Plead past tense

Meaning of plead

to make an earnest request or appeal.

Infinitive

Word: plead /pliːd/

Examples:

1. He always pleads innocence when accused of breaking the rules.
2. She pleads for more time to finish her project.
3. They plead not guilty at the beginning of the trial.

Past Simple

Word: pled /plɛd/

Examples:

1. He pled guilty to all charges against him in court yesterday.
2. After much consideration, she finally pled for mercy before the council.
3. They reluctantly pled innocent when faced with the unexpected accusations.

Past Participle

Word: pleaded /ˈpliːdɪd/

Examples:

1. The case was pleaded with great passion by the defense attorney.
2. By the end of the trial, the charges had been successfully pleaded down by the legal team.
3. The defendant had pleaded guilty to all charges before the trial commenced.

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Bare infinitive

General Facts or Truths.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
When you state a fact or a habit.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
Habitual Actions.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
For actions that happen regularly.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
Fixed Arrangements.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
For scheduled events in the near future (less common with 'plead' but applicable for regular, predictable actions).
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
Present Descriptions or Situations.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.
Describing current, ongoing situations.
Example. He always pleads for more time to complete his assignments.
Example. She pleads not guilty at every court appearance.
Example. He pleads with his friends every Friday to go out with him.
Example. The activist pleads for attention to climate change.

Past Simple

Completed Actions in the Past.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.
When an action or situation is completely finished.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.
Habitual Past Actions.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.
For actions that were regular in the past but not anymore.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.
Past Facts or Generalizations.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.
Stating facts or situations that were true in the past.
Example. He pled (or pleaded) guilty to the charges last year.
Example. When she was younger, she often pled for extra ice cream.
Example. They always pled for mercy during the trials after the war.

Past Participle

Perfect Tenses.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
With 'have' to form the present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect tense.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Example (Present Perfect). She has pleaded guilty to all charges.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time the decision was made, the defendant had already pleaded not guilty.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Example (Future Perfect). They will have pleaded their case by the end of the week.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Passive Voice.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
To describe actions where the focus is on the action or the object, not who performed the action.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Adjectival Use.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Describing a state or condition resulting from a previous action.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.
Note. Both 'pleaded' and 'pled' are accepted as past tense and past participle forms in American English, with 'pleaded' being more common in formal writing and 'pled' often seen in legal contexts or regional use.
Example. The case was pleaded in the highest court by one of the most notable lawyers.
Example. The pleaded case brought attention to many underlying issues.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusion forms

One common mistake is the uncertainty about whether to use 'pleaded' or 'pled' as the correct past simple and past participle forms of the verb 'plead.' 'Pled' is mostly considered correct for past simple, while 'pleaded' goes for past participle. People might mistakenly believe one form is incorrect and exclusively use the other, which can lead to inconsistencies in writing. For instance, some might say 'He has pled guilty to the charges,' when 'He has pleaded guilty to the charges' is typically more accepted.

— 02

Incorrectly using 'plead'

Another mistake is using the base form 'plead' instead of the appropriate past simple or past participle form when referring to actions in the past. For example, saying 'He plead guilty last year' instead of 'He pleaded guilty last year.' This error can cause confusion about the timing of the action, making it unclear whether it is happening in the present or occurred in the past.

— 03

Misuse in perfect tenses

A further mistake involves incorrectly using the past simple form 'pled' instead of the past participle in perfect tenses, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. For instance, saying 'He had pled guilty' instead of the correct 'He had pleaded guilty.' This mistake can alter the intended meaning and disrupt the flow of the narrative, especially in written texts where precision in tense usage is crucial for clarity.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'plead'?

The past simple form of 'plead' can actually take two forms. 'pleaded' and 'pled'. Both are correct, but their usage often depends on the regional dialect. 'Pleaded' is more commonly used in formal writing and in certain regions like much of the United States, while 'pled' is frequently found in legal contexts and other English-speaking areas.

How do you use the past participle form of 'plead'?

The past participle form of 'plead' follows the same variation as the past simple. you can use either 'pleaded' or 'pled'. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'She has pleaded guilty to the charges' or 'She has pled guilty to the charges'. Both are acceptable, with the choice depending on stylistic preference or regional usage.

Can you give an example of a sentence using 'plead' in the past simple?

Yes, of course. Using 'pleaded'. 'Yesterday, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.' Or, using 'pled'. 'Yesterday, the defendant pled not guilty to the charges against him.' Both sentences convey the same meaning but demonstrate the variation in past simple form usage. Is there a difference in meaning between 'pleaded' and 'pled'