Sin past tense
Meaning of sin
to commit an offense or violate a moral or religious law.
Infinitive
- 1. People often regret the times they sin and wish for redemption.
- 2. To sin against others is to eventually harm oneself.
- 3. Many religions teach that to forgive those who sin against us is a virtue.
Past Simple
- 1. He sinned against his own principles, betraying the trust of his closest friends.
- 2. They sinned by breaking the law and had to face the consequences.
- 3. She confessed that she had sinned and sought forgiveness from those she wronged.
Past Participle
- 1. Despite her efforts to stay virtuous, she had sinned by succumbing to temptation and indulging in forbidden desires.
- 2. Throughout his life, he had sinned repeatedly, but he had also sought forgiveness and strived to repent for his wrongdoings.
- 3. In the eyes of the community, she had sinned gravely, but she had since sought redemption through acts of kindness and charity.
Learn more words on the go
Master verb forms with Promova!
Bare infinitive
- To describe habitual actions or general tendencies of committing offenses or violating moral or religious laws.Example. He believes that everyone sins in some way, however small.Example. Many religions teach that humans naturally sin but can seek forgiveness.Example. If you sin, seek to make amends and improve.
- To state facts or general truths about the nature of sinning or moral transgressions.Example. He believes that everyone sins in some way, however small.Example. Many religions teach that humans naturally sin but can seek forgiveness.Example. If you sin, seek to make amends and improve.
- To give warnings or advice concerning moral or ethical behavior.Example. He believes that everyone sins in some way, however small.Example. Many religions teach that humans naturally sin but can seek forgiveness.Example. If you sin, seek to make amends and improve.
Past Simple
- To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone committed an offense or violated a moral or religious law.Example. She confessed that she sinned and sought forgiveness.Example. They realized they had sinned against their community and worked to rectify their wrongdoings.Example. He sinned frequently in his youth but changed his ways as he matured.
- To describe a series of actions in the past that involved sinning or moral violations.Example. She confessed that she sinned and sought forgiveness.Example. They realized they had sinned against their community and worked to rectify their wrongdoings.Example. He sinned frequently in his youth but changed his ways as he matured.
- To express a past habit of committing sins that is no longer current.Example. She confessed that she sinned and sought forgiveness.Example. They realized they had sinned against their community and worked to rectify their wrongdoings.Example. He sinned frequently in his youth but changed his ways as he matured.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of sinning that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.Example. Forgiveness was sought for the sins that had been committed.
- Example (Present Perfect). They have sinned and asked for forgiveness.Example. Forgiveness was sought for the sins that had been committed.
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time he found his faith, he had sinned many times but vowed to lead a better life.Example. Forgiveness was sought for the sins that had been committed.
- Passive voice - While less commonly used due to the active nature of sinning (as it typically involves personal action rather than something done to someone), it can be conceptualized in contexts where the focus is on the state of having sinned.Example. Forgiveness was sought for the sins that had been committed.
Common mistakes
— 01
Incorrect Doubling
The correct form 'sinned' involves doubling the final 'n' before adding '-ed' to form both the past simple and past participle. A common mistake is not doubling the 'n' when moving from 'sin' to 'sinned.' This error stems from misunderstandings about the rule that applies to verbs ending in a single vowel followed by a single consonant, especially when the stress is on the last syllable (applicable in some dialects). Learners might incorrectly write 'sined' instead of the correct 'sinned.'
— 02
Pronunciation
The correct pronunciation of 'sinned' is /sɪnd/, but learners may struggle with the pronunciation, particularly with ensuring that the '-ed' ending is pronounced correctly. Since 'sinned' ends with a 'd' sound, there should be a minimal difference in pronunciation from the base verb 'sin,' aside from slightly elongating the final sound to indicate the past tense. Mispronouncing this ending can make it difficult to distinguish between the past and present forms in speech. Emphasizing the 'd' sound just enough to convey the past tense without altering the natural flow of speech is essential for clear pronunciation.
— 03
Misuse in Tense
Although 'sinned' correctly serves as both the past simple and past participle, learners might misuse it due to a lack of understanding of tense and aspect distinctions in English. For example, using 'sinned' inappropriately in present tense sentences or failing to use it correctly with auxiliary verbs in perfect tense constructions (e.g., 'I have sinned,' 'They had sinned') can lead to grammatical inaccuracies. Additionally, incorrectly substituting 'sinned' for 'sinning' in continuous or progressive tenses (e.g., saying 'I am sinned' instead of 'I am sinning' for ongoing actions) demonstrates a misunderstanding of the distinction between past participle and present participle forms.
Past tense quiz
Check your skills and find areas for improvement
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple form of 'sin'?
How is the past participle of 'sin' used in sentences?
Can you give an example of a sentence using 'sin' in the past perfect tense?