Spit past tense

Meaning of spit

to eject saliva or another substance from the mouth.

Infinitive

Word: spit /spɪt/

Examples:

1. Camels often spit when they feel threatened or annoyed.
2. He always spits out the seeds when eating watermelon.
3. Babies sometimes spit up milk after feeding.

Past Simple

Word: spat /spæt/

Examples:

1. He spat out the water when he realized it tasted strange.
2. She spat on the ground in disgust.
3. They all laughed when he accidentally spat his drink across the room.

Past Participle

Word: spat /spæt/

Examples:

1. The gum had been spat out by the child before entering the classroom.
2. By the time the argument ended, insults had been spat back and forth endlessly.
3. The secrets were finally spat out after years of silence.

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Bare infinitive

Use case. General Truths or Habits
Example. He always spits out the seeds when eating watermelon.
Example. In this scene, the character spits in defiance.
Use case. Narration or Storytelling (Present Tense)
Example. He always spits out the seeds when eating watermelon.
Example. In this scene, the character spits in defiance.

Past Simple

Use case. Actions Completed in the Past
Example. He spat/spit on the ground out of disrespect.
Example. She spat/spit out her food whenever she found it unpalatable, even as a child.
Example. Yesterday, he angrily spat/spit out his coffee and stormed off.
Use case. Habitual Actions or States in the Past
Example. He spat/spit on the ground out of disrespect.
Example. She spat/spit out her food whenever she found it unpalatable, even as a child.
Example. Yesterday, he angrily spat/spit out his coffee and stormed off.
Use case. Sequences of Events in the Past
Example. He spat/spit on the ground out of disrespect.
Example. She spat/spit out her food whenever she found it unpalatable, even as a child.
Example. Yesterday, he angrily spat/spit out his coffee and stormed off.

Past Participle

Use case. Perfect Tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect)
Example. The letter was spat/spit out by the malfunctioning printer.
Example (Present Perfect). He has spat/spit on the sidewalk at least three times this week.
Example. The letter was spat/spit out by the malfunctioning printer.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time she returned, he had already spat/spit out the bitter medication.
Example. The letter was spat/spit out by the malfunctioning printer.
Example (Future Perfect). By tomorrow, he will have spat/spit out his disdain for the project to everyone.
Example. The letter was spat/spit out by the malfunctioning printer.
Use case. Passive Voice
Example. The letter was spat/spit out by the malfunctioning printer.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing forms

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form 'spat' with the past participle form 'spat' when using the verb 'spit.' While it might seem straightforward since both forms are the same for this verb, the confusion typically arises in their application within sentences. The past simple form is used to describe an action that occurred and was completed in the past, e.g., 'He spat on the ground.' In contrast, the past participle form is often used in perfect tenses and passive voice, requiring an auxiliary verb, e.g., 'He has spat on the ground' (present perfect) or 'The ground was spat upon' (passive voice). Misunderstanding when to use each form can lead to grammatical errors in tense construction.

— 02

Regularization of the Verb

Another mistake is regularizing the verb 'spit' by using 'spitted' instead of 'spat' for its past forms. This error stems from applying the regular verb rule of adding '-ed' to the base form. While many English verbs follow this pattern, 'spit' is an irregular verb, and its correct past simple and past participle form is 'spat.' Saying or writing 'He spitted on the ground' is incorrect.

— 03

Misuse in Perfect Tenses

Using 'spat' incorrectly in perfect tenses is a frequent error. Some might mistakenly use the past simple form 'spat' without the auxiliary verb necessary for perfect constructions, leading to grammatically incorrect sentences. For example, saying 'He spat gone to the store' instead of the correct 'He has spat before going to the store' (present perfect) shows a misunderstanding of how to properly use the past participle form in conjunction with auxiliary verbs to express actions in relation to other actions in time.

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Frequently asked questions

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

The word 'spit' can follow two patterns in its past forms. In American English, 'spit' is often used as both the past simple and past participle form, keeping the form unchanged (spit/spit/spit). However, in British English and in other contexts, 'spat' is commonly used as the past simple form, and 'spat' or 'spit' can be used as the past participle (spit/spat/spat or spit).

How do I use the past simple form of 'spit' in a sentence?

The past simple form is used to describe actions that occurred and were completed at a specific time in the past. Whether you use 'spit' or 'spat' depends on the dialect or preference. Here are examples with both forms. American English. 'He spit on the ground when he realized it was just a bad joke.' British English. 'She spat out her coffee when she heard the shocking news.' When should I use the past participle form of 'spit'

Can you provide a sentence that shows the difference between the past simple and past participle forms of 'spit'?

Certainly! This sentence will illustrate the use of both forms in a clear context. Past Simple. 'Yesterday, he spat/spit on the ground after tasting the spoiled milk.' Present Perfect (using Past Participle). 'He has spat/spit on the ground three times this week because of tasting things he doesn't like.' Remember that the choice between 'spit' and 'spat' can depend on regional preferences, the context in which you're writing or speaking, and the audience's familiarity with either form.