Span past tense
Meaning of span
to stretch or extend across.
Infinitive
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Past tense quiz
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