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Past participle

A non-finite verb form like broken, lost, gone and stopped.

With a regular verb, the past participle ends in –ed and is identical in form to the past tense. Examples are: loved, waited, started, ended and decided. With an irregular verb, the past participle takes a variety of forms, though it often ends in –en. Examples are: written, broken, seen, put, drawn, driven and smitten.

The past participle has several uses.

1. It combines with have to form perfect tenses.

• I have seen her.
• Have you finished dinner?

2. It combines with be to form passives.

• They have been invited.
• I was shocked by his attitude.

3. It can be used as an adjective.

Examples are: dried grapes, boiled cabbage, rotten eggs, a vanished civilization etc.