Fill past tense

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Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of fill

cause (a space or container) to become full or almost full.

Infinitive

Word: fill /fɪl/
Examples:
  • 1. Every morning, she fills her water bottle before heading out for a run.
  • 2. The machine automatically fills the bottles with milk at the dairy farm.
  • 3. During the rainy season, the river fills to the brim and sometimes overflows its banks.

Past Simple

Word: filled /fɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. We filled the pool early in the morning to ensure it was ready for the afternoon barbecue.
  • 2. She filled her notebook with ideas during the brainstorming session.
  • 3. They filled the car with gas before heading out on the long road trip.

Past Participle

Word: filled /fɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. The form was filled out meticulously by the applicant.
  • 2. The water bottle has been filled to the brim.
  • 3. The concert hall was filled with enthusiastic fans.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe habits or routines.
    Example. I always fill my water bottle before leaving the house.
    Example. This jug fills to a litre.
    Example. First, fill the pot with water, then turn on the stove.
    Example. The conference fills Tuesday's schedule completely.
  2. To state facts or general truths.
    Example. I always fill my water bottle before leaving the house.
    Example. This jug fills to a litre.
    Example. First, fill the pot with water, then turn on the stove.
    Example. The conference fills Tuesday's schedule completely.
  3. To give instructions or directions.
    Example. I always fill my water bottle before leaving the house.
    Example. This jug fills to a litre.
    Example. First, fill the pot with water, then turn on the stove.
    Example. The conference fills Tuesday's schedule completely.
  4. To express scheduled events in the near future (often used in timetables).
    Example. I always fill my water bottle before leaving the house.
    Example. This jug fills to a litre.
    Example. First, fill the pot with water, then turn on the stove.
    Example. The conference fills Tuesday's schedule completely.

Past Simple

  1. To describe completed actions at a specific time in the past. The exact time can be mentioned or understood from the context.
    Example. He filled the tank yesterday afternoon.
    Example. I filled the form, submitted it, and then waited for a response.
    Example. She always filled the vase with fresh flowers when we were kids.
  2. To narrate a series of completed actions in the past.
    Example. He filled the tank yesterday afternoon.
    Example. I filled the form, submitted it, and then waited for a response.
    Example. She always filled the vase with fresh flowers when we were kids.
  3. To talk about past habits or states that are no longer true.
    Example. He filled the tank yesterday afternoon.
    Example. I filled the form, submitted it, and then waited for a response.
    Example. She always filled the vase with fresh flowers when we were kids.

Past Participle

  1. To form the perfect aspects (present perfect, past perfect, future perfect)
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.
  2. Present Perfect. I have filled the application form for the new job.
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.
  3. Past Perfect. By the time he arrived, the concert had already filled up.
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.
  4. Future Perfect. By next year, they will have filled all the vacancies.
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.
  5. To form the passive voice where the subject receives the action.
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.
  6. To use as an adjective to describe the state of something.
    Example. The orders were filled by the warehouse team before noon.
    Example. The room was filled with anticipation as the results were about to be announced.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

One common mistake is using the past simple form of 'fill' (filled) when the past participle form is needed, and vice versa. The past simple form is used to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past, e.g., 'I filled the bottle yesterday.' The past participle form (also 'filled' in this case) is used in perfect tenses and passive voice, e.g., 'The bottle has been filled with water.'

— 02

Incorrect Verb Tense Conjugation

Another mistake involves not using the correct form of 'fill' in compound tenses that require the past participle. For example, saying 'I have fill the glass' instead of the correct form 'I have filled the glass.' This error stems from not recognizing that the perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, etc.) require the past participle form.

— 03

Misusing the Past Participle as an Adjective

While the past participle form of 'fill' can be correctly used as an adjective (e.g., 'filled pastry'), a mistake occurs when it is used inappropriately, confusing its role in a sentence. For example, incorrectly using it to describe an ongoing action, such as saying 'The glass is filled with water' when intending to express that someone is currently filling the glass, rather than the glass being already full. The correct expression for an ongoing action would involve the present participle, making it 'The glass is being filled with water.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'fill'?

The past simple form of 'fill' is 'filled'. This form is used to talk about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I filled the water bottle before leaving for the hike.'

What is the past participle form of 'fill'?

The past participle form of 'fill' is also 'filled'. This form is often used in perfect tenses to talk about actions that have an impact on the present or were completed at an unspecified time in the past. For example, 'I have filled the tank with gas,' or 'The holes were filled before the painting began.'

How do you use the past simple form 'filled' in a sentence?

To use the past simple form, you structure your sentence to indicate an action completed in the past. The subject is followed by 'filled' and then the object. For example. 'She filled the glass with water last night.' 'We filled the application form for the event two weeks ago.' Remember, the action is specific to a time that has already passed.

Can you give examples of sentences using the past participle form 'filled'?

Certainly! The past participle form 'filled' can be used in various sentence structures, particularly in perfect tenses or passive voice. Here are some examples. Present Perfect. 'They have already filled the positions for the job.' (This indicates the action has relevance to the present moment.) Past Perfect. 'By the time we arrived, he had filled all the bottles with water.' (This indicates an action was completed before another action in the past.) Passive Voice. 'The forms were filled by the applicants yesterday.' (This focuses on the action rather than who performed it.)