Irregular verb
The verb to sow
sow → sowed → sown
B2Meaning: to put seeds in the ground; to cause doubt or fear · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they sow·he/she/it sows - Past Simple:
sowed(regular) - Past participle:
sown(irregular, with -n) orsowed - -ing form:
sowing
Conjugation of the verb to sow
Present Simple
| I | sow |
| You | sow |
| He / She / It | sows |
| We | sow |
| You (pl.) | sow |
| They | sow |
Past Simple
| I | sowed |
| You | sowed |
| He / She / It | sowed |
| We | sowed |
| You (pl.) | sowed |
| They | sowed |
All the forms of the verb to sow
Present Simple
Full pagesow / sows
“Farmers sow seeds in spring.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are sowing
“I am sowing the seeds right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagesowed
“He sowed wheat in the field.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were sowing
“I was sowing the seeds when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has sown
“I have already sown the seeds.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad sown
“She had already sown the seeds when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill sow
“I will sow the seeds tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to sow
“I'm going to sow the seeds this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould sow
“I would sow the seeds if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to sow
1. Sowing seeds
- Farmers sow seeds in spring.
- They sowed wheat in the field.
2. Sowing doubt or fear (figurative)
A figurative meaning: to cause a bad feeling or a problem, like doubt, fear or disagreement.
- He sowed doubt in their minds.
- Sow the seeds of revolution.
3. A proverb
You reap what you sow means that your actions have results, good or bad.
- You reap what you sow.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Sow, sew, so: homophones
Sow (to put seeds in the ground) /səʊ/, sew (to use a needle and thread) /səʊ/, so /səʊ/. Three words that sound the same, with very different meanings. Check the spelling when you write.
2. A verb between two patterns
Sow is moving from irregular (sown) to regular (sowed), like show → showed → shown/showed. Both past participles are correct: The seeds were sown in May and The seeds were sowed in May.
What's next?
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Related pages: sow
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of sow?+
The Past Simple of sow is sowed (regular). The past participle is sown (irregular, with -n) or sowed (regular, also correct). Sow → sowed → sown/sowed. It works like show → showed → shown.
How do you pronounce sow?+
The verb sow (to put seeds in the ground) is /səʊ/, like so and sew. The noun sow (a female pig) is /saʊ/, like cow. Same spelling, two different words, two different sounds.
What is the difference between sow, sew and so?+
These three words are homophones: they all sound /səʊ/. Sow = to put seeds in the ground. Sew = to make or repair clothes with a needle and thread. So = a linking word, like therefore. Different spellings, same sound.
Is it sow or plant?+
Sow is for seeds: you spread a lot of small seeds, often in a field on a farm. Plant is for one plant at a time: you put a young plant or a tree in the ground, often in a garden. Farmers sow wheat. I planted a tree.
What does “you reap what you sow” mean?+
It is an old proverb from the Bible. It means that your actions have results. If you do good things, good things come back to you. If you do bad things, bad things come back to you. (To reap means to cut and collect a crop.)
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/sow
© 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.