The Verb "Behold" in English

Conjugation of "To Behold"

The verb "behold" is an irregular verb. (This means that "behold" 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 Behold"

FormbeholdAlternative Name
Base FormbeholdInfinitive Form
The -S FormbeholdsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormbeheldSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormbeholdingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formbeheld[no alternative name]

"To Behold" in All the Tenses

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