The simple past tense of spread is spread. “Spread” is also the past participle of the verb “spread,” which means “distribute, expand, or extend over a wide area.”
Spread past tense in a sentence examples
Simple past tense of spread
Past participle of spread
He spread the frosting as evenly as he could and then added the birthday candles.
You haven’t spread it very evenly, have you?
The wildfire spread rapidly across the dry forest.
When I returned, she had spread out a map of the city across the table.
She spread her arms, inviting the child to jump down from the wall.
Experts now believe that the disease was spread by humans, not rats.
The past tense of troubleshoot is troubleshot. “Troubleshot” is both the simple past tense form and past participle form of the verb “troubleshoot,” which means to “find the cause of a problem and solve it” or “perform the role of a troubleshooter.”
Past tense of troubleshoot in a sentence examplesI built the computers and troubleshot any issues with the operations systems.
I troubleshot for the implementation team last week.
I have troubleshot everything on the list.
NoteYou may see or hear “troubleshooted” rather than “troubleshot” used as the past participle or past simple form of the verb “troubleshoot.” However, “troubleshot” is the best choice for formal writing such as essays, as it is the more commonly used form and only a few dictionaries list “troubleshooted” as an alternative.
If you adapt something, you change it for a new purpose, while if you adopt something, you begin using it or “accept it as your own.”
The verbadapt means “change in order to deal with new circumstances” (e.g., “The needs of our customers changed, so we had to adapt”) or “change for a new purpose” (e.g.,“We adapted the labeling machine so it would work with the new bottle size”).
The verb adopt means “begin to use” or “implement” (e.g., “The new policy was adopted last year”). It can also mean “legally become the parent of a child who was not born to you” (e.g., “We adopted Daniela when she was two years old”).
Adapt vs adopt in a sentence examples
She has adapted very quickly to her new school.
The school has adopted a new cell-phone policy in line with the board’s recommendations.
You don’t need to write a new plan; just adapt the old one.
Companies are being encouraged to adopt this new technology.
The minibus has been adapted for wheelchair users.
Deciding to adopt a child is the biggest decision we have ever made.
TipYou can adapt to something, but you can’t adopt to something.
Published on
January 23, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
March 14, 2025
Alternate and alternative are interchangeable when used as adjectives to describe something as a “different option or choice” (e.g., “an alternate/alternative plan”).
Use the adjective “alternative” to mean the opposite of mainstream (e.g., “alternative music,” “alternative medicine”).
Use the adjective “alternate” to mean changing between two things (e.g., “alternate red and blue stripes”) or one out of every two (e.g., “alternate weeks”).
You can use “alternate” (but not “alternative”) as a verb (e.g., “We alternate between the two locations”).
Use the noun “alternative” to mean “a different option” (e.g., “That is a good alternative”). If “alternate” is used as a noun, it means a person fulfilling a substitute function (e.g., “An alternate on the gymnastics team”).
Alternate vs alternative examples
Alternate in a sentence
Alternative in a sentence
We need to schedule an alternate date for the picnic in case it rains. [Adjective]
We need to schedule an alternative date for the picnic in case it rains. [Adjective]
Initially held annually, the film festival now takes place in alternate years. [Adjective]
The film festival focuses on independent, alternative cinema. [Adjective]
He planted alternate rows of petunias and hydrangeas. [Adjective]
Petunias are a good alternative. [Noun]
I like to alternate between petunias and hydrangeas along this path. [Verb]
Alternatives to cow’s milk include plant-based beverages such as oat milk. [Noun]
NoteSome usage guides recommend using the adjective “alternative” (not “alternate”) to describe something as a different option or to mean “another,” but “alternate” is frequently used with these meanings. For instance the word combinations “alternate route,” “alternate universe,” “alternate reality,” “alternate explanation,” and “alternate version” are very common, even in formal writing such as essays.
Published on
January 20, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 28, 2025
The nounspallet, palette, and palate are pronounced in the same way (
) but have different meanings (i.e., they are homophones).
A pallet is a platform for storing and transporting things, which can be moved using a special vehicle, and is usually made of wood.
A palette is a board on which artists arrange and mix paints of different colors while painting. It can also refer to the set of colors used in a painting or design.
Your palate is the top of the inside of your mouth or means your “sense of taste.”
