Have bit - what's that?

[Tamara]

Hi

If <…> the snake would have bit me.
He should have bit his tongue off! (J)

Bite, bit, bitten/ bit

Have bit – what’s that? and when the form is appropriate to be used?
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It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Conchita]

Have bit is the present perfect of 'bite'. The past participle can be 'bitten' or 'bit'.

[Tamara]

[Alan]

Hi Tamara,

To me 'bit' is the past form of 'bite' and not the past participle. I can only assume that 'have bit' has come about by association with verbs like cut, put. let.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Tamara]

[Conchita]

[Yankee]

Hi Tamara

Bitten is the standard past participle on the other side of the pond, too.

If someone said "have/has bit", then I'd expect the usage to be colloquial. (Or possibly some sort of reference to bits and bytes. )

Amy

[Tamara]