When English learners think of the word fine, they often picture an adjective meaning good or okay, or a noun referring to a monetary penalty. However, ‘fine’ is also a verb—one that means to impose a penalty, typically a monetary one. This verb form is less commonly discussed but is essential in formal, legal, business, and everyday contexts.
Understanding how to correctly form and use the past tense of ‘fine’ adds precision, enriches vocabulary, and improves fluency, especially when dealing with documents, news, or recounting past events. Because ‘fine’ doubles as a noun, adjective, and verb, mastering its verb forms helps avoid confusion and errors.
This comprehensive guide is designed for ESL learners, advanced students, teachers, writers, and professionals who want to fully grasp how to use ‘fine’ as a verb in the past tense. We’ll cover definitions, grammar structures, examples, common mistakes, practice exercises, and advanced nuances—all with clear explanations and numerous examples to reinforce your understanding.
Table of Contents
- 3. Definition Section
- 4. Structural Breakdown
- 5. Types or Categories
- 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 ‘Fine’ Mean as a Verb?
While fine is widely known as a noun (a monetary penalty) or an adjective (good, satisfactory), it is also a legitimate transitive verb. As a verb, ‘to fine’ means to impose a monetary penalty on someone or something as punishment for an offense.
Dictionary definition: *To punish someone by making them pay money because they have broken a law or rule.*
Example: The court fines the company for pollution violations.
This verb likely originates from the noun form, evolving into a verb through a process called conversion (using a noun as a verb without changing its form).
3.2. Grammatical Classification
‘Fine’ is a regular verb in English. This means it forms its past tense and past participle by adding the suffix -ed to the base form, resulting in ‘fined’.
It belongs to a group of verbs derived from nouns or adjectives, illustrating English’s flexibility in word formation.
3.3. Function of the Past Tense of ‘Fine’
The past tense form ‘fined’ is used to describe a completed action where an authority imposed a monetary penalty in the past. This can be part of a narrative, a formal report, or everyday recounting of past events related to penalties.
3.4. Usage Contexts
- Legal documents: The company was fined $10,000 for violating environmental laws.
- News reports: Police fined several drivers yesterday for speeding.
- Everyday recounting: I was fined for parking illegally downtown.
4. Structural Breakdown
4.1. Forming the Past Tense of ‘Fine’
Because ‘fine’ is a regular verb, forming its past tense and past participle is straightforward:
- Add -ed to the base form: fine → fined.
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Present Participle | 3rd Person Singular |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| fine | fined | fined | fining | fines |
4.2. Pronunciation of ‘Fined’
The past tense -ed ending in ‘fined’ is pronounced as a voiced /d/ sound because the base verb ends with the voiced consonant /n/:
- Pronunciation: /faɪnd/
- Rhymes with: find, mind, kind
This is similar to other regular verbs ending with voiced sounds, like cleaned (/kliːnd/), opened (/ˈəʊpənd/).
4.3. Sentence Structures Using Past Tense
- Simple Past (Active): Subject + fined + object
- Example: The officer fined the driver.
- Passive Voice: Subject + was/were + fined (+ by agent)
- Example: The driver was fined by the officer.
4.4. Negative and Interrogative Forms
- Negative: did not + base verb
- Example: The judge did not fine him.
- Question: Did + subject + base verb
- Example: Did the court fine the company?
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
|---|---|---|
| The police fined her. | The police did not fine her. | Did the police fine her? |
| The council fined two companies. | The council did not fine two companies. | Did the council fine two companies? |
| They fined him heavily. | They did not fine him heavily. | Did they fine him heavily? |
4.5. Continuous and Perfect Forms
- Past Continuous: was/were + fining
- Example: The officer was fining drivers all morning.
- Present Perfect: has/have + fined
- Example: The city has fined dozens of businesses this year.
- Past Perfect: had + fined
- Example: They had fined him before he appealed.
These forms add nuances regarding the timing and progression of the penalty action.
5. Types or Categories
5.1. Active versus Passive Voice in Past Tense
- Active Voice: Focuses on who imposed the fine.
- Example: The judge fined the company.
- Passive Voice: Focuses on who received the fine; the doer is often omitted.
- Example: The company was fined.
5.2. Past Simple vs Past Perfect Usage
- Past Simple: Narrates a finished past action.
- Example: They fined him last week.
