Save past tense

Type your word here
Try:

Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of save

to keep safe or rescue from harm or danger.

Infinitive

Word: save /seɪv/
Examples:
  • 1. I save a portion of my income every month for emergencies.
  • 2. She always saves room for dessert, no matter how full she is.
  • 3. They save water by turning off the tap while brushing their teeth.

Past Simple

Word: saved /seɪvd/
Examples:
  • 1. I saved enough money last year to buy a new car.
  • 2. She saved a drowning kitten from the river during her morning jog.
  • 3. They saved a seat for me at the concert despite my late arrival.

Past Participle

Word: saved /seɪvd/
Examples:
  • 1. The documents were saved by the system before the power outage occurred.
  • 2. The cat had been saved from the tree by the firefighters before the crowd cheered.
  • 3. The game will have been saved before the console is turned off.

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. Habitual or Regular Actions
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.
  2. Use when talking about habits or things we do regularly.
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.
  3. General Truths
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.
  4. Use when stating facts or general truths.
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.
  5. Fixed Arrangements
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.
  6. Use in contexts of timetables or schedules.
    Example. I always save a portion of my salary for emergencies.
    Example. Recycling saves energy.
    Example. The system saves changes automatically every hour.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.
  2. Use to talk about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.
  3. Past Habits
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.
  4. Use to describe habits or routines that were true in the past but no longer.
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.
  5. Sequential Actions in the Past
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.
  6. Use when listing actions that happened one after another in the past.
    Example. He saved the child from the burning house yesterday.
    Example. When I was a student, I saved every penny.
    Example. I saved my document, turned off the computer, and went to bed.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  2. Present Perfect. Use when talking about actions that happened at an unspecified time before now or actions that started in the past and continue to the present.
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  3. Past Perfect. Use when talking about actions that were completed before another action in the past.
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  4. Future Perfect. Use to say that something will be finished by a particular time in the future.
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  5. Passive Voice
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  6. Use when focusing on the action or the recipient of the action rather than who or what is performing the action.
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  7. Adjectival Use
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.
  8. Use when describing the state of something.
    Example. She has saved enough money to buy a house.
    Example. By the time the rescue arrived, she had already saved three people.
    Example. By the end of the year, he will have saved enough to retire.
    Example. Many lives were saved by the new safety regulations.
    Example. The saved files were transferred to the new database.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is using the past simple form of 'save' (saved) interchangeably with the past participle form, which is also 'saved'. While both forms are spelled the same, their usage differs. The past simple form is used to denote a completed action in the past ('I saved money for a car'), while the past participle is often used in perfect tenses and passive voice ('I have saved enough for a house', 'The documents were saved by the backup system').

— 02

Incorrect Forms

Some might mistakenly believe that the past forms of 'save' should follow irregular patterns seen in verbs like 'drive' (drove, driven) or 'write' (wrote, written), leading to incorrect forms like 'saven' or 'saveed'. The correct past simple and past participle form for 'save' is 'saved' for both.

— 03

Misusing past simple/past participle

Another mistake involves the misuse of 'saved' in compound tenses, such as present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. Learners might incorrectly use the past simple form instead of the past participle with auxiliary verbs, leading to errors like 'I have save money for emergencies' instead of the correct 'I have saved money for emergencies'. Understanding the role of 'saved' as the past participle is crucial for correct tense formation in these instances.

Past tense quiz

Check your skills and find areas for improvement

Take quiz

Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'save'?

The past simple form of 'save' is 'saved.' It is used to describe actions that were completed in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I saved a bird that was trapped.'

What is the past participle form of 'save'?

The past participle form of 'save' is also 'saved.' It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'I have saved enough money for a new car.'

How do I use the past participle form of 'save' in a sentence?

The past participle form, 'saved,' is commonly used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or passive voice constructions. For perfect tenses, such as the present perfect, you use it with 'have' or 'has.' For example, 'She has saved every letter he sent her.' For passive voice, it's used with forms of 'be.' For example, 'The game was saved before the power went out.'

Can you give an example of a sentence using both the past simple and past participle forms of 'save'?

Yes. An example that uses both forms could be, 'Last year, I saved money diligently, and by the end of the year, I had saved enough to go on a vacation.' In this sentence, 'saved' is first used in the past simple form to indicate the action of saving money in the past. The second instance of 'saved' is used in the past participle form as part of the past perfect tense, indicating an action completed before another action in the past.