The English verb ‘send’ is one of the most commonly used irregular verbs, essential in daily conversation, writing, and professional communication. Whether you’re talking about emails, messages, parcels, or signals, understanding how to express past actions with ‘send’ is vital.
Mastering the past tense of ‘send’ not only helps you communicate clearly about completed actions but also enhances your grammatical accuracy and fluency. Correct tense usage allows you to convey time precisely, avoiding misunderstandings and making your English sound natural.
This comprehensive guide benefits English learners, ESL students, teachers, writers, and professionals who want to express past actions involving ‘send’ confidently. We will explore the forms, grammatical rules, examples, common mistakes, and practice exercises related to the past tense of ‘send’.
Because ‘send’ is irregular, it doesn’t follow the simple -ed pattern of regular verbs, making it a crucial verb to master. By the end of this article, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of how to use ‘sent’ correctly in all contexts.
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 ‘Past Tense of Send’ Mean?
In English, the past tense expresses actions or situations that were completed in the past. The verb ‘send’ means to cause something to go from one place or person to another, and it is a transitive verb, typically requiring an object (e.g., send a letter, send an email).
The simple past tense of ‘send’ is ‘sent’. We use ‘sent’ when talking about actions that happened and finished at a specific time in the past:
Example: She sent an email yesterday.
3.2. Grammatical Classification
Here is the grammatical breakdown of ‘send’:
- Base form (infinitive): send (to send)
- Simple past tense: sent
- Past participle: sent (used with ‘have’, ‘had’, or ‘has’)
- Verb type: Irregular
Irregular verbs do not add -ed in the past tense. Instead, ‘send’ changes its form to ‘sent’ both in the past simple and past participle, unlike regular verbs (e.g., ‘work’ – ‘worked’).
3.3. Functions of the Past Tense of ‘Send’
We use the past tense ‘sent’ mainly to:
- Express completed actions: “They sent the parcel last week.”
- Report past events or communication: “He sent a complaint yesterday.”
- Tell stories or narratives: “Once upon a time, a king sent his soldiers.”
- Use in indirect (reported) speech: “She said she sent the file.”
3.4. Contexts of Usage
We encounter ‘sent’ across a variety of contexts:
- Formal: Business emails, academic writing, official reports
- Informal: Conversations, text messages, casual storytelling
- Spoken English: Phone calls, meetings, daily interactions
- Written English: Emails, letters, articles, instructions
Correct use of ‘sent’ ensures clear communication, regardless of the context.
4. Structural Breakdown
4.1. Irregular Verb Pattern: Send – Sent – Sent
Unlike regular verbs that follow the predictable -ed ending, ‘send’ is irregular. The same irregular form ‘sent’ serves both as the simple past tense and the past participle. Here’s a table summarizing its forms:
| Base Form | Simple Past | Past Participle | -ing Form | 3rd Person Singular |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| send | sent | sent | sending | sends |
4.2. Forming the Simple Past Tense
To form the past tense of ‘send’, we do not add -ed. Instead, the irregular form ‘sent’ is used:
Correct: I sent the letter.
Incorrect: I sended the letter.
This differs from regular verbs like ‘play’ → ‘played’.
4.3. Pronunciation of ‘Sent’
‘Sent’ is pronounced as /sent/, rhyming with ‘bent’ and ‘tent’. The base form, ‘send’, is pronounced as /sɛnd/, with a slightly longer vowel sound.
Practice saying:
- send /sɛnd/
- sent /sent/
Focus on the shorter vowel in ‘sent’.
4.4. Past Tense in Affirmative Statements
The basic structure is:
Subject + sent + object/complement
Examples:
- “She sent a message.”
- “We sent the package yesterday.”
- “I sent him the file.”
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| I | sent | an email |
| He | sent | the documents |
| They | sent | flowers |
| She | sent | the invitation |
| We | sent | a postcard |
4.5. Forming Negative Sentences
Negative past tense sentences use did not or didn’t plus the base form ‘send’, not ‘sent’.
Structure: Subject + did not (didn’t) + send + object
Examples:
- “She didn’t send the report.”
- “They did not send the invoice.”
| Subject | Auxiliary | Base Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | did not | send | the message |
| He | didn’t | send | the email |
| We | did not | send | the documents |
| They | didn’t | send | the invitation |
4.6. Forming Questions
To form questions, use Did + subject + send + object?
