The Verb "Make" in English

Conjugation of "To Make"

The verb "make" is an irregular verb. (This means that "make" 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 Make"

FormmakeAlternative Name
Base FormmakeInfinitive Form
The -S FormmakesThird Person Singular Form
Past FormmadeSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormmakingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formmade[no alternative name]

"To Make" in All the Tenses

The tables below show how "make" 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
  • made
  • made
  • made
  • made
  • made
  • made
The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.
  • was making
  • were making
  • was making
  • were making
  • were making
  • were making
The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.
  • had made
  • had made
  • had made
  • had made
  • had made
  • had made
The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place.
  • had been making
  • had been making
  • had been making
  • had been making
  • had been making
  • had been making
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
  • make
  • make
  • makes
  • make
  • make
  • make
The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit.
  • am making
  • are making
  • is making
  • are making
  • are making
  • are making
The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.
  • have made
  • have made
  • has made
  • have made
  • have made
  • have made
The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)
  • have been making
  • have been making
  • has been making
  • have been making
  • have been making
  • have been making
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 make
  • will make
  • will make
  • will make
  • will make
  • will make
The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future.
  • will be making
  • will be making
  • will be making
  • will be making
  • will be making
  • will be making
The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future.
  • will have made
  • will have made
  • will have made
  • will have made
  • will have made
  • will have made
The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.
  • will have been making
  • will have been making
  • will have been making
  • will have been making
  • will have been making
  • will have been making
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:
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This page was written by Craig Shrives.