Mind past tense
Meaning of mind
to pay attention to or heed.
Infinitive
- 1. She always minds her manners at the dinner table.
- 2. He minds his own business and doesn't get involved in other people's affairs.
- 3. The dog minds the commands of its owner very well.
Past Simple
- 1. She minded the shop while her boss was on vacation last week.
- 2. They minded their manners at the dinner party and impressed everyone.
- 3. He minded his own business and didn't get involved in the argument.
Past Participle
- 1. The notes had been carefully minded by the diligent student during the lecture.
- 2. The safety warnings were minded by all participants during the safety drill.
- 3. The garden had been well minded by the neighbors while we were on vacation.
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Bare infinitive
- To describe habitual actions or routines involving paying attention to or heeding something.Example. She minds the details in every project she works on.Example. He always minds what his mentor says.Example. Mind the gap when exiting the train.
- To state facts or general truths about the behavior of paying attention or heeding advice, warnings, etc.Example. She minds the details in every project she works on.Example. He always minds what his mentor says.Example. Mind the gap when exiting the train.
- To give instructions or advice related to the importance of paying attention or being cautious.Example. She minds the details in every project she works on.Example. He always minds what his mentor says.Example. Mind the gap when exiting the train.
Past Simple
- To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone paid attention to or heeded something.Example. They minded the warning signs and avoided the hazardous area.Example. During the trip, she minded her parents' advice and stayed safe.Example. He minded his spending habits more carefully when he was saving for his first car.
- To describe a series of actions in the past that involved paying attention or heeding.Example. They minded the warning signs and avoided the hazardous area.Example. During the trip, she minded her parents' advice and stayed safe.Example. He minded his spending habits more carefully when he was saving for his first car.
- To express a past habit of paying attention or being cautious that is no longer current.Example. They minded the warning signs and avoided the hazardous area.Example. During the trip, she minded her parents' advice and stayed safe.Example. He minded his spending habits more carefully when he was saving for his first car.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of paying attention or heeding that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.Example. The instructions were well minded by the team, ensuring the project's success.
- Example (Present Perfect). They have always minded the rules of the club.Example. The instructions were well minded by the team, ensuring the project's success.
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time the consequences became apparent, she had not minded the advice given to her.Example. The instructions were well minded by the team, ensuring the project's success.
- Passive voice - While 'minded' in passive voice might be less common due to its active and attentive nature, it could be used in contexts where the focus is on the act of being cared for or attended to.Example. The instructions were well minded by the team, ensuring the project's success.
Common mistakes
— 01
Incorrect Verb Form for Regular Verbs
A common mistake is treating 'mind' as a regular verb by adding -ed for its past simple and past participle forms. The correct past simple form is 'minded,' and the past participle form is also 'minded,' since 'mind' is a regular verb. Incorrectly altering it to 'minded' or 'mindeded' shows a misunderstanding of how regular verbs are conjugated in English.
— 02
Confusion with Irregular Verbs
Some learners might confuse 'mind' with irregular verbs and change its vowel or form when trying to use its past simple or past participle forms. For example, saying 'mound' (akin to 'find' and 'found') instead of 'minded.' It's crucial to remember that 'mind' follows the regular verb conjugation pattern and does not undergo a vowel change.
— 03
Using the Wrong Tense Form
Another mistake involves using the past simple form 'minded' when the past participle form is needed, or vice versa, particularly in perfect tenses or passive voice. For instance, incorrectly saying 'I have mind my manners' instead of the correct 'I have minded my manners' for the present perfect tense, or using 'was minded' in a situation that calls for 'was minding.' Understanding the context in which to use each form is essential for accurate communication.
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