The Verb "Dive" in English

Conjugation of "To Dive"

The verb "dive" is an irregular verb. (This means that "dive" 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 Dive"

FormdiveAlternative Name
Base FormdiveInfinitive Form
The -S FormdivesThird Person Singular Form
Past Formdived (also dove)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormdivingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formdived[no alternative name]

"To Dive" in All the Tenses

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