Irregular verb
The verb to shine
shine → shone → shone
B1Meaning: to give out bright light; to be very good at something · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they shine·he/she/it shines - Past Simple:
shone(UK) /shined(US) - Past participle:
shone(UK) /shined(US) - -ing form:
shining
Conjugation of the verb to shine
Present Simple
| I | shine |
| You | shine |
| He / She / It | shines |
| We | shine |
| You (pl.) | shine |
| They | shine |
Past Simple
| I | shone |
| You | shone |
| He / She / It | shone |
| We | shone |
| You (pl.) | shone |
| They | shone |
All the forms of the verb to shine
Present Simple
Full pageshine / shines
“The sun shines bright.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are shining
“I am shining a torch into the garden right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageshone (UK) / shined (US)
“The sun shone all day.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were shining
“I was shining a torch into the garden when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has shone
“I have already shone a torch into the garden.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad shone
“She had already shone a torch into the garden when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill shine
“I will shine a torch into the garden tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to shine
“I'm going to shine a torch into the garden this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould shine
“I would shine a torch into the garden if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to shine
1. Shining (the sun, stars)
- The sun shines bright.
- Stars shone in the sky.
2. Figurative: being excellent
Shine can mean to be very good at something. Shine through means you can see something clearly.
- She shone in the competition.
- His talent shines through.
3. Polishing something (with an object)
Shine your shoes means to polish them. Here the past is shined.
- He shined his shoes.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He shone his shoes ❌
Shine has two pasts. For giving out light (no object): The sun shone. For polishing something (with an object): He shined his shoes, in British and in American English.
2. Shiney ❌
Shine + -y = shiny: the final e drops. Shiny shoes. A shiny new bike.
What's next?
You can conjugate to shine. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of shine?+
The Past Simple of shine is shone (UK, said /ʃɒn/) or shined (US). The past participle is the same. When shine means to give out light, British English uses shone. When it means to polish (shine your shoes), the past is shined.
What is the difference between shone and shined?+
Shone is irregular. It is for giving out light: The sun shone. British English prefers it, and it is common in books. Shined is regular. It is the usual form for polishing: He shined his shoes. For giving out light, American English accepts both.
What does shine mean when you talk about a person?+
For a person, shine means to be very good at something, better than others. She shines at maths. Her talent shines through means you can see her talent clearly. It is always positive.
Is it shine or polish your shoes?+
Both are correct: shine your shoes or polish your shoes. In the past, say I shined my shoes (the regular form, more common in the US) or I polished my shoes.
What does shiny mean?+
Shiny is an adjective: bright, reflecting light. A shiny new car. The ending -y turns the verb shine into an adjective (the e drops). It is a very common word.
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/shine
© 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.