The verb to grind · Conjugation
Past Simple of grind
The answer: ground
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to grind is ground.
Example: She ground the coffee beans.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | ground |
| You | ground |
| He / She / It | ground |
| We | ground |
| You (pl.) | ground |
| They | ground |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Ground has two meanings
Ground can be: 1. a noun, the earth (the ground); 2. the past participle of grind, crushed into powder (ground coffee). Read the whole sentence to know which one it is.
2. Grinded ❌
Grind → ground follows a classic pattern: find → found, bind → bound, wind → wound. Say She ground the coffee, never She grinded the coffee.
3. Grinder
Add -er to make the name of the tool. A coffee grinder is a small machine for coffee beans. A meat grinder (US) or a mincer (UK) cuts meat into tiny pieces.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of grind?+
The Past Simple of grind is ground, said /ɡraʊnd/. The past participle is the same: ground. Grind → ground → ground, like find → found and bind → bound.
Is ground a noun or a verb?+
It can be both! The noun ground is the earth: The dog dug a hole in the ground. Ground is also the past form of grind: ground coffee is coffee in powder. The context shows the meaning.
Is it ground beef or minced meat?+
Both are correct, and they mean the same thing. Ground beef is American English. Minced meat (or mince) is British English. In the US, people grind the meat; in the UK, they mince it.
How do you make grind negative in the past?+
Use didn't + grind: I didn't grind the coffee. After didn't, use the base form (grind, not ground).
What does daily grind mean?+
The daily grind is the everyday routine that feels long and boring, often at work. I'm tired of the daily grind.
Related pages: grind Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/grind/past-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to grind are coming soon.