When it comes to the word “multiply,” many English learners may find themselves questioning whether to use “multiplyed” or “multiplied.” The correct form is “multiplied,” and in this article, I will explain why, providing you with a clear understanding of this common verb.
To begin with, let’s discuss the basic definition of “multiply.” This verb is often used to describe the action of increasing or multiplying a number by another number. For example, if we have 3 apples and we want to know how many apples we would have if each apple were multiplied by 2, the answer would be 6 apples. In this case, “multiplied” is the correct form of the verb.
To further solidify the correct usage, let’s examine the conjugation of the verb “multiply.” In its base form, it is “multiply.” When we move to the past tense, the correct form is “multiplied.” For instance, if we take the sentence “I multiplied the number by 5,” we can see that “multiplied” is the appropriate choice. Other examples include “She multiplied the fractions,” “They multiplied the quantities,” and “We multiplied our profits.”
Now, you may be wondering why “multiplyed” is incorrect. The simple answer is that no word “multiplyed” exists in the English language. This could be due to how the verb is formed. English verbs generally follow a pattern, known as the regular verbs pattern, where the past tense is formed by adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb. However, “multiply” is an irregular verb, meaning it does not follow this pattern. Instead, it adopts the form “multiplied” for its past tense.
To illustrate this point further, let’s consider a few other irregular verbs in English. Take the verb “go,” for example. In its base form, it is “go.” However, in the past tense, it becomes “went” rather than “goed.” Similarly, we have the verb “eat.” In its base form, it is “eat,” but in the past tense, it becomes “ate” instead of “eated.” These examples demonstrate how irregular verbs often break the regular verb pattern, just as “multiplied” breaks the pattern set by regular verbs.
In conclusion, the correct form is “multiplied.” The incorrect form “multiplyed” does not exist in the English language. Understanding the appropriate form of the verb “multiply” is essential for effective communication, especially when discussing mathematical calculations or other instances where multiplication is involved. Now that you have a clear explanation and examples, you can confidently use the correct form in your discussions about multiplication.