Delve past tense

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Meaning of delve

to investigate or research deeply and laboriously.

Infinitive

Word: delve /dɛlv/
Examples:
  • 1. Every summer, she delves into a new hobby to keep herself entertained.
  • 2. He likes to delve into ancient history books to uncover forgotten stories.
  • 3. As a journalist, Maria delves into complex issues to find the truth behind the headlines.

Past Simple

Word: delved /dɛlvd/
Examples:
  • 1. She delved into her family's history to uncover the truth about her ancestors.
  • 2. The detective delved into the case, searching for any overlooked clues.
  • 3. We delved deep into the ancient ruins, discovering hidden chambers and artifacts.

Past Participle

Word: delved /dɛlvd/
Examples:
  • 1. The ancient ruins had been delved into by archaeologists for months.
  • 2. The mystery of the abandoned mansion was finally delved into by the local historians.
  • 3. The complex issues of the community have been delved into by the committee.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Truths and Facts
    Example. We delve into history to understand our present.
    Example. She delves into a new book every week.
  2. Habits or Routines
    Example. We delve into history to understand our present.
    Example. She delves into a new book every week.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions at a Specific Time in the Past
    Example. He delved into his family's ancestry last year.
    Example. They first delved into the archives and later wrote a report.
    Example. She delved into ancient texts every summer during college.
  2. Sequences of Actions in the Past
    Example. He delved into his family's ancestry last year.
    Example. They first delved into the archives and later wrote a report.
    Example. She delved into ancient texts every summer during college.
  3. Past Habits
    Example. He delved into his family's ancestry last year.
    Example. They first delved into the archives and later wrote a report.
    Example. She delved into ancient texts every summer during college.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses
    Example. Present Perfect. I have delved into various subjects this semester.
    Example. Past Perfect. Before the debate, she had already delved into extensive research.
    Example. Future Perfect. By next year, they will have delved into most of the archive.
    Example. The mystery has been delved into by many experts over the years.
  2. Passive Voice
    Example. Present Perfect. I have delved into various subjects this semester.
    Example. Past Perfect. Before the debate, she had already delved into extensive research.
    Example. Future Perfect. By next year, they will have delved into most of the archive.
    Example. The mystery has been delved into by many experts over the years.

Common mistakes

— 01

Misuse of Past Simple

One common mistake is confusing the past simple form of 'delve' with its past participle form. The past simple form is 'delved,' and it is correctly used in sentences describing actions in the past, such as 'Yesterday, I delved into the history of Rome.' However, when forming perfect tenses or the passive voice, the past participle form, which is also 'delved,' should be used, as in 'I have delved into ancient texts.' A mistake would be using 'delved' incorrectly, such as saying 'I have delve into ancient texts' instead of the correct 'I have delved into ancient texts.'

— 02

Incorrect Formation of Past Tense

Another mistake involves incorrectly forming the past tense of 'delve' by adding an -ed to the base form, assuming it follows the regular verb pattern. However, 'delve' already follows the regular pattern with 'delved' as its correct past and past participle form. An error would be creating a non-existent form like 'delveded' instead of the correct 'delved.'

— 03

Misuse in Passive Voice Constructions

A further common mistake is not using the correct past participle form 'delved' in passive voice sentences, which can lead to awkward or incorrect sentence structures. For example, the correct passive voice construction is 'The subject was delved into deeply,' whereas a mistake would involve using the base form or mistaking it for another tense, as in 'The subject was delve into deeply,' which is incorrect.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'delve' is 'delved.' The past participle form is also 'delved.' Both forms are used to indicate actions in the past, but they are used in different grammatical constructions.

How do I use 'delved' in a past simple sentence?

To use 'delved' in a past simple sentence, you follow the structure of subject + 'delved' + object (if there is one). This structure is used to talk about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'I delved into the history of ancient Rome last night.' 'She delved into the mystery without hesitation.'

How is the past participle 'delved' used in a sentence?

The past participle 'delved' is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For perfect tenses, it helps indicate actions that have been completed at the time of speaking or by a specific point in the past or future. For example. Present Perfect. 'I have delved into various subjects over the last year.' Past Perfect. 'By the time the meeting started, she had already delved into the reports.' In passive voice constructions, 'delved' can be used to focus on the action rather than who performed it. For example. 'The ancient ruins were delved into by the archaeologist.'

Can you provide an example of 'delved' used in both the past simple and past participle in one narrative?

'Last summer, I delved into the world of gardening. It was my first time planting anything, and I eagerly read every book and article I could find. I had delved so deeply into the topic that I could talk for hours about soil pH levels, companion planting, and organic pest control. My friends were amazed at how much I had learned. By the end of the season, the garden I had delved into with so much enthusiasm was thriving, full of vibrant flowers and fresh vegetables.' In this narrative, 'delved' is used in the past simple to describe the initial action of researching gardening. It is also used in the past participle form ('had delved') to indicate the depth of the research completed by a specific point in the past.