Irregular past simple tense - when to use it?

Question

I've been reading up on this but I've still not seen a simple explanation that I can understand with regards to when to use sank and when to use sunk (same with swam or swum).

What would be the correct choice in the three sentences below? If I've understood correctly, it would all be 'a'... but that would then leave me wondering when I could use 'swum' or 'sunk'.

a) When he swam out into the void.
or 
b) When he swum out into the void.

a) the people who had sank into the mud were falling over.

or
b) the people who had sunk into the mud were falling over.

a) the car ran out of gas and sank into the mud.
or
b) the car ran out of gas and sunk into the mud.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

In the case of 'sink', 'sank' and 'sunk' are both accepted simple past forms (used as a finite verb), and 'sunk' is the past participle (used with perfect and passive forms and as an adjective).

With 'swim', only 'swam' is the simple past form, and 'swum' is the past participle.

Now you can re-check your own sentences.

Anonymous · Answer

This is potentially why I don't understand it. I don't know what a finite verb, a past participle, or perfect and passive forms of an adjective are.

I just want to see examples of when to use one and when to use the other - then maybe I'll understand it.

Thanks for trying anyway Mister Micawber.

Mister Micawber · Answer

You can start by not just claiming ignorance, but by googling each of those terms.  Have you done that yet?

Anonymous · Answer

I am trying to write a letter - I don't want to mess up and use the wrong tense, then have the recipient copying me.

I have no interest in learning any of the technicalities behind language, I just want to know - as I asked in the original question - which verb would be correct in the given examples, and maybe see some other examples as to when you would use one over the other.

I learn by concrete example, not by abstraction. I did try Google, but it seemed like pages of reading for a very simple question. I want to be able to explain this to a five year old, and I see no way to do that in any of the answers I've seen to this question elsewhere.

CalifJim · Answer

The simplest procedure, in that case, is to use the ones with a (sank and swam) when they are "alone".

It sank to the bottom. He swam across the river.

And use the ones with u (sunk and swum) when they are with has, have, or had.

It has sunk to the bottom. He had swum across the river.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

CalifJimThe simplest procedure, in that case, is to use the ones with a (sank and swam) when they are "alone".

It sank to the bottom. He swam across the river.

And use the ones with u (sunk and swum) when they are with has, have, or had.

It has sunk to the bottom. He had swum across the river.

CJ

This is a perfect answer, thanks CJ

Clive · Answer

Hi,

I want to be able to explain this to a five year old,

Good luck!

I never attempted to explain this to my five year olds. I just corrected them when they said it wrongly,

eg by saying 'swam, not swum'.

Clive

Irregular past simple tense - when to use it?

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