Pull past tense

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Meaning of pull

to exert force on someone or something in order to move them toward oneself or the direction from which the force is exerted.

Infinitive

Word: pull /pʊl/
Examples:
  • 1. She always pulls the door firmly to ensure it's locked.
  • 2. He pulls the cart through the aisles as he shops for groceries.
  • 3. The team regularly pulls together to meet their project deadlines.

Past Simple

Word: pulled /pʊld/
Examples:
  • 1. She pulled the door open and peeked outside.
  • 2. He pulled the rope tightly to secure the boat to the dock.
  • 3. They pulled the weeds from the garden all afternoon.

Past Participle

Word: pulled /pʊld/
Examples:
  • 1. The car was pulled to the side of the road by the tow truck.
  • 2. All the teeth that were badly damaged had been pulled by the dentist.
  • 3. The heavy curtains had been pulled shut to block out the light.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe general actions or habits.
    Example. She pulls the door open every morning to let the cat out.
    Example. Gravity pulls objects towards the Earth.
    Example. To stop the machine, pull the lever towards you.
    Example. The train pulls out of the station at 6 PM sharp.
  2. To express universal truths or facts.
    Example. She pulls the door open every morning to let the cat out.
    Example. Gravity pulls objects towards the Earth.
    Example. To stop the machine, pull the lever towards you.
    Example. The train pulls out of the station at 6 PM sharp.
  3. To give instructions or directions.
    Example. She pulls the door open every morning to let the cat out.
    Example. Gravity pulls objects towards the Earth.
    Example. To stop the machine, pull the lever towards you.
    Example. The train pulls out of the station at 6 PM sharp.
  4. To describe scheduled events in the near future (especially in timetables or itineraries).
    Example. She pulls the door open every morning to let the cat out.
    Example. Gravity pulls objects towards the Earth.
    Example. To stop the machine, pull the lever towards you.
    Example. The train pulls out of the station at 6 PM sharp.

Past Simple

  1. To describe completed actions in the past.
    Example. She pulled the door shut and locked it before leaving.
    Example. I pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and realized I had forgotten my phone.
    Example. When we were kids, we often pulled our sleds to the top of the hill.
    Example. He had always pulled his weight in group projects at school.
  2. To narrate a series of past events or actions.
    Example. She pulled the door shut and locked it before leaving.
    Example. I pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and realized I had forgotten my phone.
    Example. When we were kids, we often pulled our sleds to the top of the hill.
    Example. He had always pulled his weight in group projects at school.
  3. To mention habits or general situations in the past.
    Example. She pulled the door shut and locked it before leaving.
    Example. I pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and realized I had forgotten my phone.
    Example. When we were kids, we often pulled our sleds to the top of the hill.
    Example. He had always pulled his weight in group projects at school.
  4. To express past states or situations.
    Example. She pulled the door shut and locked it before leaving.
    Example. I pulled into the driveway, got out of the car, and realized I had forgotten my phone.
    Example. When we were kids, we often pulled our sleds to the top of the hill.
    Example. He had always pulled his weight in group projects at school.

Past Participle

  1. To form perfect tenses.
  2. Example in Present Perfect. She has pulled off some impressive stunts.
  3. Example in Past Perfect. They had pulled together to finish the project on time.
  4. Example in Future Perfect. By next week, we will have pulled all the necessary resources.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake involves confusing the past simple form of 'pull,' which is 'pulled,' with its past participle form, which is also 'pulled.' While both forms are identical for this verb, the error often emerges in their application within sentences. For instance, when using the verb in the perfect tenses or passive voice, some might mistakenly use a different form, thinking it needs to change. Correct usage involves recognizing that 'pulled' serves both functions, as in 'I pulled the door open' (past simple) and 'The door has been pulled open' (past participle in a passive voice sentence).

— 02

Incorrect Past Participle

Another mistake stems from wrongly assuming that 'pull' follows the pattern of irregular verbs, leading to an incorrect alteration of its past participle form. Users might erroneously create forms like 'pulled' for the past simple but then assume a non-existent form such as 'pulen' or 'pult' for the past participle, influenced by irregular verbs like 'sing,' 'sang,' 'sung.' The correct approach is to remember that 'pull' is a regular verb, and both its past simple and past participle forms are 'pulled.'

— 03

Misapplying Past Participle

A frequent error involves the misuse of the past participle 'pulled' in compound tenses, such as the present perfect or past perfect, by either omitting the auxiliary verb or using the wrong auxiliary verb. For example, saying 'I have pull the door yesterday' instead of the correct 'I pulled the door yesterday' (simple past) or 'I have pulled the door' (present perfect). The mistake here lies in not recognizing the need for the auxiliary verb 'have' in perfect tenses and correctly pairing it with the past participle 'pulled' to convey the action accurately.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'pull' is 'pulled,' and the past participle form is also 'pulled.' Both forms are used for different grammatical purposes but share the same spelling.

How do I use the past simple form 'pulled' in a sentence?

The past simple form 'pulled' is used to describe an action that occurred and was completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'Yesterday, I pulled a muscle during my workout.' 'She pulled the door open before I could knock.' In these instances, 'pulled' indicates actions that happened at a distinct point in the past.

How is the past participle 'pulled' used in sentences?

The past participle 'pulled' is often used in perfect tense constructions or as an adjective. For example. Perfect tense. 'I have pulled that door countless times, and it still sticks.' As an adjective. 'The pulled pork sandwich is my favorite.' In the first sentence, 'pulled' is part of the present perfect tense, indicating an action that happened at an unspecified time before now. In the second, it describes the condition of the pork.

Can 'pulled' be used in passive voice constructions?

Yes, 'pulled' can be used in passive voice constructions, in which the subject of the sentence is the recipient of an action rather than the doer. For example. 'The emergency cord was pulled by one of the passengers.' 'The movie was pulled from theaters due to controversy.' In these sentences, the focus is on the action being done to the subject (the emergency cord, the movie) rather than who performed the action.