Mastering the Past Tense of ‘Spit’: Forms, Rules & Usage

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The verb ‘spit’ is a small but surprisingly complex word in English. While it might seem straightforward, its past tense forms—‘spit’ and ‘spat’—create confusion for learners and even native speakers. Is it “He spit on the sidewalk” or “He spat”? Both appear in speech and writing, but which is correct?

Understanding the correct past tense of ‘spit’ is essential for accurate communication, whether you’re telling a story, writing dialogue, or composing academic text. The confusion stems from its irregular conjugation, dialect differences (especially between American and British English), and a fascinating historical evolution.

This comprehensive guide will explore definitions, verb forms, grammar rules, examples, usage nuances, and plenty of practice exercises. It’s designed for English learners at all levels, teachers, writers seeking precision, and linguistics enthusiasts curious about English irregular verbs.

Let’s dive into the world of ‘spit’ and master its tricky past tense forms once and for all!

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. What Does ‘Spit’ Mean?

As a verb, ‘spit’ primarily means:

  • To eject saliva forcibly: “He spit on the ground.”
  • Figurative uses:
    • To say something sharply or angrily: “She spat out an insult.”
    • To eject something from the mouth: “He spit out the bitter medicine.”

Note: ‘Spit’ is also a noun (e.g., “a spit of land” or “saliva”), but this article focuses on the verb forms.

3.2. Grammatical Classification

‘Spit’ functions as both a transitive verb (takes an object: “spit seeds”) and an intransitive verb (no object: “He spit”).

It belongs to the group of irregular verbs, meaning its past forms don’t always follow the regular -ed pattern.

Verb Form Example
Base spit
Past Simple spit / spat
Past Participle spit / spat
Present Participle spitting

3.3. What is the Past Tense of ‘Spit’?

Historically, ‘spat’ was the traditional past tense, following a strong verb pattern (vowel change). Over time, ‘spit’ also became common as a past form, especially in American English.

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle Present Participle
spit spit / spat spit / spat spitting

Today, both ‘spit’ and ‘spat’ are accepted as past simple and past participle forms, though preferences vary by dialect and context.

3.4. Function and Usage Contexts

The past tense of ‘spit’ is used to:

  • Describe completed actions: “She spat out the seeds.”
  • Narrate past events: “The cobra spit its venom.”
  • Use idiomatically or figuratively:
    • “He spat in anger.”
    • “She spit out the words.”

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Irregular Verb Patterns

Unlike regular verbs ending in -ed (like walked), irregular verbs can change vowels (sing → sang), remain unchanged (hit → hit), or have multiple acceptable forms.

‘Spit’ follows a strong irregular pattern with vowel shift: spit → spat.

However, especially in American English, the base form spit is also used as the past tense, simplifying the pattern.

4.2. Dual Forms: ‘Spit’ and ‘Spat’

Both forms are acceptable past simple forms, but preferences vary.

Form Used Region / Register Typical Context
spit US, informal Everyday speech, casual writing
spat UK, formal/traditional Formal writing, traditional speech

This duality arises from historical shifts and dialectal preferences.

4.3. Past Participle Nuances

In perfect tenses, both ‘spit’ and ‘spat’ are generally accepted:

  • “He has spit on the ground.”
  • “He has spat on the ground.”

Dialect influences which is more common, but neither is incorrect.

4.4. Pronunciation Notes

Understanding pronunciation helps with listening and speaking:

  • spit: /spɪt/ — rhymes with ‘hit’
  • spat: /spæt/ — rhymes with ‘cat’

Audio recordings can help you distinguish these sounds clearly.

5. Types or Categories

5.1. Dialectal Variations

  • American English: Prefers ‘spit’ for both past simple and participle.
  • British English: Traditionally favors ‘spat’, though ‘spit’ is gaining ground.
  • Australian, Canadian, Irish English: Tend to align more with British usage but vary individually.

5.2. Formal vs. Informal Usage

  • ‘Spat’ is viewed as more formal or traditional, common in literature and formal writing.
  • ‘Spit’ dominates informal speech and casual writing, especially in North America.

5.3. Historical Evolution

‘Spit’ traces back to Middle English and Old English roots, where it followed a strong verb pattern with vowel change. Over centuries, language simplification led to ‘spit’ being used as both base and past forms.

