Forego past tense

Meaning of forego

to go without; to refrain from; to abstain from.

Infinitive

Word: forgo /fɔːˈɡoʊ/

Examples:

1. They forego their morning coffee to save a little extra money each month.
2. She usually foregoes dessert to maintain her health goals.
3. To save for their vacation, they often forego dining out and cook at home instead.

Past Simple

Word: forwent /fɔːˈwɛnt/

Examples:

1. He forwent the usual formalities and got straight to business.
2. She forwent her morning coffee to save time for an important meeting.
3. They forwent their vacation plans to save money for the house renovation.

Past Participle

Word: foregone /fɔːˈɡɒn/

Examples:

1. The traditional tea ceremony had been foregone in favor of a more contemporary gathering.
2. Due to the impending storm, the outdoor festivities were foregone.
3. The formal dinner was foregone by the family, opting instead for a casual night in.

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Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or personal policies of abstaining from something.
Example. He foregoes coffee after 6 p.m. to improve his sleep quality.
Example. Many athletes forego junk food to maintain their fitness levels.
Example. To save money, you might need to forego eating out frequently.
To state facts or general truths about decisions to abstain.
Example. He foregoes coffee after 6 p.m. to improve his sleep quality.
Example. Many athletes forego junk food to maintain their fitness levels.
Example. To save money, you might need to forego eating out frequently.
To give instructions or advice about the benefits of abstaining from certain actions or items.
Example. He foregoes coffee after 6 p.m. to improve his sleep quality.
Example. Many athletes forego junk food to maintain their fitness levels.
Example. To save money, you might need to forego eating out frequently.

Past Simple

To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone decided to go without something.
Example. She forwent her salary bonus to ensure her team members could get a higher raise.
Example. During the early years of his career, he forwent many luxuries to reinvest in his business.
Example. They forwent vacations for several years to save for their house.
To describe a series of decisions to abstain made in the past.
Example. She forwent her salary bonus to ensure her team members could get a higher raise.
Example. During the early years of his career, he forwent many luxuries to reinvest in his business.
Example. They forwent vacations for several years to save for their house.
To express a past habit of abstaining that is no longer true.
Example. She forwent her salary bonus to ensure her team members could get a higher raise.
Example. During the early years of his career, he forwent many luxuries to reinvest in his business.
Example. They forwent vacations for several years to save for their house.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses - To talk about decisions to abstain that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. The luxury of extended holidays has been foregone by many startup founders in the early stages of their ventures.
Example. The decision was a foregone conclusion, considering the environmental impact of the project.
Example (Present Perfect). She has foregone the opportunity to study abroad to take care of her family.
Example. The luxury of extended holidays has been foregone by many startup founders in the early stages of their ventures.
Example. The decision was a foregone conclusion, considering the environmental impact of the project.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time the offer was made, he had already foregone the chance to join the project.
Example. The luxury of extended holidays has been foregone by many startup founders in the early stages of their ventures.
Example. The decision was a foregone conclusion, considering the environmental impact of the project.
Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on the action of abstaining, rather than who made the decision.
Example. The luxury of extended holidays has been foregone by many startup founders in the early stages of their ventures.
Example. The decision was a foregone conclusion, considering the environmental impact of the project.
As an adjective to describe the state or result of a decision to abstain.
Example. The luxury of extended holidays has been foregone by many startup founders in the early stages of their ventures.
Example. The decision was a foregone conclusion, considering the environmental impact of the project.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'forego' with 'forgo'

A common mistake involves confusing the word 'forego,' which means to precede or go before, with 'forgo,' which means to abstain from or do without. When discussing the past tense or past participle, the error often lies in using 'forewent' or 'foregone' when the intended meaning is to describe the action of abstaining. The correct past simple and past participle forms for 'forgo' are 'forwent' and 'forgone,' respectively. For example, 'He forwent his right to appeal' (correct) vs. 'He forewent his right to appeal' (incorrect if the meaning is to abstain).

— 02

Incorrect past participle

Another common mistake is misusing the past participle form 'foregone' by treating it as an adjective that can apply broadly to any context. While 'foregone' can indeed function as an adjective, its use is appropriate in contexts where something is predetermined or inevitable, often seen in the phrase 'a foregone conclusion.' Mistakes arise when it is incorrectly applied to contexts that do not imply inevitability or predestination. For instance, 'The decision was foregone' might be misused instead of saying, 'The decision was predetermined.'

— 03

Overgeneralizing the past simple

The third mistake involves overusing or misapplying the past simple form 'forewent.' This error occurs when individuals assume that 'forewent' can replace any form of going or coming before in a temporal sense, not recognizing that its usage is more nuanced, often related to forgoing or preceding in a specific, sometimes figurative, context. An incorrect application might be, 'He forewent to the store,' instead of the correct 'He went to the store earlier.'

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'forego' is 'forewent'. The past participle form is also 'foregone'. It's important to note that 'forego' means to go without something or to precede, and it should not be confused with 'forgo', which solely means to go without something.

How do you use 'forewent' in a sentence?

'Forewent' is used to describe an action in the past where someone went without something or something preceded another. For example. 'She forewent her claim to the throne in favor of her younger brother.' This sentence indicates that she chose to go without her claim, allowing her brother to precede her in succession.

How is the past participle 'foregone' used in sentences?

The past participle 'foregone' is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or as an adjective. For example, in the perfect tense. 'They had foregone the traditional ceremony in favor of a private event.' As an adjective, it can be used like this. 'The decision was a foregone conclusion, given the circumstances.'

Can you provide examples distinguishing the use of 'forewent' and 'foregone'?

Certainly! Here's how you can distinguish between the two in sentences. Using 'forewent'. 'He forewent his morning coffee to save time.' This sentence uses the past simple form of 'forego' to indicate that he went without his coffee in the past. Using 'foregone'. 'The opportunity was foregone by the time she made up her mind.' In this sentence, 'foregone' is used as a past participle in a passive voice sentence, indicating the opportunity was missed or went unutilized. Keep in mind, the context of foregoing something (going without) or preceding must be clear to choose the correct form and meaning of 'forego,' 'forewent,' and 'foregone.'