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The Verb "Clap" in English

Conjugation of "To Clap"

The verb "clap" is an irregular verb. (This means that "clap" 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 Clap"

FormclapAlternative Name
Base FormclapInfinitive Form
The -S FormclapsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formclapped (also clapt)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormclappingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formclapped (also clapt)[no alternative name]

"To Clap" in All the Tenses

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

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