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The Verb "Set" in English

Conjugation of "To Set"

The verb "set" is an irregular verb. (This means that "set" 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 Set"

FormsetAlternative Name
Base FormsetInfinitive Form
The -S FormsetsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormsetSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormsettingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formset[no alternative name]

"To Set" in All the Tenses

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

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