Sing past tense

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Meaning of sing

to make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune.

Infinitive

Word: sing /sɪŋ/
Examples:
  • 1. He always sings in the shower every morning.
  • 2. She sings beautifully at the local bar on weekends.
  • 3. They often sing together at family gatherings.

Past Simple

Word: sang /sæŋ/
Examples:
  • 1. She sang so beautifully at the concert last night that everyone was moved to tears.
  • 2. He sang in the shower, believing it was the perfect way to start his day.
  • 3. We all listened in silence as the choir sang the national anthem with great pride and emotion.

Past Participle

Word: sung /sʌŋ/
Examples:
  • 1. The song has been sung by the choir every Christmas Eve.
  • 2. All the hymns were sung passionately by the congregation.
  • 3. The national anthem had been sung by her before the game began.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions. Use 'sing' when talking about habitual actions or routines.
    Example. 'I sing in the shower every morning.'
  2. General Truths. For statements that are generally true or describe a current state.
    Example. 'Birds sing beautifully.'
  3. Scheduled Events in Near Future. Sometimes, it's used for scheduled events, primarily in timetables or programs.
    Example. 'The concert starts at 8 PM and I sing at 9 PM.'

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past. Use 'sang' when the action is completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. 'I sang at the festival last summer.'
  2. Sequences of Events. To describe a sequence of events in the past.
    Example. 'We visited the museum, sang with the choir, and then went home.'
  3. Habitual Actions in the Past. For actions that were habits in the past (often with expressions like 'used to' or 'when I was...').
    Example. 'I sang in a choir when I was in high school.'

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses. Used in perfect tenses to show actions that have an impact on the present or were completed at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. Present Perfect. 'I have sung in various competitions this year.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the festival started, I had already sung three songs.'
    Example. Future Perfect. 'By the end of the year, I will have sung at over ten venues.'
  2. Passive Voice. When the subject is the receiver of the action.
    Example. 'The national anthem was sung by a well-known artist.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the festival started, I had already sung three songs.'
    Example. Future Perfect. 'By the end of the year, I will have sung at over ten venues.'
  3. Adjectives/Descriptions. Sometimes used descriptively.
    Example. 'The sung melody echoed throughout the hall.'
    Example. Past Perfect. 'By the time the festival started, I had already sung three songs.'
    Example. Future Perfect. 'By the end of the year, I will have sung at over ten venues.'

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing Past Simple

A common mistake with the verb 'sing' is confusing its past simple form ('sang') with its past participle form ('sung'). The past simple is used for the straightforward narration of past events, whereas the past participle requires an auxiliary verb and is often used in perfect tenses or passive voice. For example, the incorrect sentence 'I have sang this song before' mixes up the forms, whereas the correct version is 'I have sung this song before.'

— 02

Base form instead of the past forms

Another frequent error is using the base form of the verb 'sing' instead of its past simple or past participle form in sentences that require a past tense. This mistake leads to grammatically incorrect sentences, such as 'Yesterday, I sing at the concert,' instead of the correct 'Yesterday, I sang at the concert,' or saying 'I have sing many songs today,' instead of 'I have sung many songs today.'

— 03

Omitting auxiliaries

The past participle form 'sung' should not be used without an auxiliary verb in constructions that require it, such as perfect tenses or the passive voice. A common mistake is omitting the auxiliary verb, resulting in sentences like 'I sung the anthem,' instead of the correct 'I have sung the anthem' or 'The anthem was sung by me.'

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'sing' is 'sang'. The past participle form of 'sing' is 'sung'. These forms are used to denote actions that have been completed in the past.

How do I use the past simple form 'sang' in a sentence?

The past simple form 'sang' is used to describe an action that occurred at a specific time in the past. It does not matter how long the action lasted; what matters is that it happened and is no longer happening. For example. Last night, she sang her favorite song at the karaoke bar. In this sentence, 'sang' indicates that the singing happened at a specific time (last night) and is now over. When should I use the past participle 'sung'

Can you provide an example of 'sung' used in a passive voice construction?

Yes, the past participle 'sung' can also be used in passive voice constructions, where the focus is on the action rather than who performed the action. For example. The national anthem was sung by a famous singer before the game started. In this sentence, the use of 'was sung' in the passive voice highlights the action (the singing of the national anthem) and makes the performer (a famous singer) less important than the action itself.