Slink past tense

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Meaning of slink

to move smoothly and quietly with gliding steps, especially unobtrusively or furtively.

Infinitive

Word: slink /slɪŋk/
Examples:
  • 1. The cat always slinks through the tall grass when hunting for mice.
  • 2. He slinks out of the room whenever the topic of work comes up.
  • 3. She slinks into the party, hoping no one will notice her late arrival.

Past Simple

Word: slunk /slʌŋk/
Examples:
  • 1. The cat slunk quietly into the room, hoping not to be noticed.
  • 2. She slunk out of the party early, trying to avoid any awkward conversations.
  • 3. As night fell, the shadows slunk across the walls, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Past Participle

Word: slunk /slʌŋk/
Examples:
  • 1. The cat had slunk quietly into the room without anyone noticing.
  • 2. A shadow was seen to have slunk along the wall as the sun set.
  • 3. The thief had slunk through the alleyways to avoid being caught.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions or Routines When referring to actions that occur regularly or are part of a routine.
    Example. The cat always slinks through the garden at night.
    Example. Predators slink before they pounce on their prey.
    Example. The thief plans to slink into the museum after dark tonight.
  2. General Truths or Facts To express actions that are universally true or widely accepted as facts.
    Example. The cat always slinks through the garden at night.
    Example. Predators slink before they pounce on their prey.
    Example. The thief plans to slink into the museum after dark tonight.
  3. Fixed Arrangements in the Near Future (contextspecific) Refers to a scheduled or certain future occurrence, usually in a formal context.
    Example. The cat always slinks through the garden at night.
    Example. Predators slink before they pounce on their prey.
    Example. The thief plans to slink into the museum after dark tonight.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions in the Past When discussing actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. The spy slunk through the shadows unnoticed last night.
    Example. The cat slunk across the yard, jumped over the fence, and disappeared.
    Example. As a child, he always slunk away from confrontations.
  2. A Series of Completed Actions To describe a sequence of actions that happened in the past.
    Example. The spy slunk through the shadows unnoticed last night.
    Example. The cat slunk across the yard, jumped over the fence, and disappeared.
    Example. As a child, he always slunk away from confrontations.
  3. Past Habits or States When talking about habits or states that were true in the past but not anymore.
    Example. The spy slunk through the shadows unnoticed last night.
    Example. The cat slunk across the yard, jumped over the fence, and disappeared.
    Example. As a child, he always slunk away from confrontations.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.
  2. Present Perfect. For actions that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or that have relevance to the present.
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.
  3. Past Perfect. For actions that were completed before another action in the past.
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.
  4. Future Perfect. For actions that will be completed before a specified time in the future.
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.
  5. Passive Voice Used when the focus is on the action or the result of the action, not who or what is performing the action.
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.
  6. Please note that 'slink' is an irregular verb, and its Past Simple and Past Participle forms can sometimes be 'slinked' in certain dialects or contexts, although 'slink' and 'slunk' are more commonly used and accepted forms for the past tense and Past Participle, respectively. Always check a reliable source if in doubt about usage in formal writing.
    Example. The burglar has slunk into houses unnoticed for years.
    Example. The thieves had already slunk away before the police arrived.
    Example. By the time we get back, the cat will have slunk into the basement.
    Example. The secret documents were slunk out of the office by an unknown individual.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake with the verb 'slink' is confusing its past simple form, 'slunk,' with its past participle form, 'slunk.' While both forms are identical for this verb, the error usually lies in their application within sentences. In the past simple, 'slunk' is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past, e.g., 'The cat slunk through the door yesterday.' The past participle form, although identical in this case, is used in perfect tenses and passive voice, requiring an auxiliary verb, e.g., 'The cat has slunk through the door.'

— 02

Incorrectly Regularizing the Verb

Another mistake involves regularizing the verb 'slink' by adding the common past tense and past participle ending '-ed' to form 'slinked,' which is incorrect. This error stems from the tendency to regularize irregular verbs, especially less commonly used ones. The correct forms are 'slunk' for both the past simple and past participle.

— 03

Misusing the Past Participle

A frequent mistake is using the past participle form 'slunk' as if it were the past simple without the necessary auxiliary verb for its correct tense. For example, saying 'The cat slunk through the door' is correct for past simple, but saying 'The cat slunk through the door' intending to use the present perfect tense is incorrect; it should be 'The cat has slunk through the door.' This mistake can lead to confusion about the timing of the action being described.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'slink'?

The past simple form of 'slink' is 'slunk'. This form is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, the cat slunk through the open window.'

What is the past participle form of 'slink'?

The past participle form of 'slink' is also 'slunk'. This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice. For example, 'The cat has slunk under the sofa.' (present perfect) or 'By the time we noticed, the thief had already slunk away.' (past perfect)

How do I use 'slunk' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'slunk' correctly, ensure you're referring to an action that involves moving quietly or stealthily, typically to avoid detection. In the past simple, it stands alone as the main verb. 'He slunk away in the middle of the night.' In perfect tenses, it combines with a form of 'have'. 'She has slunk off to her room without dinner.'

Can 'slunk' be used in both active and passive voice?

Yes, 'slunk' can be used in both active and passive voice, though its usage in passive voice is less common. In active voice, the subject performs the action. 'The spy slunk through the shadows.' In passive voice, the subject receives the action, and it’s usually formed with the verb 'to be' plus the past participle, though this construction can be awkward with 'slunk' due to its specific meaning. 'The shadows were slunk through by the spy.' (Note. While grammatically possible, the passive voice example here is awkward and not recommended. It's better to maintain active voice for clarity and readability when using 'slunk.')