The Verb "Put" in English

Conjugation of "To Put"

The verb "put" is an irregular verb. (This means that "put" 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 Put"

FormputAlternative Name
Base FormputInfinitive Form
The -S FormputsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormputSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormputtingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formput[no alternative name]

"To Put" in All the Tenses

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