Understanding the Past Tense of ‘Free’: Forms, Usage & Examples

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The English verb ‘free’ is a versatile and frequently used word with several important meanings, such as to release from captivity, to make available at no cost, or to remove restrictions. Its correct past tense form, ‘freed’, appears often in storytelling, news reports, academic writing, and everyday speech.

Mastering how to correctly form and use the past tense of ‘free’ is essential for clear and accurate communication. Whether you want to describe a historical event, recount a personal experience, or write professionally, understanding ‘freed’ will help you express past actions precisely and fluently.

This comprehensive guide is designed for ESL learners, teachers, linguists, and anyone eager to deepen their understanding of English verb forms. Throughout this article, you’ll find detailed explanations, numerous examples, informative tables, and practical exercises to help you confidently use ‘freed’ in a variety of contexts.

Let’s begin our exploration of the past tense of ‘free’ and learn how to use it effectively and accurately.

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. What Does ‘Free’ Mean as a Verb?

The verb ‘free’ has several related but distinct meanings:

  • To release from captivity or restraint: e.g., “The guards freed the prisoners.”
  • To make available at no cost: e.g., “The company freed the software for all users.”
  • To remove restrictions or obstacles: e.g., “She freed her schedule for the meeting.”

Importantly, ‘free’ can also be an adjective meaning without cost or not imprisoned, or an adverb meaning without limit. This article focuses specifically on ‘free’ as a verb.

3.2. Grammatical Classification

Grammatically, ‘free’ is a regular verb. It follows standard rules for forming past tense and participles by adding -ed.

It is typically a transitive verb, which means it requires an object that receives the action:

  • “They freed the animals.”
  • “She freed some space on her phone.”

3.3. Function in Sentences

As a main verb, ‘free’ can function:

  • In the active voice: “The rebels freed the city.”
  • In the passive voice: “The city was freed by the rebels.”

It shows the action of releasing or making available, with the subject performing or receiving the action depending on the voice.

3.4. Overview of Tenses for ‘Free’

Here is a summary table of the key forms of ‘free’:

Base Form Past Tense Past Participle Present Participle Third Person Singular
free freed freed freeing frees

Notice that both the simple past and past participle forms are freed, typical of regular verbs.

4. Structural Breakdown of Past Tense of ‘Free’

4.1. Forming the Simple Past Tense

Since ‘free’ is a regular verb, its past tense is formed simply by adding -ed to the base form:

free + -ed → freed

There are no special spelling changes because ‘free’ ends with a vowel + ‘e’. Just add ‘d’ to form the past tense:

  • free → freed

4.2. Pronunciation of ‘Freed’

The word ‘freed’ is pronounced as /friːd/.

The -ed ending sounds like a voiced /d/ because ‘free’ ends with the voiced consonant /iː/ sound.

4.3. Affirmative Statements

The structure for affirmative sentences is:

Subject + freed + object

Examples:

  • The activists freed the animals.
  • She freed up some time in her schedule.
  • They freed the hostages yesterday.

4.4. Negative Statements

To form negatives in the past simple, use did not (didn’t) + base form ‘free’:

Subject + did not + free + object

Examples:

  • The prisoners did not free themselves.
  • He didn’t free any space on his device.
  • They did not free the animals during the protest.

4.5. Questions (Interrogatives)

In questions, use Did + subject + free + object?

Examples:

  • Did they free the hostages?
  • Did she free the memory space?
  • Did you free the bird?

4.6. Passive Voice in Past Simple

To focus on the receiver of the action, use the passive voice:

Object + was/were + freed (+ by agent)

Examples:

  • The captives were freed by the soldiers.
  • The funds were freed for the new project.
  • The animals were freed during the storm.

5. Types or Categories of the Past Tense of ‘Free’

5.1. Simple Past vs. Past Participle

‘Freed’ serves as both the simple past tense and the past participle.

Simple past: describes a completed past event.

  • They freed the prisoners yesterday.

