The verb ‘lend’ is one of the most common English verbs, meaning to give something temporarily with the expectation that it will be returned. Whether sharing a book with a friend, offering someone your notes, or providing financial assistance, understanding how to use ‘lend’ accurately is essential for clear communication.
Mastering the past tense of ‘lend’ allows English learners to narrate past events, tell stories, report experiences, and engage confidently in conversation. Using the correct past forms also helps build grammatical accuracy, especially when dealing with irregular verbs.
This comprehensive article is designed for everyone: English learners at any level, teachers, professionals, and anyone seeking to improve their command of irregular past tense verbs. Here, you will find detailed explanations, structural breakdowns, plenty of examples, common mistakes, advanced tips, and practice exercises with answers.
We will explore:
- Definitions and grammatical classification
- The past tense forms of ‘lend’ and how to use them
- Examples in different contexts
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Advanced points such as idioms, dialects, and reported speech
- Extensive practice exercises with answer keys
Let’s begin by understanding what ‘lend’ really means and how its past tense is formed!
Table of Contents
- 3. Definition Section
- 4. Structural Breakdown
- 5. Types or Categories (Variations)
- 6. Examples Section
- 7. Usage Rules
- 8. Common Mistakes
- 9. Practice Exercises
- 10. Advanced Topics
- 11. FAQ Section
- 12. Conclusion
3. Definition Section
3.1 What Does ‘Lend’ Mean?
‘Lend’ means to give someone something temporarily with the understanding it will be returned. For example, if you lend someone your pen, you expect to get it back.
Difference from ‘borrow’: When you lend, you give. When you borrow, you take something temporarily.
- Lend: I give you my book.
- Borrow: I take your book.
3.2 Grammatical Classification
‘Lend’ is an irregular verb, meaning its past tense is not formed by simply adding -ed.
It is also a transitive verb, so it always requires an object (something or someone to whom you lend).
3.3 What is the Past Tense of ‘Lend’?
The simple past and past participle of ‘lend’ is ‘lent’.
Pronunciation:
- lend: /lɛnd/
- lent: /lɛnt/
3.4 Function of the Past Tense of ‘Lend’
The form ‘lent’ expresses an action of giving temporarily that happened in the past.
- Used in simple past sentences: “She lent me her bag.”
- Used in perfect tenses: “I have lent him my laptop.”
- Used in passive voice: “The book was lent to me.”
3.5 Usage Contexts
‘Lent’ is commonly used in:
- Narrating past events: “Yesterday, I lent her my book.”
- Reporting past transactions: “The bank lent money to the company.”
- Perfect tenses: “He has lent me his notes before.”
- Passive voice: “The equipment was lent to the team.”
Example sentences:
- “I lent him my umbrella last week.”
- “She had lent her car to her brother.”
- “The camera was lent to the journalist.”
- “They have lent money to several startups.”
- “We lent our tent during the camping trip.”
4. Structural Breakdown
4.1 The Base Form and Its Irregular Past
‘Lend’ is irregular, so its past forms do not follow the typical -ed pattern.
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Present Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| lend | lent | lent | lending |
4.2 Forming the Past Simple with ‘Lend’
In the simple past tense, always use ‘lent’.
Incorrect: *lended*
Correct: lent
Examples:
- “I lent him my dictionary.”
- “She lent me a pencil.”
- “They lent us their car.”
4.3 Forming Perfect Tenses
To make perfect tenses, combine have/has/had with the past participle ‘lent’.
- Present perfect: “I have lent my notes.”
- Past perfect: “She had lent her car.”
- Future perfect: “By next week, they will have lent the money.”
4.4 Forming the Passive Voice
In passive voice, the item being lent is the subject. Use be + past participle (lent).
- “The book was lent to me.”
- “The equipment has been lent out.”
- “The money will be lent tomorrow.”
