To clean something is to remove dirt from it.

The idea

Say clean the table or clean the window. The regular past is cleaned; a tool can follow with.

Examples

  • I clean the table after breakfast.
  • She cleaned the window yesterday.
  • Please clean the mirror with a soft cloth.
  • He cleans his glasses before reading.
  • We need to clean the kitchen floor.
  • Did you clean the bowl?

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Watch out

Clean can describe an action as a verb or a state as an adjective: clean the table versus the table is clean.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the past form. Yesterday she ___ the window. (cleaned / cleans)

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    cleaned

    The regular past of clean is cleaned.

  2. Choose the word introducing the tool. Clean the mirror ___ a soft cloth. (with / from)

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    with

    With introduces the cloth used as a tool.

  3. Identify the use of clean in the sentence. The table is clean. Does clean describe a state or an action? (state / action)

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    state

    In this sentence clean describes the table’s state.

Use it today

Describe something you cleaned and say what you used to clean it.