Spin past tense

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Meaning of spin

to quickly turn or rotate around a central point.

Infinitive

Word: spin /spɪn/
Examples:
  • 1. The dancer often spins gracefully on the stage, captivating the audience.
  • 2. The washing machine spins the clothes at high speed to remove water.
  • 3. The Earth spins on its axis, causing day and night cycles.

Past Simple

Word: spun /spʌn/
Examples:
  • 1. She spun the wheel with all her might, hoping for a chance to win the grand prize.
  • 2. He spun around quickly when he heard his name being called from behind.
  • 3. The ballerina spun gracefully across the stage, captivating the audience with her performance.

Past Participle

Word: spun /spʌn/
Examples:
  • 1. The ancient threads were spun by skilled weavers whose techniques have been lost to time.
  • 2. The roulette wheel was spun with such force that it seemed to blur before our eyes.
  • 3. The story had been spun so many times that its true origin was now unrecognizable.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual Actions. When describing actions that occur on a regular basis.
    Example. She spins the wheel every Friday at the charity event.
    Example. The Earth spins on its axis.
    Example. Our weekly meeting spins out the same kinds of ideas.
  2. General Truths. To state facts that are always true.
    Example. She spins the wheel every Friday at the charity event.
    Example. The Earth spins on its axis.
    Example. Our weekly meeting spins out the same kinds of ideas.
  3. Fixed Arrangements. For events on a schedule or timetable.
    Example. She spins the wheel every Friday at the charity event.
    Example. The Earth spins on its axis.
    Example. Our weekly meeting spins out the same kinds of ideas.

Past Simple

  1. Completed Actions. When talking about actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
    Example. He spun the wheel and won a prize yesterday.
    Example. She spun around, saw the mess, and sighed.
    Example. When I was a child, I spun my globe nightly dreaming of faraway places.
  2. Series of Completed Actions. When mentioning a series of actions that happened in the past.
    Example. He spun the wheel and won a prize yesterday.
    Example. She spun around, saw the mess, and sighed.
    Example. When I was a child, I spun my globe nightly dreaming of faraway places.
  3. Past Habits. For habits that were regular in the past but not anymore.
    Example. He spun the wheel and won a prize yesterday.
    Example. She spun around, saw the mess, and sighed.
    Example. When I was a child, I spun my globe nightly dreaming of faraway places.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect Tenses. Present Perfect. For actions that occurred at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important.
    Example. I have never spun a roulette wheel in my life.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the dancer had spun out of view.
    Example. By the end of the day, she will have spun enough yarn for two sweaters.
    Example. The tale was spun by a master storyteller, captivating every listener.
    Example. The spun sugar sculptures at the fair were a hit among the children.
  2. Past Perfect. For actions completed before a certain time in the past.
    Example. I have never spun a roulette wheel in my life.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the dancer had spun out of view.
    Example. By the end of the day, she will have spun enough yarn for two sweaters.
    Example. The tale was spun by a master storyteller, captivating every listener.
    Example. The spun sugar sculptures at the fair were a hit among the children.
  3. Future Perfect. For actions that will be completed before a specified future time.
    Example. I have never spun a roulette wheel in my life.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the dancer had spun out of view.
    Example. By the end of the day, she will have spun enough yarn for two sweaters.
    Example. The tale was spun by a master storyteller, captivating every listener.
    Example. The spun sugar sculptures at the fair were a hit among the children.
  4. Passive Voice. When the focus is on the action, not who or what is performing the action.
    Example. I have never spun a roulette wheel in my life.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the dancer had spun out of view.
    Example. By the end of the day, she will have spun enough yarn for two sweaters.
    Example. The tale was spun by a master storyteller, captivating every listener.
    Example. The spun sugar sculptures at the fair were a hit among the children.
  5. Adjectival Use. When used to describe a noun.
    Example. I have never spun a roulette wheel in my life.
    Example. By the time I arrived, the dancer had spun out of view.
    Example. By the end of the day, she will have spun enough yarn for two sweaters.
    Example. The tale was spun by a master storyteller, captivating every listener.
    Example. The spun sugar sculptures at the fair were a hit among the children.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

One of the most common errors involves mixing up the past simple form of a verb with its past participle form. For example, the verb 'spin' has the past simple form 'spun' and the same form for its past participle. However, learners often mistakenly use 'spinned' as the past simple or past participle form because they apply the regular verb rule of adding -ed to the base form. Correct usage involves recognizing that 'spin' is an irregular verb, thus both its past simple and past participle forms are 'spun.'

— 02

Incorrect Use in Perfect Tenses

Another mistake is not using the past participle form of 'spin' correctly in perfect tenses. The correct construction for present perfect tense is 'has/have spun,' and for the past perfect tense, it's 'had spun.' A common error is saying or writing 'has/have spinned' or 'had spinned' because of misunderstanding how irregular verbs operate in these tenses. It's crucial to remember that 'spun' is the form that should be used after auxiliary verbs like 'has,' 'have,' or 'had.'

— 03

Passive Voice Constructions

The third mistake involves the misuse of 'spin' in passive voice constructions. The correct form to use is the past participle 'spun,' as in 'The story was spun to create a more dramatic effect.' A frequent error is constructing such sentences with the past simple form or an incorrect past participle form, such as 'The story was spinned' or 'The story was spin,' not realizing that 'spun' is the appropriate choice for passive voice sentences where the focus is on the action rather than who performed the action.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'spin'?

The past simple form of 'spin' is 'spun.' This form is used to describe an action that was completed at a specific time in the past. For example. 'Yesterday, she spun the wheel to see where it would land.'

What is the past participle form of 'spin'?

The past participle form of 'spin' is also 'spun.' This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice sentences. For example, in the present perfect tense. 'He has spun the wheel three times today.' In the passive voice. 'The tale was spun by an experienced storyteller.'

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

To use 'spun' correctly, identify whether you're talking about a past action (past simple) or if you're using it in a perfect tense or passive voice (past participle). Examples. Past simple. 'She spun around when she heard her name called.' Present perfect. 'They have spun the story in many different ways over the years.' Passive voice. 'The yarn was spun finely for the weaving project.'

Can 'spun' be used in both regular and continuous actions in the past?

Yes, 'spun' can describe both regular and continuous actions in the past, but the context and sentence structure may vary. For continuous actions, you might need to adjust the sentence to make clear the action was ongoing. Example for a regular action. 'He spun the bottle, and it pointed to me.' Example indicating a continuous action. 'Throughout the evening, he spun tales of his adventures abroad.' For continuous actions specifically, using 'was spinning' or 'were spinning' might better convey the ongoing nature of the action, as in 'She was spinning the wool into yarn all afternoon.'