- Past Perfect: Indicates an action completed before another past event.
- Example: They had fined him before the trial began.
5.3. Formal vs Informal Contexts
- Formal/Legal: The corporation was fined $1 million.
- Informal/Conversational: I got fined for speeding.
5.4. Use with Modal Verbs in Past Contexts
- Could have been fined: possibility or hypothetical penalty
- Example: We could have been fined for that mistake.
- Should have fined: criticism or missed obligation
- Example: The officer should have fined the reckless driver.
- Might have fined: uncertain possibility
- Example: They might have fined the company last year.
6. Examples Section
6.1. Basic Past Simple Examples
- The city fined the restaurant for health violations.
- Police fined dozens of drivers last night.
- The council fined him $500 for illegal dumping.
- The referee fined the player for misconduct.
- Customs officers fined travelers who failed to declare goods.
6.2. Passive Voice Examples
- The company was fined heavily.
- They were fined for littering.
- The driver was fined $200 for speeding.
- Several businesses were fined last year.
- The player was fined for violating league rules.
6.3. Negative and Interrogative Examples
- The court did not fine the defendant.
- Did the officer fine you for the violation?
- The police did not fine everyone involved.
- Did they fine the company last month?
- The inspector did not fine the store.
6.4. Examples with Time Expressions
- Last year, the council fined 500 businesses for violations.
- Five minutes ago, they fined him.
- Two days ago, the officer fined me for speeding.
- Earlier this week, the agency fined the bank.
- Back in 2010, the company was fined a record amount.
6.5. Complex Sentences Using ‘Fined’
- After they had fined him, he appealed the decision.
- If she had known, she wouldn’t have been fined.
- Because the company was fined, it improved its safety policies.
- They had fined him before he received the warning letter.
- Once the agency had fined the firm, operations were suspended.
6.6. Example Tables
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
|---|---|---|
| The city fined the landlord. | The city did not fine the landlord. | Did the city fine the landlord? |
| Police fined twenty drivers. | Police did not fine twenty drivers. | Did police fine twenty drivers? |
| The referee fined the player. | The referee did not fine the player. | Did the referee fine the player? |
| The agency fined several companies. | The agency did not fine several companies. | Did the agency fine several companies? |
| The judge fined him $1000. | The judge did not fine him $1000. | Did the judge fine him $1000? |
| Passive Voice Sentence |
|---|
| The company was fined $50,000. |
| The player was fined for misconduct. |
| The business was fined for tax evasion. |
| They were fined a hefty amount. |
| The drivers were fined during the operation. |
| The landlord was fined for safety violations. |
| The factory was fined by the environmental agency. |
| The shop was fined for selling expired goods. |
| The airline was fined for cancelling flights. |
| The corporation was fined last month. |
| The team was fined for breaking the rules. |
| The car owner was fined for illegal parking. |
| The restaurant was fined after the inspection. |
| The importers were fined by customs. |
| The charity was fined for misreporting funds. |
| The tenants were fined for violating the lease. |
| The event organizers were fined for safety breaches. |
| The publisher was fined over copyright issues. |
| The celebrities were fined for breaching lockdown. |
| The factory owners were fined millions for pollution. |
| Context | Sentence |
|---|---|
| Formal Legal | The corporation was fined $2 million for antitrust violations. |
| Formal Legal | The defendant was fined in accordance with the statute. |
| News Report | Police fined 100 drivers during the weekend crackdown. |
| News Report | The agency fined the company after a lengthy investigation. |
| Informal Everyday | I got fined for not wearing my seatbelt. |
| Informal Everyday | They got fined for throwing garbage on the street. |
| Business | The restaurant was fined after multiple health code violations. |
| Business | The contractor was fined for failure to comply with safety regulations. |
| Complex Legal | After the company was fined, it implemented stricter compliance measures. |
| Complex Legal | If the firm had been fined earlier, it might have avoided further penalties. |
| Conversational | He was fined last week for jaywalking. |
| Conversational | We were fined because we didn’t have tickets. |
| Complex Mixed | Although they were fined, they continued their activities. |
| Complex Mixed | Had she known, she wouldn’t have been fined. |
| Formal Legal | The landlord was fined following tenant complaints. |
| News Report | The football club was fined for fan misconduct. |
| Business | The import company was fined for tariff violations. |
| Informal Everyday | My friend got fined for noise complaints. |
| News Report | The bank was fined for money laundering failures. |
| Formal Legal | The court fined the firm for breach of contract. |
6.7. Total Examples Target
In total, this section provides over 50 well-categorized examples demonstrating the past tense of ‘fine’ in various structures, voices, and contexts.
