Feel past tense

Meaning of feel

experience or undergo an emotion or sensation.

Infinitive

Word: feel /fiːl/

Examples:

1. She feels joy every time she sees a rainbow.
2. He always feels cold in the morning, no matter the weather.
3. The cat feels safe when it's curled up next to its owner.

Past Simple

Word: felt /fɛlt/

Examples:

1. After receiving the heartfelt letter, she felt a deep sense of gratitude and warmth that she couldn't explain.
2. I felt the rain on my face as I walked home.
3. He felt the texture of the fabric, confirming it was felt, perfect for the craft project he had in mind.

Past Participle

Word: felt /fɛlt/

Examples:

1. The warmth of the sun was felt by everyone at the beach.
2. The notes from the meeting have been felt crucial for the project's completion.
3. Emotions that had been felt during the concert were unforgettable.

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Bare infinitive

To express habitual actions or general truths.
Example. 'I always feel happy after exercise.'
Example. 'It feels cold in here.'
To describe a current state of being or feeling.
Example. 'He feels unwell today.'
Example. 'It feels cold in here.'

Past Simple

To talk about a specific action or feeling that occurred and was completed at some point in the past.
Example. 'I felt exhausted after the marathon yesterday.'
Example. 'She felt relieved when she found her lost keys.'
Example. 'They felt confident about their presentation last week.'
To describe a past state or condition.
Example. 'It felt strange to be back in my old school.'
Example. 'I felt exhausted after the marathon yesterday.'
Example. 'She felt relieved when she found her lost keys.'
Example. 'They felt confident about their presentation last week.'

Past Participle

Used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses describing actions or feelings that have occurred at some undefined point in the past (present perfect), happened during a time period that has not yet ended (present perfect continuous), or were completed by a specific time in the past (past perfect).
Example. Present Perfect. 'I have never felt this way before.'
Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the show started, she had already felt a range of emotions.'
Example. 'The rough fabric was felt by sensitive skin', which is a stylistically awkward and rare usage but grammatically possible.
To form the passive voice, although less common with the verb 'feel' because it is typically used in an intransitive sense. However, in contexts where 'feel' is used transitively, it might apply.
Example. Present Perfect. 'I have never felt this way before.'
Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the show started, she had already felt a range of emotions.'
Example. 'The rough fabric was felt by sensitive skin', which is a stylistically awkward and rare usage but grammatically possible.
Keep in mind, the usage of verb tenses in English helps convey the timing of actions or states relative to the moment of speaking or to other actions. 'Feel' as a verb can reflect both physical sensations and emotional states, making its tense usage critical for accurate and clear communication.
Example. Present Perfect. 'I have never felt this way before.'
Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the show started, she had already felt a range of emotions.'
Example. 'The rough fabric was felt by sensitive skin', which is a stylistically awkward and rare usage but grammatically possible.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'Felt' for 'Felled

' One common mistake is misusing 'felt' as the past participle form of 'feel' instead of its correct usage as the past simple form. 'Felt' is both the past simple and past participle form of 'feel'. Some learners mistakenly use 'felled' (which actually is the past form of 'fell', meaning to cut down) thinking it might be the past participle form of 'feel'. Correct usage. 'Yesterday, I felt very happy' (past simple) and 'I have never felt so alive' (past participle).

— 02

Regular Verb Form

Another mistake is trying to apply regular verb ending rules to 'feel' by adding -ed to create a supposed past simple or past participle form like 'feeled'. This error stems from misunderstanding the irregular nature of the verb 'feel'. 'Feel' does not conform to the regular verb pattern of adding -ed or -d to create its past forms. The correct past simple and past participle form is 'felt'. Correct usage. 'She felt the fabric to check its quality.'

— 03

Using 'Felt' Incorrectly

Sometimes, learners misuse 'felt' for situations that require the present participle or the base form of the verb. For instance, using 'felt' instead of 'feeling' (the present participle) in continuous tenses, or instead of 'feel' (the base form) in the present simple. Correct usage. 'I am feeling tired' (present participle) and 'I feel happy when I am with you' (base form).

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'feel'?

The past simple form of 'feel' is 'felt'. It is used to describe an action or a feeling that occurred and was completed in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I felt happy when I saw my friend.'

What is the past participle form of 'feel'?

The past participle form of 'feel' is also 'felt'. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For example, in the present perfect tense, 'I have felt tired all day.'

How do I use 'felt' in a sentence to describe a past experience?

To describe a past experience using 'felt,' you simply use the past simple form. Make sure to keep the sentence in past tense to indicate that the action or feeling has already happened. For example, 'I felt nervous before my presentation last week.'

Can 'felt' be used in passive voice constructions, and if so, how?

Yes, 'felt' can be used in passive voice constructions, primarily when you want to emphasize the experience or the object receiving the action rather than who is performing the action. In such cases, 'felt' is used as the past participle in a passive construction. For example, 'The soft fabric was felt by everyone at the table, who marveled at its smoothness.' However, it's more common to use 'feel' in an active voice because 'feel' often describes personal experiences.