Span past tense

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Meaning of span

to stretch or extend across.

Infinitive

Word: span /spæn/
Examples:
  • 1. The bridge that spans the river connects the two communities.
  • 2. This lecture series spans a wide range of topics, from art to zoology.
  • 3. The new highway spans several counties, improving transportation significantly.

Past Simple

Word: spanned /spænd/
Examples:
  • 1. He spanned the wheel with great force, hoping to win the top prize.
  • 2. She spanned around quickly, surprised by the sudden noise behind her.
  • 3. They spanned the clay on the pottery wheel, shaping it into a beautiful vase.

Past Participle

Word: spun /spʌn/
Examples:
  • 1. The dancer had spun gracefully across the stage, mesmerizing the audience with her elegant movements.
  • 2. With a flick of his wrist, the magician had spun the deck of cards expertly, leaving the crowd in awe of his sleight of hand.
  • 3. As the tornado approached, debris had spun violently through the air, causing chaos and destruction in its wake.

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Bare infinitive

  1. To describe the current action of stretching or extending across something.
    Example. The bridge spans the river at its widest point.
    Example. The park spans several city blocks.
    Example. Ensure the canopy spans the entire seating area for adequate shade.
  2. To state facts or general truths about structures or things that stretch or extend across something.
    Example. The bridge spans the river at its widest point.
    Example. The park spans several city blocks.
    Example. Ensure the canopy spans the entire seating area for adequate shade.
  3. To give instructions or advice involving the extension across areas or spaces.
    Example. The bridge spans the river at its widest point.
    Example. The park spans several city blocks.
    Example. Ensure the canopy spans the entire seating area for adequate shade.

Past Simple

  1. To talk about a specific instance in the past when something stretched or extended across something.
    Example. The festival spanned the entire weekend.
    Example. The empire once spanned three continents.
    Example. The project spanned two years from conception to completion.
  2. To describe a series of actions or conditions in the past where something was extended across.
    Example. The festival spanned the entire weekend.
    Example. The empire once spanned three continents.
    Example. The project spanned two years from conception to completion.
  3. To express a past action of spanning that is complete.
    Example. The festival spanned the entire weekend.
    Example. The empire once spanned three continents.
    Example. The project spanned two years from conception to completion.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of stretching or extending across that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
    Example. The river is spanned by several bridges, making it easy to cross.
  2. Example (Present Perfect). The company's operations have spanned over a decade.
    Example. The river is spanned by several bridges, making it easy to cross.
  3. Example (Past Perfect). By the time the new government was established, the war had spanned several years.
    Example. The river is spanned by several bridges, making it easy to cross.
  4. Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on something being stretched or extended across by something else, though this usage might be less common.
    Example. The river is spanned by several bridges, making it easy to cross.

Common mistakes

— 01

Misusing Past Participle

A frequent mistake is using 'spanned' as the past participle for all meanings of 'span,' including when it's used in contexts that traditionally use 'spun.' For example, saying 'The bridge has spanned the river for centuries' is correct, but using 'spanned' instead of 'spun' in contexts related to spinning, like 'The dancer has spanned around gracefully,' is incorrect. The correct form is 'The dancer has spun around gracefully.'

— 02

Confusing Forms

Since 'span' can lead to two different past participles based on its meaning, learners might use 'spun' when they should use 'spanned' and vice versa. For instance, saying 'The cable spun across the two towers' instead of 'The cable spanned the two towers' mixes up the context of physical extension with that of rotation or spinning.

— 03

Mispronunciation

Pronouncing the past forms correctly is crucial for clear communication. 'Spanned' /spænd/ and 'spun' /spʌn/ have distinct vowel sounds, but learners might not differentiate between the /æ/ in 'spanned' and the /ʌ/ in 'spun,' leading to misunderstandings. Ensuring that the /æ/ sound in 'spanned' and the /ʌ/ sound in 'spun' are pronounced correctly can help avoid these mistakes.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'span'?

The past simple form of 'span' is 'spanned'. It is used to describe an action that started and finished at a specific time in the past. For example, 'The project spanned three months from January to March.'

How is the past participle form of 'span' used?

The past participle form of 'span' is also 'spanned'. It is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'The bridge has spanned the river for decades.' In a passive voice sentence, you could say, 'The river was spanned by a bridge built many years ago.'

Can you give an example of a sentence using 'span' in the past simple tense?

Yes, an example of a sentence using 'span' in the past simple tense is. 'The documentary spanned two centuries of history, highlighting key events from 1800 to 2000.' This sentence indicates that the action of covering or extending over the two centuries has been completed in the past.

What is the difference between using 'spanned' in the past simple and the past participle form?

The difference lies in the sentence structure and the aspect of the verb tense being used. When 'spanned' is used in the past simple tense, it directly indicates that an action was completed in the past at a certain time or over a certain period, without any connection to the present. For example, 'The construction spanned five years.' In contrast, when 'spanned' is used as a past participle, it is usually part of a perfect tense construction or in passive voice, implying a relationship with the present or focusing on the action rather than who performed it. For example, in the present perfect tense. 'The empire has spanned several continents,' suggesting the empire's influence continues to the present. In the passive voice. 'Several continents have been spanned by the empire,' focusing on the action of spanning.