nail
nails
nailing
nailed
Nail means to fasten with nail or succeed. Regular: nail-nailed-nailed.
Meanings
- To fasten with nail
- To catch (informal)
- To succeed perfectly
Common Collocations
nail down
nail it
hit the nail on the head
nail-biting
nailed to
Tip for Learners
Nail it = succeed perfectly. Nail down = finalize. Hit the nail on the head = be exactly right.
Present Simple
| I | nail |
| you | nail |
| he/she/it | nails |
| we | nail |
| they | nail |
Examples - Present Simple
- I nail the boards together for the fence.
- You nail every presentation you give.
- She nails the perfect landing in gymnastics.
- We nail the details in every project.
- They nail criminals with solid evidence.
Present Continuous
| I | am nailing |
| you | are nailing |
| he/she/it | is nailing |
| we | are nailing |
| they | are nailing |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am nailing the trim around the windows.
- You are nailing this interview so far.
- He is nailing every shot in the game.
- We are nailing the shingles to the roof.
- They are nailing down the final details.
Present Perfect
| I | have nailed |
| you | have nailed |
| he/she/it | has nailed |
| we | have nailed |
| they | have nailed |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have nailed the picture frame to the wall.
- You have nailed your performance perfectly.
- She has nailed the audition for the lead role.
- We have nailed the contract negotiations.
- They have nailed the suspect with DNA evidence.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been nailing |
| you | have been nailing |
| he/she/it | has been nailing |
| we | have been nailing |
| they | have been nailing |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been nailing boards all morning.
- You have been nailing your assignments lately.
- He has been nailing his performances all season.
- We have been nailing siding on the house all week.
- They have been nailing criminals with new technology.
Past Simple
| I | nailed |
| you | nailed |
| he/she/it | nailed |
| we | nailed |
| they | nailed |
Examples - Past Simple
- I nailed the shelf to the wall yesterday.
- You nailed that speech at the conference.
- He nailed the winning shot in the finals.
- We nailed the flooring in the new room.
- They nailed the thief with video footage.
Past Continuous
| I | was nailing |
| you | were nailing |
| he/she/it | was nailing |
| we | were nailing |
| they | were nailing |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was nailing the fence when it started raining.
- You were nailing every question in the interview.
- She was nailing her routine when she slipped.
- We were nailing the deck boards all afternoon.
- They were nailing down evidence when the case broke.
Past Perfect
| I | had nailed |
| you | had nailed |
| he/she/it | had nailed |
| we | had nailed |
| they | had nailed |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had nailed the boards before the storm hit.
- You had nailed the presentation before I even practiced.
- He had nailed the role before callbacks began.
- We had nailed the structure before inspection.
- They had nailed the perpetrator before he fled.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been nailing |
| you | had been nailing |
| he/she/it | had been nailing |
| we | had been nailing |
| they | had been nailing |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been nailing shingles for hours before the break.
- You had been nailing performances for years before fame.
- She had been nailing routines before the injury.
- We had been nailing the construction for weeks.
- They had been nailing cases before the promotion.
Future Simple
| I | will nail |
| you | will nail |
| he/she/it | will nail |
| we | will nail |
| they | will nail |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will nail these pictures up this weekend.
- You will nail the exam if you study hard.
- He will nail the triple jump at the competition.
- We will nail the remaining boards tomorrow.
- They will nail the culprit with the new evidence.
Future Continuous
| I | will be nailing |
| you | will be nailing |
| he/she/it | will be nailing |
| we | will be nailing |
| they | will be nailing |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be nailing the deck all weekend.
- You will be nailing interviews throughout the job hunt.
- She will be nailing routines at the championship.
- We will be nailing siding on the house next week.
- They will be nailing criminals with new methods.
Future Perfect
| I | will have nailed |
| you | will have nailed |
| he/she/it | will have nailed |
| we | will have nailed |
| they | will have nailed |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have nailed all the boards by sunset.
- You will have nailed the certification by year's end.
- He will have nailed the record by the final meet.
- We will have nailed the roof before winter.
- They will have nailed every suspect by trial.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been nailing |
| you | will have been nailing |
| he/she/it | will have been nailing |
| we | will have been nailing |
| they | will have been nailing |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been nailing furniture for decades by then.
- You will have been nailing performances for years.
- She will have been nailing competitions for a decade.
- We will have been nailing construction projects for years.
- They will have been nailing cases for their entire careers.