Past participle: used with perfect tenses or passive voice.

  • They have freed the prisoners. (present perfect)
  • The prisoners were freed at dawn. (passive)

5.2. Active vs. Passive Use

Consider the difference in focus:

Active Passive
The rebels freed the city. The city was freed by the rebels.
The mechanic freed the stuck bolt. The stuck bolt was freed by the mechanic.

5.3. Literal vs. Figurative Meanings in Past Tense

Literal uses:

  • They freed the prisoners.
  • The technician freed the jammed paper.

Figurative uses:

  • She freed herself from bad habits.
  • He finally freed his mind from worry.

5.4. Colloquial Uses and Phrasal Verbs

A common phrasal verb is ‘free up’, meaning to make something available.

  • He freed up some space on his phone.
  • We freed up the budget for the new project.

It’s informal and widely used in business and everyday speech.

6. Examples Section

This section provides numerous examples—over 50—to illustrate varied past tense uses of ‘free’.

6.1. Basic Affirmative Sentences

  • The king freed the slaves.
  • They freed the hostages after negotiations.
  • She freed her schedule for the interview.
  • Our IT team freed some disk space.
  • The rebels freed the city last night.
  • He freed the bird from the net.
  • The mechanic freed the stuck bolt.
  • We freed the trapped kitten.
  • Scientists freed the dolphins back into the ocean.
  • The program freed up resources for other tasks.

6.2. Negative Sentences

  • They did not free the captives.
  • She didn’t free any memory space.
  • The guards did not free the prisoners on time.
  • He did not free himself from debt.
  • We didn’t free the trapped fox.

6.3. Questions

  • Did you free the files?
  • Did they free the hostages?
  • Did she free up her schedule?
  • Did the rebels free the city?
  • Did he free the memory space?

6.4. Passive Voice Examples

  • The hostages were freed last night.
  • The funds were freed for the new project.
  • The trapped dog was freed by the firefighters.
  • The prisoners were freed by the peacekeepers.
  • The blocked road was freed after the snow melted.

6.5. Figurative Uses

  • She finally freed herself from worry.
  • He freed himself from toxic relationships.
  • The therapy freed her mind from fear.
  • They freed themselves from debt last year.
  • After quitting, he freed himself from stress.

6.6. Examples with Time Markers

  • Yesterday, the activists freed the animals.
  • Last week, the soldiers freed the captives.
  • In 1990, they freed Nelson Mandela.
  • Two days ago, she freed up her calendar.
  • At midnight, the rebels freed the city.

6.7. Examples with Different Subjects and Objects

  • I freed some disk space.
  • You freed your mind from doubt.
  • He freed the bird.
  • She freed herself from anxiety.
  • We freed the trapped kitten.
  • They freed the hostages.
  • John freed up some cash.
  • Lisa freed her schedule.

6.8. Contextual Examples in Short Paragraphs

Example 1:

During the protest last week, activists broke into the laboratory and freed dozens of animals. The animals were freed quickly and ran into the nearby forest.

Example 2:

After working long hours, Maria finally freed up her weekend to relax. She told her friends, “I freed my schedule, so let’s meet up and enjoy!”

Example 3:

In 1990, political leaders finally freed Nelson Mandela after 27 years in prison. His release freed the hopes of millions who wanted change.

6.9. Example Tables

Table 1: Affirmative, Negative, Question Forms

Sentence Type Example
Affirmative The rebels freed the city.
Negative The police did not free the suspect.
Question Did they free the hostages?

Table 2: Active vs. Passive

Active Passive
The team freed the trapped dog. The trapped dog was freed by the team.
She freed some memory space. The memory space was freed by her.

Table 3: Literal vs. Figurative

Literal Figurative
The mechanic freed the stuck bolt. He freed himself from debt.
They freed the hostages. She freed herself from anxiety.

Table 4: Colloquial – ‘Free up’

Present Tense Past Tense
I need to free up time. Yesterday, I freed up some time.
We try to free up resources weekly. Last week, we freed up resources.

