Difference between send and sent
by Yogi P - October 21, 2023
Send vs Sent
Confusion often arises when dealing with words that sound the same, and it’s no different for terms related to communication: send and sent are two commonly misused and confused words.
Send
Send is a common verb with several meanings. One of its original senses is “to cause to go from one place to another”, as in “Mary sent the letter to her friend”.
Other definitions include “to cause, order, or compel to go”, “to cause to be sent”, and “to cause to be conveyed by a certain means”.As an adverb, send can also mean “away”, as in “the dog was sent away”.
Sent
Sent is also a verb, which is the past tense and past participle of send. Its basic meaning is “caused to go”, such as in the sentence “I sent the package yesterday”.
In addition, sent can be used as an adjective (e.g., the sent package), as well as a conjugation when used in the perfect tenses (e.g., “she has sent it”).
| Word | Send | Sent |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | To cause to go from one place to another | Past tense and participle of “send” |
| Usages | Verb, adverb, or as a conjugation | Verb, adjective, or as a conjugation |
| Examples | He sent the message at noon. | The sent package arrived yesterday. |
To put it simply, send is used when referring to actions that are taking place in the present or future, while sent is used when referring to actions that have already taken place in the past.
For example, “I send the package today” and “I sent the package yesterday” are two sentences that demonstrate when each word would be appropriate.
As a way to practice the use of send and sent in sentences, try writing 30 sentences that make use of these words accurately. Once you have your sentences, review each one to make sure that it is conveying the intended meaning.
This exercise will help you better understand the difference between the two words and apply that knowledge when reading and writing.
Quick overview of Send vs sent
| Aspect | Send (Present Tense) | Sent (Past Tense) |
|---|---|---|
| Verb Form | Present tense form of the verb “send” | Past tense form of the verb “send” |
| Meaning | To dispatch or transmit something to a recipient | To have dispatched or transmitted something to a recipient in the past |
| Example | She will send an email tomorrow. | She sent an email yesterday. |
| Tense | Present tense (current or future) | Past tense (past action or event) |
| Regularity | “Send” is a regular verb | “Sent” is the past tense form of the regular verb “send” |
| Synonyms | Dispatch, transmit, forward, deliver | Dispatched, transmitted, forwarded |
| Antonyms | Receive, keep, hold, retain | Receive, receive, received |
Conclusion
In conclusion, send and sent can both be used as transitive verbs; however, their meanings and usages differ slightly. Send is used to refer to actions that are taking place now or in the future, while sent is used to refer to actions that have already taken place in the past.
Remembering the distinct usage of each word can help avoid any confusion when writing.
