Shake past tense

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Meaning of shake

to move (something) back and forth or up and down with rapid, forceful, jerky movements.

Infinitive

Word: shake /ʃeɪk/
Examples:
  • 1. Whenever the train passes by, the windows shake noticeably.
  • 2. He always shakes his head in disbelief whenever he hears surprising news.
  • 3. She shakes her protein drink vigorously before drinking it to ensure it's well mixed.

Past Simple

Word: shook /ʃʊk/
Examples:
  • 1. I shook the bottle vigorously before pouring out the contents.
  • 2. The earthquake shook the entire city, causing panic among the inhabitants.
  • 3. After the agreement was reached, they shook hands and parted ways.

Past Participle

Word: shaken /ˈʃeɪkən/
Examples:
  • 1. The jar had been shaken vigorously before it was opened.
  • 2. The foundations of the building were shaken by the earthquake.
  • 3. The contract had been shaken on, signifying agreement between the parties.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Use case. To describe a habitual action or routine.
    Example. He shakes his protein drink every morning before breakfast.
    Example. The ground shakes during an earthquake.
    Example. First, you shake the bottle, then you pour.
    Example. The play shakes the community center stage at 8 pm tomorrow.
  2. Use case. To state a fact or general truth.
    Example. The ground shakes during an earthquake.
    Example. First, you shake the bottle, then you pour.
    Example. The play shakes the community center stage at 8 pm tomorrow.
  3. Use case. To give instructions or directions.
    Example. The ground shakes during an earthquake.
    Example. First, you shake the bottle, then you pour.
    Example. The play shakes the community center stage at 8 pm tomorrow.
  4. Use case. To express a scheduled event in the near future (often found in timetables or programs).
    Example. The ground shakes during an earthquake.
    Example. First, you shake the bottle, then you pour.
    Example. The play shakes the community center stage at 8 pm tomorrow.

Past Simple

  1. Use case. To describe an action that started and finished at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He shook the bottle vigorously before opening it yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, shook out my pillow, and made my bed.
    Example. She always shook her head in disbelief whenever she saw something unexpected.
    Example. The ancient bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, but it no longer exists.
  2. Use case. To narrate a series of completed actions in the past.
    Example. He shook the bottle vigorously before opening it yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, shook out my pillow, and made my bed.
    Example. She always shook her head in disbelief whenever she saw something unexpected.
    Example. The ancient bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, but it no longer exists.
  3. Use case. To state a past habit or routine.
    Example. He shook the bottle vigorously before opening it yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, shook out my pillow, and made my bed.
    Example. She always shook her head in disbelief whenever she saw something unexpected.
    Example. The ancient bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, but it no longer exists.
  4. Use case. To express past facts or generalizations which are no longer true.
    Example. He shook the bottle vigorously before opening it yesterday.
    Example. I woke up, shook out my pillow, and made my bed.
    Example. She always shook her head in disbelief whenever she saw something unexpected.
    Example. The ancient bridge shook under the weight of vehicles, but it no longer exists.

Past Participle

  1. Use case. To form the perfect tenses.
    Example. They have never shaken hands so warmly before.
    Example. The foundations have been shaken by the recent tremors.
    Example. He was visibly shaken after the incident.
    Example. Their belief in the plan remains unshaken despite the setbacks.
  2. Use case. To form the passive voice.
    Example. They have never shaken hands so warmly before.
    Example. The foundations have been shaken by the recent tremors.
    Example. He was visibly shaken after the incident.
    Example. Their belief in the plan remains unshaken despite the setbacks.
  3. Use case. As an adjective to describe a state resulting from an action.
    Example. They have never shaken hands so warmly before.
    Example. The foundations have been shaken by the recent tremors.
    Example. He was visibly shaken after the incident.
    Example. Their belief in the plan remains unshaken despite the setbacks.
  4. Use case. In idiomatic expressions where the past participle conveys a specific meaning.
    Example. They have never shaken hands so warmly before.
    Example. The foundations have been shaken by the recent tremors.
    Example. He was visibly shaken after the incident.
    Example. Their belief in the plan remains unshaken despite the setbacks.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is mixing up the past simple form 'shook' with the past participle form 'shaken'. The past simple form is used for the straightforward narration of past events, e.g., 'He shook the bottle vigorously before opening it.' In contrast, the past participle must be used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or passive voice constructions, e.g., 'The bottle had been shaken before it was opened.' Misusing these forms can lead to grammatical errors and confusion about the timing or nature of the action.

— 02

Omitting auxiliaries

Another mistake involves using the past participle 'shaken' as if it were the past simple or without the necessary auxiliary verbs, leading to grammatically incomplete sentences. For instance, saying 'He shaken the bottle' instead of the correct 'He had shaken the bottle' or 'He shook the bottle.' This mistake disrupts the clarity and grammatical structure of the sentence, making it difficult for the reader to understand the intended meaning or temporal context.

— 03

Regular Verb Patterns

A frequent error, especially among learners of English, is the overgeneralization of the regular verb pattern (adding -ed to form the past simple and past participle) to all verbs, including irregular verbs like 'shake'. This results in incorrect forms such as 'shaked' instead of the correct 'shook' (past simple) and 'shaken' (past participle). Understanding and memorizing irregular verb forms are crucial to avoid this mistake and use the correct verb forms in past tenses and perfect constructions.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'shake' is 'shook.' For example, 'Yesterday, I shook the bottle before opening it.' The past participle form is 'shaken,' which is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For instance, 'The foundations have been shaken by the earthquake.'

How do I use the past participle 'shaken' in a sentence?

The past participle 'shaken' is commonly used with auxiliary verbs such as 'have,' 'has,' or 'had' to form perfect aspects or with 'be' in passive constructions. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'She has never been shaken by criticism.' In a passive voice sentence, you could say, 'The cocktail was shaken thoroughly before being served.'

Can you give an example of 'shook' and 'shaken' being used in the same narrative?

Certainly! 'Last night, a powerful storm shook the small coastal town. By morning, the residents emerged to find their lives had been profoundly shaken by the event. Trees that once stood tall had been shaken loose from the earth, and homes that had withstood previous storms were now shaken foundations.' Is it ever correct to use 'shaked' instead of 'shook' or 'shaken'