captured
When you captured something, it means you took it. Maybe you took a picture with a camera. So, the moment was captured forever. Or maybe, a police officer captured a bad person. This means the officer caught them. You can also capture a feeling. For example, a song can capture how you feel. It’s like putting it in a box to keep it.
When we use the word captured, it often means that someone has been taken, like a prisoner, or something has been seized by force.
For example, a soldier might be captured during a battle, or a city could be captured by an army.
It can also describe the action of recording something, such as taking a photograph or making a video.
So, you might say a beautiful moment was captured in a picture, or a film captured the essence of an era.
Essentially, it means to get and keep something, either physically or by recording it.
§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
The word "captured" is a versatile term that can function as both a verb (in its past tense and past participle forms) and an adjective. Understanding its various applications can greatly enrich your English vocabulary, especially as a CEFR B1 learner. Let's delve into its meanings and common usage scenarios.
- DEFINITION 1
- To take someone as a prisoner or gain control of something by force.
This is perhaps the most literal and often dramatic use of "captured." It implies an act of seizing, usually against the will of the person or entity being captured. Think of historical events, military actions, or even a game of chess.
The enemy soldiers were captured after a fierce battle.
The police successfully captured the bank robbers.
Beyond individuals, it can also refer to taking control of a place, an object, or even a market share:
The city was captured after a long siege.
The new smartphone model quickly captured a significant portion of the market.
- DEFINITION 2
- To record an image, sound, or feeling accurately in a digital or artistic format.
This definition of "captured" is widely used in creative and technical contexts. It speaks to the ability to preserve a moment, an emotion, or a visual representation with precision.
- Photography and Videography: When you take a picture or record a video, you are literally capturing an image or a moment in time.
The photographer captured the stunning sunset beautifully.
The documentary successfully captured the essence of the Amazon rainforest.
- Audio Recording: Musicians and sound engineers "capture" sounds to preserve them digitally.
The studio engineer expertly captured the band's live performance.
- Artistic Expression: Artists, writers, and poets often aim to "capture" emotions, moods, or experiences in their work.
The novel captured the feeling of loneliness perfectly.
Her painting truly captured the joy of childhood.
Understanding the nuance between these two main definitions is key to using "captured" effectively. While one speaks of force and control, the other speaks of preservation and representation. Both are valid and frequently encountered in everyday language, media, and literature.
§ Understanding 'Captured' in Sentences
The word 'captured' is versatile and can function as both a past tense/past participle verb and an adjective. Its usage often depends on the context, but it generally implies the act of taking, seizing, or recording something.
§ As a Verb (Past Tense/Past Participle)
When used as a verb, 'captured' describes an action that has already happened. It can refer to:
- Taking someone as a prisoner or gaining control by force: This is a common and often literal application of the word.
- Recording an image, sound, or feeling accurately: This usage is more figurative and relates to art, photography, or communication.
- Grammar Note
- As a past tense verb, 'captured' follows a subject and indicates a completed action. As a past participle, it often forms part of perfect tenses (e.g., 'has captured,' 'had captured') or passive voice constructions (e.g., 'was captured').
The soldiers captured the enemy outpost after a fierce battle.
The photographer captured the perfect moment of the bird in flight.
Her performance truly captured the essence of the character's struggle.
§ As an Adjective
When 'captured' functions as an adjective, it describes a noun, indicating that the noun has been subjected to the action of capturing. In this case, it often modifies nouns like 'prisoner,' 'image,' 'data,' or 'moment.'
- Grammar Note
- As an adjective, 'captured' usually precedes the noun it modifies. It can also follow a linking verb (e.g., 'is,' 'was,' 'seems') to describe the subject.
The captured bird was released back into the wild.
She showed us a series of beautifully captured images from her travels.
The emotion in his eyes was perfectly captured in the painting.
§ Common Prepositions with 'Captured'
While 'captured' can be used without prepositions, it frequently combines with certain ones to clarify the meaning or provide more detail. Here are some common examples:
- Captured by: This preposition is used to indicate the agent or means by which something was captured.
- Captured in: This often refers to the medium or format in which something is recorded or preserved.
- Captured on: Similar to 'in,' this is used for recording media, especially electronic ones.
The suspect was captured by the police after a short chase.
The beauty of the landscape was perfectly captured in her poem.
The entire event was captured on video.
§ Context is Key
To fully understand how to use 'captured,' always consider the context of the sentence. Is it about a physical act of seizing, or a more abstract act of recording or preserving? The surrounding words will often provide clues.
