Mastering the Past Tense of “Build”: Forms, Uses & Examples

by

The verb “build” is central to everyday English, describing the creation or construction of everything from houses to ideas. Whether you’re recounting a past project, narrating history, or simply sharing what you completed yesterday, mastering the past tense of “build” is essential for clear, correct communication.

This comprehensive guide will help English learners, educators, and professionals understand the past tense of “build” deeply. You’ll discover definitions, grammar structures, usage rules, extensive examples, common errors, practice exercises, advanced nuances, and helpful FAQs.

By the end, you’ll confidently use “built” in various contexts, improving both your spoken and written English.

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section

3.1. Introduction to the Verb “Build”

“Build” means to construct, create, or develop something. It can refer to physical objects like houses, bridges, or machines, as well as abstract things like relationships or reputations.

In grammar, “build” is classified as an irregular verb. Unlike regular verbs, it does not take a simple “-ed” ending in the past tense.

Here are its essential forms:

Base Form Past Tense Past Participle Present Participle 3rd Person Singular
build built built building builds

3.2. What is the Past Tense?

The past tense in English signals that an action or event occurred and finished at a previous time. It helps us share stories, report facts, and describe experiences that have already happened.

There are four main past tense forms:

  • Simple Past: completed actions (e.g., “built”)
  • Past Continuous: ongoing past actions (e.g., “was building”)
  • Past Perfect: actions completed before another past action (e.g., “had built”)
  • Past Perfect Continuous: ongoing actions up to another past point (e.g., “had been building”)

3.3. Past Tense of “Build”

Unlike regular verbs, “build” changes internally to become “built” in the past tense. This form also doubles as the past participle.

Use “built” when describing something that was constructed or created in the past, whether in a story, historical account, or explaining a past process.

Examples:

  • “They built a new hospital last year.”
  • “The castle was built centuries ago.”

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Forming the Simple Past with “Build”

To create the simple past of “build,” change the vowel from /ɪ/ in “build” to /ɪl/ in “built.” There is no “-ed” ending because “build” is irregular.

Pronunciation:

  • build: /bɪld/
  • built: /bɪlt/

See how “built” is used across pronouns in the table below:

Person Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I I built a house. I did not build a house. Did I build a house?
You You built a shed. You did not build a shed. Did you build a shed?
He/She/It He built a bridge. He did not build a bridge. Did he build a bridge?
We We built a school. We did not build a school. Did we build a school?
They They built roads. They did not build roads. Did they build roads?

4.2. Using “Built” as Past Participle

The form “built” also functions as the past participle. It’s used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.

Examples:

  • Present perfect: “They have built a hospital.”
  • Past perfect: “They had built a hospital before 2000.”
  • Passive: “The hospital was built last year.”

4.3. Negative Forms

In the negative simple past, use “did not” + base form build, not “built.”

Correct: “They did not build the fence.”

Incorrect: “They did not built the fence.”

4.4. Interrogative Forms

In questions, use Did + subject + build.

Example: “Did she build the model herself?”

4.5. Spelling Notes

  • No “-ed” ending is added.
  • No doubling of consonants.
  • Simply memorize build → built, like other irregular verbs (e.g., “find → found”).

5. Types or Categories

5.1. Simple Past Tense

Use simple past with “built” for actions completed at a definite time in the past.

Example: “He built a sandcastle yesterday.”

5.2. Past Continuous

Use was/were + building for actions that were ongoing in the past.

Example: “They were building the bridge when it started to rain.”

Note: Never say “They were built” to mean ongoing action.

5.3. Past Perfect

Use had + built for an action completed before another past event.

Example: “She had built the prototype before the meeting.”

5.4. Past Perfect Continuous

Use had been + building for an action that was ongoing before another past point.

Example: “They had been building the house for months before winter arrived.”

5.5. Passive Voice Forms

  • Simple past passive: “The house was built in 1990.”
  • Past perfect passive: “The house had been built before we moved in.”

6. Examples Section

6.1. Basic Simple Past Examples

  1. I built a birdhouse last weekend.
  2. The company built new offices downtown.
  3. She built a model airplane.
  4. They built a playground for kids.
  5. We built a snowman during winter.
  6. He built a raft for the river trip.
  7. My father built a bookshelf.
  8. The villagers built a well.
  9. Our neighbors built a gazebo.
  10. Engineers built the dam in two years.

6.2. Examples by Subject Pronoun

Pronoun Example Sentence
I I built a sandcastle.
You You built a computer from parts.
He He built a robot for the contest.
She She built a robot.
It It built a nest (referring to a bird).
We We built a raft.
They They built a playground.

6.3. Examples with Time Expressions

  • They built the dam two years ago.
  • We built our house in 2010.
  • He built the garage last summer.
  • She built her business from scratch last year.
  • The Romans built many roads centuries ago.

6.4. Past Perfect Examples

  • He had built the set before the play started.
  • We had built the shelter when the storm hit.
  • They had built the prototype before the deadline.
  • She had built a reputation by the time she retired.
  • The team had built the app before launch day.

