Follow past tense

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Meaning of follow

to go or come after or behind (someone or something).

Infinitive

Word: follow /ˈfɒl.oʊ/
Examples:
  • 1. She always follows the rules at school.
  • 2. He follows a strict diet for his health.
  • 3. The cat follows me everywhere I go.

Past Simple

Word: followed /ˈfɑloʊd/
Examples:
  • 1. Yesterday, I followed the instructions carefully and completed the project successfully.
  • 2. Last week, they followed the tour guide through the ancient ruins, marveling at the history.
  • 3. He followed her advice and finally managed to solve the difficult puzzle.

Past Participle

Word: followed /ˈfɒl.oʊd/
Examples:
  • 1. The instructions have been followed to the letter.
  • 2. The parade route was followed by thousands of spectators.
  • 3. Every guideline was meticulously followed by the team.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions
    Example. He follows a strict diet every day.
    Example. The sun follows the moon in the sky.
    Example. The meeting follows the lunch break at 1 PM.
    Example. First, you follow the main road, then turn left.
    Example. The player passes the ball, and now Thomas follows it closely.
  2. General Truths
    Example. He follows a strict diet every day.
    Example. The sun follows the moon in the sky.
    Example. The meeting follows the lunch break at 1 PM.
    Example. First, you follow the main road, then turn left.
    Example. The player passes the ball, and now Thomas follows it closely.
  3. Scheduled Events (in the near future)
    Example. He follows a strict diet every day.
    Example. The sun follows the moon in the sky.
    Example. The meeting follows the lunch break at 1 PM.
    Example. First, you follow the main road, then turn left.
    Example. The player passes the ball, and now Thomas follows it closely.
  4. Instructions or Directions
    Example. He follows a strict diet every day.
    Example. The sun follows the moon in the sky.
    Example. The meeting follows the lunch break at 1 PM.
    Example. First, you follow the main road, then turn left.
    Example. The player passes the ball, and now Thomas follows it closely.
  5. Commentary (in realtime)
    Example. He follows a strict diet every day.
    Example. The sun follows the moon in the sky.
    Example. The meeting follows the lunch break at 1 PM.
    Example. First, you follow the main road, then turn left.
    Example. The player passes the ball, and now Thomas follows it closely.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Action in the Past
    Example. They followed the treasure map but found nothing.
    Example. When he was a child, he followed his mother to the market every weekend.
    Example. She visited Paris, followed by a trip to Rome.
  2. Past Habitual Action
    Example. They followed the treasure map but found nothing.
    Example. When he was a child, he followed his mother to the market every weekend.
    Example. She visited Paris, followed by a trip to Rome.
  3. Sequence of Events in the Past
    Example. They followed the treasure map but found nothing.
    Example. When he was a child, he followed his mother to the market every weekend.
    Example. She visited Paris, followed by a trip to Rome.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses
    Example. They had followed the instructions before the machine broke down.
    Example. He has followed that author’s work for years.
    Example. By the end of the week, they will have followed all leads in the investigation.
  2. Past Perfect. Describes an action that was completed before another action in the past.
    Example. They had followed the instructions before the machine broke down.
    Example. He has followed that author’s work for years.
    Example. By the end of the week, they will have followed all leads in the investigation.
  3. Present Perfect. Refers to an action or state that either occurred at an indefinite time in the past or began in the past and continued to the present time.
    Example. They had followed the instructions before the machine broke down.
    Example. He has followed that author’s work for years.
    Example. By the end of the week, they will have followed all leads in the investigation.
  4. Future Perfect. Describes an action that will have been completed before a specified time in the future.
    Example. They had followed the instructions before the machine broke down.
    Example. He has followed that author’s work for years.
    Example. By the end of the week, they will have followed all leads in the investigation.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is using the past simple form of 'followed' when the past participle form is required, or vice versa. For example, in passive voice constructions or perfect tenses, the past participle 'followed' should be used, but it's mistakenly replaced with the past simple form. Correct usage. 'He has followed the instructions carefully.' Incorrect usage. 'He has followed the instructions carefully.'

— 02

Misusing Past Simple

Another mistake involves using the past simple form 'followed' when the context requires the present perfect tense, which uses the past participle. This can lead to confusion about the timing of an action. Correct usage for an action that has relevance to the present. 'I have followed this band since 2010.' Incorrect usage. 'I followed this band since 2010.'

— 03

Forgetting the Auxiliary Verb

Forgetting to include the auxiliary verb (have/has/had) with the past participle 'followed' in perfect tenses is a common error. This mistake alters the tense and meaning of the sentence. Correct usage in the present perfect tense. 'She has followed your advice.' Incorrect usage. 'She followed your advice,' if the intended meaning is to convey an action that has relevance to the present moment or has continued relevance.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'follow' is 'followed'. Similarly, the past participle form is also 'followed'. These forms are used to describe actions that happened in the past.

How do I use the past simple form of 'follow'?

The past simple form, 'followed', is used to talk about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'I followed him to the store yesterday.' This sentence indicates that the action of following happened yesterday, which is a specific time in the past. When should I use the past participle form of 'follow'

Can you give an example of a sentence using 'followed' in a passive voice?

Yes, in a passive voice construction, the subject of the sentence is acted upon by someone or something else. An example using 'followed' in the passive voice would be. 'The suspect was closely followed by the detective.' In this sentence, the action of following is being done to the suspect by the detective, placing 'followed' in a passive voice context.