Contact past tense

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Meaning of contact

to communicate with someone by calling, writing, or by another method.

Infinitive

Word: contact /ˈkɒn.tækt/
Examples:
  • 1. I always contact my parents at least once a week to check in.
  • 2. She contacts her team every morning to set the day's priorities.
  • 3. The customer service department contacts all new clients within 48 hours of their purchase.

Past Simple

Word: contacted /ˈkɒntæktɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. I contacted the customer support team yesterday about my billing issue.
  • 2. He contacted several contractors for quotes on the renovation work.
  • 3. They contacted their friends last weekend to organize a surprise party.

Past Participle

Word: contacted /ˈkɒntæktɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. By the time the issue was resolved, she had contacted customer service multiple times.
  • 2. They had contacted all the guests to inform them about the change in the event location.
  • 3. He had contacted his old classmates to organize a reunion, bringing everyone together after years apart.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habit or routine. When describing an action that is regular or habitual in the present.
    Example. She contacts her family in Italy once a month without fail.
    Example. He always contacts the right person for information.
    Example. The director contacts the team every Monday morning.
    Example. First, contact the helpdesk, and then explain your issue clearly.
  2. General fact or truth. When stating something that is generally true or a fact.
    Example. She contacts her family in Italy once a month without fail.
    Example. He always contacts the right person for information.
    Example. The director contacts the team every Monday morning.
    Example. First, contact the helpdesk, and then explain your issue clearly.
  3. Scheduled events (in the near future). Often used for timetables, schedules, or anything planned in the future but expressed as a present fact.
    Example. She contacts her family in Italy once a month without fail.
    Example. He always contacts the right person for information.
    Example. The director contacts the team every Monday morning.
    Example. First, contact the helpdesk, and then explain your issue clearly.
  4. Instructions or directions. When giving instructions or directions.
    Example. She contacts her family in Italy once a month without fail.
    Example. He always contacts the right person for information.
    Example. The director contacts the team every Monday morning.
    Example. First, contact the helpdesk, and then explain your issue clearly.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past. Describing an action that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
    Example. She contacted the customer support team last night.
    Example. He contacted me every day before he moved abroad.
    Example. I contacted the manufacturer, and then I visited the store to see the product.
  2. Past habits or states. Talking about habits or states in the past that are no longer true.
    Example. She contacted the customer support team last night.
    Example. He contacted me every day before he moved abroad.
    Example. I contacted the manufacturer, and then I visited the store to see the product.
  3. Sequential actions in the past. Describing actions that happened one after another in the past.
    Example. She contacted the customer support team last night.
    Example. He contacted me every day before he moved abroad.
    Example. I contacted the manufacturer, and then I visited the store to see the product.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.
  2. Present Perfect. For actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past or actions that started in the past and continue in the present.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.
  3. Past Perfect. For actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.
  4. Future Perfect. For actions that will be completed before a specific future time or another future action.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.
  5. Passive voice. For sentences where the focus is on the action or the result of the action, not on who or what is performing the action.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.
  6. Conditional sentences. Used in the perfect conditional forms to express hypothetical situations and their consequences.
    Example. We have contacted multiple suppliers, but none has the right product.
    Example. By the time the news broke, the journalist had already contacted all the key witnesses.
    Example. By next week, the team will have contacted all the participants.
    Example. The authorities were contacted immediately after the incident was reported.
    Example. If she had contacted the helpdesk sooner, the issue would have been resolved quickly.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Formation

Mistake. Some might incorrectly try to apply an irregular verb pattern to 'contact,' leading to incorrect forms like 'contacted' or 'contacten' for its past simple and past participle forms. Correct. 'Contact' is a regular verb, so its past simple and past participle forms are correctly formed by adding '-ed' to the base form. Therefore, both the past simple and past participle forms are 'contacted.'

— 02

Misuse in perfect tenses

Mistake. Using the base form instead of the past participle in perfect tenses. For example, saying 'I have contact him yesterday' instead of the correct form. Correct. In perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, etc.), the past participle form 'contacted' should be used with the auxiliary verb 'have' or 'had,' as in 'I have contacted him yesterday.'

— 03

Confusion with passive voice

Mistake. Incorrectly Using Past Simple when forming the passive voice, which can lead to sentences like 'He was contact by the manager yesterday.' Correct. In passive voice constructions, the past participle form 'contacted' should be used following the verb 'to be' in the appropriate tense. The correct sentence should be, 'He was contacted by the manager yesterday.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'contact'?

The past simple form of 'contact' is 'contacted.' It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, you might say, 'I contacted the customer service department yesterday about the issue.'

What is the past participle form of 'contact'?

The past participle form of 'contact' is also 'contacted.' It is used in perfect tenses to talk about actions that have an impact on the present moment or actions that were completed at some point in the past. For instance, in the sentence 'I have contacted them several times,' 'contacted' is the past participle form, indicating actions that have occurred.

Can you provide an example of a sentence using 'contacted' in the past simple tense?

Certainly! A sentence using 'contacted' in the past simple tense could be. 'She contacted her professor to request an extension on her paper.' This sentence indicates that the action of contacting happened at a specific time in the past.

How can 'contacted' be used in a sentence as a past participle?

An example of a sentence using 'contacted' as a past participle could be. 'They have already contacted the suppliers to ensure timely delivery.' In this case, 'contacted' is part of the present perfect tense, indicating that the action of contacting has relevance to the present situation or has been completed at an unspecified time in the past.