Irregular verb
The verb to kneel
kneel → knelt → knelt
B2Meaning: to go down on your knees · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they kneel·he/she/it kneels - Past Simple:
knelt(common in the UK) orkneeled(common in the US) - Past participle:
kneltorkneeled - -ing form:
kneeling
Conjugation of the verb to kneel
Present Simple
| I | kneel |
| You | kneel |
| He / She / It | kneels |
| We | kneel |
| You (pl.) | kneel |
| They | kneel |
Past Simple
| I | knelt / kneeled |
| You | knelt / kneeled |
| He / She / It | knelt / kneeled |
| We | knelt / kneeled |
| You (pl.) | knelt / kneeled |
| They | knelt / kneeled |
All the forms of the verb to kneel
Present Simple
Full pagekneel / kneels
“He kneels to pray.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are kneeling
“I am kneeling on the floor right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageknelt (UK) / kneeled (US)
“She knelt down to tie her shoes.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were kneeling
“I was kneeling on the floor when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has knelt
“I have already knelt on the floor.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad knelt
“She had already knelt on the floor when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill kneel
“I will kneel on the floor tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to kneel
“I'm going to kneel on the floor this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould kneel
“I would kneel on the floor if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to kneel
1. Kneeling (to pray, to propose)
Propose here means to ask someone to marry you.
- He knelt down to pray.
- He knelt to propose.
2. Going down on your knees
- She knelt down to look at the flower.
3. Take a knee (protest)
A political gesture in the USA: to put one knee on the ground as a protest.
- Players took a knee during the anthem.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Saying the k in kneel ❌
Many words that start with kn- have a silent k: kneel /niːl/, know /nəʊ/, knife /naɪf/, knock /nɒk/, knee /niː/, knight /naɪt/.
2. On bended knee
On bended knee is a fixed, literary expression: kneeling on one knee, often to ask someone to marry you. Bended only appears in this expression. In normal sentences, say kneeling.
What's next?
You can conjugate to kneel. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to kneel on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to kneel in class
The Academy offers self-marking exercises and progress tracking for each student: your class practises, and you see who has got it and who needs more help.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestConjugating to kneel 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.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of kneel?+
There are two correct forms: knelt (irregular, the most common, especially in the UK) and kneeled (regular, especially in the US). The past participle is the same. Kneel → knelt/kneeled → knelt/kneeled.
How do you pronounce kneel?+
Kneel is /niːl/. The first k is silent, like in know /nəʊ/, knife /naɪf/, knock /nɒk/ and knee /niː/. English words that start with kn- have a silent k.
Why are there two forms, knelt and kneeled?+
Kneel has an irregular form (knelt, the older one) and a regular form (kneeled, the newer one). This happens with verbs that are slowly becoming regular. British English keeps knelt. American English uses both, and kneeled is much more frequent there.
What does take a knee mean?+
Take a knee means to put one knee on the ground. In 2016, the American football player Colin Kaepernick (NFL) made it famous as a protest against racism and police violence in the USA. It became a political symbol.
What is the difference between kneel and bow?+
Kneel = to go down on your knees. Bow = to bend the top part of your body forward. Knights kneel before the king. In Japan, people bow to say hello.
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/kneel
© 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.