4.5 Time Expressions Commonly Used
When using the past tense, common time markers include:
- Yesterday
- Last week/month/year
- In 2010
- A week ago
- Two days ago
| Tense | Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Simple Past | She lent me her sweater yesterday. |
| Present Perfect | They have lent us the keys before. |
| Past Perfect | He had lent me his camera before the trip. |
| Passive (Past) | The laptop was lent to the student. |
| Passive (Present Perfect) | The money has been lent already. |
5. Types or Categories (Variations)
5.1 Simple Past Usage of ‘Lent’
Indicates a completed action at a specific time in the past.
- “I lent him my car last night.”
- “She lent her notes two days ago.”
5.2 Past Participle Usage in Perfect Tenses
Shows actions that have relevance to the present or another past action.
- “I have lent my charger to many people.”
- “By then, she had lent out all her books.”
5.3 Passive Constructions with ‘Lent’
Focuses on the object rather than the person who lent.
- “The microphone was lent to the speaker.”
- “Equipment has been lent to the school.”
5.4 Informal or Colloquial Variations
Common mistake: Some people mistakenly use *lended* in speech. This is not standard English and should be avoided in writing.
- Incorrect: “I lended him my bike.”
- Correct: “I lent him my bike.”
5.5 Comparative: ‘Lend’ vs. ‘Borrow’ in Past Forms
These verbs are often confused but have opposite meanings. ‘Lend’ means to give temporarily; ‘borrow’ means to receive temporarily.
| Verb | Past Simple | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lend | lent | to give temporarily | I lent him my car. |
| borrow | borrowed | to receive temporarily | He borrowed my car. |
6. Examples Section
6.1 Basic Examples Using ‘Lent’
- She lent me her umbrella.
- I lent the book yesterday.
- They lent us their tent for camping.
- He lent his car to his cousin.
- We lent our projector to the school.
6.2 Negative Past Tense Examples
- I didn’t lend him my phone.
- They never lent us any help.
- She hadn’t lent me her notes before.
- We didn’t lend money last year.
- He never lent anyone his tools.
6.3 Questions in Past Tense
- Did you lend her your notes?
- Who lent you the camera?
- Did they lend money to the charity?
- Why didn’t she lend you her dress?
- When did he lend you the bike?
6.4 Examples with Perfect Tenses
- I have never lent money to strangers.
- He had lent me his laptop before.
- They have lent us their car several times.
- She has lent her books to many students.
- We had lent the equipment before the event.
6.5 Passive Voice Examples
- The bicycle was lent to the neighbor.
- All the equipment has been lent for free.
- The money was lent last month.
- The camera has been lent to the journalist.
- The house was lent to our friends for the weekend.
6.6 Contrasting Correct and Incorrect Forms
- Correct: She lent me money.
- Incorrect: She lended me money.
- Correct: I have lent him my book.
- Incorrect: I have lended him my book.
- Correct: They lent us their car.
- Incorrect: They lended us their car.
6.7 Examples in Contextual Sentences
Narrative: “Last week, I lent my friend my bike because his was broken.”
Dialogue:
“Did you lend Sarah your charger?”
“Yes, I lent it to her yesterday.”
Business English: “The bank lent several million dollars to the startup last year.”
Academic Writing: “The instruments were lent by the university’s physics department.”
| I lent him my pen. |
| She lent me her umbrella. |
| They lent us their tent. |
| We lent the projector to the school. |
| He lent his car to his cousin. |
| I didn’t lend him my phone. |
| She never lent me her notes. |
| They didn’t lend us any money. |
| We hadn’t lent the equipment before. |
| He never lent anyone his tools. |
| Did you lend her your notes? |
| Who lent you the camera? |
| Why didn’t he lend you his laptop? |
| When did they lend the money? |
| Have you ever lent your car? |
| The book was lent to me. |
| The money has been lent. |
| The equipment was lent for free. |
| The car was lent by his father. |
| The laptop has been lent to the new intern. |
| I have lent my friend some money. |
| She has lent her notes many times. |
| They have lent us their tools before. |
| He had lent me the laptop before the trip. |
| We have never lent equipment to other teams. |
7. Usage Rules
7.1 Always Use ‘Lent’ as Past Simple and Past Participle
Rule: The correct past tense form is always ‘lent’.
