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The Verb "Overtake" in English

Conjugation of "To Overtake"

The verb "overtake" is an irregular verb. (This means that "overtake" 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 Overtake"

FormovertakeAlternative Name
Base FormovertakeInfinitive Form
The -S FormovertakesThird Person Singular Form
Past FormovertookSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormovertakingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formovertaken[no alternative name]

"To Overtake" in All the Tenses

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