Prophesy past tense

Meaning of prophesy

to predict or foretell the future.

Infinitive

Word: prophesy /ˈprɒf.ə.saɪ/

Examples:

1. Many cultures have seers who prophesy about the future based on visions or dreams.
2. Experts in the field often prophesy significant technological advancements within the next decade.
3. In some religions, it is believed that chosen individuals can prophesy events that are yet to come, guiding their communities.

Past Simple

Word: prophesied /ˈprɑfəˌsaɪd/

Examples:

1. The seer prophesied that the kingdom would fall if the king did not heed her warnings.
2. Years ago, the oracle prophesied the coming of a great famine that would last a decade.
3. They claimed to have prophesied the outcome of the battle, but nobody believed them at the time.

Past Participle

Word: prophesied /ˈprɑf.ə.saɪd/

Examples:

1. The future was accurately prophesied by the oracle.
2. The end of the war had been prophesied long before it actually ended.
3. The success of the project had been prophesied by the experts.

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Bare infinitive

General Truths or Habitual Actions.
Example. “He frequently prophesies about upcoming technological advances.”
Example. “The prophet prophesies the fate of the city tomorrow at dawn.”
Example. 'First, he reads the signs, then he prophesies.'
Scheduled Events in the Near Future (in a timetable or a program, more common with other verbs).
Example. “He frequently prophesies about upcoming technological advances.”
Example. “The prophet prophesies the fate of the city tomorrow at dawn.”
Example. 'First, he reads the signs, then he prophesies.'
Giving Instructions or Directions.
Example. “He frequently prophesies about upcoming technological advances.”
Example. “The prophet prophesies the fate of the city tomorrow at dawn.”
Example. 'First, he reads the signs, then he prophesies.'

Past Simple

Actions Completed in the Past.
Example. “The seer prophesied the king's downfall last year.”
Example. “He prophesied the outcome, then witnessed the events unfold exactly as predicted.”
Example. “Decades ago, the oracle regularly prophesied victories for our ancestors.”
Example. “In ancient times, people often prophesied using animal entrails.”
A Series of Completed Actions in the Past.
Example. “The seer prophesied the king's downfall last year.”
Example. “He prophesied the outcome, then witnessed the events unfold exactly as predicted.”
Example. “Decades ago, the oracle regularly prophesied victories for our ancestors.”
Example. “In ancient times, people often prophesied using animal entrails.”
Habitual Actions in the Past.
Example. “The seer prophesied the king's downfall last year.”
Example. “He prophesied the outcome, then witnessed the events unfold exactly as predicted.”
Example. “Decades ago, the oracle regularly prophesied victories for our ancestors.”
Example. “In ancient times, people often prophesied using animal entrails.”
Past Facts or Generalizations.
Example. “The seer prophesied the king's downfall last year.”
Example. “He prophesied the outcome, then witnessed the events unfold exactly as predicted.”
Example. “Decades ago, the oracle regularly prophesied victories for our ancestors.”
Example. “In ancient times, people often prophesied using animal entrails.”

Past Participle

Perfect Tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect).
Example. Present Perfect. 'He has prophesied accurately on many occasions.'
Example. Past Perfect. “By the time they listened, she had already prophesied their doom.”
Example. Future Perfect. “By this time next year, he will have prophesied the fate of nations.”
Example. 'The great disaster was prophesied by many before it happened.'
Passive Voice.
Example. Present Perfect. 'He has prophesied accurately on many occasions.'
Example. Past Perfect. “By the time they listened, she had already prophesied their doom.”
Example. Future Perfect. “By this time next year, he will have prophesied the fate of nations.”
Example. 'The great disaster was prophesied by many before it happened.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing in past simple

A common mistake is using the base form 'prophesy' instead of the correct past simple form 'prophesied.' While 'prophesy' refers to the act of predicting something in the future, once this action has occurred in the past, it should be expressed as 'prophesied.' For example, it is incorrect to say, 'He prophesy the event accurately.' The correct form is, 'He prophesied the event accurately.'

— 02

Incorrect past participle

Another mistake involves the misuse of the past participle form of 'prophesy.' The past participle of 'prophesy' is also 'prophesied,' consistent with its past simple form. However, some might mistakenly use 'prophesy' or an incorrect variant like 'prophesieded' in contexts that require the past participle, especially in perfect tenses. The correct usage in a perfect tense would be, 'He has prophesied many events that came true,' not 'He has prophesy many events that came true.'

— 03

Misidentifying the verb tense

Users often struggle with selecting the correct form of 'prophesy' in complex sentences that involve a mix of tenses. The mistake usually arises in conditional sentences or when shifting between direct and indirect speech. For example, it is incorrect to say, 'If he prophesy correctly, we would have been prepared.' The correct form should be, 'If he had prophesied correctly, we would have been prepared.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'prophesy'?

The past simple form of 'prophesy' is 'prophesied'. It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, the oracle prophesied a great change coming to the kingdom.'

How is the past participle form of 'prophesy' used?

The past participle form of 'prophesy' is also 'prophesied'. It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions. For instance, in the sentence 'The future had been accurately prophesied by the seer,' 'prophesied' is the past participle used in the past perfect tense in a passive voice.

Can you provide an example of 'prophesied' in a present perfect tense sentence?

Yes, an example of 'prophesied' in a present perfect tense sentence would be. 'The mystic has prophesied the return of the comet for years.' In this sentence, 'has prophesied' indicates an action that started in the past and continues into the present or has relevance or effects in the present. Is there a difference in usage between British and American English for 'prophesied'