The past simple form of the verb 'to strike' is struck.
This strong, irregular verb is commonly used in English and its past tense and past participle forms are identical, making it straightforward once learned.
Understanding the Verb 'To Strike'
'To strike' is a versatile verb with multiple meanings, ranging from hitting something to an action taken by workers. As an irregular verb, it does not follow the standard pattern of adding '-ed' to form its past tense and past participle.
Verb Forms of 'To Strike'
Here's a breakdown of the principal parts of the verb 'to strike':
| Form | Example Usage |
|---|---|
| Base Form | strike (e.g., They strike the ball.) |
| Past Simple | struck (e.g., She struck a match.) |
| Past Participle | struck (e.g., The city was struck by lightning.) |
| Present Participle | striking (e.g., The clock is striking noon.) |
| 3rd Person Singular Present | strikes (e.g., He strikes a chord.) |
It's important to note that struck serves as both the past simple tense and the past participle. While "stricken" exists as a past participle for "strike," it carries a more specific meaning, often implying being affected by something negative, such as a disease or sorrow. For most general uses of the past tense and past participle, struck is the correct form.
Common Uses and Examples of 'Struck'
The past simple form 'struck' is used in various contexts. Here are a few examples to illustrate its usage:
- Physical Impact:
- The baseball player struck the ball out of the park.
- A falling branch struck the roof of the car.
- Time and Notification:
- The clock struck midnight, signaling the new year.
- The idea struck him suddenly during the meeting.
- Discovery or Finding:
- They struck gold during their expedition.
- The archaeologists struck a major discovery at the site.
- Impressing or Affecting:
- Her beauty struck him immediately.
- The news struck a nerve with the public.
- Labor Actions:
- The workers struck for better wages last week. (Here, 'struck' is the past simple of the intransitive verb 'to strike' meaning to go on strike.)
'Struck' vs. 'Stricken': A Nuance in Past Participles
While 'struck' is the most common past participle, especially when forming perfect tenses (e.g., has struck, had struck) or in passive voice (e.g., was struck), the word 'stricken' is also a past participle of 'strike'. However, 'stricken' is typically used in more specific contexts to describe being afflicted or overcome by something, often negative.
- Example with 'stricken':
- The region was stricken by a severe drought.
- He looked stricken with grief after hearing the news.
In most scenarios where you need the past simple or past participle, struck will be the correct choice. For a deeper understanding of irregular verbs and their forms, resources like Merriam-Webster or Oxford Learner's Dictionaries can be very helpful.