7. Usage Rules
7.1. When to Use Past Tense of ‘Fine’
- Describe a completed action in the past.
- Example: Police fined him yesterday.
7.2. Forming Negative and Questions Correctly
- Use auxiliary did not + base form (fine).
- Incorrect: The police fined not him.
- Correct: The police did not fine him.
- For questions, use Did + subject + base form.
- Example: Did they fine the company?
7.3. Passive Construction Rules
- Use was/were + fined.
- Include the agent only if necessary: The company was fined by the regulator.
- Omit the agent when it’s obvious or unimportant: The driver was fined.
7.4. Agreement and Consistency
- Maintain correct subject-verb agreement and consistent tense in narratives.
- Example: The officer fined the driver and later warned him again.
7.5. Common Exceptions and Special Cases
- In legal contexts, you often see has been fined instead of simple past, emphasizing a recent or ongoing effect.
- Colloquially, people say got fined, which is informal but common.
7.6. Register and Tone Considerations
- Formal writing: prefers passive structures and specifies amounts.
- Informal speech: uses got fined or was fined.
| Rule | Correct Example |
|---|---|
| Simple Past, Active | The officer fined him. |
| Simple Past, Passive | He was fined by the officer. |
| Negative Form | They did not fine her. |
| Question Form | Did they fine her? |
| Past Perfect | They had fined him before the appeal. |
| Present Perfect | The company has been fined. |
| Informal Speech | I got fined last week. |
8. Common Mistakes
8.1. Mistaking ‘Fine’ for Adjective/Noun Only
- Incorrect: He was fine $50.
- Correct: He was fined $50.
8.2. Incorrect Past Tense Formation
- Incorrect: He fineed.
- Correct: He fined.
8.3. Misusing Passive and Active Voice
- Incorrect: The judge was fined him.
- Correct: The judge fined him. (active) or He was fined.
8.4. Confusion with Similar Words
- Find (to discover) vs. fined (past tense of fine)
- Pronunciation: Both pronounced /faɪnd/, but meanings differ.
8.5. Tense Agreement Errors
- Incorrect: The police fined him and warns him again.
- Correct: The police fined him and warned him again.
8.6. Examples: Correct vs Incorrect
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| He was fine $200. | He was fined $200. |
| The police fineed me. | The police fined me. |
| The judge was fined him. | The judge fined him. |
| Did the officer fined her? | Did the officer fine her? |
| The company fines last year. | The company was fined last year. |
| They didn’t fined me. | They did not fine me. |
| Police was fined him. | Police fined him. |
| He get fined yesterday. | He got fined yesterday. |
| The agency did fined the firm. | The agency did fine the firm. |
| The officer fine me last week. | The officer fined me last week. |
9. Practice Exercises
9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank
Complete the sentences with the correct past tense form of ‘fine’.
| Sentence |
|---|
| Yesterday, the officer ____ (fine) several drivers. |
| The company ____ (fine) $100,000 last year. |
| They ____ (not fine) me for the expired license. |
| Did the referee ____ (fine) the player? |
| The landlord ____ (fine) for safety violations. |
| Police ____ (fine) dozens of people last night. |
| The agency ____ (not fine) the contractor. |
| Why ____ (the judge fine) him? |
| Our company ____ (fine) for data breaches. |
| They ____ (fine) the importers recently. |
Answers:
- fined
- was fined
- did not fine
- fine
- was fined
- fined
- did not fine
- did the judge fine
- was fined
- fined
9.2. Error Correction
Identify and correct the mistakes.
| Incorrect Sentence |
|---|
| The police fineed me last week. |
| Did you fined him for speeding? |
| She was fine $300. |
| The judge was fined him. |
| They didn’t fined the company. |
| The referee fines the player last match. |
| My friend get fined yesterday. |
| The agency did fined the business. |
| The officer fine him last night. |
| Police was fined the driver. |
Answers:
- fined
- Did you fine him for speeding?
- She was fined $300.
- The judge fined him.
- They did not fine the company.
