Drop past tense

Meaning of drop

to let or make something fall vertically.

Infinitive

Word: drop /drɒp/

Examples:

1. Every morning, I drop my kids off at school before heading to work.
2. She drops the keys into the bowl by the door as soon as she gets home.
3. He drops a hint about his secret plan, hoping someone will catch on.

Past Simple

Word: dropped /drɒpt/

Examples:

1. She accidentally dropped her favorite mug, and it shattered into pieces.
2. He dropped his keys in the bowl by the door as soon as he got home.
3. We dropped our plans for the weekend when we heard the weather forecast.

Past Participle

Word: dropped /drɒpt/

Examples:

1. The vase was unexpectedly dropped by the cat, leaving shards scattered across the floor.
2. The charges against the suspect have been dropped by the prosecutor.
3. The letter had been dropped into the wrong mailbox by mistake.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app

Bare infinitive

a. Habitual Actions. When discussing actions that happen regularly or habits.
Example. I usually drop my kids off at school before going to work.
Example. Water drops freeze into ice at 0°C.
Example. The plane drops off passengers in New York at 5 PM tomorrow.
b. General Truths or Facts. When stating facts or general truths.
Example. I usually drop my kids off at school before going to work.
Example. Water drops freeze into ice at 0°C.
Example. The plane drops off passengers in New York at 5 PM tomorrow.
c. Timetabled Events or Schedules (Future Reference). Although this usage is more common with timetabled events, it's still valid.
Example. I usually drop my kids off at school before going to work.
Example. Water drops freeze into ice at 0°C.
Example. The plane drops off passengers in New York at 5 PM tomorrow.

Past Simple

a. Completed Actions in the Past. When referring to actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
Example. Yesterday, I dropped my phone and the screen shattered.
Example. He often dropped by without notice when he lived here.
Example. I dropped the kids at school, went to the market, and then prepared lunch.
b. Past Habits or States. For habits or states in the past, not occurring now.
Example. Yesterday, I dropped my phone and the screen shattered.
Example. He often dropped by without notice when he lived here.
Example. I dropped the kids at school, went to the market, and then prepared lunch.
c. Sequences of Actions. Discussing a series of completed actions in the past.
Example. Yesterday, I dropped my phone and the screen shattered.
Example. He often dropped by without notice when he lived here.
Example. I dropped the kids at school, went to the market, and then prepared lunch.

Past Participle

a. Perfect Tenses.
Example. She has dropped several hints about what she wants for her birthday.
Example. By the time we arrived, he had already dropped the package at the office.
Example. By next week, they will have dropped the prices in anticipation of the sale.
Example. The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper during the final minute.
i. Present Perfect. 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 dropped several hints about what she wants for her birthday.
Example. By the time we arrived, he had already dropped the package at the office.
Example. By next week, they will have dropped the prices in anticipation of the sale.
Example. The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper during the final minute.
ii. Past Perfect. Discussing actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
Example. She has dropped several hints about what she wants for her birthday.
Example. By the time we arrived, he had already dropped the package at the office.
Example. By next week, they will have dropped the prices in anticipation of the sale.
Example. The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper during the final minute.
iii. Future Perfect. For actions that will be completed before a specified future time.
Example. She has dropped several hints about what she wants for her birthday.
Example. By the time we arrived, he had already dropped the package at the office.
Example. By next week, they will have dropped the prices in anticipation of the sale.
Example. The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper during the final minute.
b. Passive Voice. When the focus is on the action or the object of an action, not who performed the action.
Example. She has dropped several hints about what she wants for her birthday.
Example. By the time we arrived, he had already dropped the package at the office.
Example. By next week, they will have dropped the prices in anticipation of the sale.
Example. The ball was dropped by the goalkeeper during the final minute.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'dropped'

A common mistake is not recognizing that 'dropped' serves as both the past simple and the past participle form of 'drop.' Users might incorrectly try to create a distinct past participle form, such as 'dropt' or 'droppeded,' not realizing that 'dropped' is correct for both uses. For example, they should say, 'He dropped the glass' (past simple) and 'He has dropped the glass' (past participle), not 'He has dropt/droppeded the glass.'

— 02

Incorrectly using 'dropped'

Another mistake is misusing 'dropped' with auxiliary verbs when forming the past simple tense, thinking it needs an auxiliary like the past participle in perfect tenses. For example, saying 'He did dropped the glass' instead of correctly stating, 'He dropped the glass.' The past simple tense doesn't require auxiliary verbs like 'did' in affirmative sentences, unlike the past participle, which is used with 'have' or 'had.'

— 03

Forgetting to double

While not directly related to the form, a subtle mistake involves pronunciation and understanding the rule behind the spelling. When forming the past simple and past participle of 'drop,' the final consonant is doubled to maintain the short vowel sound in 'dropped.' Some learners might not realize the importance of this doubling, leading to potential spelling errors or misunderstandings about similar verb conjugations. They might spell it as 'droped,' not recognizing that doubling the 'p' in 'dropped' indicates the short vowel sound in the original word.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'drop'?

The past simple form of 'drop' is 'dropped.' This form is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I dropped my keys on the way to work.'

What is the past participle form of 'drop'?

The past participle form of 'drop' is also 'dropped.' This form is used in perfect tense constructions to describe actions that have been completed at some point in the past. For example, 'I have dropped my keys several times this month.'

How do I use 'dropped' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'dropped' correctly, you need to consider the tense you are working with. For past simple tense, you can use it directly with a subject and an appropriate time reference, such as 'She dropped her book last night.' For present perfect tense, you would use it with a form of 'have' or 'has,' like 'He has dropped his wallet somewhere.'

Can 'dropped' be used differently in a sentence, or does it always indicate something falling?

While the primary meaning of 'dropped' is to describe something falling or being let fall, it can be used metaphorically or in different contexts to convey other meanings. For example, it can indicate a decrease ('The temperature dropped sharply overnight.'), the cessation of something ('They dropped the charges against her.'), or even the release of music or a product ('The artist dropped a new album last week.'). The context of the sentence usually makes the intended meaning clear.