Shred past tense

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Meaning of shred

to cut or tear into small, long, narrow pieces.

Infinitive

Word: shred /ʃrɛd/
Examples:
  • 1. Every morning, I shred cheese to sprinkle over my omelet.
  • 2. She prefers to shred documents by hand rather than using a shredder.
  • 3. He shreds guitar solos like no one else in the band.

Past Simple

Word: shredded /ˈʃrɛdɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. She shredded the confidential documents to ensure privacy.
  • 2. He shredded the lettuce for the salad quickly.
  • 3. The company shredded outdated files to make space for new records.

Past Participle

Word: shredded /ˈʃrɛdɪd/
Examples:
  • 1. The documents were shredded before anyone could review them.
  • 2. All sensitive files have been shredded to ensure confidentiality.
  • 3. The confidential papers had been shredded by the time the audit started.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habit or routine.
    Example. He shreds documents every Friday to ensure no sensitive information is accidentally leaked.
    Example. A good shredder shreds paper into tiny, unreadable pieces.
    Example. To protect your privacy, shred your bank statements as soon as you review them.
  2. General truths or facts.
    Example. He shreds documents every Friday to ensure no sensitive information is accidentally leaked.
    Example. A good shredder shreds paper into tiny, unreadable pieces.
    Example. To protect your privacy, shred your bank statements as soon as you review them.
  3. Instructions or directions.
    Example. He shreds documents every Friday to ensure no sensitive information is accidentally leaked.
    Example. A good shredder shreds paper into tiny, unreadable pieces.
    Example. To protect your privacy, shred your bank statements as soon as you review them.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions or events in the past.
    Example. He shredded all his old love letters after the breakup.
    Example. We shredded documents daily at my old job, but we're digital now so it's no longer necessary.
    Example. He finished his homework, shredded some documents, and then watched TV.
    Example. He said he shredded the documents to prevent identity theft.
  2. Past habits or states.
    Example. He shredded all his old love letters after the breakup.
    Example. We shredded documents daily at my old job, but we're digital now so it's no longer necessary.
    Example. He finished his homework, shredded some documents, and then watched TV.
    Example. He said he shredded the documents to prevent identity theft.
  3. Sequential actions in the past.
    Example. He shredded all his old love letters after the breakup.
    Example. We shredded documents daily at my old job, but we're digital now so it's no longer necessary.
    Example. He finished his homework, shredded some documents, and then watched TV.
    Example. He said he shredded the documents to prevent identity theft.
  4. In indirect speech, to report speech or thoughts from the past.
    Example. He shredded all his old love letters after the breakup.
    Example. We shredded documents daily at my old job, but we're digital now so it's no longer necessary.
    Example. He finished his homework, shredded some documents, and then watched TV.
    Example. He said he shredded the documents to prevent identity theft.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect) to show actions that are completed at the time of speaking or relate to a point in time in the past or future.
    Example. Present Perfect. I have shredded all the documents you gave me.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they realized the mistake, she had already shredded the important documents.
    Example. Future Perfect. By next week, we will have shredded all the outdated files.
    Example. The confidential report was shredded by the intern by mistake.
  2. Passive voice, to describe an action done to the subject.
    Example. Present Perfect. I have shredded all the documents you gave me.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they realized the mistake, she had already shredded the important documents.
    Example. Future Perfect. By next week, we will have shredded all the outdated files.
    Example. The confidential report was shredded by the intern by mistake.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Doubling

A common mistake is not understanding when to double the final consonant before adding the '-ed' suffix. While 'shred' correctly becomes 'shredded' by doubling the 'd,' learners might mistakenly apply this rule to verbs where it's not needed or fail to apply it when necessary. For example, incorrectly writing 'shreded' instead of 'shredded' demonstrates a misunderstanding of the rule that requires doubling the consonant when the verb ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, and the action is stressed on the last syllable.

— 02

Using the Base Form

Another frequent error involves using the base form 'shred' instead of the past simple or past participle form 'shredded' when referring to past events. Saying 'Yesterday, I shred the documents' instead of 'Yesterday, I shredded the documents' indicates a lack of understanding about the need to modify the verb form to accurately reflect past actions.

— 03

Omitting Past Participle

In perfect tense constructions, the past participle 'shredded' should be used with an auxiliary verb to indicate actions that have been completed. A common mistake is omitting the past participle or using the incorrect form, leading to grammatically incomplete sentences. For instance, saying 'I have shred all the evidence' instead of the correct 'I have shredded all the evidence.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'shred'?

The past simple form of 'shred' is 'shredded.' It is used to describe an action that was completed in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I shredded all the unnecessary documents in my office.'

What is the past participle form of 'shred'?

The past participle form of 'shred' is also 'shredded.' It is used in perfect tense constructions and passive voice. For example, in the perfect tense, you might say, 'I have shredded the documents.' In a passive voice construction, you could say, 'The documents were shredded by me.'

Can 'shred' be used in a sentence without changing its form?

In the present tense, 'shred' remains unchanged. For instance, 'I shred paper every day to keep my desk clean.' However, when referring to past actions or in passive constructions, you must use its past simple or past participle form ('shredded').

How do I know when to use 'shredded' as a past simple or a past participle?

The usage depends on the structure of the sentence. If the sentence is in the past simple tense, you use 'shredded' as the verb to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. Example. 'I shredded the documents yesterday.' When using 'shredded' as a past participle, it often appears with auxiliary verbs like 'have,' 'has,' or 'had' (in perfect tenses) or is used in passive voice constructions. Perfect tense example. 'She has shredded all the evidence.' Passive voice example. 'The evidence was shredded by her.'