Army of Mom

So this is how liberty dies ... with thunderous applause.

1.19.2009

Begun vs. began

My husband and I are the grammar police. And, we have this nasty little habit of taking great pleasure in correcting one another.

Today, he got me. I used began incorrectly. And, just so you will never suffer the same fate, here is the tip:
Began is the past tense. It occurs alone.
Begun is the past participle. It occurs after the verb 'have.'

Another tip and way to look at it:
Began is for the past, for example, yesterday.
Example: I began it yesterday.

Use have begun when talking about something you are doing. You have started it and you are still doing it.
Example: I have begun doing my homework.

Hat tip to Using English.

2 Comments:

  • At 10:10 AM, January 20, 2009, Blogger Gadfly said…

    you know, that's not a problem one for me, but thanks anyway. There are the ones that so many people use incorrectly so often, that I get confused and find myself rewriting a sentence, just so I don't have to go there o_O

    You know, those of us WITHOUT nitpicky spouses ... it would probably do us good to go audit high school English now and again *chuckle*

     
  • At 7:23 PM, January 20, 2009, Blogger Submariner said…

    Who, or whom, do he think he am? Tell AoD for me that he owes you a dollah! ;-0

     

Post a Comment

<< Home