The intricate details of the ancient artifact were captured by the laser scanner.
In this example, 'captured' refers to the precise recording of information, not a forceful seizure. The preposition 'by' indicates the tool used for this recording.
Wichtige Grammatik
Use 'captured' as the simple past tense of 'capture' to describe an action that happened and finished in the past.
The photographer captured the perfect sunset at the beach yesterday.
Use 'captured' as the past participle in perfect tenses (e.g., present perfect, past perfect) to indicate an action completed before another point in time.
The police have captured the suspect after a long chase.
Use 'captured' as a past participle in passive voice constructions, often with a form of 'to be,' to show that the subject is receiving the action.
The wild animal was captured by the wildlife rescue team.
Use 'captured' as an adjective to describe something that has been caught or recorded.
The captured moment in the painting conveyed a sense of peace.
When using 'captured' to mean recorded, it often implies successfully and accurately conveying the essence of something.
Her performance truly captured the spirit of the original song.
Beispiele nach Niveau
The police captured the thief.
The police caught the thief.
Simple past tense, active voice. Focus on the action of catching.
He captured a beautiful photo of the sunset.
He took a beautiful picture of the sunset.
Simple past tense, active voice. 'Captured' here means 'photographed' or 'recorded'.
The city was captured after a long fight.
The city was taken after a long fight.
Simple past tense, passive voice. Focus on the city as the receiver of the action.
Her drawing captured her grandmother's smile perfectly.
Her drawing showed her grandmother's smile perfectly.
Simple past tense, active voice. 'Captured' means 'represented' or 'expressed'.
The army captured the enemy's flag.
The army took the enemy's flag.
Simple past tense, active voice. Similar to 'took control of'.
The movie captured the feeling of being young.
The movie showed the feeling of being young.
Simple past tense, active voice. 'Captured' means 'expressed' or 'represented'.
He was captured by the enemy soldiers.
He was caught by the enemy soldiers.
Simple past tense, passive voice. Focus on 'he' as the one being taken.
The camera captured every moment of the party.
The camera recorded every moment of the party.
Simple past tense, active voice. 'Captured' here means 'recorded' with a camera.
The police captured the thief after a long chase.
La policía capturó al ladrón después de una larga persecución.
Past simple tense of 'capture'.
The beauty of the sunset was captured perfectly in her painting.
La belleza del atardecer fue capturada perfectamente en su pintura.
Past participle used in a passive voice construction.
His attention was completely captured by the interesting story.
Su atención fue completamente capturada por la interesante historia.
Past participle used as an adjective to describe attention.
The photographer captured a stunning image of the bird in flight.
El fotógrafo capturó una imagen impresionante del pájaro en vuelo.
Past simple tense of 'capture'.
The city was captured by the enemy forces after a tough battle.
La ciudad fue capturada por las fuerzas enemigas después de una dura batalla.
Past participle used in a passive voice construction.
She captured the children's laughter on her phone's video camera.
Ella capturó las risas de los niños con la cámara de video de su teléfono.
Past simple tense of 'capture'.
The captured animals were safely released back into the wild.
Los animales capturados fueron liberados de forma segura en la naturaleza.
Past participle used as an adjective modifying 'animals'.
He felt his breath was captured by the incredible view from the mountain.
Sintió que su aliento fue capturado por la increíble vista desde la montaña.
Past participle used in a passive voice construction.
The novel deftly captured the zeitgeist of post-war Europe, portraying the hopes and anxieties of a generation grappling with profound change.
Zeitgeist: spirit of the time. Grappling: struggling or dealing with difficulty.
Here, 'captured' is used to describe how the novel accurately represented the prevailing mood and intellectual trends of a specific era.
Her photographic series meticulously captured the ephemeral beauty of glacial ice formations, emphasizing their fragility in the face of climate change.
Meticulously: with great attention to detail. Ephemeral: lasting for a very short time.
In this sentence, 'captured' signifies the artist's success in preserving a fleeting natural phenomenon through her work, highlighting its temporary existence.
The documentary, through its evocative interviews and archival footage, successfully captured the raw emotions and historical significance of the civil rights movement.
Evocative: bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind. Archival footage: old film or video recordings.
Here, 'captured' refers to the documentary's ability to convey powerful feelings and the historical importance of an event through various mediums.
Despite numerous attempts, the elusive hacker remained uncaptured, continuing to pose a significant threat to national cybersecurity.
Elusive: difficult to find, catch, or achieve. Pose a threat: create a dangerous situation.
