The Verb "Kneel" in English

Conjugation of "To Kneel"

The verb "kneel" is an irregular verb. (This means that "kneel" 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 Kneel"

FormkneelAlternative Name
Base FormkneelInfinitive Form
The -S FormkneelsThird Person Singular Form
Past Formknelt (also kneeled)Simple Past Tense
The -ING FormkneelingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formknelt (also kneeled)[no alternative name]

"To Kneel" in All the Tenses

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