Examples:
- “Did you send the file?”
- “Did she send the application?”
- “Did they send the package on time?”
| Auxiliary | Subject | Base Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| Did | you | send | the report? |
| Did | he | send | the letter? |
| Did | they | send | the contract? |
| Did | she | send | the file? |
4.7. Past Continuous vs. Past Simple
Past simple (‘sent’) describes a completed action:
“She sent the email.”
Past continuous (‘was/were sending’) describes an ongoing action in the past:
“She was sending emails all morning.”
Use past continuous for interrupted or background actions.
5. Types or Categories
5.1. Simple Past Tense (‘Sent’)
Indicates a completed action at a definite time in the past:
- “He sent a message yesterday.”
- “They sent flowers for her birthday.”
5.2. Past Perfect Tense (‘Had Sent’)
Formed with had + past participle (had sent). It shows an action completed before another action in the past:
- “They had sent the letter before the meeting started.”
- “She had sent the documents by 10 a.m.”
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
|---|---|
| He sent the email. | He had sent the email before noon. |
| They sent the report. | They had sent the report before the deadline. |
| I sent the message. | I had sent the message before he called. |
5.3. Past Continuous Tense (‘Was/Were Sending’)
Describes an ongoing action at a particular moment in the past:
- “She was sending emails when I arrived.”
- “They were sending updates during the event.”
5.4. Passive Voice in Past Tense
Focuses on the receiver of the action:
Structure: was/were + past participle (‘sent’)
- “The parcel was sent yesterday.”
- “All invitations were sent on Monday.”
| Active Voice | Passive Voice |
|---|---|
| She sent the email. | The email was sent by her. |
| They sent the package. | The package was sent. |
| He sent the documents. | The documents were sent. |
6. Examples Section
6.1. Basic Past Simple Examples
- “He sent a message.”
- “They sent flowers for her birthday.”
- “I sent the documents this morning.”
- “She sent an email yesterday.”
- “We sent the invitation last week.”
- “John sent his resume to the company.”
- “Mary sent a thank-you note.”
- “The teacher sent the homework assignments.”
- “My friend sent me a postcard from Paris.”
- “The company sent a confirmation email.”
6.2. Negative Sentences
- “She didn’t send the email.”
- “We did not send the invitation.”
- “He didn’t send the payment.”
- “They did not send the documents on time.”
- “I didn’t send the package yesterday.”
6.3. Interrogative Sentences
- “Did you send the file?”
- “Did they send the package on time?”
- “Did she send the application?”
- “Did he send the message to his boss?”
- “Did we send the invoice?”
6.4. Past Perfect Examples
- “By noon, he had sent all the letters.”
- “They had sent the report before the deadline.”
- “She had sent the invitations before leaving.”
- “We had sent the package before the store closed.”
- “I had sent the confirmation email before the meeting.”
6.5. Past Continuous Examples
- “I was sending emails when you called.”
- “They were sending updates throughout the day.”
- “She was sending invitations all afternoon.”
- “We were sending out newsletters last week.”
- “He was sending reports during the conference.”
6.6. Passive Voice Examples
- “The message was sent last night.”
- “All invitations were sent by Monday.”
- “The documents were sent yesterday.”
- “A notification was sent to all users.”
- “The package was sent on Friday.”
6.7. Contextual Examples in Dialogues
-
A: “Did you send the invoice?”
B: “Yes, I sent it yesterday.” -
A: “Why didn’t you send the email?”
B: “I forgot, but I’ll send it now.” -
A: “When had they sent the report?”
B: “They had sent it before the deadline.” -
A: “Were you sending the updates during the event?”
B: “Yes, I was.” -
A: “Who sent the package?”
B: “It was sent by John.”
