Strew past tense
Meaning of strew
to scatter or spread (things) untidily over a surface or area.
Infinitive
- 1. Gardeners often strew seeds evenly across the prepared soil to ensure uniform growth.
- 2. During the ceremony, flower girls strew petals along the aisle, creating a beautiful path for the bride.
- 3. Workers strew salt on the icy roads to improve traction and prevent accidents.
Past Simple
- 1. The flower girl strewed petals down the aisle before the bride made her entrance.
- 2. Someone strewed confetti all over the living room.
- 3. The hurricane strewed debris across the city, making many roads impassable.
Past Participle
- 1. The seeds had been strewn across the fertile land by the farmer before the first rain.
- 2. By the end of the party, the floor was strewn with confetti and streamers.
- 3. The documents were strewn all over the office floor after the wind blew in through the open window.
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Bare infinitive
- Describes a general habit or a repeated action.Example. She always strews petals on the path before a wedding ceremony.Example. They say an angry lover will strew your secrets like seeds to the wind.Example. First, you strew the seeds evenly across the soil.
- Indicates a general fact or truth.Example. She always strews petals on the path before a wedding ceremony.Example. They say an angry lover will strew your secrets like seeds to the wind.Example. First, you strew the seeds evenly across the soil.
- Gives instructions or directions.Example. She always strews petals on the path before a wedding ceremony.Example. They say an angry lover will strew your secrets like seeds to the wind.Example. First, you strew the seeds evenly across the soil.
Past Simple
- Describes an action that happened at a specific time in the past.Example. The villagers strewed flowers on the streets yesterday for the festival.Example. Long ago, the conquerors strewed salt over the land to ensure nothing would grow.Example. He entered the room where she had strewed rose petals for a romantic ambiance.
- Narrates a completed action in the past which does not explicitly state when it happened.Example. The villagers strewed flowers on the streets yesterday for the festival.Example. Long ago, the conquerors strewed salt over the land to ensure nothing would grow.Example. He entered the room where she had strewed rose petals for a romantic ambiance.
- Tells a background story in past narratives.Example. The villagers strewed flowers on the streets yesterday for the festival.Example. Long ago, the conquerors strewed salt over the land to ensure nothing would grow.Example. He entered the room where she had strewed rose petals for a romantic ambiance.
Past Participle
- Used in perfect tenses to indicate actions completed at the time of speaking or at a specified time.Example. The morning after the party, the house was strewn with confetti and balloons.Example. The garden was beautifully strewn with fairy lights for the event.
- Example (Present Perfect). By now, the protesters have strewn pamphlets all over the city.Example. The morning after the party, the house was strewn with confetti and balloons.Example. The garden was beautifully strewn with fairy lights for the event.
- Example (Past Perfect). Before the festival had even started, the streets had been strewn with lights and decorations.Example. The morning after the party, the house was strewn with confetti and balloons.Example. The garden was beautifully strewn with fairy lights for the event.
- Acts as an adjective describing the state of something.Example. The morning after the party, the house was strewn with confetti and balloons.Example. The garden was beautifully strewn with fairy lights for the event.
- Used in passive voice to mention actions done by someone/something to the subject.Example. The morning after the party, the house was strewn with confetti and balloons.Example. The garden was beautifully strewn with fairy lights for the event.
Common mistakes
— 01
Confusing Forms
A frequent mistake is mixing up the simple past form of a verb with its past participle form. For the verb 'strew,' the simple past form is 'strewed,' and the past participle form is 'strewn' or 'strewed.' People often mistakenly use 'strewn' when they should use 'strewed' in simple past constructions. For example, they might incorrectly say, 'Yesterday, I strewn the seeds on the ground,' instead of the correct form, 'Yesterday, I strewed the seeds on the ground.'
— 02
Formation of the Past Participle
Another common error is using an incorrect form for the past participle, especially with irregular verbs. For 'strew,' the correct past participle forms are 'strewn' and 'strewed,' but it's not uncommon to see incorrect variations such as 'strewen.' An example of this mistake would be, 'The floor was strewen with petals,' instead of the correct, 'The floor was strewn with petals.'
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Misusing the Past Participle
The past participle form of a verb, such as 'strewn,' requires an auxiliary verb like 'have' or 'be' in perfect tenses or passive constructions. A mistake occurs when the past participle is used without an auxiliary verb, as if it were a simple past form. For instance, 'I strewn the seeds last spring' is incorrect; it should be 'I had strewn the seeds last spring' or 'I strewed the seeds last spring.'
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Frequently asked questions
What are the past simple and past participle forms of 'strew'?
How do I use 'strewed' and 'strewn' in sentences?
Can 'strewed' and 'strewn' be used interchangeably?