Fly past tense

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Learn past tenses to communicate in English accurately

Meaning of fly

to move through the air using wings or by means of an aircraft or other modes of flight.

Infinitive

Word: fly /flaɪ/
Examples:
  • 1. Birds commonly fly south for the winter to escape the cold temperatures.
  • 2. Airplanes fly vast distances in a relatively short period of time compared to other modes of transportation.
  • 3. She dreams to fly around the world one day, exploring different cultures and landscapes.

Past Simple

Word: flew /fluː/
Examples:
  • 1. The birds flew south for the winter, leaving the north empty of their songs.
  • 2. The paper airplane flew across the room, landing softly on the other side.
  • 3. Time flew by as they sat by the lake, lost in conversation and the beauty of the sunset.

Past Participle

Word: flown /floʊn/
Examples:
  • 1. The letter had been flown across the country by the morning.
  • 2. By the time we arrived, the new species of butterflies had already been flown in for the exhibit.
  • 3. The secret documents were flown out of the country under tight security.

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Bare infinitive

  1. When talking about habitual actions or routines.
    Example. I fly to New York every summer.
    Example. First, fly north for about 20 miles.
  2. To state universal truths or facts.
    Example. Birds fly.
    Example. I fly to New York every summer.
    Example. First, fly north for about 20 miles.
  3. To give instructions or directions.
    Example. I fly to New York every summer.
    Example. First, fly north for about 20 miles.

Past Simple

  1. When talking about a completed action in the past with a specific time.
    Example. I flew to Paris last year.
    Example. He packed his suitcase, called a taxi, and then flew to Rome.
    Example. Long ago, witches supposedly flew on broomsticks.
  2. To describe a sequence of past actions.
    Example. I flew to Paris last year.
    Example. He packed his suitcase, called a taxi, and then flew to Rome.
    Example. Long ago, witches supposedly flew on broomsticks.
  3. In storytelling to set the scene or describe actions.
    Example. I flew to Paris last year.
    Example. He packed his suitcase, called a taxi, and then flew to Rome.
    Example. Long ago, witches supposedly flew on broomsticks.

Past Participle

  1. To form the present perfect tense, when discussing actions that happened at an unspecified time or have relevance to the present moment.
    Example. I have never flown in a helicopter.
    Example. By the time the conference started, the speaker had already flown in and prepared.
    Example. The flown distance was remarkable, setting a new record.
    Example. The message was flown to the camp by a drone.
  2. To form the past perfect tense, referring to a past action that occurred before another action in the past.
    Example. By the time the conference started, the speaker had already flown in and prepared.
    Example. The flown distance was remarkable, setting a new record.
    Example. The message was flown to the camp by a drone.
  3. As an adjective to describe something relating to flight or the action of flying.
    Example. By the time the conference started, the speaker had already flown in and prepared.
    Example. The flown distance was remarkable, setting a new record.
    Example. The message was flown to the camp by a drone.
  4. In passive voice constructions, where the subject is the recipient of an action.
    Example. By the time the conference started, the speaker had already flown in and prepared.
    Example. The flown distance was remarkable, setting a new record.
    Example. The message was flown to the camp by a drone.

Common mistakes

— 01

Confusing 'flew' and 'flown

' A common mistake is mixing up the simple past and past participle forms of 'fly.' The simple past form is 'flew,' used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. The past participle form is 'flown,' which should be used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or passive voice.

— 02

Incorrect usage of past participle

Another mistake is using the past participle form 'flown' as if it were the simple past, without accompanying auxiliary verbs such as 'have' or 'had.' For example, saying 'I flown to Paris last year' instead of the correct form 'I flew to Paris last year' (simple past) or 'I had flown to Paris by last year' (past perfect).

— 03

Using 'flied

' Some learners might mistakenly use 'flied' as the simple past or past participle form due to misunderstanding the irregular verb patterns in English. The correct forms are 'flew' for the simple past and 'flown' for the past participle (e.g., 'The bird flew away.' / 'The bird has flown away.'), not 'flied.'

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple form of 'fly'?

The past simple form of 'fly' is 'flew.' It is used to describe an action that happened at a specific time in the past. For example. 'Yesterday, I flew to Paris for a business meeting.'

What is the past participle form of 'fly'?

The past participle form of 'fly' is 'flown.' It is used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses or the passive voice. For example, in the present perfect tense. 'I have flown to Paris three times this year.'

How do you use 'flew' and 'flown' in a sentence correctly?

To use 'flew' correctly, you must be referring to a specific instance or instances in the past when the action of flying was completed. For example. 'She flew to New York last week.' To use 'flown' correctly, it should be part of a verb phrase in perfect tenses or the passive voice. For example, in the passive voice. 'The new model airplane has never been flown by anyone.'

Can you provide examples of sentences using 'fly' in different tenses?

Yes, here are examples across different tenses. Simple Present. 'I usually fly to London for the holidays.' Past Simple. 'Last summer, we flew to Hawaii for our vacation.' Present Perfect. 'They have flown to several countries this year.' Past Perfect. 'By the time we arrived, the birds had already flown south for the winter.' Future Simple. 'We will fly to Japan next month if the travel restrictions are lifted.' These examples highlight how 'fly,' 'flew,' and 'flown' can be used in various contexts and tenses to convey different meanings related to the act of flying.