Fix past tense
Meaning of fix
to repair or correct something.
Infinitive
- 1. He fixes his own breakfast every morning before heading to work.
- 2. She often fixes computers for her friends and family.
- 3. This manual provides detailed instructions on how to fix common issues with the device.
Past Simple
- 1. She fixed the broken chair yesterday.
- 2. I fixed a quick lunch before heading out to the meeting.
- 3. They fixed the leaking tap last weekend to prevent water wastage.
Past Participle
- 1. The broken chair has been fixed by the carpenter.
- 2. My computer was fixed by the technician last week.
- 3. All the windows had been fixed before the storm arrived.
Learn more words on the go
Master verb forms with Promova!
Bare infinitive
- Habitual actions or routines. When describing actions that happen regularly or are a general truth.Example. I usually fix breakfast at seven in the morning.Example. She fixes computers for a living.Example. The technician fixes the heating system at 9 AM tomorrow.
- Facts or general statements. To state facts or things that are generally true.Example. I usually fix breakfast at seven in the morning.Example. She fixes computers for a living.Example. The technician fixes the heating system at 9 AM tomorrow.
- Scheduled events (in the near future). For scheduled events, particularly in a timetable or itinerary.Example. I usually fix breakfast at seven in the morning.Example. She fixes computers for a living.Example. The technician fixes the heating system at 9 AM tomorrow.
Past Simple
- Completed actions in the past. When talking about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.Example. He fixed the leak in the roof yesterday.Example. She fixed dinner, cleaned the kitchen, and went to bed early last night.Example. When I was a kid, I fixed my own snacks after school.Example. Before digital watches, he fixed traditional watches.
- A series of completed actions. To describe a series of completed actions in the past.Example. He fixed the leak in the roof yesterday.Example. She fixed dinner, cleaned the kitchen, and went to bed early last night.Example. When I was a kid, I fixed my own snacks after school.Example. Before digital watches, he fixed traditional watches.
- Habitual actions in the past. Describing habits or routines that happened in the past but do not happen in the present.Example. He fixed the leak in the roof yesterday.Example. She fixed dinner, cleaned the kitchen, and went to bed early last night.Example. When I was a kid, I fixed my own snacks after school.Example. Before digital watches, he fixed traditional watches.
- Past facts or generalizations. To state facts or general truths that were true in the past but may not be true now.Example. He fixed the leak in the roof yesterday.Example. She fixed dinner, cleaned the kitchen, and went to bed early last night.Example. When I was a kid, I fixed my own snacks after school.Example. Before digital watches, he fixed traditional watches.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Present Perfect. Describing actions that happened at an indefinite time in the past or actions that started in the past and continue to the present.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Past Perfect. Referring to actions that were completed before a certain point in the past.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Future Perfect. Describing actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Passive voice. For forming passive voice sentences in any tense, where the focus is on the action rather than who is performing the action.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Present tense passive. The car is fixed by the mechanic every year.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Past tense passive. The meal was fixed by a renowned chef.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Future tense passive. The phone will be fixed by the end of the day.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
- Conditional sentences. In some conditional structures, particularly in the conditional perfect.Example. They have fixed many cars this month.Example. She had fixed the computer before it crashed again.Example. By next month, we will have fixed all the bugs in the software.Example. If you had fixed the leak, the room wouldn’t have flooded.
Common mistakes
— 01
Confusing forms
A common mistake is using the past simple form of 'fix' (fixed) when the past participle form is required, and vice versa. The past simple form is used to talk about actions that happened in the past and were completed at a specific time, e.g., 'I fixed the car yesterday.' However, the past participle form (also 'fixed' for regular verbs like 'fix') is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions, e.g., 'The car has been fixed.'
— 02
Incorrect Use in Perfect Tenses
Another mistake involves incorrectly using the simple past form 'fixed' when forming perfect tenses, which require the past participle. For example, saying 'I have fixed the car yesterday' instead of using the simple past 'I fixed the car yesterday' or correctly using the present perfect tense without specifying the time 'I have fixed the car.'
— 03
Omitting Auxiliary Verb
When forming passive voice sentences, some learners forget to include the auxiliary verb 'be' before the past participle 'fixed.' For example, they might say 'The car was fixed' correctly but incorrectly say 'The car fixed' when trying to convey a passive meaning. The correct construction requires the auxiliary verb to indicate the passive voice, as in 'The car was fixed by the mechanic.'
Past tense quiz
Check your skills and find areas for improvement