Shut past tense

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Meaning of shut

to move (something) into position so as to block an opening; close.

Infinitive

Word: shut /ʃʌt/
Examples:
  • 1. Every night, she shut the windows before going to bed.
  • 2. They always shut the store at 8 PM sharp.
  • 3. Please shut the door quietly; the baby is sleeping.

Past Simple

Word: shut /ʃʌt/
Examples:
  • 1. She shut the door quietly behind her as she left the room.
  • 2. He realized he had shut his keys inside the car.
  • 3. They shut the windows to keep the cold air out.

Past Participle

Word: shut /ʃʌt/
Examples:
  • 1. The door was shut by the wind last night.
  • 2. Everything had been shut down due to the storm.
  • 3. The shop has been shut for renovations since last week.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Use. For habits, daily events, or universal truths.
    Example. I always shut the windows before leaving the house.
    Example. The store shuts at 8 PM on weekends.
    Example. Please shut the door.
    Example. If you shut this valve, the machine stops.
  2. Schedules and Timetables. Referring to scheduled events in the near future, especially in formal contexts.
    Example. I always shut the windows before leaving the house.
    Example. The store shuts at 8 PM on weekends.
    Example. Please shut the door.
    Example. If you shut this valve, the machine stops.
  3. Giving Instructions. When directing someone to perform an action immediately.
    Example. I always shut the windows before leaving the house.
    Example. The store shuts at 8 PM on weekends.
    Example. Please shut the door.
    Example. If you shut this valve, the machine stops.
  4. Conditional Statements. In the zero conditional, expressing universal truths or outcomes.
    Example. I always shut the windows before leaving the house.
    Example. The store shuts at 8 PM on weekends.
    Example. Please shut the door.
    Example. If you shut this valve, the machine stops.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions. For actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He shut the window because it started raining.
    Example. She shut her diary and sighed, remembering the events of the day.
    Example. They finished their meal, shut the lights off, and went to bed.
  2. Narration. To tell stories or recount events that happened in the past.
    Example. He shut the window because it started raining.
    Example. She shut her diary and sighed, remembering the events of the day.
    Example. They finished their meal, shut the lights off, and went to bed.
  3. Sequences of Actions in the Past. Describing multiple actions in the past that happened in order.
    Example. He shut the window because it started raining.
    Example. She shut her diary and sighed, remembering the events of the day.
    Example. They finished their meal, shut the lights off, and went to bed.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses.
    Example. I have shut the windows already.
    Example. By the time we arrived, he had already shut the doors.
    Example. By the time you get home, I will have shut all the windows.
    Example. The shop was shut by the owner.
  2. Present Perfect. To talk about actions in the past that relate to the present.
    Example. I have shut the windows already.
    Example. By the time we arrived, he had already shut the doors.
    Example. By the time you get home, I will have shut all the windows.
    Example. The shop was shut by the owner.
  3. Past Perfect. To talk about actions that were completed before another action in the past.
    Example. I have shut the windows already.
    Example. By the time we arrived, he had already shut the doors.
    Example. By the time you get home, I will have shut all the windows.
    Example. The shop was shut by the owner.
  4. Future Perfect. To say that something will be finished by a particular time in the future.
    Example. I have shut the windows already.
    Example. By the time we arrived, he had already shut the doors.
    Example. By the time you get home, I will have shut all the windows.
    Example. The shop was shut by the owner.
  5. Passive Voice. Used when the focus is on the action or the recipient of the action rather than who performed it.
    Example. I have shut the windows already.
    Example. By the time we arrived, he had already shut the doors.
    Example. By the time you get home, I will have shut all the windows.
    Example. The shop was shut by the owner.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing base form

One common mistake is not recognizing that for some verbs, like 'shut,' the base form, past simple, and past participle are the same. People often erroneously believe they need to add an -ed to make the past simple or past participle form, leading to incorrect forms like 'shuted' instead of the correct 'shut' for both past simple and past participle.

— 02

Incorrect use in perfect tenses

Another mistake involves the misuse of the past participle form in perfect tenses. Because 'shut' remains unchanged as a past participle, users might mistakenly alter it when forming present perfect, past perfect, or future perfect tenses. For example, saying 'I have shuted the door' instead of the correct 'I have shut the door.' This mistake reflects a misunderstanding of how irregular verbs function in perfect tense constructions, where the past participle is essential.

— 03

Mistakes in passive voice

Similarly, when forming sentences in the passive voice, some might incorrectly modify 'shut' thinking it needs to conform to a regular verb pattern. For instance, saying 'The door was shuted' instead of 'The door was shut.' This mistake occurs because the user applies the regular verb rule (-ed for past participle) instead of using the correct form for the irregular verb 'shut' in passive voice sentences, leading to grammatically incorrect constructions.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'shut'?

The past simple form of 'shut' is 'shut.' The word does not change. For example, 'Yesterday, I shut the door before leaving for work.'

What is the past participle form of 'shut'?

The past participle form of 'shut' is also 'shut.' It is used in perfect tenses and remains unchanged. For example, 'I have shut the windows because it started to rain.'

How do I use 'shut' in a sentence in the past perfect tense?

In the past perfect tense, 'shut' is used with 'had' to indicate an action that was completed before another action or time in the past. For example, 'By the time we arrived, she had already shut all the doors.'

Can you give an example of 'shut' used in the past continuous tense, even though it's not its past participle or simple past form?

Yes, although the past continuous tense does not specifically use the past simple or past participle form of 'shut,' it employs the past form of 'to be' (was/were) followed by 'shutting' to indicate an action that was ongoing in the past. For example, 'I was shutting the windows when the phone rang.'