Saiba a diferença entre o passado simples e particípio passado.

SIMPLE PAST TENSE

[passado simples]

Veja estes exemplos:

• Because dinner time was near, my dog Oreo bit the spine of Moby-Dick and pulled the novel off my lap.
• Since Denise had ignored bills for so long, she wrote out checks for an hour straight.
• Despite the noise, jolts, and jerks, Alex slept so soundly on the city bus that he missed his stop.

PAST PARTICIPLE

[particípio passado]

Muitos verbos com várias partes, porém, exigem o particípio passado depois de um ou mais verbos auxiliares.

Leia estas frases:

• Raymond had bitten into the muffin before Charise mentioned that it was her infamous chocolate-broccoli variety.
  • had = verbo auxiliar; bitten = particípio passado
• Once Woody has written his essay for Mr. Stover, he plans to reward himself with a packet of Twinkies.
  • has = auxiliary verb; written = past participle
• Cynthia might have slept better if she hadn’t watched The Nightmare on Elm Street marathon on HBO. might,
  • have = verbo auxiliar; slept = particípio passado

Para verbos regulares, saber a distinção entre o passado simples e particípio é desnecessário porque ambas são idênticas.

Confira essas duas frases:

• Diane giggled as her beagle Reliable pushed his cold wet nose into her stomach, searching for cookie crumbs.
  • giggled = passado simples

• Until the disapproving Mrs. Whitman elbowed Latoya in the ribs, the young girl had giggled without stop at the toilet paper streamer attached to Principal Clemens’s shoe.
  • had = verbo auxiliar; giggled = particípio passado

Quando você escolher um verbo irregular para uma frase, no entanto, o passado simples e particípio passado são muitas vezes diferentes, então você deve saber a distinção.

Aqui estão dois exemplos:

• Essie drove so cautiously that traffic piled up behind her, causing angry drivers to honk their horns and shout obscenities.
  • drove = passado simples

• Essie might have driven faster if she hadn’t forgotten her glasses and saw more than big colored blurs through the windshield.
  • might, have = auxiliary verbs; driven = past participle

PAST PARTICIPLES AS ADJECTIVES

[Particípio passado como Adjetivos]

Além disso, particípios passados podem funcionar como adjetivos, descrevendo a outras palavras. Quando você usar um particípio passado dessa maneira, você deve escolher de forma correta.

Leia estas frases:

• The calculus exams given by Dr. Ribley are so difficult that his students believe their brains will burst.
• Delores discovered the stolen bologna under the sofa, guarded fiercely by Max, her Chihuahua.
• The written reprimand so shamed poor Pablo that he promised his boss never again to throw a scoop of ice cream at a customer.

Lembre-se de que você pode sempre consultar um dicionário quando você tiver uma pergunta sobre a forma correta de uso de um verbo irregular.