The Verb "Sit" in English

Conjugation of "To Sit"

The verb "sit" is an irregular verb. (This means that "sit" 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 Sit"

FormsitAlternative Name
Base FormsitInfinitive Form
The -S FormsitsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormsatSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormsittingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formsat[no alternative name]
the verb to sit in English

Example Sentences with To Sit

It's your go. Select the correct version of "to sit":

"To Sit" in All the Tenses

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