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The Verb "Spread" in English

Conjugation of "To Spread"

The verb "spread" is an irregular verb. (This means that "spread" 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 Spread"

FormspreadAlternative Name
Base FormspreadInfinitive Form
The -S FormspreadsThird Person Singular Form
Past FormspreadSimple Past Tense
The -ING FormspreadingPresent Participle Form
The Past Participle Formspread[no alternative name]

"To Spread" in All the Tenses

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