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LD DIRKER Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Past tense verb used in future tense sentence

This feels like a stupid question, but in the sentence:

"She will not be tamed."

Why do we use the past participle of tame in a future tense sentence?


Thanks in advance.

I apologize for the stupid question

  

Top answer

LD DIRKER Why do we use the past participle of tame in a future tense sentence? Past participles are used with the auxiliary verbs 'be' and 'have'. With 'be' they make the passive voice.

— CalifJim

  • LD DIRKER Why do we use the past participle of tame in a future tense sentence?
  • Past participles are used with the auxiliary verbs 'be' and 'have'.
  • With 'be' they make the passive voice.
  • With 'have' they make perfect tenses.
  • tame: we tame it; we tamed it; we will tame it have tamed: we have tamed it; we had tamed it; we will have tamed it be tamed: it is tamed; it was tamed; it will be tamed have+be tamed: it has been tamed; it had been tamed; it will have been tamed Please do not call a past participle a past tense.
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2 Answers
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LD DIRKERWhy do we use the past participle of tame in a future tense sentence?

Past participles are used with the auxiliary verbs 'be' and 'have'.

With 'be' they make the passive voice. With 'have' they make perfect tenses.

tame:  we tame it; we tamed it; we will tame it
have tamed: we have tamed it; we had tamed it; we will hav
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"be tamed" is a passive infinitive. It is formed from "(to) be + past participle". The reason why so-called "past" participles are used in passive constructions is non-obvious to ordinary speakers. Only a specialist in the history of the language would have an informed idea. Or it could be that "past" participle is a bit of a misnomer anyway.

(Cross-posted.)

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