Regular verb
The verb to answer
answer → answered → answered
A2Meaning: to say or write something back; to pick up a ringing phone · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
answer / answers - Past Simple:
answered - Past participle:
answered - -ing form:
answering
Conjugation of the verb to answer
Present Simple
| I | answer |
| You | answer |
| He / She / It | answers |
| We | answer |
| You (pl.) | answer |
| They | answer |
Past Simple
| I | answered |
| You | answered |
| He / She / It | answered |
| We | answered |
| You (pl.) | answered |
| They | answered |
All the forms of the verb to answer
Present Simple
Full pageanswer / answers
“Answer the question.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are answering
“I am answering the question right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageanswered
“She answered the phone.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were answering
“I was answering the question when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has answered
“I have already answered the question.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad answered
“She had already answered the question when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill answer
“I will answer the question tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to answer
“I'm going to answer the question this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould answer
“I would answer the question if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to answer
1. Answering a question
- Answer the question.
2. Answering the phone
Answer the phone = to pick up the phone when it rings.
- Answer the phone!
A common mistake
1. Answer back
Answer back = to answer in a rude way. Don't answer back!
Going further
Conjugating to answer is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to answer. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: answer
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of answer?+
The Past Simple of answer is answered. It is a regular verb: just add -ed.
Is the w in answer silent?+
Yes. Answer is /ˈɑːnsə/: the w is silent. A common mistake is to say the w. It is the same in sword and two.
What is the difference between answer and reply?+
Answer is the general word, for speaking and writing. Reply is often used in writing, for emails and letters, and it is a little more formal. Notice the grammar: answer my question, but reply to my email. Very often, you can use both.
Is it answer the phone or reply the phone?+
Say answer the phone, with no preposition: it means to pick up the phone when it rings. Reply the phone is wrong. You answer the phone, the door or a question. You reply to a letter or an email.
What does answer back mean?+
Answer back means to answer someone in a rude way, often an adult. Parents often say it to children: Don't answer back! You also hear talk back.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/answer
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.