Base
Leaves fall from the trees in October.
A regular event in the present uses fall.
Past Tense of Fall: Fell and Fallen
Fall is an irregular verb. Use fell for a finished action in the past. Use fallen after have or has, when you connect the past with now.
Base
fall
Past
fell
Past participle
fallen
Third person: falls · -ing form: falling
ABC: form patternExamples
Base
Be careful, or you will fall.
After will, use the base form fall.
Past
The boy fell off his bike.
Fell is the past simple; the action is finished.
Past
Snow fell all night.
All night is a finished past time.
Past participle
The price has fallen this week.
Has fallen connects the past with now.
Past participle
My phone has fallen under the sofa.
After has, use the participle fallen.
Usage notes
Fall down and fall asleep
Fall down means drop to the ground: The old man fell down. Fall asleep means start to sleep: I fell asleep at ten. In these phrases, only fall changes: fell asleep, has fallen asleep.
Fall in love and autumn
Fall in love is a common phrase: They fell in love in Paris. In American English, fall is also a season, the same as autumn in British English.
Common mistakes
She falled on the ice.
She fell on the ice.
Fall is irregular. The past is fell, not falled.
He has fell asleep.
He has fallen asleep.
After has, use the past participle fallen, not fell.
I have fallen off my chair yesterday.
I fell off my chair yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past simple fell.
Practise this verb
0/8
Choose the right form
Choose the form that completes each English sentence.
1.The glass ___ off the table.
2.Prices have ___ this year.
3.Rain often ___ in winter here.
4.The baby ___ asleep in the car.
Write the missing form
Type the correct form of fall in each sentence.
Correct the mistake
Rewrite the English sentence with the correct verb form.
8.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Answer key
1. The glass ___ off the table.
Answer: fell
The action is finished, so use the past simple fell.
2. Prices have ___ this year.
Answer: fallen
Have takes the past participle fallen.
3. Rain often ___ in winter here.
Answer: falls
Often shows a present habit, and rain (it) takes falls.
4. The baby ___ asleep in the car.
Answer: fell
This is a finished past action, so use fell.
5. The temperature has ___ today.
Answer: fallen
Has plus the past participle is has fallen.
6. Last winter, my mother ___ on the stairs.
Answer: fell
Last winter takes the past simple fell.
7. Apples ___ from the tree every autumn.
Answer: fall
A general fact with apples (they) uses fall.
8. The cup has fell on the floor.
Answer: The cup has fallen on the floor.
After has, use fallen, not fell.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of fall?
The past tense of fall is fell: She fell on the ice.
What is the past participle of fall?
The past participle is fallen: She has fallen on the ice.
What is the difference between fell and fallen?
Use fell for a finished past action: He fell yesterday. Use fallen after have or has: He has fallen.