Unwind past tense

Meaning of unwind

to relax after a period of work or tension.

Infinitive

Word: unwind /ʌnˈwaɪnd/

Examples:

1. Every weekend, I take time to unwind with a good book and a cup of tea.
2. To help us unwind after work, we often go for a walk in the park.
3. He finds that playing the piano is a great way to unwind from the stress of his job.

Past Simple

Word: unwound /ʌnˈwaʊnd/

Examples:

1. After a long week at work, I finally unwound with a good book and a hot bath.
2. We unwound the tangled fishing line for hours before we could use it again.
3. They unwound by taking a leisurely walk through the park on a sunny afternoon.

Past Participle

Word: unwound /ʌnˈwaʊnd/

Examples:

1. By the end of the day, the tangled yarn had been unwound by her skillful hands.
2. The complex mystery was finally unwound after years of investigation.
3. All the stressful thoughts that had wound him up so tightly were gradually unwound through meditation.

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Present Simple

When referring to habitual actions, general truths, and schedules or timetables.
Example. Every weekend, I unwind by reading a book in the park.
Example. To solve this puzzle, first unwind the string.
To give instructions or directions.
Example. Every weekend, I unwind by reading a book in the park.
Example. To solve this puzzle, first unwind the string.

Past Simple

To describe actions that were completed at a specific time in the past.
Example. I unwound by the beach on my vacation last month.
Example. After the conference, I went to my hotel and unwound with a good movie.
To narrate a series of completed actions in the past.
Example. I unwound by the beach on my vacation last month.
Example. After the conference, I went to my hotel and unwound with a good movie.

Past Participle

In perfect tenses to describe actions that were completed at an indefinite time in the past or that occurred before another past action.
Example. The ropes were unwound by the crew to secure the boat.
Example. The unwound yarn lay scattered on the floor after the cats played with it.
Example (Present Perfect). I have unwound every evening this week by taking a long walk.
Example. The ropes were unwound by the crew to secure the boat.
Example. The unwound yarn lay scattered on the floor after the cats played with it.
Example (Past Perfect). By the time the vacation started, I had already unwound from the stress of work.
Example. The ropes were unwound by the crew to secure the boat.
Example. The unwound yarn lay scattered on the floor after the cats played with it.
To form passive voice sentences, emphasizing the action rather than who performs it.
Example. The ropes were unwound by the crew to secure the boat.
Example. The unwound yarn lay scattered on the floor after the cats played with it.
As adjectives to describe the result of an action.
Example. The ropes were unwound by the crew to secure the boat.
Example. The unwound yarn lay scattered on the floor after the cats played with it.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusion between forms

A common mistake is using the base form 'unwind' instead of the correct past simple form 'unwound' or the past participle form 'unwound'. For instance, some might incorrectly say, 'Yesterday, I unwind after work' instead of the correct 'Yesterday, I unwound after work.' This error stems from not recognizing that 'unwind' is an irregular verb, meaning its past forms do not follow the regular -ed ending pattern.

— 02

Incorrectly regularizing

Given the prevalence of regular verbs in English, which simply add -ed or -d to form their past simple and past participle forms, learners often mistakenly apply this rule to all verbs, including 'unwind'. They might say 'I have unwind' or 'I have unwinded' for attempting to express a completed action in the past, instead of the correct 'I have unwound'. This mistake reflects a misunderstanding of the irregular nature of the verb 'unwind'.

— 03

Misuse in perfect tenses

Another common mistake involves using the incorrect form of 'unwind' in perfect tenses, such as the present perfect or past perfect, due to confusion between the past simple and past participle forms. For example, saying 'I had unwind before they arrived' instead of the correct 'I had unwound before they arrived.' This error shows a lack of awareness that the past participle form 'unwound' is necessary to construct perfect tenses correctly.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'unwind'?

The past simple form of 'unwind' is 'unwound.' This form is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example, 'Yesterday, I unwound by reading a book.'

What is the past participle form of 'unwind'?

The past participle form of 'unwind' is also 'unwound.' This form is used in perfect tenses and passive voice. For example, 'I have unwound with a good movie many times.'

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

Using 'unwound' correctly depends on the tense you are working with. For past simple, you directly replace 'unwind' with 'unwound' to indicate a completed action in the past. For example, 'He unwound the rope quickly.' When using the past participle in perfect tenses, you might say, 'She has finally unwound after the stressful week.'

Can 'unwound' be used in both active and passive voice sentences?

Yes, 'unwound' can be used in both active and passive voice sentences. In an active voice sentence, the subject performs the action, as in 'They unwound the thread from the spool.' In a passive voice sentence, the subject is the recipient of the action, for example, 'The thread was unwound from the spool by them.' Remember, in passive constructions, especially with perfect tenses, you might use the form 'been unwound' to match the tense correctly, such as 'The spool has been unwound.'