In this instance, 'uncaptured' emphasizes the ongoing freedom of the hacker, highlighting the difficulty in apprehending them.
The artist's poignant sculpture captured the essence of human resilience in the face of adversity, becoming a powerful symbol for hope.
Poignant: evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. Resilience: the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
Here, 'captured' denotes the sculpture's profound ability to embody and represent a complex human quality like resilience.
The strategically placed microphones captured every nuanced inflection in the speaker's voice, allowing for a precise linguistic analysis.
Nuanced: subtle difference in meaning, expression, or sound. Inflection: a change in the form of a word or the pitch/tone of a voice.
This usage of 'captured' emphasizes the technical success of the microphones in recording subtle details of sound for analytical purposes.
Her memoirs, though controversial, undeniably captured the complex political landscape of the era, offering a unique insider's perspective.
Memoirs: a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge. Undeniably: without doubt.
'Captured' here implies that the memoirs successfully and accurately depicted the intricate and often contentious political environment.
The newly implemented legislation effectively captured the previous regulatory loopholes, ensuring greater accountability in financial markets.
Legislation: laws. Regulatory loopholes: ways of avoiding rules or laws.
In this example, 'captured' is used metaphorically to mean that the new laws successfully addressed and closed existing weaknesses in regulations.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
was captured
got captured
been captured
is captured in
captured the essence
captured the attention
captured the hearts
captured by the police
captured a glimpse
captured the moment perfectly
Redewendungen & Ausdrücke
"Captured by the moment"
Completely engrossed or enchanted by what is happening at a particular time.
She was so captured by the moment that she didn't even notice the time passing.
neutral"Captured the essence of something"
Successfully represented the most important or fundamental quality of something.
The artist truly captured the essence of the city in his painting.
neutral"Captured the public's imagination"
Attracted widespread interest and excitement from the general public.
The new space mission captured the public's imagination with its daring goals.
neutral"Captured on film/camera"
Recorded visually using a camera.
The rare bird was captured on film by a wildlife photographer.
neutral"Captured a prize/award"
Won a prize or award.
The team successfully captured the championship trophy.
neutral"Captured an audience"
Held the attention and interest of an audience.
The speaker immediately captured the audience with his compelling story.
neutral"Captured the flag"
A phrase used in games, meaning to successfully take the opponent's flag.
In the game, their objective was to capture the flag.
informal"Captured the market"
Gained a dominant share or control of a particular market.
The new smartphone quickly captured the market with its innovative features.
neutral"Captured in words"
Expressed or described accurately and effectively in written language.
Her feelings were perfectly captured in words in the letter.
neutral"Captured someone's heart"
Made someone fall in love or become deeply fond of someone.
His charming personality quickly captured her heart.
neutralTeste dich selbst 42 Fragen
The police ______ the thief yesterday.
We use 'captured' because the action happened in the past (yesterday).
The photographer ______ a beautiful picture of the sunset.
We use 'captured' because it is the past tense of 'capture' and refers to taking a picture.
The children ______ butterflies in their nets.
The sentence describes a past action, so 'captured' is the correct past tense form.
The word 'captured' means to let someone go.
'Captured' means to take someone as a prisoner or to gain control of something, not to let someone go.
You can 'capture' a photo with a camera.
Yes, 'captured' can mean to record an image, like with a camera.
If you 'captured' a ball, you caught it.
Yes, in this context, 'captured' can mean to gain control of something, like catching a ball.
The police finally ___ the escaped prisoner after a long chase.
To 'capture' means to take someone as a prisoner. In this context, the police took the escaped prisoner.
Her camera ___ the beautiful sunset perfectly.
To 'capture' an image means to record it accurately. The camera recorded the sunset.
The rebels ___ the city after a week of fighting.
To 'capture' a city means to gain control of it by force. The rebels took control of the city.
The artist successfully ___ the sadness in the woman's eyes.
To 'capture' a feeling means to record it accurately in an artistic format. The artist showed the sadness.
The documentary ___ the true spirit of the community.
To 'capture' a spirit means to represent it accurately. The documentary showed the community's true spirit.
During the war, many soldiers were ___ and held in prison camps.
In the context of war, 'captured' means to be taken as a prisoner by the enemy.
Think about what a photographer does with a camera.
Consider what happens to a prisoner who escapes.
How can an actor show emotions?
Read this aloud:
Can you describe a time when you felt a special moment was perfectly captured, either in a photo or in your memory?
Focus: captured
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Imagine you are a filmmaker. What kind of scene would you want to capture in your next movie and why?
