with its past participle form ('come'). For instance, one might incorrectly say, 'I have came late to the party,' instead of the correct form, 'I have come late to the party.' The error arises from not distinguishing between the need for a simple past tense, used for actions completed at a specific time in the past, and the past participle, which is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.

— 02

Misapplication in Perfect Tenses

Another prevalent error involves incorrectly using 'come' in perfect tense constructions by either misusing the past simple form or forgetting the auxiliary verb 'have.' For example, 'I had came early,' instead of 'I had come early.' This mistake stems from not recognizing that the perfect tense requires 'have' plus the past participle form of the verb, which for 'come' is 'come,' not 'came.'

— 03

Incorrect use in Passive Voice

Misusing 'come' in the passive voice is a further common mistake. Some might say, 'The mail was came yesterday,' instead of the correct, 'The mail came yesterday,' or, if intending the passive voice for some reason, 'The mail was delivered yesterday.' This error occurs from misunderstanding that 'come' itself is an intransitive verb that typically does not form a passive construction, and thus, its use in passive voice often results in awkward or incorrect sentences.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'come'?

The past simple form of 'come' is 'came'. It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I came home late from work.'

What is the past participle form of 'come'?

The past participle form of 'come' is 'come'. It might seem a bit confusing because it is the same as the base form. The past participle is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses. For example, 'I have come to understand the importance of patience.'

How do I use 'come' in the present perfect tense?

To use 'come' in the present perfect tense, you combine 'have' or 'has' with the past participle 'come'. This tense is used to talk about experiences or actions that have happened at an unspecified time in the past, or that started in the past and continue to the present. For example, 'She has come to the conclusion that it's better to wait.'

Can you give an example of 'come' in a sentence using the past perfect tense?

Sure! In the past perfect tense, 'come' is used with 'had' followed by the past participle 'come' to indicate that an action was completed before another action in the past. For example, 'By the time the meeting started, the CEO had already come and gone.' This sentence suggests that the CEO's arrival and departure both occurred before the meeting began.