Slit past tense: slit, slit
make a thin cut
Slit is an irregular English verb: the past simple of slit is slit and the past participle is slit. Learn the three forms together — slit – slit – slit.
Verb forms
Base form
/slɪt/
Past Simple
/slɪt/
Past Participle
/slɪt/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · slit
Tailors slit the fabric along the marked line.
Past Simple · slit
He slit the envelope open with a knife.
Past Participle · slit
The sack had been slit at the bottom.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I slit he / she / it slits | I slit | I have slit |
| Present Continuous:I am slitting · he / she / it is slitting | ||
Grammar guide
Slit belongs to the AAA group: all three forms are the same (slit – slit – slit). As the verb never changes, the context shows the tense — an auxiliary such as have or had, or a time expression such as yesterday.
- Past simple – slit: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – slit: after have, has or had (present perfect, past perfect) and after be in the passive voice.
- Questions and negatives in the past simple use did + the base form: Did you slit…? I didn’t slit.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about slit
- What is the past simple of slit?
- The past simple of slit is slit.
- What is the past participle of slit?
- The past participle of slit is slit.
- What are the three forms of slit?
- The three forms are slit – slit – slit: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is slit a regular or an irregular verb?
- Slit is irregular: its past simple is slit, not slitted.