The Verb "Alight" in English

Conjugation of "To Alight"

The verb "alight" is an irregular verb. (This means that "alight" 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 Alight"

FormalightAlternative Name
Base FormalightInfinitive Form
The -S FormalightsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formalit (also alighted)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormalightingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formalit (also alighted)[no alternative name]

"To Alight" in All the Tenses

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