Irregular verb
The verb to seek
seek → sought → sought
B1Meaning: to try to find something; to ask for something (formal) · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they seek·he/she/it seeks - Past Simple:
sought(said /sɔːt/, like bought) - Past participle:
sought(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
seeking
Conjugation of the verb to seek
Present Simple
| I | seek |
| You | seek |
| He / She / It | seeks |
| We | seek |
| You (pl.) | seek |
| They | seek |
Past Simple
| I | sought |
| You | sought |
| He / She / It | sought |
| We | sought |
| You (pl.) | sought |
| They | sought |
All the forms of the verb to seek
Present Simple
Full pageseek / seeks
“We seek a solution.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are seeking
“I am seeking help right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesought
“They sought help from the police.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were seeking
“I was seeking help when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has sought
“I have already sought help.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad sought
“She had already sought help when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill seek
“I will seek help tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to seek
“I'm going to seek help this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould seek
“I would seek help if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to seek
1. Seeking something (formal)
Mostly in writing, or in fixed expressions.
- We seek a qualified candidate.
- She sought advice from a lawyer.
2. Asking for help or advice
Seek help, seek advice, seek permission: to ask for help, for advice or for permission.
- Seek help if you need it.
- You should seek medical advice.
3. Hide-and-seek
A children's game: the other players hide, and one player looks for them.
- Let's play hide-and-seek.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Seeked ❌
Sought belongs with bought, brought, thought, fought, caught and taught. They all end in the sound /ɔːt/. Seeked is never correct.
2. I'm seeking my keys ❌
In everyday English, say look for. Use seek in writing or in formal English. Compare I'm looking for my keys (everyday) and The company seeks new partners (written).
What's next?
You can conjugate to seek. Now say it out loud.
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Related pages: seek
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of seek?+
The Past Simple of seek is sought (said /sɔːt/, like bought and thought). The past participle is the same: sought. Seek → sought → sought.
How do you pronounce sought?+
Sought is said /sɔːt/, exactly like bought, brought, thought and fought: -ough- sounds /ɔː/. These past forms in -ought are a small, closed group of irregular verbs: no new verbs join it.
What is the difference between seek and look for?+
Both mean to try to find something. Seek is formal: you find it in writing, in books, in job adverts and in medical advice. Look for is the everyday verb. When you speak, always say look for: I'm looking for my keys.
What is hide-and-seek?+
Hide-and-seek is a children's game: the other players hide, and one player looks for them. Let's play hide-and-seek! It is a fixed expression with seek.
Is it seeked or sought?+
Say sought. Seek is an irregular verb, so its Past Simple is sought, never seeked. Other past forms end in -ought too: buy → bought, bring → brought, think → thought, fight → fought.
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/seek
© 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.