What Is The Past Tense Of To Fall?
The past tense of “fall” is “fell,” and its past participle form is fallen, as “fall” is an irregular verb.
You need to replace the letter -a with the letter -e to get the V2 of fall; and add the -en suffix to the base form to get the V3 of it.
Below are other verb forms of fall:
Base/Infinitive Form (V1) | fall |
Present Form/3rd Person/Singular Form | falls |
Past Form (V2) | fell |
Past Participle Form (V3) | fallen |
Present Participle/Gerund | falling |
How To Pronounce Fell Properly?
The pronunciation of fall is /fɔːl/, and of fell is /fel/ in both British and American English.
The table below may give you more details:
Verb Forms | Pronunciation | |
British English language | American English language | |
fall | /fɔːl/ | /fɔːl/ |
fell
(V2) |
/fel/ | /fel/ |
fallen
(V3) |
/ˈfɔːlən/ | /ˈfɔːlən/ |
falling | /ˈfɔːlɪŋ/ | /ˈfɔːlɪŋ/ |
How to say fall and fell correctly? Check out the below videos:
Fall pronunciation:
Fell pronunciation:
What Are The Definitions Of The Verb Fall? How To Use Fell?
We use “fell” as the past tense of fall in all cases where we are referring to a single, completed action in the past. Below are the meanings of fall with examples:
- To drop down from a higher position to a lower position.
Example: The apple fell from the tree and landed on the ground.
- To slope or decline in a particular direction.
Example: The road fell away sharply to the left, making it difficult to navigate.
- To suddenly stop standing.
Example: She tripped over the rock and fell down onto the ground.
- To become lower or less in amount, value, or quality.
Example: The temperature fell sharply overnight, causing the roads to become icy.
- To pass into a specified state or condition, to begin to be something.
Example: She fell ill with a high fever and had to stay in bed for several days.
- To be captured or defeated in a battle or competition.
Example: The defending champion fell to a younger, more aggressive opponent in the tournament.
- To be shot in a battle.
Example: Many soldiers fell in battle during the war.
- To happen or occur suddenly or unexpectedly.
Example: Without warning, the power went out, and everything fell into darkness.
- To move in a special direction.
Example: The leaves fell gently to the ground in the autumn breeze.
Exercises
FAQs
What Are Some Common Phrasal Verbs Of “Fall”?
- Fall apart – to break into pieces or become separated into parts.
Example: The old book fell apart as soon as I picked it up.
- Fall back – to retreat or withdraw from a position or situation.
Example: The troops were forced to fall back after the enemy attacked.
- Fall behind – to fail to keep up with or meet a standard or schedule.
Example: I need to work harder, or I’ll fall behind in my studies.
- Fall down – to lose one’s balance and collapse to the ground. (See past tense of lose here)
Example: He fell down the stairs and broke his leg.
- Fall for – to be deceived or fooled by something or someone.
Example: I can’t believe she fell for his lies.
What Are The Common Meanings Of The Noun “Fall”?
- The act or process of falling.
Example: The fall from the tree left him with a broken arm.
- The season of the year between summer and winter.
Example: I love the colors of the leaves in the fall.
- A decrease or decline in value or amount.
Example: The fall in oil prices has affected the stock market.
- Surrender or defeat
Example: The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of the Cold War.
- A waterfall
Example: The fall in Yosemite National Park is a popular tourist attraction.
What Are Some Idioms Of “Fall”?
- Fall flat – to not be funny or entertaining
- Fall into place – to become organized or settled
- Fall on deaf ears – to be ignored or not listened to
- Fall off the wagon – to return to drinking alcohol after stopping a period.
- Fall short – to not meet expectations or requirements (Click here to see past tense of meet)
- Fall from grace – to lose status or reputation due to a mistake or wrongdoing

His name is Benjamin Essek – The founder of Grammar Wiki. He is an English native speaker and has joined many English classes, learning communities to support other people with this common language as well.