Grow-up past tense
Meaning of grow-up
to mature physically, mentally, or emotionally.
Infinitive
- 1. Children grow up so fast these days.
- 2. The plants grow up towards the sunlight.
- 3. They always say they want to grow up to be astronauts.
Past Simple
- 1. She grew up in a small coastal town surrounded by storytellers and dreamers.
- 2. He grew up in a bustling city, surrounded by a mix of cultures and experiences.
- 3. They grew up together, creating a bond that was stronger than any challenge life threw their way.
Past Participle
- 1. The children have grown up so quickly over the years.
- 2. The plants were grown up under controlled conditions in the laboratory.
- 3. By the time the war had ended, a whole generation had grown up without knowing peace.
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Bare infinitive
- Habitual Actions. Used for actions that happen regularly or habits.Example. I grow up in a small village where everyone knows everyone.Example. Children grow up so fast these days.
- General Truths. For statements that are generally true or facts.Example. I grow up in a small village where everyone knows everyone.Example. Children grow up so fast these days.
- Scheduled Events in the Near Future (less common for 'grow up'). In some contexts, can refer to events on a timetable or schedule.Example. I grow up in a small village where everyone knows everyone.Example. Children grow up so fast these days.
- Example (adapted use). In our curriculum, children grow up learning both arts and sciences from an early age.Example. I grow up in a small village where everyone knows everyone.Example. Children grow up so fast these days.
Past Simple
- Completed Actions in the Past. Used for actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past.Example. I grew up in Canada, but now I live in France.Example. We grew up in a quiet neighborhood, played in the fields, and went to the local school.Example. When I was a child, I grew up eating homemade food every day.Example. In the past, children grew up respecting their elders far more than they seem to today.
- A Series of Completed Actions. Describes actions that were completed in the past, often following one after the other.Example. I grew up in Canada, but now I live in France.Example. We grew up in a quiet neighborhood, played in the fields, and went to the local school.Example. When I was a child, I grew up eating homemade food every day.Example. In the past, children grew up respecting their elders far more than they seem to today.
- Habits in the Past. For habits or routines that were true in the past but not anymore.Example. I grew up in Canada, but now I live in France.Example. We grew up in a quiet neighborhood, played in the fields, and went to the local school.Example. When I was a child, I grew up eating homemade food every day.Example. In the past, children grew up respecting their elders far more than they seem to today.
- Past Facts or Generalizations. Talking about general truths in the past that are no longer true.Example. I grew up in Canada, but now I live in France.Example. We grew up in a quiet neighborhood, played in the fields, and went to the local school.Example. When I was a child, I grew up eating homemade food every day.Example. In the past, children grew up respecting their elders far more than they seem to today.
Past Participle
- Perfect Tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect). Used to talk about actions or states in relation to other time frames.Example. In that culture, children are grown up with strict discipline, though this is a nonstandard and somewhat awkward construction to illustrate passive voice.
- Example (Present Perfect). I have grown up with the same group of friends since kindergarten.Example. In that culture, children are grown up with strict discipline, though this is a nonstandard and somewhat awkward construction to illustrate passive voice.
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time he moved to New York, he had already grown up in three different countries.Example. In that culture, children are grown up with strict discipline, though this is a nonstandard and somewhat awkward construction to illustrate passive voice.
- Example (Future Perfect, less common for 'grow up'). By 2025, she will have grown up and probably started her career.Example. In that culture, children are grown up with strict discipline, though this is a nonstandard and somewhat awkward construction to illustrate passive voice.
- Passive Voice. Describing an action done to the subject, rather than the subject doing the action (less common usage with 'grow up' as it is not a typical action done to someone).Example. In that culture, children are grown up with strict discipline, though this is a nonstandard and somewhat awkward construction to illustrate passive voice.
Common mistakes
— 01
Confusing Forms
A common mistake is mixing up the past simple form 'grew up' with the past participle 'grown up.' The past simple is used to describe an action that happened and was completed in the past, e.g., 'I grew up in France.' In contrast, the past participle is often used with auxiliary verbs to form the present perfect or past perfect tense, indicating an action that has relevance to the present or was completed at a certain time in the past, e.g., 'I have grown up to appreciate fine art.' Mistaking these forms can lead to grammatical errors and confusion about the time frame being referred to.
— 02
Incorrect Past Participle
Another mistake is using the past participle 'grown up' without an auxiliary verb, treating it as if it were the past simple. For example, saying 'I grown up in a small town' instead of the correct form 'I grew up in a small town' (past simple) or 'I have grown up in a small town' (present perfect). This error disrupts the grammatical structure and clarity of the sentence.
— 03
Omitting Past Participle
Failing to use the past participle form in compound tenses can also lead to mistakes. For example, saying 'I have grew up in this city' instead of 'I have grown up in this city.' This mistake not only alters the intended meaning but also breaks the rule of using the past participle with auxiliary verbs in perfect tenses, leading to incorrect tense formation and potentially confusing listeners or readers about the time reference of the action.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple form of 'grow up'?
What is the past participle form of 'grow up'?
How do you use 'grew up' and 'grown up' in sentences?
Can 'grown up' be used as an adjective?