Outline past tense

Meaning of outline

to describe or draw the main features or parts of something in a clear and concise manner.

Infinitive

Word: outline /ˈaʊtlaɪn/

Examples:

1. Each chapter outline clearly presents the key topics and subtopics.
2. My teacher always outlines the objectives at the beginning of the lesson.
3. The project manager outlines the steps we need to take to complete the project on time.

Past Simple

Word: outlined /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/

Examples:

1. The teacher outlined the course syllabus in the first class.
2. After the meeting, he outlined the main points we discussed on the whiteboard for everyone to see.
3. The author outlined the plot of her next novel during the interview.

Past Participle

Word: outlined /ˈaʊtˌlaɪnd/

Examples:

1. The entire novel was outlined by the author before the first chapter was even written.
2. The strategies have been thoroughly outlined by the team, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the project.
3. The monument's history was outlined by the guide, captivating the attention of all the tourists.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app

Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or routines involving the description or drawing of the main features or parts of something.
Example. The professor outlines the course syllabus at the beginning of each semester.
Example. A good essay outline helps organize thoughts and arguments.
Example. Always outline your chapters before you start writing the book.
To state facts or general truths about the process or importance of outlining.
Example. The professor outlines the course syllabus at the beginning of each semester.
Example. A good essay outline helps organize thoughts and arguments.
Example. Always outline your chapters before you start writing the book.
To give instructions or advice related to the process of creating an outline.
Example. The professor outlines the course syllabus at the beginning of each semester.
Example. A good essay outline helps organize thoughts and arguments.
Example. Always outline your chapters before you start writing the book.

Past Simple

To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone described or drew the main features or parts of something.
Example. She outlined her plan for the project during the meeting.
Example. After conducting the research, he outlined the findings in a detailed report.
Example. Before the trip, they outlined all the places they wanted to visit.
To describe a series of actions in the past involving the creation of outlines.
Example. She outlined her plan for the project during the meeting.
Example. After conducting the research, he outlined the findings in a detailed report.
Example. Before the trip, they outlined all the places they wanted to visit.
To express a past action of outlining that is complete and does not continue into the present.
Example. She outlined her plan for the project during the meeting.
Example. After conducting the research, he outlined the findings in a detailed report.
Example. Before the trip, they outlined all the places they wanted to visit.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of outlining that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. The proposed amendments have been outlined in the document.
Example (Present Perfect). The team has outlined several strategies for the upcoming quarter.
Example. The proposed amendments have been outlined in the document.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time the conference started, the organizers had already outlined the schedule.
Example. The proposed amendments have been outlined in the document.
Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something that has been described or drawn in terms of its main features or parts, rather than who did the outlining.
Example. The proposed amendments have been outlined in the document.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrectly Modyfying

A common mistake is unnecessarily altering the base form of the verb before adding the '-ed' suffix, possibly due to confusion with irregular verb patterns or verbs that undergo spelling changes in their past forms. Learners might mistakenly add an extra 'e,' resulting in 'outlineed,' or change the 'e' to another letter, misunderstanding the rule that simply requires adding '-ed' to the base form, which is already ended with 'e.'

— 02

Using the Base Form

Another frequent error involves using the base form 'outline' instead of the past simple or past participle form 'outlined' in sentences that refer to past actions. For example, saying 'Yesterday, I outline the project plan' instead of the correct 'Yesterday, I outlined the project plan.' This mistake indicates a lack of understanding about when to use the past tense to denote completed actions.

— 03

Omitting the Past Participle

In perfect tense constructions, the past participle 'outlined' should be used with an auxiliary verb to indicate actions that have been completed. A common mistake is omitting the past participle or using the incorrect form, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. For instance, saying 'I have outline the proposal' instead of the correct 'I have outlined the proposal.'

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'outline'?

The past simple form of 'outline' is 'outlined.' This form is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I outlined the chapters of my thesis.'

What is the past participle form of 'outline'?

The past participle form of 'outline' is also 'outlined.' This form is often used in perfect tenses to describe actions that have been completed at some point in the past. For example, 'By the end of the week, I had outlined all the topics for the conference.'

How do I use 'outlined' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'outlined' correctly, you need to match it with the appropriate tense. For past simple, you can say, 'I outlined the plan to the team.' For perfect tenses, you could say, 'She has already outlined the key points for the meeting.' Remember, the context should indicate a completed action, either at a specific time in the past (past simple) or completed before another action or time (perfect tenses).

Can 'outlined' be used in passive voice, and how?

Yes, 'outlined' can be used in passive voice constructions. In passive voice, the subject receives the action. For example, in past simple passive, you might say, 'The strategy was outlined by the manager during the meeting.' In a perfect tense passive, you could say, 'The entire project has been outlined by the team.' In both cases, 'outlined' helps to describe an action that was completed, with the focus on the action itself rather than who performed it.