The verb to sweep · Conjugation
Past Simple of sweep
The answer: swept
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to sweep is swept.
Example: She swept the floor yesterday.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | swept |
| You | swept |
| He / She / It | swept |
| We | swept |
| You (pl.) | swept |
| They | swept |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Sweeped ❌
Sweep is an irregular verb. Its Past Simple is swept, never sweeped.
2. Sweept ❌
Sweep has two e's, but swept has only one: the ee becomes e. The same goes for sleep → slept, keep → kept, weep → wept.
3. Sweep up = to sweep and collect
A common phrasal verb: sweep up the dust. It is often followed by the thing you sweep: Can you sweep up the broken glass?
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of sweep?+
The Past Simple of sweep is swept. The past participle is also swept (the same). Sweep → swept → swept, like sleep → slept and keep → kept.
Is sweeped correct?+
No. Sweep is irregular. Its Past Simple is swept (one e), never sweeped. Like sleep → slept and keep → kept.
What does swept her off her 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 is a sweeper?+
A sweeper is (1) a person who sweeps. (2) a machine that sweeps. (3) in football, a defender who plays behind the other defenders.
How do you use sweep up?+
Sweep up means to sweep and collect dirt: Sweep up the leaves. It is a common phrasal verb for cleaning.
Related pages: sweep Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/past-simple
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to sweep are coming soon.