Period Past Form(s) Notes
Old English spæt Strong verb, vowel change
Middle English spat / spet Vowel alternations common
Early Modern English spat Traditional form solidified
Modern English spit / spat Dual forms coexist

6. Examples Section

6.1. Basic Past Simple Usage

  • “She spat on the ground.”
  • “The llama spit at the tourists.”
  • “He spat into the sink.”
  • “The boy spit the water out.”
  • “The protester spat in anger.”
  • “The snake spit venom.”
  • “My brother spat during the argument.”
  • “The wrestler spit before the match.”
  • “She accidentally spat on her shirt.”
  • “The angry man spit on the ground.”

6.2. Past Perfect and Present Perfect

  • “He had spat out the watermelon seeds.”
  • “They have often spit when angry.”
  • “She has never spat at anyone.”
  • “We have spit out the sour candy.”
  • “The prisoner had spit in defiance.”
  • “You have spat your gum before class.”
  • “I have never spit in my life.”
  • “The players had spat sunflower seeds.”
  • “The child has spit out the medicine.”
  • “She has spat insults all day.”
Subject Perfect Tense Example Sentence
He Present Perfect He has spat/spit on the ground.
They Past Perfect They had spit/spat during the quarrel.
We Present Perfect We have spit/spat the seeds out.
She Past Perfect She had spat/spit by the time I arrived.

6.3. Narrative Sequences

  • “First, the man spat, then he walked away.”
  • “The snake spit venom at its prey and quickly slithered off.”
  • “The singer spit on stage before starting the song.”
  • “She spat on the floor, slammed the door, and left.”
  • “He spit out the words, then burst into tears.”

6.4. Idiomatic and Figurative Uses

  • “She spat out a rude remark.”
  • “He spit in the face of danger.”
  • “The angry boss spat insults at the staff.”
  • “She spat out the bitter truth.”
  • “He spit fire during the heated debate.”
  • “The poet spat words with passion.”
  • “She spat in disgust.”
  • “He spit out the lie.”
  • “They spat accusations back and forth.”
  • “The performer spit rhymes effortlessly.”

6.5. Regional Usage Examples (with notes)

  • American English: “Yesterday, the baseball player spit on the ground.”
  • British English: “Yesterday, the player spat on the ground.”
  • Australian English: “The camel spat at the zookeeper.”
  • Canadian English: “He spit out the gum before the meeting.”
  • Irish English: “She spat on the pavement.”

6.6. Tables of Examples

Simple Sentences (Table 1) Past Form
She ___ on the ground. spat / spit
The snake ___ venom. spit / spat
He ___ angrily during the fight. spat / spit
The child ___ out the food. spit / spat
The singer ___ on stage. spit / spat
Perfect Tenses (Table 2) Example
She has ___ out the seeds. spit / spat
They had ___ before the argument ended. spit / spat
We have ___ the sour candy. spit / spat
He has never ___ on anyone. spit / spat
Negatives (Table 3) Example
She did not ___ on the sidewalk. spit
The snake did not ___ venom. spit
They did not ___ during the quarrel. spit
He did not ___ out the seeds. spit
Questions (Table 4) Example
Did he ___ on the ground? spit
Did the snake ___ venom? spit
Did she ___ out the candy? spit
Did they ___ during the fight? spit
Idiomatic Expressions (Table 5) Example
She ___ out harsh words. spat / spit
He ___ fire during the debate. spat / spit
They ___ accusations at each other. spat / spit
She ___ in the face of danger. spat / spit

7. Usage Rules

7.1. Choosing Between ‘Spit’ and ‘Spat’

  • Dialect: Use ‘spit’ in the US, ‘spat’ in the UK.
  • Formality: ‘Spat’ is more formal/traditional; ‘spit’ is more informal.
  • Context: Both are acceptable in casual speech; for formal writing in British English, prefer ‘spat’.

7.2. Past Simple vs. Past Participle

Both forms can be used as past simple and past participle:

  • She spat on the floor. (past simple)
  • She has spat on the floor. (present perfect)
  • He spit in anger. (past simple)
  • He has spit in anger. (present perfect)

Consistency within a text is important.

