Slay past tense

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Meaning of slay

to kill violently, wantonly, or in great numbers.

Infinitive

Word: slay /sleɪ/
Examples:
  • 1. The knight vows to slay the dragon terrorizing the village.
  • 2. She aims to slay her competition with her unparalleled performance.
  • 3. Heroes in legends often slay monsters to protect the innocent.

Past Simple

Word: slew /sluː/
Examples:
  • 1. The knight slew the dragon to save the village.
  • 2. The hero slew the monster and restored peace to the land.
  • 3. In ancient tales, warriors often slew their enemies in epic battles.

Past Participle

Word: slain /sleɪn/
Examples:
  • 1. The dragon had been slain by the courageous knight.
  • 2. By the end of the film, the villain was finally slain by the hero.
  • 3. The monstrous beast was slain with a single blow by the ancient warrior.

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Bare infinitive

  1. General Statement or Fact. Use the present simple to make a statement about something that is always true or to describe regular habits or occurrences.
    Example. Dragons slay knights in many fairy tales.
    Example. Tomorrow, the hero slays the beast at dawn.
  2. Scheduled Future Events (in a timetable or schedule). Occasionally it's used for scheduled future events, primarily in a more formal or literary context.
    Example. Dragons slay knights in many fairy tales.
    Example. Tomorrow, the hero slays the beast at dawn.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past. This form is used to talk about an action that started and finished at a definite time in the past.
    Example. The knight slayed the dragon yesterday.
    Example. The warriors slayed the monster, celebrated their victory, and returned home.
    Example. In his youth, he often slayed foes bravely in battle.
  2. A Series of Completed Actions. When listing actions that occurred one after another in the past.
    Example. The knight slayed the dragon yesterday.
    Example. The warriors slayed the monster, celebrated their victory, and returned home.
    Example. In his youth, he often slayed foes bravely in battle.
  3. Past Habit or State. To describe a past habit or a state which is no longer true.
    Example. The knight slayed the dragon yesterday.
    Example. The warriors slayed the monster, celebrated their victory, and returned home.
    Example. In his youth, he often slayed foes bravely in battle.

Past Participle

  1. Present Perfect Tense (has/have + past participle). To talk about experiences or actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. She has slain many evil creatures on her adventures.
    Example. The hero had already slain the dragon before the villagers awoke.
    Example. Many monsters have been slain by legendary heroes.
    Example.By the end of the year, he will have slain all the monsters that plagued the land.
  2. Past Perfect Tense (had + past participle). Used to talk about an action that happened before another action in the past.
    Example. She has slain many evil creatures on her adventures.
    Example. The hero had already slain the dragon before the villagers awoke.
    Example. Many monsters have been slain by legendary heroes.
    Example.By the end of the year, he will have slain all the monsters that plagued the land.
  3. Passive Voice. To form the passive voice, indicating that the subject of the sentence is acted upon.
    Example. She has slain many evil creatures on her adventures.
    Example. The hero had already slain the dragon before the villagers awoke.
    Example. Many monsters have been slain by legendary heroes.
    Example.By the end of the year, he will have slain all the monsters that plagued the land.
  4. Future Perfect Tense (will have + past participle). To express an action that will have happened at some point in the future.
    Example. She has slain many evil creatures on her adventures.
    Example. The hero had already slain the dragon before the villagers awoke.
    Example. Many monsters have been slain by legendary heroes.
    Example.By the end of the year, he will have slain all the monsters that plagued the land.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

One of the most common mistakes with the word 'slay' is confusing its past simple form ('slew') with its past participle form ('slain'). While 'slew' is used for simple past actions ('The hero slew the dragon yesterday'), 'slain' is needed when forming present perfect, past perfect, and other perfect tenses ('The dragon has been slain by the hero'). Mistaking these forms can lead to grammatical inaccuracies such as saying 'I have slew the dragon' instead of the correct 'I have slain the dragon.'

— 02

Regularization of the Verb

Another frequent error is attempting to regularize 'slay' by adding -ed for its past forms, leading to 'slayed' instead of using the irregular forms 'slew' and 'slain.' This mistake might stem from the tendency to regularize irregular verbs, especially among learners of English. While 'slayed' is sometimes used in informal contexts or in certain dialects, it is not traditionally correct in standard English, where 'slew' and 'slain' are the proper forms.

— 03

Misuse in compound tenses

Lastly, a common mistake involves incorrectly using 'slay' in compound tenses. For instance, incorrectly saying 'He had slew many enemies' instead of 'He had slain many enemies.' This error arises from not properly applying the past participle 'slain' in compound tenses, which is crucial for conveying the correct time aspect and completing the action in the past.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The past simple form of 'slay' is 'slew,' and the past participle form is 'slain.' These forms are used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past and actions that have been completed, respectively.

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

The past simple form 'slew' is used to talk about a specific instance when the action of slaying happened in the past. For example. The knight slew the dragon and saved the village. In this sentence, 'slew' indicates that the action of slaying the dragon occurred at a specific time in the past.

How is the past participle 'slain' used in sentences?

The past participle 'slain' is commonly used in perfect tenses or as an adjective. Here are two ways to use it. As part of a perfect tense. The dragon has been slain by the knight. As an adjective. The slain dragon was a terror to the village. In the first example, 'slain' is part of the present perfect tense, indicating an action that has been completed at some point in the past. In the second example, 'slain' describes the dragon, indicating its state as a result of the action.

Can 'slain' be used in passive voice constructions?

Yes, 'slain' is often used in passive voice constructions, especially in formal or literary contexts. For example. Many warriors were slain in the battle. This sentence uses the passive voice to focus on the warriors who were killed, rather than on who killed them. 'Slain' is the past participle used with the verb 'were' to form the passive voice in the past tense.Remember, using 'slay,' 'slew,' and 'slain' correctly adds a dramatic or formal tone to your writing, especially when talking about battles, historical events, or mythical stories.