Irregular verb
The verb to sweep
sweep → swept → swept
B2Meaning: to clean the floor with a broom · Type: irregular
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they sweep·he/she/it sweeps - Past Simple:
swept - Past participle:
swept(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
sweeping
Conjugation of the verb to sweep
Present Simple
| I | sweep |
| You | sweep |
| He / She / It | sweeps |
| We | sweep |
| You (pl.) | sweep |
| They | sweep |
Past Simple
| I | swept |
| You | swept |
| He / She / It | swept |
| We | swept |
| You (pl.) | swept |
| They | swept |
All the forms of the verb to sweep
Present Simple
Full pagesweep / sweeps
“I sweep the floor every morning.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are sweeping
“I am sweeping the floor right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageswept
“She swept the floor yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were sweeping
“I was sweeping the floor when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has swept
“I have already swept the floor.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad swept
“She had already swept the floor when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill sweep
“I will sweep the floor tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to sweep
“I'm going to sweep the floor this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould sweep
“I would sweep the floor if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to sweep
1. Sweeping the floor
- She swept the floor.
- I sweep the kitchen every day.
2. Other meaning: sweep through
Sweep through means to move quickly through a place.
- A storm swept through the country.
3. Expression: sweep someone off their feet
Sweep someone off their feet means to make someone fall in love with you very quickly.
- He swept her off her feet.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. The -eep → -ept family
Sweep → swept, never sweeped. Same pattern as sleep → slept, keep → kept, weep → wept. Learn the group together.
2. Broom = the tool for sweeping
To sweep, you use a broom. Don't confuse it with a brush (smaller) or a vacuum cleaner (an electric machine).
What's next?
You can conjugate to sweep. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of sweep?+
The Past Simple of sweep is swept, the same for every person. The past participle is also swept. Sweep → swept → swept. Verbs in -eep often change to -ept: sleep → slept.
What do you sweep with?+
You sweep with a broom (a brush with a long handle): Sweep the floor with a broom. A smaller one is a brush. For small areas, people in the UK often use a dustpan and brush.
What does sweep someone off their feet mean?+
Sweep someone off their feet means to make someone fall in love with you very quickly. He swept her off her feet. It is a romantic expression.
What does sweep up mean?+
Sweep up means to sweep and collect dirt or small things. Sweep up the dust. Sweep up the leaves. It is a common phrasal verb for cleaning.
Is it swept or sweeped?+
Say swept. Sweep is irregular: the ee becomes e and you add t. Other verbs like this: sleep → slept, keep → kept, weep → wept. Sweeped is a mistake.
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/sweep
© 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.