Spoil past tense

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Meaning of spoil

to impair or destroy the quality or value of.

Infinitive

Word: spoil /spɔɪl/
Examples:
  • 1. Fresh milk spoils quickly if left out of the refrigerator.
  • 2. Too much rain spoils the picnic plans.
  • 3. Overwatering spoils the plants in my garden.

Past Simple

Word: spoiled /spɔɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
  • 2. The surprise party was spoiled when Tom accidentally revealed the plan.
  • 3. I spoiled the mood by making an inappropriate joke.

Past Participle

Word: spoiled /spɔɪld/
Examples:
  • 1. The fresh milk was spoiled after being left out of the fridge overnight.
  • 2. By the time we remembered the cake in the oven, it had already been spoiled by the excessive heat.
  • 3. The surprise party had been spoiled by the accidental slip of a friend's tongue.

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Bare infinitive

  1. Habitual actions or routines.
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.
  2. We use the present simple to talk about things that happen regularly or are generally true.
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.
  3. Permanent states or facts.
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.
  4. This tense is also used to express facts or general truths.
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.
  5. Fixed arrangements in the near future (often seen in a timetable or schedule).
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.
  6. Although primarily the present continuous tense is used for future arrangements, the present simple can be used for scheduled events, especially public ones.
    Example. She always spoils her grandchildren with too many sweets.
    Example. Food spoils quickly if it is not stored properly.
    Example. The exhibition spoils us with contemporary art starting next Monday.

Past Simple

  1. Completed actions in the past.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.
  2. When an action was completed at a specific time in the past, the past simple is used.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.
  3. Past habits or states.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.
  4. To talk about habits or states that were true in the past but not anymore.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.
  5. Narrative form.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.
  6. It's used to tell stories, often used sequentially to describe actions that happened.
    Example. She spoiled her dinner by adding too much salt.
    Example. He spoiled his chances of winning the match by arguing with the referee.
    Example. The milk spoiled because the refrigerator broke down overnight.

Past Participle

  1. Perfect tenses (Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Perfect).
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.
  2. To talk about actions or events that are completed by the present or were completed by a certain point in the past or will be by a certain point in the future.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.
  3. Passive voice.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.
  4. To describe actions that happen to the subject rather than actions the subject performs.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.
  5. Adjectives/Participial adjectives.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.
  6. Used to describe a state resulting from an action.
    Example. Present Perfect. She has already spoiled the surprise by giving too many hints.
    Example. Past Perfect. By the time they arrived, the heat had spoiled the food.
    Example. Future Perfect. By the end of the day, the sun will have spoiled the milk left outside.
    Example. The plot of the movie was spoiled by a review I read online.
    Example. Feeling spoiled by all the attention, she blushed and thanked everyone.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect Verb Form Usage

A common mistake is confusing the past simple form of 'spoil' with its past participle. The past simple form is 'spoiled' or 'spoilt' (the latter mostly used in British English), while the past participle is also 'spoiled' or 'spoilt'. For example, incorrectly saying 'I have spoil the surprise' instead of the correct form 'I have spoiled the surprise.' This mistake disrupts the grammatical structure of perfect tenses, leading to confusion and incorrect sentence construction.

— 02

Inconsistent Verb Form

Another mistake involves using the wrong form of 'spoil' in perfect tenses, such as present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. The correct form to use in these tenses is the past participle, 'spoiled' or 'spoilt'. A common error is saying 'I had spoil the milk' instead of 'I had spoiled the milk.' This mistake not only affects the clarity of the action's timing but also impacts the sentence's overall understanding, as it might suggest a lack of completion of the action in the past.

— 03

Misuse in Passive

The past participle 'spoiled' or 'spoilt' is essential when forming passive voice constructions, but it is often mistakenly replaced with the past simple. For example, incorrectly saying 'The movie was spoil by the loud audience' instead of the correct 'The movie was spoiled by the loud audience.' This error changes the focus of the action from the subject being acted upon to an incorrect emphasis, leading to confusion and a potential misunderstanding of the sentence's intended meaning.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between 'spoiled' and 'spoilt'?

Both 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' serve as the past simple and past participle forms of the verb 'spoil'. The difference primarily lies in the variety of English being used. 'Spoiled' is more commonly used in American English for both the past simple and past participle forms. 'Spoilt' is favored in British English, though 'spoiled' is also acceptable and used especially when pertaining to the past participle.

Can 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' be used interchangeably?

Yes, 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' can be used interchangeably, especially in British English. However, the choice between the two might depend on regional preferences or the formality of the text. In American English, 'spoiled' is the predominant form used for both the past simple and past participle. It's always a good idea to consider your audience and the version of English they are most familiar with.

How do I use 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' in a sentence?

Past Simple. 'Yesterday, I spoiled/spoilt my dinner by adding too much salt.' Past Participle. 'The milk has spoiled/spoilt because we left it out of the fridge overnight.' In these examples, both 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' correctly describe an action in the past, with 'spoiled' being more common in American English and 'spoilt' in British English. Are there any exceptions to when 'spoiled' and 'spoilt' should be used