Rain past tense

Type your word here
Try:

Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of rain

to fall as water from the clouds in drops.

Infinitive

Word: rain /reɪn/
Examples:
  • 1. It often rains in the spring, bringing fresh growth to all the plants.
  • 2. In this region, rain falls predominantly at night.
  • 3. Rain cleanses the city streets and replenishes gardens and parks.

Past Simple

Word: rained /reɪnd/
Examples:
  • 1. It rained heavily last night, leaving puddles all over the streets.
  • 2. We wanted to go hiking, but it rained all day, so we stayed indoors.
  • 3. The day started sunny, but it suddenly rained, disrupting the picnic.

Past Participle

Word: rained /reɪnd/
Examples:
  • 1. By the morning, it had rained enough to fill the streets with puddles.
  • 2. The garden was flourishing because it had rained consistently throughout the spring.
  • 3. They had rained down confetti on the parade from the rooftops, creating a colorful spectacle.

Learn more words on the go

Master verb forms with Promova!

Download the app
cta-section-decorative-line-left
cta-section-decorative-line-left

Bare infinitive

  1. General Truth or Habitual Action
    Example. 'It usually rains in April.'
    Example. 'The festival rains or shines on the first weekend of May.'
  2. When talking about something that happens generally or is a regular action.
    Example. 'It usually rains in April.'
    Example. 'The festival rains or shines on the first weekend of May.'
  3. Scheduled Events in the Near Future (especially in formal contexts)
    Example. 'It usually rains in April.'
    Example. 'The festival rains or shines on the first weekend of May.'
  4. When referring to a scheduled event or something that is on a timetable, often in more formal or official contexts.
    Example. 'It usually rains in April.'
    Example. 'The festival rains or shines on the first weekend of May.'

Past Simple

  1. Completed Action in the Past
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'
  2. When talking about an action that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'
  3. Past Habit
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'
  4. When speaking about a habit that was regular in the past but no longer exists.
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'
  5. Sequence of Actions in the Past
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'
  6. When narrating or listing multiple actions that happened one after another in the past.
    Example. 'It rained yesterday.'
    Example. 'When I was a child, it rained every summer.'
    Example. 'It rained, the streets flooded, and then we lost power.'

Past Participle

  1. (Note. 'Rained' functions as both the Past Simple and the Past Participle form for the verb 'rain.' Here, the usage in perfect tense situations typifies the Past Participle application.)
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  2. Present Perfect Tense
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  3. When talking about an experience up until the present, or when an action completed at an unspecified time affects the present.
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  4. Past Perfect Tense
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  5. When discussing an action that was completed before another action or time in the past.
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  6. Future Perfect Tense
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'
  7. When talking about an action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
    Example. 'It has rained every day this week.'
    Example. 'The match was canceled because it had rained the night before.'
    Example. 'By July, it will have rained enough to fill the reservoirs.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'Rained' with 'Rain'

A common mistake is using the base form 'rain' instead of its past simple and past participle form 'rained.' This error often occurs because learners might not recognize 'rain' as an action verb that requires tense changes to indicate time. For example, saying 'It rain yesterday' instead of the correct 'It rained yesterday.' This mistake disrupts the temporal clarity of the sentence, making it hard for listeners or readers to understand when the action took place.

— 02

Incorrect Past Participle

Another frequent mistake involves using 'rained' incorrectly in perfect tenses, which require the past participle form. Since 'rain' is a regular verb, its past simple and past participle forms are identical, both 'rained.' However, learners sometimes mistakenly treat it as irregular and use it incorrectly, as in 'I have rain' instead of 'I have rained.' This error affects the grammatical structure and meaning of sentences in perfect tenses, leading to confusion about the action's completion or continuity.

— 03

Misapplying in Passive

Users often mistakenly apply 'rained' in passive voice constructions, forgetting that 'rain' typically doesn’t take a direct object and thus is not used in passive forms. For example, saying 'The match was rained yesterday' instead of correctly noting 'The match was rained out yesterday' or simply 'It rained yesterday, affecting the match.' These mistakes can lead to awkward or incorrect sentence structures, as they fail to recognize the intransitive nature of 'rain' and its correct usage in context.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

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

The verb 'rain' is regular, so its past simple and past participle forms are the same. 'rained.' This applies to both the action of raining (as in weather) and the use of 'rain' in metaphoric expressions.

How do you use 'rained' in a past simple tense sentence?

In past simple tense, 'rained' describes an action that happened at a specific time in the past and has already finished. For example. 'It rained all day yesterday.' 'The night we first met, it rained lightly.' These sentences specify occasions when the rain occurred, indicating that the action is complete.

How is 'rained' used in a sentence with a past participle form?

The past participle form 'rained' can be used in perfect tenses or passive voice. For example. Present Perfect. 'It has rained every day this week.' Past Perfect. 'By the time we left, it had already rained.' Passive Voice. 'The parade was rained out.' In these cases, 'rained' either contributes to a verb phrase indicating a completed action relevant to the present or past or describes an event affected by rain in passive construction.

Can you provide an example of 'rained' used figuratively in both past simple and past participle forms?

Yes, 'rain' can also be used in a figurative sense to describe an abundance of something falling or being delivered. Past Simple (Figurative). 'Gifts rained down on her during her birthday party.' This sentence suggests that she received a lot of gifts in a short period, similar to a heavy rain. Past Participle (Figurative). 'By the end of the ceremony, accolades had rained upon the retiring professor.' Here, the use of 'rained' in a past participle form indicates that the professor received many accolades over the duration of the ceremony, emphasizing the abundance and continuous nature of the action up until a specific point in the past. These examples show how 'rained' can be used to vividly describe scenarios beyond the literal act of raining, applying the concept of a downpour to non-weather related contexts.