Irregular verb
The verb to strike
strike → struck → struck
B1Meaning: to hit someone or something; to stop working as a protest · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they strike·he/she/it strikes - Past Simple:
struck(the i becomes u) - Past participle:
struck(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
striking(without the final e)
Conjugation of the verb to strike
Present Simple
| I | strike |
| You | strike |
| He / She / It | strikes |
| We | strike |
| You (pl.) | strike |
| They | strike |
Past Simple
| I | struck |
| You | struck |
| He / She / It | struck |
| We | struck |
| You (pl.) | struck |
| They | struck |
All the forms of the verb to strike
Present Simple
Full pagestrike / strikes
“Workers strike for better pay.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are striking
“I am striking the ball right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagestruck
“Lightning struck the tree.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were striking
“I was striking the ball when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has struck
“I have already struck the ball.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad struck
“She had already struck the ball when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill strike
“I will strike the ball tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to strike
“I'm going to strike the ball this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould strike
“I would strike the ball if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to strike
1. Hitting something
- He struck the ball hard.
- Lightning struck the tower.
2. Stopping work
Go on strike means to stop working as a protest.
- The teachers went on strike.
3. Ringing (a bell or a clock)
This use is a little literary: the clock rings the hour.
- The clock struck midnight.
4. Giving an impression
Strike someone as… means to seem a certain way to someone.
- She strikes me as honest.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Strike is also a noun
A strike has several meanings. (1) A time when workers stop working as a protest. (2) A hit. (3) In baseball, a ball that the player does not hit. (4) In bowling, knocking down all 10 pins at once.
2. Expressions with strike
Strike a balance means to find a good middle point. Strike a deal means to agree on something. Strike a pose means to stand in a special way, for example for a photo.
What's next?
You can conjugate to strike. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of strike?+
The Past Simple of strike is struck. The past participle is the same: struck. Strike → struck → struck. The i changes to u, like stick → stuck and sting → stung.
Is it struck or stricken?+
In everyday English, use struck: The tree was struck by lightning. Stricken also exists, but it is rare and literary. You mostly see it in adjectives with a hyphen: grief-stricken (very sad because someone died), panic-stricken (very frightened).
What does on strike mean?+
Go on strike means to stop working as a protest. Be on strike means you are not working for this reason. The workers went on strike yesterday. The noun is a strike.
What does strike a deal mean?+
Strike a deal means to agree on something after a discussion: They struck a deal yesterday. Other expressions: strike a pose (to stand in a special way for a photo) and strike a balance (to find a good middle point).
Is it struck or striked?+
Strike is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is struck, never striked. Other verbs change i to u in the same way: stick → stuck, sting → stung, swing → swung, dig → dug.
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/strike
© 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.