Fish past tense
Meaning of fish
to try to catch or obtain fish.
Infinitive
- 1. Every Saturday, John goes to the lake to fish for trout.
- 2. They fish in those waters because it's known for its abundance of salmon.
- 3. My grandparents often fish at the break of dawn, claiming it's the best time to catch something.
Past Simple
- 1. Yesterday, my dad and I fished at the lake for hours but caught nothing.
- 2. She fished in these waters every summer as a child.
- 3. Last weekend, they fished off the pier and had a great catch.
Past Participle
- 1. After hours of patience, we had fished several trout from the clear mountain stream, savoring the satisfaction of a successful day.
- 2. By the time the sun set, we had fished enough clams to cook a hearty seafood dinner on the beach.
- 3. Despite the stormy weather, they had fished bravely, determined to reel in a prized catch from the choppy waters.
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Bare infinitive
- To describe habitual actions or routines involving trying to catch or obtain fish.Example. He fishes in the lake every Sunday morning.Example. Some species of birds fish by diving into water.Example. To fish successfully, you need patience and the right bait.
- To state facts or general truths about the act of fishing.Example. He fishes in the lake every Sunday morning.Example. Some species of birds fish by diving into water.Example. To fish successfully, you need patience and the right bait.
- To give instructions or advice related to fishing.Example. He fishes in the lake every Sunday morning.Example. Some species of birds fish by diving into water.Example. To fish successfully, you need patience and the right bait.
Past Simple
- To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone tried to catch or obtain fish.Example. They fished for hours but caught nothing yesterday.Example. We fished along the entire coast during our vacation last year.Example. I used to fish in that pond when I was a child.
- To describe a series of fishing activities that took place in the past.Example. They fished for hours but caught nothing yesterday.Example. We fished along the entire coast during our vacation last year.Example. I used to fish in that pond when I was a child.
- To express a past habit of fishing that is no longer current.Example. They fished for hours but caught nothing yesterday.Example. We fished along the entire coast during our vacation last year.Example. I used to fish in that pond when I was a child.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of fishing that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.Example. Rarely used in passive voice, but in an environmental context, it might be stated that 'The lake was fished extensively, leading to a decline in the fish population.'
- Example (Present Perfect). I have fished in many different seas and oceans.Example. Rarely used in passive voice, but in an environmental context, it might be stated that 'The lake was fished extensively, leading to a decline in the fish population.'
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time the storm started, they had already fished for several hours.Example. Rarely used in passive voice, but in an environmental context, it might be stated that 'The lake was fished extensively, leading to a decline in the fish population.'
- Passive voice - While less common in the context of fishing due to its active nature, it could be used creatively or in specific contexts.Example. Rarely used in passive voice, but in an environmental context, it might be stated that 'The lake was fished extensively, leading to a decline in the fish population.'
Common mistakes
— 01
Incorrect Regularization
Mistake. People often incorrectly apply regular past simple and past participle forms to 'fish' by adding -ed to create 'fished' for both past simple and past participle. This is actually correct for 'fish' but is mistakenly thought to be wrong because some verbs in English have irregular past forms, and learners sometimes overapply this irregularity. Correct Usage. For 'fish,' the correct past simple and past participle form is indeed 'fished' (e.g., Yesterday, I fished in the lake. I have fished in that lake many times.)
— 02
Confusion with Irregular Verbs
Mistake. Some learners confuse 'fish' with irregular verbs and try to create an irregular past form that doesn’t exist, such as 'fought' for 'fight.' They might think 'fish' should have a unique past participle form due to misunderstanding or overgeneralizing the rules of irregular verbs. Correct Usage. 'Fish' follows the regular verb pattern, so 'fished' is correct for both the past simple and past participle forms. There's no need to try to create or use an irregular form.
— 03
Misuse in Perfect Tenses
Mistake. When using perfect tenses, some learners might incorrectly use the base form of the verb instead of the past participle form. For example, they might say 'I have fish in the lake last year,' instead of using the past participle 'fished.' Correct Usage. The correct way to use 'fish' in perfect tenses is by employing its past participle form 'fished.' For example, 'I have fished in the lake many times' is correct for present perfect, and 'I had fished in the lake before it became polluted' is correct for past perfect.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple form of 'fish'?
What is the past participle form of 'fish'?
How do I use the past simple and past participle forms of 'fish' in a sentence?
Can the past participle form of 'fish' be used with auxiliary verbs?