How to Use Bite Past Tense (Bit vs Bitten)

What's the past tense of "bite"?

The simple past tense of bite is bit, and the past participle is bitten. Use bit for simple past tense and bitten for past participle forms.

Definition of bite

The Oxford English Dictionary defines bite as "to use the teeth to cut into something, typically food." It's an irregular verb that doesn't follow the standard "-ed" pattern for past tenses.

• The past tense of bite is bit.
• The past participle of bite is bitten.

Verb forms of 'bite'

Examples of 'bite' in sentences

Here are some examples of how to use the different forms of bite in sentences:

Simple Present

• The dog bites when it's scared.
• I bite my nails when I'm nervous.

Simple Past

• The dog bit the mailman yesterday.
• She bit into the apple.

Past Participle

• The dog has bitten three people this week.
• I have been bitten by mosquitoes.

Present Perfect

• She has bitten her lip in concentration.
• We have bitten off more than we can chew.

Common mistakes with 'bite'

Here are some common mistakes people make when using the verb bite:

❌ Incorrect

• The dog bited the man. (Should be "bit")
• She has bit the apple. (Should be "bitten")
• I bited my tongue. (Should be "bit")

✅ Correct

• The dog bit the man.
• She has bitten the apple.
• I bit my tongue.

Quiz: Test your knowledge

Choose the correct form of bite for each sentence:

1. The dog _____ the ball.
   • bite
   • bit
   • bitten
2. She has _____ her tongue.
   • bite
   • bit
   • bitten
3. They _____ into the sandwich.
   • bite
   • bit
   • bitten

Answers: 1. bit, 2. bitten, 3. bite

Summary

The verb bite is irregular, with bit as the simple past tense and bitten as the past participle. Remember that irregular verbs don't follow the standard "-ed" pattern, so it's important to memorize their forms. Practice using these forms in context to become more comfortable with them.