Text past tense

Meaning of text

to send someone a text message.

Infinitive

Word: text /tɛkst/

Examples:

1. She always texts me good morning messages to start my day right.
2. He texts his friends every day to keep in touch.
3. My mother regularly texts me to remind me of family events.

Past Simple

Word: texted /ˈtɛk.stɪd/

Examples:

1. I texted my friend as soon as I arrived at the concert.
2. She texted back within minutes, letting me know where to find her.
3. We all laughed when he texted the wrong person by mistake.

Past Participle

Word: texted /ˈtɛk.stɪd/

Examples:

1. By the time the meeting started, I had already texted my team the agenda.
2. She had texted her friend the details of the surprise party by the afternoon.
3. They had texted all the guests the directions to the venue before the event.

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Bare infinitive

To describe habitual actions or routines involving sending text messages.
Example. She texts her friends every day after school.
Example. He texts faster than anyone I know.
Example. If you need help, text me anytime.
To state facts or general truths about the act of sending text messages.
Example. She texts her friends every day after school.
Example. He texts faster than anyone I know.
Example. If you need help, text me anytime.
To give instructions or advice about sending text messages.
Example. She texts her friends every day after school.
Example. He texts faster than anyone I know.
Example. If you need help, text me anytime.

Past Simple

To talk about a specific instance in the past when someone sent a text message.
Example. He texted me last night to confirm the meeting time.
Example. She texted her location, waited for a reply, then finally called.
Example. When we were in college, we texted each other constantly.
To describe a series of actions in the past involving sending text messages.
Example. He texted me last night to confirm the meeting time.
Example. She texted her location, waited for a reply, then finally called.
Example. When we were in college, we texted each other constantly.
To express a past habit of sending text messages that is no longer true.
Example. He texted me last night to confirm the meeting time.
Example. She texted her location, waited for a reply, then finally called.
Example. When we were in college, we texted each other constantly.

Past Participle

Perfect tenses - To talk about actions of sending text messages that have happened, with relevance to the present moment or completed at an unspecified time in the past.
Example. A confirmation was texted to all participants before the event.
Example (Present Perfect). I have texted him twice this morning, but he hasn’t replied.
Example. A confirmation was texted to all participants before the event.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time she realized her mistake, she had already texted the wrong person.
Example. A confirmation was texted to all participants before the event.
Passive voice - To describe situations where the focus is on the message sent, rather than who sent it.
Example. A confirmation was texted to all participants before the event.

Common mistakes

— 01

Incorrect extra syllable

A common mistake is adding an unnecessary syllable when pronouncing the past simple and past participle form 'texted,' resulting in something like /ˈtɛk.sɪ.tɪd/ instead of the correct two-syllable pronunciation /ˈtɛk.stɪd/. This error often stems from over-analyzing the spelling and trying to pronounce every letter, not recognizing that the 'ed' forms a single sound with the preceding 't' in this case, rather than adding a separate syllable.

— 02

Omitting the 'ed'

Some might mistakenly believe that 'text' remains unchanged in the past tense and write 'I text you yesterday' instead of the correct 'I texted you yesterday.' This mistake arises from treating 'text' as an irregular verb that doesn't change form between present and past, possibly due to its relatively recent adoption as a common verb in English language usage and its similarity to verbs that do not change form between tenses.

— 03

Misapplying tense

Given 'text' is associated with informal communication, learners might inaccurately apply tense based on the mistaken belief that informal verbs do not follow standard conjugation rules, leading to incorrect usage such as 'I have text you' instead of 'I have texted you.' This error underscores a misunderstanding about the consistency of grammatical rules across different registers of language, with the verb 'text' following the same conjugation patterns as more traditional verbs despite its modern origins and informal context.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'text'?

The past simple form of 'text' is 'texted.' This form is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I texted my friend about the party.'

What is the past participle form of 'text'?

The past participle form of 'text' is also 'texted.' This form is used in perfect tenses to talk about actions that have happened at an unspecified time or that affect the present. For example, in the sentence 'I have texted him twice,' 'texted' is the past participle.

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

To use the past simple form, you will typically structure your sentence with the subject followed by the past simple verb 'texted,' and then the object of the action. For instance. 'She texted me the details last night.' The action is completed and happened at a specific time in the past.

Can you give an example of how to use the past participle form in a sentence?

Yes, the past participle form 'texted' can be used in perfect tense constructions. For example, in the present perfect tense, you might say, 'They have already texted their response.' This implies that the action of texting has occurred at some point before now, but the exact time is not specified, and its effect is relevant to the present.