Pity past tense

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Meaning of pity

to feel sorry for someone; to sympathize with someone in their misfortune.

Infinitive

Word: pity /ˈpɪti/
Examples:
  • 1. Many people pity those who are less fortunate, offering help when they can.
  • 2. It's a shame to pity oneself when so much can be done to change the situation.
  • 3. They say it's a waste of time to pity those who won't help themselves.

Past Simple

Word: pitied /ˈpɪtɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. She pitied the stray animals she found in the alley and decided to feed them.
  • 2. He pitied his friend who had lost his job recently and offered him support.
  • 3. Despite their differences, she pitied him when she heard about his illness and reached out to help.

Past Participle

Word: pitied /ˈpɪt.id/
Examples:
  • 1. The lost puppy was pitied by everyone in the neighborhood.
  • 2. The mistakes made by the team were pitied by their coach.
  • 3. Her efforts, though unsuccessful, were pitied and praised by her peers.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual actions or states.
    Example. She always pities the stray animals in her neighborhood.
    Example. It's a pity that not everyone values honesty.
    Example. The charity event pities the plight of homeless families tomorrow.
    Example. To show compassion, you should pity those less fortunate than yourself.
    Example. I pity those who have never known true friendship.
  2. General truths or laws of nature.
    Example. She always pities the stray animals in her neighborhood.
    Example. It's a pity that not everyone values honesty.
    Example. The charity event pities the plight of homeless families tomorrow.
    Example. To show compassion, you should pity those less fortunate than yourself.
    Example. I pity those who have never known true friendship.
  3. Scheduled events in the near future (often found in formal contexts).
    Example. She always pities the stray animals in her neighborhood.
    Example. It's a pity that not everyone values honesty.
    Example. The charity event pities the plight of homeless families tomorrow.
    Example. To show compassion, you should pity those less fortunate than yourself.
    Example. I pity those who have never known true friendship.
  4. Instructions or directions.
    Example. She always pities the stray animals in her neighborhood.
    Example. It's a pity that not everyone values honesty.
    Example. The charity event pities the plight of homeless families tomorrow.
    Example. To show compassion, you should pity those less fortunate than yourself.
    Example. I pity those who have never known true friendship.
  5. Expressing feelings, dislikes, and likes (especially in the first person).
    Example. She always pities the stray animals in her neighborhood.
    Example. It's a pity that not everyone values honesty.
    Example. The charity event pities the plight of homeless families tomorrow.
    Example. To show compassion, you should pity those less fortunate than yourself.
    Example. I pity those who have never known true friendship.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past.
    Example. She pitied the lost kitten and took it home last night.
    Example. He always pitied the underdog when he was younger.
    Example. They finished their work, then pitied the poor conditions of the workers and decided to help.
    Example. She pitied her neighbor's loneliness last year and became his friend.
    Example. Long ago, the queen pitied the beggar and offered him a place at her table.
  2. Past habits or states.
    Example. She pitied the lost kitten and took it home last night.
    Example. He always pitied the underdog when he was younger.
    Example. They finished their work, then pitied the poor conditions of the workers and decided to help.
    Example. She pitied her neighbor's loneliness last year and became his friend.
    Example. Long ago, the queen pitied the beggar and offered him a place at her table.
  3. Sequential actions in the past.
    Example. She pitied the lost kitten and took it home last night.
    Example. He always pitied the underdog when he was younger.
    Example. They finished their work, then pitied the poor conditions of the workers and decided to help.
    Example. She pitied her neighbor's loneliness last year and became his friend.
    Example. Long ago, the queen pitied the beggar and offered him a place at her table.
  4. Actions or situations with a specified time in the past.
    Example. She pitied the lost kitten and took it home last night.
    Example. He always pitied the underdog when he was younger.
    Example. They finished their work, then pitied the poor conditions of the workers and decided to help.
    Example. She pitied her neighbor's loneliness last year and became his friend.
    Example. Long ago, the queen pitied the beggar and offered him a place at her table.
  5. Narrations or stories set in the past.
    Example. She pitied the lost kitten and took it home last night.
    Example. He always pitied the underdog when he was younger.
    Example. They finished their work, then pitied the poor conditions of the workers and decided to help.
    Example. She pitied her neighbor's loneliness last year and became his friend.
    Example. Long ago, the queen pitied the beggar and offered him a place at her table.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.
  2. Present Perfect. She has always pitied those in need.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.
  3. Past Perfect. He had pitied the creature before realizing it was dangerous.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.
  4. Future Perfect. They will have pitied so many by the end of their campaign.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.
  5. As an adjective to describe feelings or states.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.
  6. In certain conditional forms or wishes.
    Example. The pitied child smiled gratefully when given a new toy.
    Example. Had he been pitied more, perhaps he would have found the strength to change.

Common mistakes

— 01

Misuse of Past Simple

A common mistake is using the past simple form of 'pity' instead of the correct past participle form. The past simple form is 'pitied,' which is used correctly when referring to a simple past action (e.g., 'I pitied him yesterday.'). However, when forming perfect tenses or the passive voice, the past participle form, which is also 'pitied,' should be used (e.g., 'He has been pitied by everyone in the room.'). Mixing up these forms can lead to grammatical inaccuracies such as saying 'have pitied' instead of the correct 'have pitied' for the present perfect tense.

— 02

Confusing with Regular Verb Patterns

Another mistake involves assuming irregular verb patterns for 'pity.' While many verbs in English undergo significant changes from their base to their past simple and past participle forms (e.g., go-went-gone), 'pity' follows a regular pattern where you simply add 'ed' for both the past simple and past participle forms. An error occurs when learners mistakenly create a non-existent form due to Overgeneralizing Patterns (e.g., 'pited' or 'pitten' instead of the correct 'pitied').

— 03

Omitting the 'ed'

Particularly for ESL (English as a Second Language) learners, there might be a tendency to drop the '-ed' ending in the past simple or past participle form due to pronunciation challenges or influence from their native language structures. This leads to sentences like 'I pity him last week' instead of the correct 'I pitied him last week.' Ensuring the '-ed' ending is pronounced and included in written forms is crucial for conveying the correct tense and aspect.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'pity'?

The past simple form of 'pity' is 'pitied.' It is used to describe an action or a feeling that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'I pitied him when I heard about his misfortune.'

What is the past participle form of 'pity'?

The past participle form of 'pity' is also 'pitied.' This form is used in perfect tense constructions or as an adjective. For example, in the sentence 'She has pitied him since they were children,' 'pitied' is used as the past participle in the present perfect tense. As an adjective, it can be seen in a construction like, 'The pitied creature finally found a home.'

How do I use 'pitied' in a sentence to express a past action?

To express a past action, you use 'pitied' in the simple past tense. Ensure the subject of your sentence is followed by 'pitied' and then the object of pity, if any. For instance, 'Yesterday, I pitied the stray dogs in the storm.' This sentence indicates that the action of feeling pity occurred in the past.

Can 'pitied' be used in passive voice constructions? If yes, how?

Yes, 'pitied' can be used in passive voice constructions, both in the simple past and in perfect tenses. In the passive voice, the object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence. For example, in the simple past passive, you might say, 'The lost kitten was pitied by everyone in the neighborhood.' In a present perfect passive construction, you could say, 'The victims have been pitied by the community for their losses.' These sentences show that the feeling of pity is directed towards the subject by someone else.