Pallet vs palette vs palate examples
Pallet in a sentence
Palette in a sentence
Palate in a sentence
The bricks were delivered on a pallet.
This is the palette and set of brushes used by the artist to paint her most famous picture.
He burned his palate eating hot pizza.
Can you order another pallet of cinder blocks?
The limited palette of blues and whites suggests a cold and isolated environment.
Kimchi will appeal to your palate if you like tangy, savory flavors.
We can fit 20 bags of flour on each pallet.
Which of these color palettes would you prefer for the bathroom?
Published on
January 20, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 4, 2025
You can defuse a tense situation or a bomb, while gasses diffuse when released into the air, lampshades help to diffuse light throughout a room, and diffuse pain is spread out over a large area of the body.
Defuse always functions as a transitiveverb meaning “make safe or less dangerous” or “make calmer.” It is pronounced
.
Diffuse is a verb meaning “spread out,” “disperse,” or “scatter.”
Diffuse is also an adjective meaning “spread out,” “dispersed,” or—in the context of communication— “unnecessarily wordy and indirect.”
The adjectivediffuse is pronounced
while the verbdiffuse is pronounced
.
Diffuse vs defuse examples
Diffuse in a sentence
Defuse in a sentence
Skillfully engineered fake news tends to diffuse much more quickly than verified, factual information. [Verb]
The bomb disposal team was able to defuse the device.
The transparent curtains diffuse the light, creating a pleasant ambience. [Verb]
She tried to defuse the situation by changing the subject.
It didn’t take long for the smell of baking to diffuse throughout the house. [Verb]
The president spoke to all the leaders in the region yesterday in an attempt to defuse the crisis.
The problem is no longer concentrated in specific urban areas but has become much more diffuse. [Adjective]
His small talk broke the ice and helped to defuse the tension.
I think his explanation was deliberately diffuse and confusing. [Adjective]
It is questionable whether this will defuse the increasing threat of political unrest.
NoteWhile the word diffuse is commonly used as a verb meaning “calm” or “weaken” (e.g., diffuse tension/a situation/anger, etc.), it is best to avoid using “diffuse” like this in formal writing such as essays. Many usage guides classify it as a mistake to use “diffuse” instead of “defuse” in this context.
The word lost functions as an adjective (e.g, “a lost dog,” “I got lost on the way here”) or a form of the verb “lose” (e.g., “He’s lost his phone,” “He lost it yesterday”). The word loss functions as a noun (e.g., “a loss of control,” “weight loss”).
Loss and lost can both refer to “having less of something” or “not having something.”
In business, a loss is the opposite of a profit.
A loss can refer to a valued employee leaving a company or the death of a relative or friend.
The adjective lost can mean “missing,” “misplaced,” and “unable to find your way” as well as feeling “uncertain” or “confused.”
The words loss and lost can sound the same when used in natural, everyday speech because the “t” sound in “lost” is sometimes not pronounced when followed by a consonant sound (as in the examples below
).
Loss vs lost examples
Loss in a sentence
Lost in a sentence
Loss of appetite can be a side effect of the treatment.
Published on
January 13, 2025
by
Tom Challenger, BA
Revised on
February 18, 2025
If a boss has instilled good morale in their staff, it means there is a strong team spirit among their employees. But if a boss has good morals, it means they have strong ethical principles.
Morale (spelled with an “e”) is a noun referring to the level of enthusiasm, confidence and satisfaction felt by a person or group (e.g., “The victory boosted morale among the soldiers”).
Moral (spelled without “e”) is an adjective relating to beliefs about right and wrong meaning “ethical,” “honest,” “correct,” or “fair” (e.g., “She told the truth because it was the moral thing to do”).
Moral can also be used as a noun meaning “lesson,” “message,” or “principle” (e.g., “the moral of the story”) or—when used in the plural—“beliefs or principles about what is right and wrong or correct behavior” (e.g., “The school had a reputation for instilling strong morals and discipline”).
Moral is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable
but morale is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable
.
Moral vs moral examples
Moral in a sentence
Morale in a sentence
The decision was taken for political rather than moral reasons. [Adjective]
The merger of the two companies has had a negative effect on morale. [Noun]
What was the moral of the story? [Noun]
Team morale is very high. [Noun]
At that time, the profession of acting was associated with decadence and loose morals. [Noun]
Cancelling the general’s visit to the front line would have been bad for morale. [Noun]