Focus: capture
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What are some ways that artists, like painters or writers, try to capture feelings or ideas in their work?
Focus: capture
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The photographer expertly _______ the fleeting moment of the bird taking flight.
The word 'captured' in this context means to record an image accurately, which fits the act of a photographer.
Despite a valiant defense, the ancient city was eventually _______ by the invading army.
Here, 'captured' refers to taking control of something by force, which applies to a city being taken by an army.
The documentary brilliantly _______ the essence of life in the remote village, showcasing its unique traditions and struggles.
In this sentence, 'captured' means to record feelings or the essence of something accurately, fitting the context of a documentary.
The fugitive was finally _______ after a nationwide manhunt that lasted for weeks.
While 'captured' could also fit, 'apprehended' is a more formal and precise synonym for taking a criminal as a prisoner, especially in the context of a manhunt. However, if the intent is to use the exact word 'captured' for the exercise, then: The fugitive was finally _______ after a nationwide manhunt that lasted for weeks. (captured, released, overlooked, eluded) - Correct: captured. Explanation: 'Captured' means to take someone as a prisoner, which is appropriate for a fugitive.
Her poignant performance _______ the audience's emotions, leaving many in tears.
To 'capture emotions' means to successfully evoke or convey them, making 'captured' the correct choice here.
The scientific team successfully _______ data from the deep-sea exploration, revealing new species.
In a scientific context, 'captured' can refer to collecting or recording data, which is suitable for obtaining information from an exploration.
This sentence describes how the true nature or 'essence' of the city was skillfully recorded or expressed in a photograph. The word 'captured' is used in its artistic sense here.
This sentence uses 'uncaptured' to indicate that the fugitive was not taken as a prisoner, highlighting the ongoing effort to find them.
Here, 'captured' is used to convey that the speech accurately expressed or represented the widespread feeling of frustration among the citizens.
The enigmatic smile on the Mona Lisa's face has ______ art historians for centuries.
In this context, 'captured' means to strongly attract and hold attention, which fits the enduring fascination with the Mona Lisa's smile. 'Baffled' is also plausible but 'captured' implies a more active and sustained hold.
Despite the relentless pursuit, the elusive financier was never _______ by authorities, vanishing into the international underworld.
'Captured' here refers to being taken as a prisoner, fitting the context of authorities trying to apprehend a financier who has disappeared. While 'apprehended' is a close synonym, 'captured' emphasizes the success of the pursuit.
The photographer skillfully _______ the fleeting beauty of the sunset, preserving its ephemeral hues for posterity.
'Captured' in this instance means to record or preserve an image, sound, or feeling accurately, which perfectly describes the act of photographing a sunset. 'Encompassed' or 'enveloped' don't fit the artistic intent.
Her poignant memoir effectively _______ the zeitgeist of the post-war era, offering a vivid glimpse into a bygone generation's struggles and triumphs.
Here, 'captured' refers to the ability of the memoir to accurately and comprehensively represent or convey the essence of the post-war era. 'Encapsulated' is a strong alternative but 'captured' often carries a sense of artistic accomplishment.
The strategic hilltop was fiercely contested, but ultimately _______ by the invading forces after a protracted and bloody siege.
In this military context, 'captured' signifies gaining control of something (the hilltop) by force. 'Subjugated' could apply to people, but 'captured' is more appropriate for a geographical location.
Despite his efforts, the comedian failed to _______ the audience's attention, his jokes falling flat in the cavernous hall.
The sentence requires the infinitive form of the verb 'to capture' to fit the structure 'failed to ___'. 'Capture' here means to attract and hold attention. The other options are incorrect grammatically in this context.
Focus on how 'captivated' is used to describe the audience's reaction to the plan.
Consider the meaning of 'captured' in the context of a fugitive and a pursuit.
Pay attention to how 'captured' relates to the artist's work and the sunset.
Read this aloud:
The film intricately captured the zeitgeist of the era, reflecting its anxieties and aspirations with profound accuracy.
Focus: zeitgeist, anxieties, aspirations, profound, accuracy
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Even amidst the chaos, the photographer remarkably captured the raw emotion of the protestors, creating an iconic image that resonated globally.
Focus: chaos, remarkably, raw, emotion, resonated, globally
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Read this aloud:
The intricate design of the ancient artifact truly captured my imagination, prompting me to delve deeper into its mysterious origins.
Focus: intricate, artifact, captured, imagination, prompting, mysterious, origins
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/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