Table 5: Perfect Tenses with ‘Freed’

Tense Example
Present Perfect They have freed the prisoners.
Past Perfect They had freed the prisoners before dawn.

7. Usage Rules

7.1. When to Use ‘Freed’

Use ‘freed’ to describe actions of releasing, liberating, or making something available that were completed in the past.

  • They freed the hostages (action finished).

7.2. Using ‘Freed’ vs. ‘Free’

  • ‘Freed’ is the past tense and past participle.
  • ‘Free’ is the base form or an adjective.

Examples:

  • Yesterday, they freed the animals. (past)
  • They want to free the animals. (base)
  • The animals are free. (adjective)

7.3. Using ‘Freed’ with Modal Verbs

With modals in perfect tenses, use have freed:

  • They could have freed the animals earlier.
  • She might have freed some space.
  • He should have freed the bird.

7.4. Irregularities or Exceptions

‘Free’ is a regular verb, so there are no irregular forms. Always use freed for past tense and participle.

7.5. Special Cases in Passive Voice

In passive, always use was/were freed, not was/were free.

  • Correct: The prisoners were freed.
  • Incorrect: The prisoners were free (unless ‘free’ is an adjective meaning ‘not imprisoned’).

7.6. Collocations and Common Phrases

  • Free someone from (liberate): She freed herself from fear.
  • Free up resources (make available): We freed up funds.
  • Be freed of responsibility (relieved): He was finally freed of debt.

7.7. Differences in Formal and Informal Contexts

  • Formal: The hostages were freed by negotiators.
  • Informal: I freed up some cash for the trip.

7.8. Common Synonyms and Substitutions

  • Release: The guards released the prisoners.
  • Liberate: The army liberated the city.
  • Set free: They set free the hostages.

Use these as alternatives, but remember this article focuses on ‘free’.

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Incorrect Past Form: Freed vs. Free/Freeed

Incorrect: They free the prisoners yesterday.

Correct: They freed the prisoners yesterday.

8.2. Using ‘Freed’ as an Adjective Incorrectly

Incorrect: The man is freed.

Correct: The man was freed (past passive) or The man is free (adjective).

8.3. Confusing Passive with Adjective

  • Passive: The bird was freed by the child. (action completed)
  • Adjective: The bird is free now. (state)

8.4. Errors in Negative and Question Forms

Incorrect: They did not freed the hostages.

Correct: They did not free the hostages.

Incorrect: Did you freed the files?

Correct: Did you free the files?

8.5. Overusing ‘Freed up’ in Formal Writing

Instead of ‘freed up funds’ in formal contexts, use:

  • Allocated funds
  • Made resources available

8.6. Mispronunciation Confusions

Ensure you pronounce ‘freed’ as /friːd/ with a final /d/ sound, not like free (/friː/).

8.7. Examples of Mistakes Table

Incorrect Correct
Did you freed the files? Did you free the files?
The captives was freed yesterday. The captives were freed yesterday.
They didn’t freed the animals. They didn’t free the animals.

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank

Complete the sentences with the correct past tense form.

  1. Yesterday, they ___ (free) the hostages.
  2. Last week, Maria ___ (free) up her weekend.
  3. The mechanic ___ (free) the stuck bolt.

Answers:

  1. freed
  2. freed
  3. freed

9.2. Error Correction

Identify and correct the mistakes.

  1. They did not freed the captives.
  2. The funds was freed yesterday.
  3. Did he freed the bird?

Corrections:

  1. They did not free the captives.
  2. The funds were freed yesterday.
  3. Did he free the bird?

9.3. Identify Correct Verb Forms

Choose the correct form.

  1. She (freed / free) herself from debt.
  2. They (freed / free) the warehouse space last month.
  3. Did they (freed / free) the hostages?

Answers:

  1. freed
  2. freed
  3. free

9.4. Sentence Construction

Create sentences using ‘freed’ in the passive voice.

