What is a past particle?

Answer 1

The past particle is the part or form of the verb used in the perfect tense, the passive tense, or as an adjective.

Examples (perfect tense)

• They have just arrived.
• I have already talked to him about it.
• We have heard that before.
• I have been there often.
• She has done her best.

Past participles in the above: arrived, talked, heard, been, done.

Passive tense examples

• The chicken was eaten by the fox. (past passive)
• The machine is started by pressing the green button. (present passive)
• The central heating is being fixed as we speak. (present continuous passive)
• The finale will be played by the full orchestra. (future passive)

Past participles in the above: eaten, started, fixed, played.

Examples of the past participle being used as an adjective

• The mown grass
• The mislaid letter
• The broken clock
• A withdrawn child

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Answer 2

A past participle is a verb form that typically ends in "-ed" in English (e.g. walked, talked). It is used to form certain verb tenses, such as the present perfect and past perfect. It can also be used as an adjective.