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English contestConjugating to mow is a key skill in the English contest

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple of mow?+

The Past Simple of mow is mowed (regular). The past participle is mown (the classic irregular form) or mowed (regular). Mow → mowed → mown / mowed. It is like show → showed → shown.

What is a lawnmower?+

A lawnmower (one word) is a machine that cuts grass. Lawn is an area of short grass, and a mower is a machine that mows. To mow the lawn is a classic job in the garden at the weekend.

Is it mow the lawn or cut the grass?+

Both mean the same thing in the garden. Mow is the exact word for cutting grass with a machine. Cut is the general word, and cut the grass is very common in speech. I mowed the lawn. I cut the grass.

What does mow down mean?+

Mow down means to knock down or kill many people or things quickly. It is a very strong, violent expression. You mostly find it in news and war stories, so use it with care.

Why does mow have two past participles?+

Mow is slowly moving from irregular (mown, the classic form) to regular (mowed, the modern form). As an adjective, the classic form is more common: newly mown grass. In the passive, both are accepted: The grass was mowed / mown yesterday.

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 →

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