Guess past tense

Meaning of guess

to estimate or conclude (something) without sufficient information to be sure of being correct.

Infinitive

Word: guess /ɡɛs/

Examples:

1. She always guesses the right answers in trivia games.
2. He never guesses my middle name correctly.
3. We guess the outcome of the movie within the first ten minutes.

Past Simple

Word: guessed /ɡɛst/

Examples:

1. She guessed the answer correctly on her first try.
2. He guessed what I had for lunch based on the smell.
3. They guessed that it would rain, but the day turned out to be sunny.

Past Participle

Word: guessed /ɡɛst/

Examples:

1. The answer was guessed correctly by the entire class.
2. The secret had been guessed by someone before she could reveal it.
3. The mystery was finally guessed by the detective after many weeks of investigation.

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Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or routines involving making estimates or conclusions without sufficient information.
Example. She always guesses the endings of movies.
Example. People often guess when they lack all the facts.
Example. If you don't know the answer, make an educated guess.
To state facts or general truths about the act of guessing.
Example. She always guesses the endings of movies.
Example. People often guess when they lack all the facts.
Example. If you don't know the answer, make an educated guess.
To give instructions or advice related to making an estimate or conclusion in the absence of complete information.
Example. She always guesses the endings of movies.
Example. People often guess when they lack all the facts.
Example. If you don't know the answer, make an educated guess.

Past Simple

To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone made an estimate or conclusion without sufficient information.
Example. He guessed the right answer on the quiz by chance.
Example. We guessed at the ingredients and ended up making a delicious meal.
Example. Before the reveal, everyone guessed who the surprise guest would be.
To describe a series of actions in the past that involved guessing.
Example. He guessed the right answer on the quiz by chance.
Example. We guessed at the ingredients and ended up making a delicious meal.
Example. Before the reveal, everyone guessed who the surprise guest would be.
To express a past action of making guesses that is complete.
Example. He guessed the right answer on the quiz by chance.
Example. We guessed at the ingredients and ended up making a delicious meal.
Example. Before the reveal, everyone guessed who the surprise guest would be.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of guessing that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. The mystery was guessed by many before the final chapter.
Example (Present Perfect). I have guessed the outcomes of the last three elections correctly.
Example. The mystery was guessed by many before the final chapter.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time the answer was revealed, she had already guessed it.
Example. The mystery was guessed by many before the final chapter.
Passive voice - While 'guessed' in passive voice might be less common due to the nature of guessing being an active process, it could be used creatively or in specific contexts.
Example. The mystery was guessed by many before the final chapter.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'guessed'

A common mistake is using a non-standard form for the past participle of 'guess,' such as 'guessen' or 'guesseded,' instead of the correct 'guessed' for both the past simple and past participle forms. The correct forms are 'guessed' for both the past simple (e.g., 'I guessed the answer') and the past participle (e.g., 'I had guessed the answer').

— 02

Incorrectly using 'guessed'

Another mistake is using 'guessed' (past simple or past participle) when the context requires a past continuous form to emphasize the duration or ongoing nature of the guessing. For example, saying 'I guessed where she was all day' instead of the more appropriate 'I was guessing where she was all day' to indicate the action was happening over a period of time.

— 03

Misapplying past participle

Sometimes, learners mistakenly use the past participle form of 'guess' as an adjective in an incorrect context. While 'guessed' can be used as an adjective in certain contexts to describe something that is surmised or estimated (e.g., 'a guessed number'), it is often incorrectly applied in contexts where a different word or form would be more appropriate. For example, saying 'It was a guessed situation' instead of using more precise language to describe the nature of the situation, such as 'It was a speculative situation' or 'It was an uncertain situation.'

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'guess' is 'guessed,' and the past participle form is also 'guessed.' Both forms are used to indicate actions or states in the past, but they are used in different grammatical structures.

How do you use the past simple form 'guessed' in a sentence?

The past simple form 'guessed' is used to talk about actions or situations that were completed in the past. It does not matter when the action happened; the important thing is that it is no longer happening. Here is an example sentence. 'I guessed the answer to the question correctly on the quiz yesterday.' In this sentence, 'guessed' indicates a completed action that happened at a specific time in the past (yesterday).

How is the past participle form 'guessed' used in sentences?

The past participle form 'guessed' is often used in perfect tenses, such as the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. It is also used in passive voice constructions. Here are examples of both uses. Present Perfect. 'She has guessed the outcomes of the last three games.' (Here, 'guessed' is part of the present perfect tense, indicating actions that have relevance to the present moment.) Passive Voice. 'The winner was guessed correctly by everyone.' (In this passive voice construction, 'guessed' describes an action that was done to the subject.)

Can 'guessed' be used with modal verbs? How?

Yes, 'guessed' can be used with modal verbs to express possibility, ability, permission, and obligation in the past. When using 'guessed' with modal verbs, you typically use the base form 'guess' for present and future possibilities, and 'have guessed' for past possibilities. Here are examples. Present/Future Possibility. 'You might guess the right answer if you think about it.' Past Possibility. 'You might have guessed the answer if you had listened to the clues.'