Flow past tense

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Meaning of flow

to move along or out steadily and continuously in a current or stream.

Infinitive

Word: flow: /floʊ/
Examples:
  • 1. Water always flows downhill due to gravity.
  • 2. Traffic flows smoothly on the highway during early morning hours.
  • 3. Ideas flow freely in a well-facilitated brainstorming session.

Past Simple

Word: flowed /floʊd/
Examples:
  • 1. The river flowed gently under the bridge during the peaceful summer evening.
  • 2. Yesterday, my ideas flowed effortlessly during the brainstorming session.
  • 3. The wine flowed freely at the wedding reception, making everyone merry.

Past Participle

Word: flowed /floʊd/
Examples:
  • 1. The rivers have flowed gently throughout the summer.
  • 2. A decision was made, and the funds were flowed directly into the project.
  • 3. The knowledge has been freely flowed among the participants.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe habitual actions or natural processes involving movement in a steady and continuous stream.
    Example. The river flows through the town.
    Example. Traffic flows more smoothly after midnight.
    Example. Make sure the software allows data to flow freely between systems.
  2. To state facts or general truths about the direction or nature of movement.
    Example. The river flows through the town.
    Example. Traffic flows more smoothly after midnight.
    Example. Make sure the software allows data to flow freely between systems.
  3. To give instructions or describe how something should be done to ensure continuous movement.
    Example. The river flows through the town.
    Example. Traffic flows more smoothly after midnight.
    Example. Make sure the software allows data to flow freely between systems.

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific instance in the past when something moved along or out steadily and continuously.
    Example. The lava flowed from the volcano during last month's eruption.
    Example. Ideas flowed freely in the brainstorming session yesterday.
    Example. In the old days, the river flowed where the highway now runs.
  2. To describe a series of events or actions in the past where continuous movement was involved.
    Example. The lava flowed from the volcano during last month's eruption.
    Example. Ideas flowed freely in the brainstorming session yesterday.
    Example. In the old days, the river flowed where the highway now runs.
  3. To express how something used to move or be conducted in the past, implying a contrast with the present.
    Example. The lava flowed from the volcano during last month's eruption.
    Example. Ideas flowed freely in the brainstorming session yesterday.
    Example. In the old days, the river flowed where the highway now runs.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses - To talk about actions or processes of steady and continuous movement that have been completed or have affected the present.
    Example. The streets were flowed over by the celebratory parade.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). The water has flowed under the bridge, signaling the end of the conflict.
    Example. The streets were flowed over by the celebratory parade.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). By the time they arrived, the floodwater had already flowed into the lower fields.
    Example. The streets were flowed over by the celebratory parade.
  4. Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on the area or object receiving the flow, rather than what is flowing.
    Example. The streets were flowed over by the celebratory parade.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrectly Using 'Flowed'

A frequent mistake is treating 'flow' as if it were an irregular verb, similar to 'fly' (flew, flown) or 'blow' (blew, blown), and thus incorrectly using forms like 'flew' or 'flown' for its past tense or past participle. The correct past simple and past participle form of 'flow' is 'flowed.' Incorrect. The river has flown over its banks. Correct. The river has flowed over its banks.

— 02

Omitting -ed

Another common error is omitting the -ed ending when using 'flow' in the past simple or past participle form, which can happen either due to oversight or misunderstanding of regular verb conjugation rules. Incorrect. Last night, the water flow down the street. Correct. Last night, the water flowed down the street.

— 03

Misuse in Perfect Tense Constructions

People sometimes misuse 'flowed' in perfect tense constructions by either choosing the wrong form of the verb or by using an incorrect auxiliary verb. This mistake can alter the intended meaning or make the sentence grammatically incorrect. Incorrect. The lava has flow down the volcano's side. Correct. The lava has flowed down the volcano's side.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'flow' is 'flowed.' The past participle form is also 'flowed.' For example, you would say, 'Yesterday, the river flowed gently,' for past simple, and 'The river has flowed this way for centuries,' for the past participle.

How do I use the past simple form of 'flow' in a sentence?

The past simple form, 'flowed,' is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. This time can be mentioned or understood from the context. For example. 'The lava flowed down the hill last night.' 'The ink flowed freely from my pen when I wrote the letter.'

How is the past participle form of 'flow' used in sentences?

The past participle 'flowed' is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For instance. Perfect Tense. 'The river has flowed through this town for generations.' Passive Voice. 'The streets were flowed through by celebratory parades.'

Can 'flowed' be used in both active and passive voice constructions?

Yes, 'flowed' can be used in both active and passive voice constructions, depending on the context and what you want to emphasize in your sentence. In the active voice, the subject performs the action, as in 'Water flowed over the dam.' In the passive voice, the subject receives the action, as in 'The dam was flowed over by water.' However, note that the passive voice example here is awkward and not a common usage; passive constructions with 'flow' are less typical because 'flow' inherently describes an action that doesn't usually target a direct object in a way that lends itself to passive voice.