The verb to drive · Conjugation
Past Simple of drive
The answer: drove
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to drive is drove.
Example: I drove to London yesterday.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | drove |
| You | drove |
| He / She / It | drove |
| We | drove |
| You (pl.) | drove |
| They | drove |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I have drove ❌
I drove to the beach yesterday. ✓ I have driven this car. ✓ After have or has, always use driven.
2. Drived ❌
Drive is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is drove, never drived.
3. She drives a motorbike ❌
With a steering wheel, use drive. Without one (a bike, a motorbike, a horse), use ride: drive a car, ride a bike, ride a motorbike.
Practice quiz
Going further
The English contest tests the Past Simple of drive in real sentences
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of drive?+
The Past Simple of drive is drove. The past participle is driven. Drive → drove → driven.
Is it drive a bike or ride a bike?+
Say ride a bike. Drive is for a car or a lorry (with a steering wheel). Ride is for a bike, a motorbike or a horse, or when you are a passenger. I drive a car. I ride a bike.
Why is it not drived?+
Because drive is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is drove, never drived.
How do you say you got your driving licence?+
Say I passed my driving test or I got my driving licence (UK). In American English: I got my driver's license. You take a test, and you pass it when you succeed.
Does drive have a figurative meaning?+
Yes! Drive someone crazy (or mad) means to make someone very annoyed: You're driving me crazy! Drive can also mean to push someone to do something: Her love of music drives her to practise every day.
Related pages: drive Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/past-simple
© 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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to drive are coming soon.