Drag past tense

Meaning of drag

to pull (someone or something) with effort or difficulty.

Infinitive

Word: drag /dræɡ/

Examples:

1. He often drags his feet when walking to school.
2. She drags her suitcase behind her at the airport.
3. The software update drags the computer's performance down significantly.

Past Simple

Word: dragged /dræɡd/

Examples:

1. She dragged the heavy chair across the room to make space for the new sofa.
2. They dragged their feet through the thick mud, exhausted and eager to find shelter.
3. The meeting dragged on for hours, making everyone restless and eager to leave.

Past Participle

Word: dragged /dræɡd/

Examples:

1. The old chest was dragged across the wooden floor, leaving marks.
2. The broken car has been dragged to the nearest garage by the tow truck.
3. Every piece of furniture in the room had been dragged to one side to make space.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app

Bare infinitive

Habitual actions or routines
Example. I usually drag my feet when I'm tired.
Example. Gravity causes objects to drag towards the earth.
Example. The parade drags down Main Street at noon tomorrow.
General truths or facts
Example. I usually drag my feet when I'm tired.
Example. Gravity causes objects to drag towards the earth.
Example. The parade drags down Main Street at noon tomorrow.
Scheduled events in the near future (often for public transport but not limited to it)
Example. I usually drag my feet when I'm tired.
Example. Gravity causes objects to drag towards the earth.
Example. The parade drags down Main Street at noon tomorrow.

Past Simple

Completed actions in the past
Example. She dragged the heavy box across the room yesterday.
Example. We always dragged ourselves out of bed early in the summer during high school.
Example. He dragged the sofa to the other side of the room, then he cleaned the carpet.
Past habits or states
Example. She dragged the heavy box across the room yesterday.
Example. We always dragged ourselves out of bed early in the summer during high school.
Example. He dragged the sofa to the other side of the room, then he cleaned the carpet.
Sequential actions in the past
Example. She dragged the heavy box across the room yesterday.
Example. We always dragged ourselves out of bed early in the summer during high school.
Example. He dragged the sofa to the other side of the room, then he cleaned the carpet.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect)
Example. Present Perfect. I have never dragged my coat through the mud before.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, they had already dragged the fallen tree off the road.
Example. Future Perfect. By next year, the city will have dragged the old statue to the museum.
Example. The banner was dragged along the street by the parade participants.
Example. The dragged carpet showed signs of wear.
Passive voice
Example. Present Perfect. I have never dragged my coat through the mud before.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, they had already dragged the fallen tree off the road.
Example. Future Perfect. By next year, the city will have dragged the old statue to the museum.
Example. The banner was dragged along the street by the parade participants.
Example. The dragged carpet showed signs of wear.
Adjective or modifier for a noun
Example. Present Perfect. I have never dragged my coat through the mud before.
Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, they had already dragged the fallen tree off the road.
Example. Future Perfect. By next year, the city will have dragged the old statue to the museum.
Example. The banner was dragged along the street by the parade participants.
Example. The dragged carpet showed signs of wear.

Common mistakes

— 01

Failing to double

One common mistake is not doubling the final consonant 'g' in 'drag' when forming the past simple and past participle, leading to the incorrect 'draged' instead of the correct 'dragged.' This error arises from misunderstanding the rule that in English, when a verb ends in a consonant preceded by a single vowel and the stress is on the final syllable (or in a one-syllable verb like 'drag'), the final consonant is doubled before adding '-ed' for the past simple and past participle forms.

— 02

Mispronunciation

Some learners might struggle with the pronunciation of 'dragged' /dræɡd/, especially in distinguishing it from the base form 'drag' /dræɡ/. They may incorrectly maintain the vowel length or modify the ending, not realizing that the vowel sound remains the same and the ending is pronounced as a single, soft 'd' sound. This mistake highlights the subtlety in English pronunciation, where the change from a base form to its past forms can involve minimal but significant alterations.

— 03

Incorrectly using 'dragged'

Although 'dragged' is correctly used as both the past simple and past participle form of 'drag,' learners might mistakenly believe that a different word or form is required for the past participle in compound tenses, leading to errors in perfect and passive constructions. For example, saying 'I have drag the suitcase' instead of the correct 'I have dragged the suitcase.' This misunderstanding stems from not recognizing that 'dragged' serves both as the past simple and the past participle form, reflecting a broader challenge in understanding verb forms and their correct application in various tenses.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'drag' is 'dragged.' This form is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. Similarly, the past participle form of 'drag' is also 'dragged.' The past participle is often used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.

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

To use 'dragged' in a past simple sentence, you should be referring to an action that was completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'Yesterday, I dragged the heavy box across the room.' In this sentence, 'dragged' indicates that the action of moving the box was completed yesterday.

How is 'dragged' used in a sentence with a perfect tense?

When using 'dragged' in a perfect tense, it combines with a form of the auxiliary verb 'have' to indicate an action that was completed at some point in the past but is relevant to the present or future. For example. 'I have dragged my feet on making a decision for too long.' In this example, 'have dragged' is used in the present perfect tense to indicate a past action that has present relevance.

Can you give an example of 'dragged' used in the passive voice?

Yes, 'dragged' can be used in the passive voice to emphasize the action or result rather than who or what is performing the action. For example. 'The banner was dragged through the mud by the careless participants.' In this sentence, the focus is on the banner and what happened to it, rather than on who dragged it. Remember, using 'dragged' correctly in its past simple and past participle forms can help you convey the timing and nuances of actions in your writing and speaking.