The Verb "Knit" in English

Conjugation of "To Knit"

The verb "knit" is an irregular verb. (This means that "knit" does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.)

The Five Forms of "To Knit"

FormknitAlternative Name
Base FormknitInfinitive Form
The -S FormknitsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formknit (also knitted)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormknittingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formknit (also knitted)[no alternative name]

"To Knit" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "knit" conjugates in the past, present, and future tenses.

Past Tenses

PersonSimple PastPast Progressive TensePast Perfect TensePast Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • knit (also knitted)
  • knit (also knitted)
  • knit (also knitted)
  • knit (also knitted)
  • knit (also knitted)
  • knit (also knitted)
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was knitting
  • were knitting
  • was knitting
  • were knitting
  • were knitting
  • were knitting
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had knit (also knitted)
  • had knit (also knitted)
  • had knit (also knitted)
  • had knit (also knitted)
  • had knit (also knitted)
  • had knit (also knitted)
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been knitting
  • had been knitting
  • had been knitting
  • had been knitting
  • had been knitting
  • had been knitting
The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

PersonSimple PresentPresent Progressive TensePresent Perfect TensePresent Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • knit
  • knit
  • knits
  • knit
  • knit
  • knit
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am knitting
  • are knitting
  • is knitting
  • are knitting
  • are knitting
  • are knitting
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have knit (also knitted)
  • have knit (also knitted)
  • has knit (also knitted)
  • have knit (also knitted)
  • have knit (also knitted)
  • have knit (also knitted)
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been knitting
  • have been knitting
  • has been knitting
  • have been knitting
  • have been knitting
  • have been knitting
The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

PersonSimple FutureFuture Progressive TenseFuture Perfect TenseFuture Perfect Progressive Tense
  • I
  • you
  • he/she/it
  • we
  • you
  • they
  • will knit
  • will knit
  • will knit
  • will knit
  • will knit
  • will knit
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be knitting
  • will be knitting
  • will be knitting
  • will be knitting
  • will be knitting
  • will be knitting
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have knit (also knitted)
  • will have knit (also knitted)
  • will have knit (also knitted)
  • will have knit (also knitted)
  • will have knit (also knitted)
  • will have knit (also knitted)
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been knitting
  • will have been knitting
  • will have been knitting
  • will have been knitting
  • will have been knitting
  • will have been knitting
The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:

Most Common Irregular Verbs

The two most common irregular verbs in English are "be" and "have." These pages give more details about these two verbs: Here are the next 10 most common irregular verbs in English:
author logo

This page was written by Craig Shrives.