  • The animals were freed by the rescuers.
  • The data was freed by the technician.

9.5. Rewrite Sentences

Change from active to passive:

  1. The king freed the prisoners.

Passive: The prisoners were freed by the king.

9.6. Matching Exercise

Sentence Start Sentence End
The data… …was freed by the technician.
The trapped bird… …was freed by the child.
The funds… …were freed for the project.

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Perfect Tenses with ‘Freed’

  • Present perfect: They have freed the prisoners.
  • Past perfect: They had freed the prisoners before dawn.
  • Future perfect: They will have freed the prisoners by noon.

10.2. Passive Infinitive and Gerund Forms

  • They hoped to be freed soon. (passive infinitive)
  • Being freed gave them hope. (passive gerund)

10.3. Causative Constructions

  • The general had the prisoners freed by his men.

10.4. Reported Speech Involving ‘Freed’

  • He said they had freed the animals.
  • She reported that the rebels had freed the city.

10.5. Subjunctive Mood and Hypotheticals

  • If they had freed the captives earlier, the crisis could have been avoided.
  • Had she freed her schedule, she might have attended.

10.6. Idiomatic Expressions with ‘Freed’

While ‘free’ is part of many idioms, ‘freed’ is less common. But understanding the adjective ‘free’ helps:

  • Free as a bird (completely free, adjective)
  • Set free (verb phrase meaning to liberate)

11. FAQ Section

  • 1. What is the past tense of ‘free’?
    The past tense of ‘free’ is ‘freed’.
  • 2. Is ‘freed’ both the past tense and past participle?
    Yes, ‘freed’ functions as both the simple past tense and the past participle form.
  • 3. How do you pronounce ‘freed’?
    It is pronounced as /friːd/, rhyming with ‘reed’.
  • 4. Can ‘freed’ be used as an adjective?
    Usually, no. The adjective form is ‘free’. ‘Freed’ is mainly a verb form or a past participle used in passive voice.
  • 5. What’s the difference between ‘free’ and ‘freed’?
    ‘Free’ is the base form or an adjective; ‘freed’ is the past tense and past participle form of the verb ‘free’.
  • 6. How is ‘freed’ used in passive voice?
    In passive, it follows ‘was/were’: “The prisoners were freed.”
  • 7. Does ‘free’ have an irregular past tense?
    No, ‘free’ is a regular verb. The past tense is formed by adding -ed: ‘freed’.
  • 8. Is ‘freed’ used differently in formal vs. informal contexts?
    Yes. ‘Freed’ is common in both, but phrases like ‘freed up’ are more informal.
  • 9. When should I use ‘freed up’ instead of ‘freed’?
    Use ‘freed up’ to mean made available: “She freed up space.” Use ‘freed’ alone to mean liberated.
  • 10. Can ‘freed’ have a figurative meaning?
    Yes, such as “He freed himself from debt” (escaped a burden).
  • 11. What are common mistakes with ‘freed’?
    Using ‘free’ instead of ‘freed’ in past tense, saying ‘did not freed’, or mispronouncing it.
  • 12. How is ‘freed’ used with perfect tenses?
    With ‘have/has/had’: “They have freed the prisoners,” “They had freed the prisoners.”

12. Conclusion

In summary, the verb ‘free’ is a regular verb whose past tense and past participle is ‘freed’. It means to release, make available, or remove restrictions. Using ‘freed’ accurately allows you to clearly express completed past actions in both active and passive voice.

By studying the detailed examples, tables, and rules in this guide, you can confidently use ‘freed’ in various contexts—from formal writing to everyday conversation. Practice with the exercises to reinforce your understanding and avoid common mistakes like incorrect verb forms or misuse in negatives and questions.

Mastering verbs like ‘free’ enhances your overall English proficiency, making your storytelling, reporting, and professional communication more precise and natural. Keep exploring related verb forms and perfecting your knowledge of tenses for improved fluency.

Happy learning!

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