6.8. Tables of Examples
Table 1: Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative (Simple Past)
| Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|
| I sent the email. | I didn’t send the email. | Did I send the email? |
| She sent the invitation. | She didn’t send the invitation. | Did she send the invitation? |
| They sent the documents. | They didn’t send the documents. | Did they send the documents? |
| We sent the package. | We didn’t send the package. | Did we send the package? |
Table 2: Past Perfect vs. Simple Past
| Simple Past | Past Perfect |
|---|---|
| He sent the file at 10 a.m. | He had sent the file before 10 a.m. |
| They sent the report yesterday. | They had sent the report before the meeting. |
| She sent the invoice last week. | She had sent the invoice before the deadline. |
Table 3: Active vs. Passive Voice
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| He sent the documents. | The documents were sent. |
| They sent the parcel. | The parcel was sent. |
| She sent the email. | The email was sent. |
Table 4: Contextual Usage
| Context | Example |
|---|---|
| Formal | “The contract was sent to your office.” |
| Informal | “I sent you the pics!” |
| Business | “We sent the invoice yesterday.” |
| Casual | “She sent me a funny meme.” |
Table 5: Irregular Verb Comparison
| Verb | Base | Past Simple | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| send | send | sent | sent | cause to go/deliver |
| lend | lend | lent | lent | give temporarily |
| spend | spend | spent | spent | use money/time |
7. Usage Rules
7.1. When to Use ‘Sent’ vs. ‘Send’
- Use ‘sent’ for completed actions in the past: “He sent the letter.”
- Use base form ‘send’ with auxiliaries (‘do’, ‘did’, ‘does’): “Did you send the email?”
7.2. Rules for Negative and Questions
- Always use base form ‘send’ after ‘did not/didn’t’ or ‘did’
- Correct: “Did you send the file?”
- Incorrect: “Did you sent the file?”
7.3. Sequence of Past Tenses
Use past perfect (‘had sent’) for an action completed before another past event:
- “She had sent the report before the meeting started.”
- “He had already sent the email when I arrived.”
7.4. Passive Construction
- Formed with was/were + sent: “The invitation was sent last week.”
- Focuses on the receiver rather than the sender.
7.5. Punctuation and Positioning in Sentences
- ‘Sent’ typically follows the subject: “They sent the files on Friday.”
- In complex sentences, keep clauses clear: “After she had sent the report, she left the office.”
7.6. Common Exceptions or Irregularities
- There is no form like ‘sended’.
- No alternative past forms.
- Some dialects might drop auxiliaries in speech, but ‘sent’ remains unchanged.
8. Common Mistakes
8.1. Using ‘Sended’ Instead of ‘Sent’
Incorrect: “She sended the email.”
Correct: “She sent the email.”
8.2. Wrong Form After ‘Did’
Incorrect: “Did you sent the file?”
Correct: “Did you send the file?”
8.3. Confusing Past Simple and Past Participle
Both forms are ‘sent’, but:
- Simple past: “She sent a letter.”
- Past participle (with ‘have’): “She has sent a letter.”
8.4. Misplacing ‘Sent’ in Sentences
Incorrect: “Sent she the documents?”
Correct: “Did she send the documents?” or “She sent the documents.”
8.5. Pronunciation Confusion
Mixing ‘send’ (/sɛnd/) and ‘sent’ (/sent/). Practice to distinguish clearly.
8.6. Incorrect Passive Constructions
Incorrect: “The documents sent yesterday.”
Correct: “The documents were sent yesterday.”
8.7. Mixing Tenses Improperly
Maintain consistency:
Incorrect: “She sends the email and then sent the report.”
Correct: “She sent the email and then sent the report.”
9. Practice Exercises
Answers are provided after each exercise for self-checking.
9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank
- Yesterday, I ___ (send) the invitation.
Answer: sent - She ___ (not/send) the package last week.
Answer: did not send / didn’t send - They ___ (send) the documents before noon.
Answer: sent - He ___ (not/send) the email.
Answer: did not send / didn’t send - ___ you ___ (send) the report?
Answer: Did you send
9.2. Correct the Mistakes
- “Did you sent the message?” → Did you send the message?
- “They sended a card.” → They sent a card.
- “She didn’t sent the email.” → She didn’t send the email.
- “He has send the documents.” → He has sent the documents.
- “The files were send yesterday.” → The files were sent yesterday.
9.3. Identify the Tense and Voice
- “The letter was sent yesterday.” → Past simple passive
- “I had sent the files before noon.” → Past perfect active
- “She was sending emails all morning.” → Past continuous active
- “They sent the package last week.” → Simple past active
- “The invitation was sent by John.” → Past simple passive
9.4. Sentence Construction
Create a past simple sentence:
- Example: “They sent the letter yesterday.”
Convert active to passive:
- Active: “She sent a gift.”
- Passive: “A gift was sent by her.”