Never use: *lended*
7.2 Subject-Verb Agreement
In past tense, the verb form does not change regardless of subject.
- I lent
- You lent
- She lent
- They lent
7.3 Sequence of Tenses
Maintain tense consistency in complex sentences.
Example: “I lent him my pen because he had forgotten his.”
7.4 Using ‘Lent’ in Formal and Informal Contexts
‘Lent’ is appropriate in both formal writing and casual conversation.
In very formal business contexts, sometimes ‘loaned’ is used, especially in American English.
7.5 Common Time Markers with Past Tense
- Yesterday
- Last night/week/year
- In 2019
- Three weeks ago
- At that time
7.6 Exceptions or Special Cases
Fixed expressions:
- “Lend an ear” (to listen) — can be used in past tense: “He lent an ear to her problems.”
With modals:
- “I could have lent you my phone.”
- “She should have lent him the book.”
8. Common Mistakes
8.1 Using *lended* Instead of ‘Lent’
Incorrect: I lended him my pen.
Correct: I lent him my pen.
8.2 Confusing ‘Lend’ and ‘Borrow’
Incorrect: I borrowed him my phone.
Correct: I lent him my phone.
Remember:
- Lend: to give
- Borrow: to receive
8.3 Incorrect Verb Agreement or Auxiliary Use
Incorrect: He have lent me money.
Correct: He has lent me money.
8.4 Overusing Passive Voice
Sometimes passive voice makes sentences awkward or unclear.
Better: “The manager lent the money.”
Less clear: “The money was lent by the manager.”
8.5 Tense Shifting Errors
Incorrect: I lend him money yesterday.
Correct: I lent him money yesterday.
8.6 Misplacing Time Expressions
Incorrect: I lent yesterday her my book.
Correct: I lent her my book yesterday.
9. Practice Exercises
9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| I ____ him my jacket last week. | lent |
| They have ____ their car to us before. | lent |
| She didn’t ____ me her notes. | lend |
| Have you ever ____ your laptop? | lent |
| We ____ our tools two days ago. | lent |
9.2 Correct the Mistake
| Incorrect Sentence | Corrected Sentence |
|---|---|
| I lended him my bike yesterday. | I lent him my bike yesterday. |
| She have lent me her phone. | She has lent me her phone. |
| He borrowed me his book. | He lent me his book. |
| They lended us their tent. | They lent us their tent. |
| Did you lended her your charger? | Did you lend her your charger? |
9.3 Identify the Tense
| Sentence | Tense |
|---|---|
| She lent me her pen. | Simple Past |
| They have lent us their car. | Present Perfect |
| The book was lent to him. | Passive (Past Simple) |
| He had lent her his jacket. | Past Perfect |
| The money has been lent. | Passive (Present Perfect) |
9.4 Sentence Transformation
- Present: They lend us tools. → Past: They lent us tools.
- Present: She lends him her notebook. → Past: She lent him her notebook.
- Present: I lend my cousin money. → Past: I lent my cousin money.
- Present: We lend books to the library. → Past: We lent books to the library.
- Present: He lends his bike to his brother. → Past: He lent his bike to his brother.
9.5 Sentence Construction
- Prompt: I + lend + friend + jacket + yesterday → I lent my friend my jacket yesterday.
- Prompt: She + have + lend + money + before → She has lent money before.
- Prompt: They + never + lend + tools → They have never lent their tools.
- Prompt: We + lend + car + last month → We lent our car last month.
- Prompt: He + not + lend + book + last week → He didn’t lend his book last week.
9.6 Dialogue Completion
Dialogue:
A: Did you ____ (lend) Sarah your charger?