7.3. Consistency in Usage

Avoid mixing the forms in one piece of writing. For example, do not write:

  • Incorrect: “He spat on the ground and has spit many times before.”
  • Better: “He spat on the ground and has spat many times before.”
  • Or: “He spit on the ground and has spit many times before.”

Style guides (APA, Chicago, Oxford) generally accept either but emphasize consistency.

7.4. Common Exceptions and Special Cases

  • Some fixed expressions prefer one form, often based on tradition.
  • In historical or dialect writing, ‘spat’ is favored.
  • Use ‘spitted’ only when referring to putting meat on a spit (see mistakes section).

7.5. Summary Table of Usage Guidelines

Context Preferred Form(s) Notes
US informal spit Most common in speech
UK formal spat Traditional, formal writing
Present perfect tense spit or spat Both acceptable
Idiomatic expressions varies Check fixed phrases

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Mistaking ‘Spat’ as Incorrect

Many learners think ‘spat’ is a mistake or outdated. Actually, it is the traditional and correct past tense form, especially in British English.

Incorrect: “He spitted on the ground.”

Correct: “He spat / spit on the ground.”

8.2. Using ‘Spitted’ as Past Tense

‘Spitted’ does exist but only as the past tense of the rare verb ‘to spit’ (put on a spit), such as when cooking meat:

Incorrect Usage Correct Form
He spitted on the floor. He spat / spit on the floor.
The meat spat on the fire. The meat was spitted (put on a spit).

8.3. Confusing Past Tense and Past Participle Forms

Mixing forms in perfect tenses can be incorrect:

  • Incorrect: “She has spitted.”
  • Correct: “She has spat.” or “She has spit.”

8.4. Dialect Misunderstandings

  • Using ‘spat’ in very informal American speech may sound odd or old-fashioned.
  • Using ‘spit’ in formal British writing may appear casual.

8.5. Summary of Errors with Corrected Versions

Incorrect Correct
He spitted on the street. He spat / spit on the street.
They have spitted many times. They have spat / spit many times.
She has spitted out the seeds. She has spat / spit out the seeds.
I spitted during the game. I spat / spit during the game.
Did he spat yesterday? Did he spit yesterday?
She had spitted before leaving. She had spat / spit before leaving.
The kid spitted on the ground. The kid spat / spit on the ground.
We have never spitted. We have never spat / spit.
He has spitted since childhood. He has spat / spit since childhood.
You spitted by mistake. You spat / spit by mistake.

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank

  1. Yesterday, the camel ___ on the ground. (Answer: spat / spit)
  2. They have never ___ in public. (spat / spit)
  3. He had ___ out the bitter medicine. (spat / spit)
  4. She ___ on the pavement in anger. (spat / spit)
  5. The snake ___ venom at its prey. (spit / spat)
  6. The angry player ___ on the field. (spit / spat)
  7. We have ___ sunflower seeds all day. (spat / spit)
  8. He ___ the words harshly. (spat / spit)
  9. The boy ___ out the water. (spit / spat)
  10. I have never ___ on the ground. (spit / spat)

9.2. Correct the Mistake

  1. He has spitted the seeds out. → He has spat / spit the seeds out.
  2. She spitted on the ground. → She spat / spit on the ground.
  3. I spitted during practice. → I spat / spit during practice.
  4. You have spitted many times. → You have spat / spit many times.
  5. Did he spat yesterday? → Did he spit yesterday?
  6. They had spitted before leaving. → They had spat / spit before leaving.
  7. The player spitted angrily. → The player spat / spit angrily.
  8. He was spitted for disrespect. → He was spat / spit for disrespect.
  9. The snake has spitted venom. → The snake has spat / spit venom.
  10. We spitted on the ground. → We spat / spit on the ground.

9.3. Identify the Correct Form

Which is correct? Both are acceptable.

Prefer based on dialect.

  1. a) He spit on the pavement. b) He spat on the pavement.
  2. a) They spat during the fight. b) They spit during the fight.
  3. a) She has spat many times. b) She has spit many times.
  4. a) We had spit before leaving. b) We had spat before leaving.
  5. a) He spit the seeds out. b) He spat the seeds out.

9.4. Sentence Construction

Prompt: Use ‘spit’ in past perfect tense.

Sample Answer: “She had spit / spat before the argument escalated.”

