English UsageGrammar guide

Past Tense of Grind

For the ordinary verb “grind,” the standard simple past and past participle are both “ground.” The principal forms are grind, ground, ground.

Quick answer

Use “ground” for both the simple past and the past participle of “grind” in standard general English.

Key details

Confusion Familyirregular verb inflection
Rule Familyverb forms
Termsgrind, ground
Variant ScopeCambridge records “ground” as both the past tense and past participle of the ordinary verb “grind.”

Further guidance

Core difference

“Grind” is irregular in standard general English: the past and past participle are “ground.”

Fast Test

For a completed past action or a perfect construction, use “ground”: “They ground the beans”; “They have ground the beans.”

Usage Boundary

This page gives the standard general inflection and does not treat specialized slang or brand-specific forms as competing standard principal parts.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. grind — Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Ground as the standard simple past and past participle of grind

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