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Why "had broke" breaks grammar rules
Reviewed and edited by 
Anwar Kareem 01/10/2024, 06:14
Anwar Kareem 01/10/2024, 06:14English.me team member
What kind of error is it?
It's a grammatical error related to the misuse of verb tense.
Why do people make this mistake?
People often confuse past tense forms with past participle forms, especially with irregular verbs, which can lead to incorrect combinations such as "had broke" instead of "had broken."
What is correct?
The correct form is to use the past perfect tense by pairing "had" with the past participle of the verb, which for "break" is "broken."
Examples of correct usage
- She had broken the vase before anyone noticed.
- They had broken the rules, so there were consequences.
- I had broken my promise, and I felt terrible about it.
Grammar
