Singe past tense
Meaning of singe
to burn something superficially or lightly, typically without causing extensive damage.
Infinitive
- 1. The intense heat from the stove begins to singe the edges of the paper towel left too close.
- 2. Careless campers often singe the grass around a fire pit if they're not careful.
- 3. A skilled chef can singe vegetables with a torch to add a smoky flavor without overcooking them.
Past Simple
- 1. He accidentally singed the edges of the paper while lighting the candle.
- 2. She singed her hair with the flat iron when she was getting ready this morning.
- 3. The cook singed the chicken slightly, giving it a slightly charred flavor.
Past Participle
- 1. The curtains had been singed by the candle flame accidentally.
- 2. All the edges of the paper were singed by the fire.
- 3. The cloth was singed carefully to create a unique design.
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Bare infinitive
- To describe habitual actions or routines involving lightly burning something without causing extensive damage.Example. He singes the ends of the ropes to prevent them from fraying.Example. This fabric singes easily if exposed to high heat.Example. Always singe the edges of synthetic fabric to seal them.
- To state facts or general truths about the process or effect of singeing.Example. He singes the ends of the ropes to prevent them from fraying.Example. This fabric singes easily if exposed to high heat.Example. Always singe the edges of synthetic fabric to seal them.
- To give instructions or advice related to the process of singeing.Example. He singes the ends of the ropes to prevent them from fraying.Example. This fabric singes easily if exposed to high heat.Example. Always singe the edges of synthetic fabric to seal them.
Past Simple
- To talk about a specific instance in the past when something was lightly burned without extensive damage.Example. She accidentally singed her hair while lighting the candle.Example. After cutting the fabric, they singed the edges to finish the piece.Example. In his earlier experiments, he often singed the specimens by mistake.
- To describe a series of actions in the past involving singeing.Example. She accidentally singed her hair while lighting the candle.Example. After cutting the fabric, they singed the edges to finish the piece.Example. In his earlier experiments, he often singed the specimens by mistake.
- To express a past habit or state of singeing that is no longer current.Example. She accidentally singed her hair while lighting the candle.Example. After cutting the fabric, they singed the edges to finish the piece.Example. In his earlier experiments, he often singed the specimens by mistake.
Past Participle
- Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of singeing that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.Example. The curtains were singed during the small fire, but thankfully, they didn’t catch fire.
- Example (Present Perfect). I have singed the edges of all the ribbons for the decorations.Example. The curtains were singed during the small fire, but thankfully, they didn’t catch fire.
- Example (Past Perfect). By the time we noticed the smell, the paper had already been singed by the flame.Example. The curtains were singed during the small fire, but thankfully, they didn’t catch fire.
- Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something that was lightly burned, rather than who performed the singeing.Example. The curtains were singed during the small fire, but thankfully, they didn’t catch fire.
Common mistakes
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Confusing forms
A common mistake is using the past simple form when the past participle form is needed, or vice versa. For the verb 'singe,' the past simple is 'singed' and the past participle is also 'singed.' However, some might mistakenly use 'singed' as if it were only applicable in simple past contexts, not recognizing it's also correct in perfect tenses (e.g., 'has singed,' 'had singed').
— 02
Incorrect Past Participle
Another mistake involves not using the correct past participle form in perfect tense constructions. Since 'singe' is a regular verb where the past simple and past participle forms are the same ('singed'), it might seem straightforward. Yet, some might incorrectly create a non-existent form for the past participle, such as 'sungen,' influenced by irregular verb patterns like 'sing' (sing/sang/sung), especially if they are non-native speakers or if they misapply the patterns of irregular verbs to regular ones.
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Omitting Auxiliary Verb
A mistake specifically related to the use of the past participle form is forgetting to include the auxiliary verb 'have' (or 'had' for past perfect) in perfect tense constructions. For example, saying 'I singed the paper' when meaning to express an action that has been completed in the recent past should be 'I have singed the paper.' This mistake changes the tense of the sentence and can lead to confusion about the timing of the action.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple form of 'singe'?
How do you form the past participle of 'singe'?
Can you give an example of 'singe' in the past participle used in a passive voice sentence?