Daydream past tense

Type your word here
Try:

Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of daydream

to indulge in a series of pleasant thoughts that distract one's attention from the present.

Infinitive

Word: daydream /ˈdeɪ.driːm/
Examples:
  • 1. I often daydream about traveling around the world during long meetings.
  • 2. She finds it hard to focus on her work because she tends to daydream about her next vacation.
  • 3. They say daydreaming is good for your creativity, but it makes me lose track of time.

Past Simple

Word: daydreamed /ˈdeɪ.driːmd/
Examples:
  • 1. Yesterday, I daydreamed about going on a vacation to a tropical island.
  • 2. She daydreamed through the entire lecture, barely noting what the professor said.
  • 3. As a child, I often daydreamed about becoming an astronaut and exploring outer space.

Past Participle

Word: daydreamt /ˈdeɪ.driːmt/
Examples:
  • 1. She has often daydreamt about traveling the world.
  • 2. The story was beautifully daydreamt into existence by the author.
  • 3. My ideas for the project had been daydreamt about for weeks before I started.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app
cta-section-decorative-line-left
cta-section-decorative-line-left

Bare infinitive

  1. To describe a habitual action. When talking about a regular action or habit of daydreaming.
    Example. He often daydreams during class.
    Example. To daydream is to escape the immediate reality for a moment.
    Example. She rarely daydreams, always focused on the task at hand.
  2. To state a general truth or fact. When mentioning an aspect of daydreaming that is universally applicable.
    Example. He often daydreams during class.
    Example. To daydream is to escape the immediate reality for a moment.
    Example. She rarely daydreams, always focused on the task at hand.
  3. With an adverb of frequency. To describe how often someone daydreams.
    Example. He often daydreams during class.
    Example. To daydream is to escape the immediate reality for a moment.
    Example. She rarely daydreams, always focused on the task at hand.

Past Simple

  1. To describe a specific instance in the past. When referring to a particular moment when someone was daydreaming.
    Example. Yesterday, I daydreamed about being on a tropical island.
    Example. As a child, he daydreamed all the time, but now he hardly ever does.
    Example. She walked home from school and daydreamed about her summer vacation.
  2. To describe a past habit. When talking about the habit of daydreaming someone had in the past but not anymore.
    Example. Yesterday, I daydreamed about being on a tropical island.
    Example. As a child, he daydreamed all the time, but now he hardly ever does.
    Example. She walked home from school and daydreamed about her summer vacation.
  3. In a narrative. To recount a series of past events where daydreaming was involved.
    Example. Yesterday, I daydreamed about being on a tropical island.
    Example. As a child, he daydreamed all the time, but now he hardly ever does.
    Example. She walked home from school and daydreamed about her summer vacation.

Past Participle

  1. In perfect tenses. To talk about experiences or actions that happened at an unspecified time before now, or that have relevance to the present moment.
    Example. He has often daydreamed instead of paying attention.
    Example. Before she realized it, she had daydreamed away the whole afternoon.
    Example. By the time the lecture ends, I will have daydreamed about several different vacation spots.
    Example. The many tales of adventure that were daydreamed by the children amazed their parents. (Note. This construction is not standard for 'daydream' due to its intransitive nature; it's theoretically possible but rarely, if ever, used.)
  2. Present perfect. To express an action in the past that has an effect on the present moment.
    Example. He has often daydreamed instead of paying attention.
    Example. Before she realized it, she had daydreamed away the whole afternoon.
    Example. By the time the lecture ends, I will have daydreamed about several different vacation spots.
    Example. The many tales of adventure that were daydreamed by the children amazed their parents. (Note. This construction is not standard for 'daydream' due to its intransitive nature; it's theoretically possible but rarely, if ever, used.)
  3. Past perfect. To express an action that was completed before another past action or time.
    Example. He has often daydreamed instead of paying attention.
    Example. Before she realized it, she had daydreamed away the whole afternoon.
    Example. By the time the lecture ends, I will have daydreamed about several different vacation spots.
    Example. The many tales of adventure that were daydreamed by the children amazed their parents. (Note. This construction is not standard for 'daydream' due to its intransitive nature; it's theoretically possible but rarely, if ever, used.)
  4. Future perfect. To express an action that will be completed before a specified future time or action.
    Example. He has often daydreamed instead of paying attention.
    Example. Before she realized it, she had daydreamed away the whole afternoon.
    Example. By the time the lecture ends, I will have daydreamed about several different vacation spots.
    Example. The many tales of adventure that were daydreamed by the children amazed their parents. (Note. This construction is not standard for 'daydream' due to its intransitive nature; it's theoretically possible but rarely, if ever, used.)
  5. Passive Voice. Though less common with the verb 'daydream,' the Past Participle can be used in passive constructions to emphasize the action rather than the doer.
    Example. He has often daydreamed instead of paying attention.
    Example. Before she realized it, she had daydreamed away the whole afternoon.
    Example. By the time the lecture ends, I will have daydreamed about several different vacation spots.
    Example. The many tales of adventure that were daydreamed by the children amazed their parents. (Note. This construction is not standard for 'daydream' due to its intransitive nature; it's theoretically possible but rarely, if ever, used.)

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form of a word with its past participle form. For verbs like 'daydream,' the past simple form is 'daydreamed,' and the past participle form is also 'daydreamed.' However, people often mistakenly use 'daydreamt' (a non-standard variant some might use informally) for either the past simple or the past participle, not realizing that 'daydreamed' is the correct form for both. This confusion can lead to errors in tense consistency and in the construction of perfect tenses.

— 02

Incorrect Use in Perfect Tenses

Another frequent error is the incorrect use of the past participle in perfect tense constructions. The correct way to form the present perfect tense of 'daydream' is 'have daydreamed' or 'has daydreamed.' Similarly, the past perfect tense should be 'had daydreamed.' Mistakes occur when individuals use the past simple 'daydreamed' in place of the past participle, resulting in grammatically incorrect sentences like 'I have daydreamed about it yesterday,' instead of the correct 'I daydreamed about it yesterday' or 'I have daydreamed about it.'

— 03

Misapplication in Passive

A mistake often made is using the past simple form instead of the past participle. The correct construction for a passive voice sentence with 'daydream' should involve the past participle, as in 'I was daydreamed about an ideal vacation,' which is an attempt to convey a passive idea but is incorrect and awkward. The correct usage in active voice should be 'I daydreamed about an ideal vacation.'

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'daydream'?

The past simple form of 'daydream' is 'daydreamed.' It is used to describe the action of daydreaming that occurred at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I daydreamed about going on vacation.'

What is the past participle form of 'daydream'?

The past participle form of 'daydream' is also 'daydreamed.' It is used in perfect tenses to describe actions that were completed at some point in the past or that have relevance to the present or future. For example, 'I have daydreamed about this moment for years.'

How do you use 'daydreamed' in a sentence to indicate a past action?

To indicate a past action using 'daydreamed,' you simply place it in a sentence where the action of daydreaming has already occurred. For instance, 'Last night, I daydreamed about winning the lottery.' This sentence clearly shows that the action of daydreaming happened in the past.

Can 'daydreamed' be used in both regular and perfect tense constructions?

Yes, 'daydreamed' can be used in both regular past tense constructions and perfect tense constructions. When used in the regular past tense, it directly indicates that the action happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'I daydreamed about a peaceful world.' When used in perfect tense constructions, it is combined with auxiliary verbs like 'have' or 'had' to indicate actions that have been completed at an unspecified time in the past or that have implications for the present or future. For instance, 'I have often daydreamed about living in a different era.'