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ate vs eaten

by Prof. Nikolas Bailey Sr. Published 3 years ago Updated 3 years ago

eat is present tense and eaten is past participle. Eat is used in Simple present sentences, where as eaten is used in present perfect and past perfect sentences with the word "been". anonymous

Eat is the present simple. Ate is the past simple. Eaten is the past participle.27-Apr-2010

Full Answer

What is the difference between 'ATE and eaten'?

eat is present tense and eaten is past participle. Eat is used in Simple present sentences, where as eaten is used in present perfect and past perfect sentences with the word "been". the first sentence is simple present and the second is present prefect. Students: We have free audio pronunciation exercises.

Which is correct - eaten or ate?

'Ate' is Simple Past tense. eg I ate dinner yesterday. 'Eaten' is the past participle. eg I'm not hungry. I have eaten dinner. But people who speak this way do not usually understand grammatical explanations.

Is it I have eaten or I Have Ate?

Today we review forms of the irregular verb eat . Eat is the present simple. Ate is the past simple. Eaten is the past participle. Very simple, isn't it? Now then, complete the sentences using the correct verb.

What does eat or be eaten mean?

ēt, v.t. to chew and swallow: to consume: to corrode.—v.i. to take food:—pr.p. eat′ing; pa.t. ate (āt or et); pa.p. eaten (ētn) or (obs.) eat (et).—adj. Eat′able, fit to be eaten.— n. anything used as food (chiefly pl. ).— ns.

What does "ate" mean in the past?

Just to recap, then, simple past refers to an action that occurs independently of other events. It is a verb tense that can stand on its own and, therefore, “ate” will always function as the only verb in the sentence or phrase.

What are the three tenses of the verb "to eat"?

English Tenses. You most likely know the three basic tenses in English: present, past, and future. We can further divide each into four forms: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. Let’s briefly consider the verb “to eat” in each of these before we delve into further detail.

What are the auxiliary verbs in perfect tenses?

As mentioned above, perfect tenses require an auxiliary verb, sometimes referred to as “helping” verbs. They act together with verbs to express nuances of mood and time. The principal auxiliary verbs are “to be,” “to do,” and “to have.”. Perfect tenses use “to have” as the helper verb along with the past participle.

What are past participles?

Past participles are verb forms we use together with an auxiliary verb, usually “to have” or “to be,” to create perfect and continuous verb forms. We can also use them as adjectives or to create passive verb forms ( source ).

Why are tenses important?

When learning to speak any language, tenses are very important because they allow you to describe the timing of an event. When talking about the past in all its various forms, there are specific details to master, and the verb “to eat” is an interesting case in point.

Is "eaten" an irregular verb?

As a very commonly used word and an irregular verb, “eat” is an important one to master. Besides the fact that we tend to eat three times a day, knowing when to say “ate” and when to say “eaten” is a basic skill that will assist with the mastery of many other irregular verbs.

Is "eat" a past tense?

As you will notice, some are the same as the irregular past tense, but many are not. “Eat” is one of those that has a different form in the past tense (ate) and as a past participle (eaten).

Is It “Have You Ate” Or “Have You Eaten”?

  • Although we sometimes hear it in conversation, the former is grammatically incorrect. “Ate” is the past tense of the verb “to eat” and can stand on its own without the need for an auxiliary verb such as “to have.” One should always say, “Have you eaten?” The examples below show the correct use of “ate,” where it is always in the simple past tense. ...
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Constructing Questions

  • In considering whether it’s correct to say “Have you ate?” or “Have you eaten?”, it’s important to know how to construct questions when using simple past tense and past participles.
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English Tenses

  • You most likely know the three basic tenses in English: present, past, and future. We can further divide each into four forms: simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous. Let’s briefly consider the verb “to eat” in each of these before we delve into further detail.
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Simple Past Tense

  • As you will see from the table above, the only time we use “ate” is in the simple past tense. This describes that the action — in this case, eating — occurred in the past, before now. We can use it to describe something that happened only once, several times, or over a period in the past (source), as shown in the following examples. I atethe sandwich. (happened once) As a child, I a…
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Past Participles

  • Past participles are verb forms we use together with an auxiliary verb, usually “to have” or “to be,” to create perfect and continuous verb forms. We can also use them as adjectives or to create passive verb forms (source). With regular verbs, the past simple and past participle are the same, and we form both by adding -ed to the verb. As with past simple, we simply must learn the past …
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The Basic Differences Between Past Simple and Past Participle

  • The information above has illustrated the key differences between simple past and past participles and when to say “ate” and when to say “eaten.” Just to recap, then, simple past refers to an action that occurs independently of other events. It is a verb tense that can stand on its own and, therefore, “ate” will always function as the only verb in the sentence or phrase. Past participl…
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Final Thoughts

  • Understanding the role of verbs and past participles in the English language is key to being able to use them correctly in spoken or written English. You can achieve fluency when you instinctively know what sounds right in a language and can ask and answer questions with the correct tenses and verb usage. As a very commonly used word and an irregular verb, “eat” is an important one t…
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