Spill past tense

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Meaning of spill

to accidentally allow (a substance) to flow or fall out of a container.

Infinitive

Word: spill /spɪl/
Examples:
  • 1. She always spills her coffee in the morning rush.
  • 2. He spills the beans about the surprise party every time.
  • 3. The bucket spills water if you fill it too high.

Past Simple

Word: spilt /spɪlt/ or spilled /spɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. She accidentally spilled coffee on the table during breakfast.
  • 2. He spilled the beans about the surprise party, ruining the secret.
  • 3. We cleaned up the mess after we spilt water on the floor.

Past Participle

Word: spilt, spilled /spɪlt, spɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. The milk has been spilled on the floor by the cat.
  • 2. The secrets had been spilled before the meeting ended.
  • 3. By the time I arrived, the beans had already been spilled about the surprise party.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Actions that are habitual or generally true.
    Example. He spills his coffee nearly every morning.
    Example. Water spills when it's over the brim.
  2. Universal truths.
    Example. He spills his coffee nearly every morning.
    Example. Water spills when it's over the brim.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions or situations that took place at a specific time in the past.
    Example. She spilled the beans about the surprise party yesterday.
    Example. They always spilled their secrets to each other when they were kids.
    Example. He grabbed a mop after he spilled the milk.
  2. Past habits or states.
    Example. She spilled the beans about the surprise party yesterday.
    Example. They always spilled their secrets to each other when they were kids.
    Example. He grabbed a mop after he spilled the milk.
  3. Sequential actions in the past.
    Example. She spilled the beans about the surprise party yesterday.
    Example. They always spilled their secrets to each other when they were kids.
    Example. He grabbed a mop after he spilled the milk.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect aspects (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect) to talk about actions in relation to other time frames.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has spilled coffee on her shirt again.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, he had already spilled the news.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, they will have spilled all their secrets.
    Example. The secrets were spilled by an anonymous source.
    Example. The spilled milk had soaked into the carpet.
  2. Passive voice to indicate an action performed on the subject.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has spilled coffee on her shirt again.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, he had already spilled the news.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, they will have spilled all their secrets.
    Example. The secrets were spilled by an anonymous source.
    Example. The spilled milk had soaked into the carpet.
  3. As adjectives to describe the state resulting from the action.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has spilled coffee on her shirt again.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, he had already spilled the news.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, they will have spilled all their secrets.
    Example. The secrets were spilled by an anonymous source.
    Example. The spilled milk had soaked into the carpet.
  4. Remember, while 'spilled' is commonly used in both US and UK English as the past and past participle form, 'spilt' is an alternative past and past participle form favored in British English, but its usage is the same within these outlined cases.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has spilled coffee on her shirt again.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time we arrived, he had already spilled the news.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, they will have spilled all their secrets.
    Example. The secrets were spilled by an anonymous source.
    Example. The spilled milk had soaked into the carpet.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

Some learners might mistakenly believe that 'spilt' is exclusively British English and 'spilled' is only American English. While there's a tendency for this distinction, both forms are actually correct and interchangeable in both dialects. The mistake lies in assuming that one is incorrect in a given context when, in reality, 'I spilled the milk' and 'I spilt the milk' are both acceptable.

— 02

Incorrect Use in Perfect Tenses

Another mistake involves misusing the past participle form in perfect tenses. Some may incorrectly use the base form or the past simple form instead of the past participle. Correct usage should involve the past participle form 'spilled' or 'spilt' with auxiliary verbs to form perfect aspects, e.g., 'I have spilled the juice' (present perfect) or 'They had spilled the water before we arrived' (past perfect).

— 03

Omitting the Auxiliary Verb

When forming the passive voice, the past participle form 'spilled' or 'spilt' must be accompanied by an appropriate form of the verb 'to be.' A frequent error is omitting the auxiliary verb, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. The correct construction for passive voice is 'The juice was spilled by Tom,' not 'The juice spilled by Tom,' which confuses the meaning and grammatical structure.

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Frequently asked questions

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

Past Simple. Spilled or Spilt. Past Participle. Spilled or Spilt. Both 'spilled' and 'spilt' are acceptable in modern English, though 'spilled' is more commonly used in American English, and 'spilt' is more commonly found in British English.

How do I use 'spilled' and 'spilt' in a sentence?

Past Simple Usage (Spilled/Spilt). You use the past simple to talk about a specific action in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I spilled/spilt milk on the floor.' Past Participle Usage (Spilled/Spilt). The past participle can be used in perfect tenses or as an adjective. For example, 'I have spilled/spilt milk on the floor before,' or 'The spilled/spilt milk made a mess.' Is there a difference in meaning between 'spilled' and 'spilt'

Can 'spilled' and 'spilt' be used interchangeably in all contexts?

Yes, in terms of their meaning as the past simple and past participle forms of 'spill,' 'spilled' and 'spilt' can be used interchangeably. However, the choice between them might be influenced by the style of writing or the regional variety of English being used. In formal writing, or specific regions, one form may be preferred over the other. It's always a good idea to consider your audience and the convention of the English variant you are using.