Pet past tense

Meaning of pet

stroke or pat (an animal) affectionately.

Infinitive

Word: keep /kiːp/

Examples:

1. Every morning, she pets her cat before leaving for work.
2. He often pets the neighbor's dog when he sees it on his walks.
3. They always remind their children to gently pet the rabbits instead of picking them up.

Past Simple

Word: pet /pɛt/

Examples:

1. She pet the stray cat that wandered into her yard, finding comfort in its purring.
2. He pet the dog gently, trying to calm it during the thunderstorm.
3. They pet the horses after the ride, thanking them for the smooth journey.

Past Participle

Word: petted /ˈpɛtɪd/

Examples:

1. The dog had been petted by all the children in the park.
2. The cat was being petted gently by its owner.
3. The tired puppy had been petted until it fell asleep.

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Bare infinitive

Habitual or Routine Actions. When describing actions that happen regularly or habits.
Example. I pet my dog every morning before work.
Example. Cats often dislike being petted by strangers.
Example. The animal show starts at 3 pm where you can pet various animals.
General Truths or Facts. When mentioning facts or things generally considered true.
Example. I pet my dog every morning before work.
Example. Cats often dislike being petted by strangers.
Example. The animal show starts at 3 pm where you can pet various animals.
Scheduled Events in the Near Future (especially in timetables or programs). To indicate scheduled or fixed time events in the near future, often in transportation or event schedules.
Example. I pet my dog every morning before work.
Example. Cats often dislike being petted by strangers.
Example. The animal show starts at 3 pm where you can pet various animals.

Past Simple

Completed Actions in the Past. Refers to actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
Example. I pet the neighbor's cat yesterday afternoon.
Example. I woke up, had breakfast, and then pet my dog before leaving for work.
Example. When I was a child, I often pet the horses on our farm.
A Series of Completed Actions. When listing actions that happened in the past in sequence.
Example. I pet the neighbor's cat yesterday afternoon.
Example. I woke up, had breakfast, and then pet my dog before leaving for work.
Example. When I was a child, I often pet the horses on our farm.
Habits in the Past. For habits or routines that were true in the past but not anymore.
Example. I pet the neighbor's cat yesterday afternoon.
Example. I woke up, had breakfast, and then pet my dog before leaving for work.
Example. When I was a child, I often pet the horses on our farm.

Past Participle

Perfect Tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect). To describe actions that have been completed at some point in the past or will have been completed in the future.
Example. I have already petted all the cats in the shelter. (Present Perfect)
Example. By the time you arrived, I had already petted all the dogs. (Past Perfect)
Example. By next year, I will have petted animals on every continent. (Future Perfect)
Example. The abandoned puppies were petted and cared for by the volunteers.
Example. The petted rabbits seemed much calmer after the children left.
Passive Voice. To describe actions done to the subject by someone/something else.
Example. I have already petted all the cats in the shelter. (Present Perfect)
Example. By the time you arrived, I had already petted all the dogs. (Past Perfect)
Example. By next year, I will have petted animals on every continent. (Future Perfect)
Example. The abandoned puppies were petted and cared for by the volunteers.
Example. The petted rabbits seemed much calmer after the children left.
Adjectives/Participles Describing Conditions or States. Sometimes used in describing the state or condition resulting from an action.
Example. I have already petted all the cats in the shelter. (Present Perfect)
Example. By the time you arrived, I had already petted all the dogs. (Past Perfect)
Example. By next year, I will have petted animals on every continent. (Future Perfect)
Example. The abandoned puppies were petted and cared for by the volunteers.
Example. The petted rabbits seemed much calmer after the children left.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Patterns

A common mistake when using the past simple and past participle forms of the word 'pet' involves not recognizing that 'pet' is an irregular verb when used in a specific context. Typically, for regular verbs, the past simple and past participle forms are created by adding -ed to the base form. However, 'pet' as a verb meaning to stroke or touch gently can lead to confusion. In American English, the past simple and past participle form is often considered 'petted,' following the rule for regular verbs. However, in some dialects and informal uses, 'pet' as the past form is increasingly accepted, especially in British English.

— 02

Forming the Past Participle

Another mistake is using the wrong form of 'pet' when forming the perfect tenses or the passive voice, which require the past participle. Some might incorrectly use 'pet' instead of 'petted' in these constructs, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. For example, saying 'I have pet the cat yesterday' instead of the correct 'I have petted the cat yesterday.'

— 03

Overgeneralizing

Users might overapply the rule of adding -ed to all verbs to form the past tense, leading to the erroneous creation of 'peted' as the past simple form of 'pet.' This mistake stems from misunderstanding the irregular nature of 'pet' in its past forms and not recognizing that 'petted' is the correct past simple and past participle form in standard American English usage.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple and past participle forms of 'pet' are both 'petted.' This means that whether you are referring to an action that took place in the past (past simple) or an action that has been completed (past participle), you would use 'petted.' Past Simple Example. Yesterday, I petted my neighbor's dog. Past Participle Example. I have petted many cats in my lifetime.

Can 'pet' also be used in its base form as a past simple verb?

Yes, particularly in American English, 'pet' can be used in its base form as the past simple, especially in informal contexts. This usage, while less common, is increasingly accepted. Example. I pet the cat before leaving the house. However, for formal writing or when in doubt, sticking to 'petted' for the past simple tense is advisable. Is there any difference in meaning between 'petted' and 'pet' when used in the past tense

How can I use 'petted' in a sentence as a past participle?

When using 'petted' as a past participle, it often appears with auxiliary verbs such as 'have' or 'had' to indicate an action that has been completed in the past. Example. She had petted every dog in the neighborhood by the end of the day. This construction is useful for expressing experiences or actions that have relevance to the present moment or when the exact timing of the action is not important. Remember, whether you choose 'petted' or 'pet' in informal contexts might depend on your audience or regional preference, but 'petted' is always correct for both the past simple and past participle forms in formal writing.