End past tense

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Meaning of end

to bring something to a conclusion or to stop.

Infinitive

Word: end /ɛnd/
Examples:
  • 1. The movie ends at 10 p.m., so we should leave soon to catch the ending scene.
  • 2. Every weekend, the street market ends at 6 p.m., just before sunset.
  • 3. The lecture ends abruptly when the fire alarm goes off, causing a rush towards the exits.

Past Simple

Word: ended /ˈɛndɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. The meeting ended earlier than expected, leaving everyone surprised.
  • 2. After the sun had set, the day finally ended with a beautiful display of stars.
  • 3. Once the lecture ended, the students rushed out of the classroom to enjoy their break.

Past Participle

Word: ended /ˈɛndɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. The project was ended abruptly due to unforeseen circumstances.
  • 2. All the cookies had been ended by the time we arrived at the party.
  • 3. The contest was finally ended after three intense hours of competition.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe habitual actions or routines involving bringing something to a conclusion or stopping.
    Example. The meeting always ends at 5 PM.
    Example. All good things must end.
    Example. To save battery, end background applications on your phone.
  2. To state facts or general truths about the conclusion or cessation of activities or events.
    Example. The meeting always ends at 5 PM.
    Example. All good things must end.
    Example. To save battery, end background applications on your phone.
  3. To give instructions or advice related to ending or stopping an activity or process.
    Example. The meeting always ends at 5 PM.
    Example. All good things must end.
    Example. To save battery, end background applications on your phone.

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific instance in the past when something was brought to a conclusion or was stopped.
    Example. The concert ended with an amazing encore last night.
    Example. We ended the day with a team dinner after the conference.
    Example. He ended his speeches with the same quote every time.
  2. To describe a series of actions in the past that involved concluding or stopping activities or events.
    Example. The concert ended with an amazing encore last night.
    Example. We ended the day with a team dinner after the conference.
    Example. He ended his speeches with the same quote every time.
  3. To express a past habit or state involving the conclusion or cessation of something that is no longer current.
    Example. The concert ended with an amazing encore last night.
    Example. We ended the day with a team dinner after the conference.
    Example. He ended his speeches with the same quote every time.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of concluding or stopping that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. The agreement was ended by mutual consent.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). She has ended her association with the company.
    Example. The agreement was ended by mutual consent.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). By the time they arrived, the show had already ended.
    Example. The agreement was ended by mutual consent.
  4. Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something being brought to a conclusion or being stopped, rather than who ended it.
    Example. The agreement was ended by mutual consent.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Suffix

Some learners might add an unnecessary suffix due to overgeneralization of verb conjugation rules, resulting in forms like 'endeded' instead of the correct 'ended.' This mistake arises from misunderstanding the simple rule for regular verbs, which requires adding '-ed' to the base form. Adding an extra 'ed' reflects a confusion about how to form the past tense and past participle for regular verbs.

— 02

Using the Base Form

Another frequent error involves using the base form 'end' instead of the past simple or past participle form 'ended' in sentences that refer to past actions. For instance, saying 'The meeting end five minutes ago' instead of the correct 'The meeting ended five minutes ago.' This indicates a misunderstanding of tense usage and the necessity to modify the verb form to indicate past action accurately.

— 03

Omitting the Past Participle

In perfect tense constructions, the past participle 'ended' should be used with an auxiliary verb to indicate actions that have been completed at a specific time in the past. A common mistake is omitting the past participle or misusing the base form, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. For example, saying 'I have end my presentation' instead of the correct 'I have ended my presentation.'

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'end' is 'ended.' This form is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. The past participle form is also 'ended,' which is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences to describe actions that are completed by the time of speaking or relate to a particular time in the past.

How do I use 'ended' in a sentence?

Past Simple Usage (ended). I ended the meeting early yesterday. She ended the call abruptly last night. In these examples, 'ended' refers to actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. Past Participle Usage (ended). The show has ended. The contract had ended before negotiations started. In these sentences, 'ended' is used to describe an action that is complete at the time of speaking (has ended) or was complete at a certain point in the past before another past action (had ended).

Can 'ended' be used in passive voice constructions?

Yes, 'ended' can be used in passive voice constructions. In passive voice, the focus is on the action and its recipient, rather than who performed the action. The game was ended by the referee due to bad weather. The agreement was ended by mutual consent. These sentences emphasize the action of ending and its effect on the subject, rather than who ended the game or agreement.

How can I differentiate between using 'ended' in past simple and past participle contexts?

Past Simple Context. When 'ended' is used to directly describe an action that happened and was completed in the past, it's in the past simple context. It often follows a subject directly and can be modified by specific time references (e.g., yesterday, last week). Past Participle Context. When 'ended' is used in combination with auxiliary verbs (has, have, had) to form perfect tenses or is part of a passive voice construction, it's in the past participle context. The focus is on the state of being completed, either in relation to the present (present perfect) or another past action (past perfect), or to describe an action in passive voice.