Irregular verb
The verb to drive
drive → drove → driven
A2Meaning: to control a car, bus or lorry · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they drive·he/she/it drives - Past Simple:
drove - Past participle:
driven(not the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
driving
Conjugation of the verb to drive
Present Simple
| I | drive |
| You | drive |
| He / She / It | drives |
| We | drive |
| You (pl.) | drive |
| They | drive |
Past Simple
| I | drove |
| You | drove |
| He / She / It | drove |
| We | drove |
| You (pl.) | drove |
| They | drove |
All the forms of the verb to drive
Present Simple
Full pagedrive / drives
“I drive to work every day.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are driving
“I am driving to the station right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagedrove
“I drove to London yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were driving
“I was driving to the station when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has driven
“I have already driven to the station.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad driven
“She had already driven to the station when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill drive
“I will drive to the station tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to drive
“I'm going to drive to the station this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould drive
“I would drive to the station if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to drive
1. Driving a vehicle
Drive someone home means to take someone home in your car.
- I drive a car.
- Can you drive me home?
2. Going somewhere by car
Drive to + place: to go there by car.
- We drove to the beach.
- I drive to school.
3. Driving someone crazy (figurative meaning)
Drive someone crazy means to make someone very annoyed.
- You drive me crazy!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I drive my bike ❌
For a bike or a motorbike, say ride, not drive: I ride my bike to school. Use drive only for vehicles with a steering wheel.
2. It's a long driving ❌
Drive is also a noun: a journey by car. It's a long drive means the journey takes a long time by car. Drive can also mean the energy that makes you work hard: She has a lot of drive.
Going further
Conjugating to drive 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 drive. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of drive?+
The Past Simple of drive is drove. The past participle is driven. Drive → drove → driven.
What is the difference between drive and ride?+
Drive is for a vehicle with a steering wheel: a car, a lorry, or a bus when you are the driver. Ride is for a bike, a motorbike or a horse, or when you are a passenger on a bus or a train. A simple rule: steering wheel = drive; no steering wheel = ride.
Is it take or pass a driving test?+
Both, with different meanings. Take a driving test means to do the test. Pass a driving test means to succeed. I passed my driving test! means I got my licence. The document is a driving licence (UK) or a driver's license (US).
What does drive me crazy mean?+
Drive someone crazy (or mad, or nuts) is an idiom: it means to make someone very annoyed. You drive me crazy! Drive me up the wall means the same.
Is it drived or drove?+
Say drove. Drive is an irregular verb: its Past Simple is drove and its past participle is driven. Drived is never correct.
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/drive
© 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.