9.5. Matching Exercise

Dialect / Formality Preferred Past Form
US informal speech spit
UK formal writing spat
Casual conversation worldwide spit
Traditional literature spat

9.6. Challenge Exercises

Write a paragraph using both past forms correctly.

Sample: “Yesterday, the angry fan spit on the ground after the game. He has spat insults at the players before, showing his frustration.”

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Historical Linguistics of ‘Spit’

‘Spit’ originates from Proto-Germanic *spittaną, related to Old English ‘spittan’. Originally, it followed a strong conjugation pattern (vowel change), producing ‘spat’ as past tense.

Over centuries, simplification led to ‘spit’ being used as past form, especially in North America.

10.2. Corpus Data and Frequency

According to major English corpora:

Corpus ‘spit’ (past) ‘spat’ (past) Notes
COCA (US) higher frequency lower frequency ‘spit’ preferred
BNC (UK) lower frequency higher frequency ‘spat’ preferred

10.3. Register and Stylistic Choices

In informal speech and journalism, ‘spit’ is more common in the US. In literature and formal British texts, ‘spat’ is favored. Writers should consider audience and style when choosing forms.

10.4. Comparative Irregular Verbs

Verb Base Past Simple Past Participle Notes
spit spit spit / spat spit / spat dual forms
split split split split unchanged
hit hit hit hit unchanged
sit sit sat sat vowel change
quit quit quit quit unchanged

10.5. Regional English Varieties

  • Irish English: Similar to British, prefers ‘spat’.
  • Australian English: Traditionally ‘spat’, but ‘spit’ gaining use.
  • Canadian English: Mix of US and UK preferences, both forms common.
  • Sociolinguistics: Younger speakers tend to favor ‘spit’ across regions, indicating possible future dominance.

11. FAQ Section

1. What is the simple past tense of ‘spit’?
Both ‘spit’ and ‘spat’ are accepted past simple forms. ‘Spit’ is common in American English, ‘spat’ in British English.

2. Is ‘spat’ or ‘spit’ more correct in American English?
‘Spit’ is more common and widely accepted in American English. ‘Spat’ sounds more formal or British.

3. Can you use both ‘spit’ and ‘spat’ as past participles?
Yes, both are accepted as past participle forms in perfect tenses: “He has spit” or “He has spat“.

4. Why are there two past tense forms for ‘spit’?
Because of historical evolution: ‘spat’ was traditional, but ‘spit’ became common through dialectal influence, especially in the US.

5. Is ‘spitted’ ever correct?
Only when referring to putting meat on a spit (skewer): “The chef spitted the lamb.”

6. Which form is more formal: ‘spat’ or ‘spit’?
‘Spat’ is generally considered more formal or traditional, especially in British English.

7. How do children typically learn the past tense of ‘spit’?
They often learn ‘spit’ as both present and past, simplifying the form. Later, they may acquire ‘spat’ via reading or formal instruction.

8. Are there style guides recommending one form over the other?
Most accept both but emphasize consistency. British guides lean toward ‘spat’; American guides prefer ‘spit’.

9. How do dialects affect the choice between ‘spit’ and ‘spat’?
American English favors ‘spit’; British, Irish, and Australian English traditionally prefer ‘spat’.

10. Does pronunciation differ between the forms?
Yes. ‘Spit’ is /spɪt/; ‘spat’ is /spæt/.

11. Is ‘spat’ becoming obsolete?
No, but it’s less common in US English. In British English, it remains standard, especially in formal writing.

12. Are there idioms or fixed phrases that require one form?
Some idioms traditionally use ‘spat’, like “spat fire”, but most accept both forms.

12. Conclusion

Mastering the past tense of ‘spit’ involves recognizing its dual forms: ‘spit’ and ‘spat’. Both are correct, but their use depends on dialect, formality, and context.

Remember:

  • In American English, ‘spit’ is most common.
  • In British English, ‘spat’ is traditional, especially in formal writing.
  • Both forms are generally acceptable, especially in speech.
  • Be consistent within your writing.

Use this guide to choose the best form for your purpose, and practice with the examples and exercises provided. Mastering irregular verbs like ‘spit’ enriches your English and boosts your confidence in both writing and speaking.

For more on irregular verbs and dialectal differences, explore our other grammar resources. Happy learning!

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