Regular verb
The verb to study
study → studied → studied
A2Meaning: to spend time learning about a subject · Type: regular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
study / studies(y → ies) - Past Simple:
studied(y → ied) - Past participle:
studied - -ing form:
studying
Conjugation of the verb to study
Present Simple
| I | study |
| You | study |
| He / She / It | studies |
| We | study |
| You (pl.) | study |
| They | study |
Past Simple
| I | studied |
| You | studied |
| He / She / It | studied |
| We | studied |
| You (pl.) | studied |
| They | studied |
All the forms of the verb to study
Present Simple
Full pagestudy / studies
“I study English.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are studying
“I am studying English right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagestudied
“I studied math.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were studying
“I was studying English when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has studied
“I have already studied English.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad studied
“She had already studied English when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill study
“I will study English tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to study
“I'm going to study English this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould study
“I would study English if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to study
1. Studying a subject
- I study English.
2. A study (noun)
A study is a piece of research, or a room for reading and working.
- A scientific study.
A common mistake
1. Studyed ❌
After a consonant, the y becomes i: studied, he studies. Before -ing, the y stays: studying.
Going further
Conjugating to study 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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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of study?+
The Past Simple of study is studied. The final y becomes i + -ed. This is the rule for verbs that end in a consonant + y: try → tried, cry → cried, study → studied.
What is the difference between study and learn?+
Study is the activity: you read, practise and work on a subject, often at school. Learn is the result: you get new knowledge or a new skill. I study for the exam. I learnt a lot from this lesson.
What does study mean as a noun?+
A study can be (1) a piece of research: The latest study shows interesting results. (2) a room in a house for reading and working: He's in his study.
What is the difference between student and pupil?+
Student works for any level, from school to university. Pupil is used in the UK, mostly for children at primary or secondary school. In the US, people say student for everyone.
What does studious mean?+
Studious is a positive adjective: it describes someone who studies a lot and works seriously. She is a very studious pupil. It is a compliment at school.
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/study
© 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.