Irregular verb
The verb to put
put → put → put
A2Meaning: to move something into a place or position · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they put·he/she/it puts - Past Simple:
put(the same as the base form) - Past participle:
put(all 3 forms are the same) - -ing form:
putting(double t)
Conjugation of the verb to put
Present Simple
| I | put |
| You | put |
| He / She / It | puts |
| We | put |
| You (pl.) | put |
| They | put |
Past Simple
| I | put |
| You | put |
| He / She / It | put |
| We | put |
| You (pl.) | put |
| They | put |
All the forms of the verb to put
Present Simple
Full pageput / puts
“I put the book on the table.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are putting
“I am putting the books on the shelf right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageput
“I put my keys on the table.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were putting
“I was putting the books on the shelf when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has put
“I have already put the books on the shelf.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad put
“She had already put the books on the shelf when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill put
“I will put the books on the shelf tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to put
“I'm going to put the books on the shelf this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould put
“I would put the books on the shelf if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to put
1. Putting something somewhere
- Put it on the table.
- I put my coat on the chair.
2. Phrasal verb: put on
Put on means to dress in clothes, or to switch on (the TV, the radio).
- Put on your coat, it's cold.
- Put on the TV.
3. Phrasal verbs: put off / put up with
Put off means to move to a later time. Put up with means to accept something bad.
- They put off the meeting.
- I can't put up with this noise.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. A key verb for phrasal verbs
Put is in many phrasal verbs, and each one has its own meaning. Learn them one by one: put on, put off, put up, put down, put away, put out, put in, put through, put up with.
2. Put, place or set?
Put is the everyday word. Place is more formal and often means you do it carefully. Set means to put something in a position: set the table. In most sentences, put is the natural choice: Put your bag here.
Going further
Conjugating to put 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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Related pages: put
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of put?+
The Past Simple of put is put, the same as the base form. The past participle is also put. It is in the family of verbs that never change: cut, hit, hurt, let, put, set, shut.
Why does putting have two t's?+
Put ends in consonant + short vowel + consonant (the CVC rule). Before -ing, the final consonant doubles: put → putting. It is the same with cut → cutting and run → running.
What does put on mean?+
Put on has several meanings. 1. To dress in clothes: Put on your coat. 2. To switch on: Can you put on the TV? 3. To get heavier: He put on weight last winter. 4. To pretend: She is putting on an act. It is a very common phrasal verb.
What does put up with mean?+
Put up with means to accept something bad or annoying without complaining. I can't put up with this noise any more. Two synonyms: tolerate and stand (I can't stand this noise).
Is it put or putted?+
Say put. Put → put → put: the verb never changes, so putted is wrong. In golf, you may see putted, but it comes from another verb, putt.
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/put
© 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.