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Why is the past tense used here instead of the present tense?

It should make one focused.

Why can you use this sentence? I thought word make can only be used with the present tense like this:

It should make one focus.

Can you please explain?

1 Answer 1

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You’ve misunderstood the analysis of both: those are not past tense and present tense at all — neither of them.


Past Participle

This one:

It should make one focused.

Is not a verb but a past participle serving as an adjective, as in:

It should make one drunk.

So focused and drunk are past participles, not past tenses.


Infinitive

And this one:

It should make one focus.

Is not a present tense finite verb but rather an infinitive, as in

It should make one be quiet.

So focus and be are infinitives, not present tense.

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