Flow past tense
Meaning of flow
to move along or out steadily and continuously in a current or stream.
Infinitive
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Past tense quiz
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