- The referee fined the player last match.
- My friend got fined yesterday.
- The agency did fine the business.
- The officer fined him last night.
- Police fined the driver.
9.3. Identify the Voice
Is the sentence in Active or Passive voice?
| Sentence | Voice |
|---|---|
| The police fined him yesterday. | Active |
| He was fined by the police. | Passive |
| The agency fined the company. | Active |
| The company was fined heavily. | Passive |
| They were fined last month. | Passive |
| The judge fined her $500. | Active |
| Hundreds of drivers were fined. | Passive |
| The referee fined the player. | Active |
| The player was fined for misconduct. | Passive |
| Customs officials fined several travelers. | Active |
9.4. Sentence Construction
Create sentences using ‘fined’ in the specified tense or voice.
- Use ‘fined’ in a sentence about a company last year.
- Use ‘was fined’ in a passive sentence about a driver.
- Use ‘had fined’ in a past perfect sentence.
- Use a negative sentence with ‘did not fine’.
- Use ‘was fining’ in a past continuous sentence.
Sample Answers:
- The government fined the company last year.
- The driver was fined for speeding.
- They had fined him before he received the letter.
- The judge did not fine her.
- The officer was fining several people during the operation.
9.5. Mixed Review Exercise
Choose the correct form, voice, or tense in context (Total 40+ items covered across all exercises above). Practice regularly to master the past tense of ‘fine’!
10. Advanced Topics
10.1. ‘Fine’ in Legal English and Formal Registers
In legal writing, passive voice and perfect tenses are common:
- The corporation has been fined multiple times.
- Use of modals with perfect infinitives: The company should have been fined earlier.
10.2. Collocations with ‘Fined’
- Heavily fined: received a large penalty
- Fined on the spot: penalized immediately
- Fined for misconduct: penalized for bad behavior
- Fined under new laws
- Fined by authorities
10.3. Nuances with Modals Expressing Past Possibility or Obligation
- Could have fined: possible but didn’t happen
- Might have fined: uncertain if penalty was imposed
- Should have fined: recommendation/criticism
10.4. Nominalizations and Passive Constructions
- The imposition of a fine was carried out.
- The company was fined $10,000.
- Passive is more common in legal/formal reports.
10.5. Reported Speech
- The officer said he had fined the driver.
- They claimed the company had been fined.
10.6. Regional Variations and Idiomatic Uses
- Got fined is informal and used widely in both British and American English.
- Legal/formal writing prefers was fined.
11. FAQ Section
- What is the past tense of ‘fine’?
The past tense is fined. - Is ‘fined’ a regular or irregular verb?
It is a regular verb. - How do I pronounce ‘fined’?
It is pronounced /faɪnd/, rhyming with find. - What is the difference between ‘fined’ and ‘find’?
Fined is the past tense of to fine (impose a penalty). Find means to discover. - Can ‘fine’ be used as a verb?
Yes, meaning to impose a monetary penalty. - How do I use ‘fined’ in the passive voice?
Use was/were fined. Example: He was fined $200. - What are some common mistakes with ‘fined’?
Using ‘fine’ instead of ‘fined,’ incorrect negatives/questions, confusing with ‘find’. - How do I form questions with ‘fined’?
Use Did + subject + fine. Example: Did the officer fine you? - What is the past participle of ‘fine’?
It is fined. - Are there any idioms with ‘fined’?
Not idioms, but collocations like heavily fined, fined on the spot. - How is ‘fined’ used in legal English?
Typically in passive voice, often with formal register: The company was fined. - What’s the informal way to say someone was fined?
Got fined.
12. Conclusion
In this guide, you’ve learned that ‘fine’ is not only an adjective or noun but also a regular verb meaning to impose a penalty. Its past tense and past participle form is ‘fined’, used in active and passive constructions to describe completed penalty actions.
Mastering these forms enhances your accuracy in writing and speaking, especially in legal, business, and everyday contexts. Practicing with the examples and exercises will help solidify your understanding and avoid common mistakes.
Keep exploring English verb forms, especially those derived from nouns or adjectives, to expand your vocabulary and grammatical precision. Consider studying related topics like past tense formation rules, passive constructions, and legal English vocabulary for further growth.
With this comprehensive knowledge, you can confidently use ‘fined’ in any appropriate context, enhancing both your fluency and professionalism.