Irregular verb
The verb to show
show → showed → shown
A2Meaning: to let someone see something; to make something clear · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they show·he/she/it shows - Past Simple:
showed - Past participle:
shown(sometimesshowedin the US) - -ing form:
showing
Conjugation of the verb to show
Present Simple
| I | show |
| You | show |
| He / She / It | shows |
| We | show |
| You (pl.) | show |
| They | show |
Past Simple
| I | showed |
| You | showed |
| He / She / It | showed |
| We | showed |
| You (pl.) | showed |
| They | showed |
All the forms of the verb to show
Present Simple
Full pageshow / shows
“I show photos to my friends.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are showing
“I am showing the photos to a friend right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageshowed
“I showed him my homework.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were showing
“I was showing the photos to a friend when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has shown
“I have already shown the photos to a friend.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad shown
“She had already shown the photos to a friend when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill show
“I will show the photos to a friend tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to show
“I'm going to show the photos to a friend this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould show
“I would show the photos to a friend if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to show
1. Showing something to someone
- I showed her my photos.
- Can you show me the way?
2. Showing a quality
You can show a quality or a feeling: show courage, show respect.
- She showed great courage.
- He shows respect.
3. Phrasal verbs: show up / show off
Show up means to arrive or to come. Show off means to try to impress people with what you have or what you can do.
- He didn't show up at the party.
- Stop showing off!
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Shew ❌
Show is only half irregular. Its Past Simple is regular: showed. Only the past participle is irregular: shown. Don't copy know → knew → known: say showed, not shew.
2. Show is also a noun
A show is something you watch. A TV show is a programme on TV. A show can also be a performance on a stage.
Going further
Conjugating to show 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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Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to show. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of show?+
The Past Simple of show is showed (regular). The past participle is shown (irregular). Show → showed → shown.
Is show a regular or irregular verb?+
It is half regular. The Past Simple is regular: showed. But the past participle is irregular: shown. The past participle is the only irregular form.
Is it showed or shown?+
Showed is the Past Simple: I showed her the photo yesterday. Shown is the past participle, used after have / has: I have shown her the photo. In informal American English, people sometimes use showed as the past participle too.
How do you use show in a sentence?+
There are two patterns, and both are correct. Show + person + thing: I showed her the photo. Show + thing + to + person: I showed the photo to her.
What does show up mean?+
Show up is a phrasal verb: it means to arrive or to come, often when people are waiting for you. He didn't show up means he didn't come.
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/show
© 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.