B: Yes, I ____ (lend) it to her yesterday.
A: Have you ever ____ (lend) your laptop?
B: No, I have never ____ (lend) it to anyone.
Answers:
A: Did you lend Sarah your charger?
B: Yes, I lent it to her yesterday.
A: Have you ever lent your laptop?
B: No, I have never lent it to anyone.
10. Advanced Topics
10.1 Irregular Verbs Similar to ‘Lend’
Other irregular verbs with a similar pattern:
| Verb | Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| send | send | sent | sent |
| spend | spend | spent | spent |
| bend | bend | bent | bent |
| lend | lend | lent | lent |
10.2 Etymology and Historical Forms
‘Lend’ originates from Old English lænan meaning “to allow the use of temporarily.”
The past form ‘lent’ evolved through analogy with other irregular verbs over centuries. ‘Lended’ was sometimes used in older dialects but is now considered non-standard.
10.3 ‘Lent’ in Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
- “Lend an ear” – to listen carefully (“He lent an ear to her story.”)
- “Lend itself to” – to be suitable for (“This method lent itself to quick analysis.”)
10.4 Use in Reported Speech
In reported speech, tenses often shift back:
Direct: She said, “I will lend you money.”
Reported: She said she would lend me money.
Direct: “I lent him my car,” he said.
Reported: He said he had lent him his car.
10.5 Regional and Dialectal Variations
In some non-standard dialects, *lended* appears informally in speech, but lent is universally standard in writing and formal contexts.
10.6 Register and Formality Considerations
In finance or business, especially American English, ‘loaned’ is sometimes preferred as the past tense of ‘loan’:
“The bank loaned the company $1 million.”
But ‘lent’ remains correct and common in general English.
11. FAQ Section
- What is the past tense of ‘lend’?
The past tense and past participle of ‘lend’ is ‘lent’. - Is ‘lended’ ever correct?
No, ‘lended’ is considered incorrect in standard English. The correct form is ‘lent’. - What is the difference between ‘lent’ and ‘borrowed’?
‘Lent’ means gave temporarily; ‘borrowed’ means received temporarily. - Can ‘lent’ be used as an adjective?
Rarely, but in some cases, yes. For example: “The lent items must be returned.” More naturally, use “loaned” or “borrowed.” - How do I use ‘lent’ in passive voice?
Combine be + lent: “The book was lent to me.” - What are examples of ‘lend’ in perfect tenses?
“I have lent him my phone.” / “She had lent her car before.” - Are there other irregular verbs like ‘lend’?
Yes: send—sent, spend—spent, bend—bent. - Why is ‘lended’ considered wrong?
Because ‘lend’ is irregular, and its correct past form is ‘lent’. - Is ‘lent’ used differently in British vs. American English?
Both use ‘lent’ for the verb ‘lend’. However, ‘loaned’ is used more in American English as a synonym. - How do I teach young learners the past tense of ‘lend’?
Use plenty of examples, rhymes, and practice drills. Emphasize that ‘lent’ is irregular and does not end with -ed. - Can ‘lend’ be used in phrasal verbs or idioms?
Yes, such as “lend an ear” or “lend itself to.” - What is the pronunciation difference between ‘lend’ and ‘lent’?
‘lend’: /lɛnd/ with a /d/ sound; ‘lent’: /lɛnt/ with a /t/ sound.
12. Conclusion
In summary, ‘lend’ is an irregular verb whose past simple and past participle form is ‘lent’. Memorizing irregular forms like ‘lent’ is crucial for accurate English, as adding -ed (*lended*) is incorrect.
Correct use of ‘lent’ will improve your fluency in narration, reporting, conversation, and writing. Practicing the examples, reviewing the rules, and completing exercises will help reinforce these forms.
Keep exploring other irregular verbs and their patterns to build a strong grammatical foundation. Mastery of these nuances will greatly enhance your confidence and effectiveness in English communication!