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Irregular verb

The verb to swing

swing → swung → swung

B2Meaning: to move back and forward; to move in a curve · Type: irregular

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Key points to remember

  • Present Simple: I/you/we/they swing · he/she/it swings
  • Past Simple: swung
  • Past participle: swung (the same as the Past Simple)
  • -ing form: swinging

Conjugation of the verb to swing

Present Simple

Iswing
Youswing
He / She / Itswings
Weswing
You (pl.)swing
Theyswing

Past Simple

Iswung
Youswung
He / She / Itswung
Weswung
You (pl.)swung
Theyswung

How to use to swing

1. Moving back and forward

  • The pendulum swings.
  • Children swing on the swing.

2. Hitting with a swinging movement

Swing a bat, swing a golf club: move it fast in a curve to hit the ball.

  • He swung the bat hard.

3. Phrasal verb: swing by

Swing by means to visit for a short time.

  • I'll swing by tomorrow.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Swinged ❌

Swing is irregular: swung in the Past Simple and as a past participle, like sting → stung. The door swung open.

2. In full swing

This idiom means at the busiest, most lively moment. The party was in full swing when we arrived.

What's next?

You can conjugate to swing. Now say it out loud.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the past simple of swing?+

The Past Simple of swing is swung, the same for every person. The past participle is also swung. Swing → swung → swung. Other verbs change from -ing to -ung too: sting → stung.

Can swing be a noun?+

Yes, with several meanings. 1. A seat that moves back and forward, in a park or a garden: The children played on the swing. 2. A movement from side to side. 3. A style of music and dance from the 1930s and 1940s: swing music. 4. The movement when you hit the ball in golf.

What does swing by mean?+

Swing by (a place) means to visit for a short time, often on your way somewhere. I'll swing by your house after school. It is an informal and friendly phrasal verb.

What does in full swing mean?+

In full swing means at the busiest, most active moment. The festival is in full swing means the festival is very busy and lively right now. It is a very common idiom.

Is it swung or swinged?+

Say swung. Swing is irregular, so swinged is wrong. It follows the -ing → -ung pattern: swing → swung, sting → stung, sling → slung.

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 →