Regular verb
The verb to call
call → called → called
A1Meaning: to phone someone; to give someone or something a name · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
call / calls - Past Simple:
called - Past participle:
called - -ing form:
calling
Conjugation of the verb to call
Present Simple
| I | call |
| You | call |
| He / She / It | calls |
| We | call |
| You (pl.) | call |
| They | call |
Past Simple
| I | called |
| You | called |
| He / She / It | called |
| We | called |
| You (pl.) | called |
| They | called |
All the forms of the verb to call
Present Simple
Full pagecall / calls
“Call me later.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are calling
“I am calling a friend right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagecalled
“I called her yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were calling
“I was calling a friend when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has called
“I have already called a friend.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad called
“She had already called a friend when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill call
“I will call a friend tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to call
“I'm going to call a friend this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould call
“I would call a friend if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to call
1. Calling someone on the phone
- Call me later.
2. Saying your name
I'm called Sarah means the same as My name is Sarah.
- I'm called Sarah.
3. Cancelling something
Call off means to cancel: you decide that an event will not happen.
- Call off the meeting.
A common mistake
1. My name is called Sarah ❌
This sentence mixes two correct patterns. Say My name is Sarah or I'm called Sarah. Use one or the other, never both together.
Going further
Conjugating to call 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 call. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
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For teachersReady-made activities to practise to call in class
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Related pages: call
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of call?+
Call is a regular verb. Its Past Simple and its past participle are both called: I called my grandmother last night.
What is the difference between call back, call off and call up?+
Call back means to phone someone again: I'll call you back in five minutes. Call off means to cancel: They called off the match because of the rain. Call out means to shout something: The teacher called out our names. Call up means to phone someone, mostly in American English.
How do you say your name in English?+
The most common way is My name is Sarah. You can also say I'm called Sarah. For another person: His name is Tom, He's called Tom or They call him Tom. Avoid He calls himself Tom: it means this is the name he uses, maybe not his real name.
What is the difference between call and phone?+
As verbs, call and phone mean the same: I'll call you tonight or I'll phone you tonight. Phone is more British. As a noun, say a call or a phone call: I got a call from my aunt. In informal British English, you can also say Give me a ring.
What does call someone out mean?+
Call someone out is a modern expression, used a lot on social media. It means to say in public that someone did something wrong: She called him out for his rude comments. Its first meaning is still to shout: He called out my name.
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/call
© 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.