fail
fails
failing
failed
Fail means to be unsuccessful or to not do something required. Regular verb: fail-failed-failed.
Meanings
- To be unsuccessful
- To neglect to do
- To stop functioning
Common Collocations
fail to do
fail an exam
fail miserably
doomed to fail
Tip for Learners
Fail to means neglect or not manage to. "Don't fail to notify us."
Present Simple
| I | fail |
| you | fail |
| he/she/it | fails |
| we | fail |
| they | fail |
Examples - Present Simple
- I fail sometimes, but I learn from it.
- You fail to understand the issue.
- She fails to meet expectations occasionally.
- We fail if we don't try.
- They fail to deliver on promises.
Present Continuous
| I | am failing |
| you | are failing |
| he/she/it | is failing |
| we | are failing |
| they | are failing |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am failing to see the point.
- You are failing the test.
- He is failing in his duties.
- We are failing our customers.
- They are failing to meet deadlines.
Present Perfect
| I | have failed |
| you | have failed |
| he/she/it | has failed |
| we | have failed |
| they | have failed |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have failed many times before.
- You have failed to convince me.
- She has failed the exam.
- We have failed to achieve our goals.
- They have failed miserably.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been failing |
| you | have been failing |
| he/she/it | has been failing |
| we | have been failing |
| they | have been failing |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been failing to reach them all day.
- You have been failing to understand.
- He has been failing tests for months.
- We have been failing to meet targets.
- They have been failing consistently.
Past Simple
| I | failed |
| you | failed |
| he/she/it | failed |
| we | failed |
| they | failed |
Examples - Past Simple
- I failed the driving test.
- You failed to notify us in time.
- She failed her exams last year.
- We failed to anticipate the problem.
- They failed spectacularly.
Past Continuous
| I | was failing |
| you | were failing |
| he/she/it | was failing |
| we | were failing |
| they | were failing |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was failing when you helped me.
- You were failing to see the truth.
- He was failing in school before tutoring.
- We were failing to communicate.
- They were failing to deliver all year.
Past Perfect
| I | had failed |
| you | had failed |
| he/she/it | had failed |
| we | had failed |
| they | had failed |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had failed before I succeeded.
- You had failed to notice the signs.
- She had failed twice before passing.
- We had failed before learning from mistakes.
- They had failed before reforming.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been failing |
| you | had been failing |
| he/she/it | had been failing |
| we | had been failing |
| they | had been failing |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been failing for months before improvement.
- You had been failing to comply for years.
- He had been failing tests for a while.
- We had been failing to meet targets for quarters.
- They had been failing consistently for decades.
Future Simple
| I | will fail |
| you | will fail |
| he/she/it | will fail |
| we | will fail |
| they | will fail |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will fail if I don't prepare.
- You will fail without practice.
- She will fail if she doesn't study.
- We will fail without teamwork.
- They will fail if they don't adapt.
Future Continuous
| I | will be failing |
| you | will be failing |
| he/she/it | will be failing |
| we | will be failing |
| they | will be failing |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be failing without your help.
- You will be failing to see results.
- He will be failing if he continues.
- We will be failing without changes.
- They will be failing to compete.
Future Perfect
| I | will have failed |
| you | will have failed |
| he/she/it | will have failed |
| we | will have failed |
| they | will have failed |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have failed multiple times by then.
- You will have failed to comply by deadline.
- She will have failed before succeeding.
- We will have failed before winning.
- They will have failed before reforming.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been failing |
| you | will have been failing |
| he/she/it | will have been failing |
| we | will have been failing |
| they | will have been failing |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been failing for years.
- You will have been failing to comply for months.
- He will have been failing tests for a while.
- We will have been failing for too long.
- They will have been failing for decades.