spoil
Base form
spoil
/spɔɪl/
Past simple
spoiled / spoiltspoiled
/spɔɪld/ /spɔɪlt//spɔɪld/
Past participle
spoiled / spoiltspoiled
/spɔɪld/ /spɔɪlt//spɔɪld/
MeaningB2
to make something less good or enjoyable; to give a child too much
too many cooks spoil the broth
In use
- Negative · Form 1Don’t spoil the ending of the film for me!
- After a modal verb · Form 1Too much salt can spoil the soup.
- Past simple · Form 2Yesterday the rain spoilt our picnic in the park.Yesterday the rain spoiled our picnic in the park.
- Past simple · Form 2When we were small, Grandma spoilt us with sweets every Sunday.When we were small, Grandma spoiled us with sweets every Sunday.
- Passive · Form 3Our holiday was spoilt by a week of storms.Our holiday was spoiled by a week of storms.
- Present perfect · Form 3You’ve spoilt the surprise by telling her!You’ve spoiled the surprise by telling her!
Watch out
Spoiled is right everywhere; British English also says spoilt, especially before a noun: a spoilt child. Spoild and spoilded are wrong.
Same pattern
A — B — BForms two and three are the same
Irregular VerbsLearn all three forms for good
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