9.5. Mixed Tense Practice
Write a paragraph using past simple, past continuous, and past perfect:
Example: “Yesterday, I was sending emails when my boss called. Before our call, I had sent the report to the client. After the call, I sent a summary email to my team.”
9.6. Multiple Choice
- Last week, they ___ the documents.
a) send
b) sent
c) have sent - She ___ the letter before you arrived.
a) sent
b) was sent
c) had sent - ___ you ___ the invoice yesterday?
a) Did / send
b) Do / sent
c) Did / sent
Answer: a) Did / send - The package ___ yesterday.
a) was sent
b) is sent
c) send
Answer: a) was sent - They ___ sending emails during the meeting.
a) were
b) was
c) had
Answer: a) were
10. Advanced Topics
10.1. Subtle Differences Between Past Simple and Past Perfect
Past simple: completed action at a specific time.
Past perfect: emphasizes that an action was completed before another past action.
Examples:
- “She sent the report before noon.” (focus on when)
- “She had sent the report before the meeting started.” (focus on sequence)
10.2. Reported Speech Transformations
Direct: “I will send the file.”
Indirect: “He said he would send the file.”
When reporting past actions, we often shift the tense:
Direct: “I sent the email.”
Indirect: “She said she had sent the email.”
10.3. Modal Verbs and Past Forms
- Should have sent: expressing regret or obligation
“I should have sent the application earlier.” - Could have sent: expressing possibility
“They could have sent the invoice yesterday.” - Might have sent: expressing uncertainty
“She might have sent the files already.”
10.4. Passive Constructions in Complex Sentences
- Double object passive: “A confirmation was sent to the client.”
- Embedded clause: “The documents that were sent yesterday need to be reviewed.”
10.5. Register and Style Considerations
- Formal: “The requested files were sent to your office as per your instructions.”
- Informal: “I sent you the pics last night.”
10.6. Contrast with Similar Irregular Verbs
| Verb | Base | Past Simple | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| send | send | sent | sent | to cause to go/deliver |
| lend | lend | lent | lent | to give temporarily |
| spend | spend | spent | spent | to use money or time |
11. FAQ Section
- What is the past tense of ‘send’?
The simple past tense of ‘send’ is ‘sent’. - How do you pronounce ‘sent’?
It is pronounced as /sent/, rhyming with ‘bent’. - Is ‘sended’ ever correct?
No. ‘Sended’ is incorrect. The correct past form is ‘sent’. - When do I use ‘had sent’ instead of ‘sent’?
Use ‘had sent’ to show an action completed before another past action, often in past perfect tense. - How do I form questions with ‘sent’ in the past tense?
Use ‘Did + subject + send + object’, e.g., “Did you send the file?” - Can ‘sent’ be used in passive sentences?
Yes. For example, “The package was sent yesterday.” - What are common mistakes with ‘send’ and ‘sent’?
Using ‘sended’, using ‘sent’ after ‘did’, or confusing passive structures. - What’s the difference between ‘I sent’ and ‘I have sent’?
“I sent” refers to a specific past time. “I have sent” relates to an action with current relevance or unspecified time. - How is ‘send’ conjugated in all tenses?
Present: send/sends
Past: sent
Present participle: sending
Past participle: sent
Present perfect: has/have sent
Past perfect: had sent - What tense is ‘was sending’?
Past continuous tense. - Are there irregularities or regional variations with ‘send’?
No major irregularities; ‘sent’ is standard worldwide. - How can I practice using ‘sent’ correctly?
Do exercises, read examples, write sentences, and speak aloud to reinforce correct usage.
12. Conclusion
In this article, we’ve explored every aspect of the verb ‘send’ in the past tense. Remember:
- ‘Send’ is an irregular verb with the past tense and past participle ‘sent’.
- Use ‘sent’ in affirmative statements and base form ‘send’ after ‘did/didn’t’.
- Apply ‘had sent’ for actions before another past event.
- Use passive forms like ‘was/were sent’ to focus on the receiver.
- Avoid common errors such as ‘sended’ or misusing ‘sent’ after ‘did’.
- Practice regularly using the examples and exercises provided.
Mastering irregular verbs like ‘send’ is essential for fluency and precision in English. Review this guide often, practice the structures, and soon using ‘sent’ correctly will become second nature.
Keep learning, and happy studying!