Pin past tense

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Meaning of pin

to attach or fasten with a pin or pins.

Infinitive

Word: pin /pɪn/
Examples:
  • 1. I always pin my favorite photos on the board above my desk.
  • 2. She pins new recipes to her Pinterest board every week.
  • 3. He pins a reminder note to his bag so he doesn't forget his tasks for the day.

Past Simple

Word: pinned /pɪnd/
Examples:
  • 1. I pinned the note to the board so everyone could see it.
  • 2. She pinned her hair up before starting to cook.
  • 3. They pinned the blame on him, even though he was innocent.

Past Participle

Word: pinned /pɪnd/
Examples:
  • 1. The new noticeboard was pinned to the wall with great care.
  • 2. The documents have been securely pinned together by the assistant.
  • 3. Despite the slippery conditions, the skilled climber had successfully pinned his rope to the rock face, allowing his team to ascend safely.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Routine or habitual actions. Use it for actions that happen regularly or are part of a daily or habitual routine.
    Example. He pins his favorite recipes on the bulletin board every Sunday.
    Example. This type of butterfly pins its eggs underneath leaves.
    Example. The train pins at the station at 6 PM every evening.
    Example. First, you pin the fabric together, then you sew along the edge.
  2. Facts or general truths. When stating facts or things that are generally true.
    Example. He pins his favorite recipes on the bulletin board every Sunday.
    Example. This type of butterfly pins its eggs underneath leaves.
    Example. The train pins at the station at 6 PM every evening.
    Example. First, you pin the fabric together, then you sew along the edge.
  3. Scheduled events in the near future (especially for public transportation, timetables). In some cases, it's used to talk about scheduled events, particularly in public transportation or timetables.
    Example. He pins his favorite recipes on the bulletin board every Sunday.
    Example. This type of butterfly pins its eggs underneath leaves.
    Example. The train pins at the station at 6 PM every evening.
    Example. First, you pin the fabric together, then you sew along the edge.
  4. Instructions or directions. For giving instructions or directions.
    Example. He pins his favorite recipes on the bulletin board every Sunday.
    Example. This type of butterfly pins its eggs underneath leaves.
    Example. The train pins at the station at 6 PM every evening.
    Example. First, you pin the fabric together, then you sew along the edge.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past. When talking about actions that were completed at a particular time in the past.
    Example. She pinned the note on the board yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, pinned the reminder on my door, and left for work.
    Example. He pinned his thoughts in his diary every night before smartphones were common.
    Example. She said she pinned the location on her map app to remember it.
  2. A series of completed actions. When listing a series of actions that were completed in the past, one after another.
    Example. She pinned the note on the board yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, pinned the reminder on my door, and left for work.
    Example. He pinned his thoughts in his diary every night before smartphones were common.
    Example. She said she pinned the location on her map app to remember it.
  3. Past habits or states. To talk about habits or states in the past that are no longer true in the present.
    Example. She pinned the note on the board yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, pinned the reminder on my door, and left for work.
    Example. He pinned his thoughts in his diary every night before smartphones were common.
    Example. She said she pinned the location on her map app to remember it.
  4. Indirect speech. When reporting what someone said, thought, or felt in the past.
    Example. She pinned the note on the board yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, pinned the reminder on my door, and left for work.
    Example. He pinned his thoughts in his diary every night before smartphones were common.
    Example. She said she pinned the location on her map app to remember it.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.
  2. Present Perfect. For actions that happened at an unspecified time before now. The specific time is not important.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.
  3. Past Perfect. For actions that were completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.
  4. Future Perfect. For actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.
  5. Passive voice. To form the passive voice, indicating that the subject of the sentence is acted upon.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.
  6. Conditional sentences. In some conditional sentences, particularly the third conditional which talks about hypothetical situations in the past.
    Example. I have already pinned the document to the board.
    Example. She had pinned her hopes on the project before it was canceled.
    Example. By next week, we will have pinned down the location for the event.
    Example. The poster was pinned to the wall by the organizers.
    Example. If you had pinned the address earlier, we wouldn't have gotten lost.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake with verbs like 'pin' is confusing its past simple form ('pinned') with its past participle form, which is also 'pinned'. While both forms are identical for the verb 'pin', the mistake arises in their application within sentences. The past simple is used for actions completed in the past (e.g., 'She pinned the note on the board yesterday.'), whereas the past participle is often used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice (e.g., 'The note has been pinned on the board.').

— 02

Incorrectly regularizing

Although 'pin' is not an irregular verb, a common error with verbs in general is treating irregular verbs as if they followed the regular pattern of adding '-ed' or '-d' to form their past simple and past participle forms. For example, with the verb 'run' (which becomes 'ran' in the past simple and 'run' as the past participle), a mistake would be to say 'runned' instead. Learners often mistakenly apply the regular pattern they learn from verbs like 'pin' to irregular verbs, leading to errors.

— 03

Omitting double consonant

When forming the past simple and past participle of 'pin', the final consonant is doubled before adding '-ed', becoming 'pinned'. A frequent mistake, especially among learners of English, is to omit this doubling of the consonant, writing or saying 'pined' instead of 'pinned'. This error not only changes the word's pronunciation but can also lead to confusion with different words, affecting comprehension.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'pin' is 'pinned.' This is also the form used for the past participle. Therefore, both the past simple and past participle forms are the same. 'pinned.'

How do you use 'pinned' in a past simple sentence?

In a past simple sentence, 'pinned' is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example. 'She pinned the badge on her shirt yesterday.' This sentence indicates that the action of pinning the badge occurred at a specific time in the past, which is indicated by 'yesterday.'

Can you give an example of 'pinned' used as a past participle in a sentence?

Certainly! When 'pinned' is used as a past participle, it is often in the passive voice or in perfect tenses. Here's an example in the passive voice. 'The notice was pinned to the board last week.' And an example in the present perfect tense. 'They have pinned their hopes on the new plan.' These sentences show 'pinned' being used to describe an action affecting the subject (in the passive voice) and an action that has relevance to the present moment (in the perfect tense). Is there a difference in meaning when using 'pinned' in different tenses