Grow past tense

Meaning of grow

to increase in size, number, strength, or quality.

Infinitive

Word: grow /ɡroʊ/

Examples:

1. The tree in our backyard grows taller every year.
2. She grows her own vegetables in the garden.
3. My interest in photography grows with every picture I take.

Past Simple

Word: grew /ɡruː/

Examples:

1. Last summer, my sunflowers grew taller than my fence.
2. She grew tired of waiting and decided to leave.
3. We grew up in the same neighborhood and have been friends ever since.

Past Participle

Word: grown /ɡroʊn/

Examples:

1. The vegetables have been grown in organic soil by the local farmers.
2. By the end of summer, the flowers in the garden had grown to their full size.
3. The crops were grown using sustainable practices, ensuring minimal impact on the environment.

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Bare infinitive

Use case. For general truths or facts.
Example. Trees grow taller each year.
Example. I grow tomatoes in my garden every summer.
Example. The conference grows larger every year.
Use case. For habitual actions or routines.
Example. Trees grow taller each year.
Example. I grow tomatoes in my garden every summer.
Example. The conference grows larger every year.
Use case. To express scheduled events in the near future (often used with schedules or timetables).
Example. Trees grow taller each year.
Example. I grow tomatoes in my garden every summer.
Example. The conference grows larger every year.

Past Simple

Use case. For actions or situations that were completed in the past.
Example. The company grew rapidly last year.
Example. When I was a child, I grew carrots in my backyard.
Example. He planted a seed, and it grew into a massive tree.
Use case. To describe past habits or states.
Example. The company grew rapidly last year.
Example. When I was a child, I grew carrots in my backyard.
Example. He planted a seed, and it grew into a massive tree.
Use case. In narratives to describe past events in a sequence.
Example. The company grew rapidly last year.
Example. When I was a child, I grew carrots in my backyard.
Example. He planted a seed, and it grew into a massive tree.

Past Participle

Use case. In perfect tenses to talk about actions or situations that have occurred at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Example (Present Perfect). I have grown several types of vegetables in my garden.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time summer began, we had grown accustomed to the early sunrises.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Use case. To form passive voice sentences indicating an action done to the subject.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Example (Present Perfect Passive). The flowers have been grown by the community for the festival.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Example (Past Perfect Passive). By last spring, new trees had been grown to replace those lost in the storm.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.
Use case. As an adjective to describe something that has reached full development.
Example. They sell both green and fully grown plants.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrectly Using the Past Simple

A common mistake is confusing the simple past form of 'grow,' which is 'grew,' with its past participle form, 'grown.' This error often occurs in perfect tenses. For instance, saying 'I have grew tomatoes in my garden last year' instead of the correct form, 'I have grown tomatoes in my garden last year.' The correct usage involves recognizing that 'grown' should be used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses (have/has grown) and passive voice (was/were grown).

— 02

Simple Past Form as an Adjective

Another mistake is using 'grew' as an adjective, which is a role meant for the past participle form 'grown.' For example, saying 'a grew man' instead of 'a grown man.' The error here lies in not understanding that 'grown' is the appropriate form when describing something that has completed the process of growing. 'Grown' functions as an adjective in certain contexts, whereas 'grew' does not.

— 03

Applying Regular Verb Rules

A third common error is treating 'grow' as a regular verb and adding -ed to form its past simple and past participle forms, resulting in incorrect forms like 'growed.' This mistake stems from not recognizing that 'grow' is an irregular verb, with 'grew' as its simple past form and 'grown' as its past participle. Understanding the irregular nature of 'grow' is crucial to using its various forms correctly in sentences.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'grow' is 'grew'. The past participle form is 'grown'. These forms are used to talk about growth that occurred at a specific time in the past or has been completed.

How do I use 'grew' and 'grown' in sentences?

Grew (Past Simple). Use 'grew' to talk about a specific instance or period of growth in the past. For example. 'Last summer, my garden plants grew rapidly because of the rain.' Grown (Past Participle). 'Grown' is used in perfect tenses or passive voice. For example, in the present perfect tense. 'The trees have grown a lot since last year.' In the passive voice. 'The crops were grown organically.'

Can 'grown' be used without an auxiliary verb?

Typically, 'grown' is used with an auxiliary verb (e.g., have, has, had) to form perfect tenses. However, it can be used without an auxiliary verb in certain constructions, such as being an adjective. 'I only eat home-grown vegetables.' In this case, 'grown' describes the vegetables. Are there common mistakes to avoid when using 'grew' and 'grown'