6.5. Passive Voice Examples

  • The skyscraper was built in record time.
  • The road was built by the government.
  • The hospital was built last year.
  • The dam was built after the flood.
  • The house was built in 1995.

6.6. Complex Sentences

  • After they had built the fence, they painted it.
  • Because he built the shed quickly, he had time to rest.
  • Once the team had built the website, they launched it.
  • When we built the treehouse, we made it very sturdy.
  • Although they had built the bridge, it still needed repairs.

6.7. Comparison Table: Active vs. Passive Sentences

Active Passive
The workers built the bridge. The bridge was built by the workers.
She built the app last year. The app was built last year (by her).
They built a new road. A new road was built.
We built a shelter. A shelter was built.
Engineers built the dam. The dam was built by engineers.

6.8. Collocations and Phrases

  • “Built from scratch“: “She built her company from scratch.”
  • “Built on experience“: “The program was built on years of experience.”
  • “Built a reputation“: “He built a reputation for honesty.”
  • “Built in a day“: “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
  • “Built to last“: “The bridge was built to last.”

6.9. Idiomatic Uses

  • “The car was built for speed.”
  • “This product was built to last.”
  • “The program was built on trust.”
  • “The city was built from humble beginnings.”
  • “Their partnership was built on respect.”

6.10. Summary Table 5: At Least 40 Examples Organized by Category

Category Examples
Simple Past
  • I built a robot.
  • You built a shelf.
  • He built a sandcastle.
  • We built a website.
  • They built a cabin.
  • She built a tower.
  • The company built a factory.
  • Farmers built a barn.
  • My dad built a garage.
  • The kids built a fort.
Past Perfect
  • She had built her career before moving abroad.
  • They had built the shelter before the storm.
  • We had built trust before signing the deal.
  • He had built the model before the contest.
  • The team had built the software before the launch.
Passive
  • The bridge was built last year.
  • The dam was built by engineers.
  • The hospital was built quickly.
  • A new school was built downtown.
  • The castle was built centuries ago.
Collocations
  • She built her company from scratch.
  • He built a reputation for kindness.
  • Their plan was built on research.
  • The house was built to last.
  • Their friendship was built on trust.
Idioms
  • The car was built for speed.
  • The project was built on experience.
  • The empire was built over centuries.
  • Rome wasn’t built in a day.
  • The bridge was built to withstand earthquakes.

7. Usage Rules

7.1. When to Use “Built”

  • To describe completed past actions (e.g., “She built a table.”)
  • When a specific past time is mentioned (e.g., “in 2010”)
  • As a past participle in perfect tenses (e.g., “They have built a school.”)
  • In passive voice (e.g., “The bridge was built.”)

7.2. Avoiding Overuse of “Did” with “Built”

In questions and negatives with “did”, always use the base form “build”, not “built”.

Correct: “Did you build this?”

Incorrect: “Did you built this?”

7.3. Using Time Markers

  • Yesterday: “They built the wall yesterday.”
  • Last week: “We built a shed last week.”
  • Ago: “She built the house ten years ago.”
  • In (year): “The stadium was built in 2005.”
  • Before: “They had built it before the event.”
  • Already: “He has already built the prototype.”

7.4. Sequence of Past Events

Use the past perfect (“had built”) for the earlier action when discussing two events.

Example: “After they had built the stage, the performance began.”

7.5. Negative and Interrogative Structures

  • Negative: Subject + did not + build
  • Question: Did + subject + build

Examples:

  • “They did not build the house.”
  • “Did she build the robot?”

7.6. Common Variations

In informal speech, especially regionally, you might hear:

  • “They done built it already.” (non-standard; avoid in formal writing)

7.7. Exceptions and Special Cases

  • “Build” is also a noun meaning body shape (“He has a muscular build”).
  • “Built” can be an adjective: “He is well built.”

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Misusing “builted”

Incorrect: “They builted a house.”

Correct: “They built a house.”

8.2. Using “built” After “Did”

Incorrect: “Did you built it?”

Correct: “Did you build it?”

8.3. Confusing Past with Past Participle

Incorrect use of tense:

  • Incorrect: “He has builted a house.”
  • Correct: “He has built a house.”

8.4. Wrong Pronunciation

  • “build” is /bɪld/
  • “built” is /bɪlt/

Tip: Practice the difference by pairing “build” with “lid” and “built” with “ilt.”

8.5. Misplacing Time Markers

Incorrect: “They built yesterday the bridge.”

Correct: “They built the bridge yesterday.”

8.6. Omitting Auxiliary Verbs

Incorrect: “You built the car?” (as a question)

Correct: “Did you build the car?”

8.7. Summary Table 6: Incorrect vs. Correct Examples

Incorrect Correct
Did you built the fence? Did you build the fence?
They builded a new store. They built a new store.
The bridge build last year. The bridge was built last year.
They had build the house. They had built the house.
She didn’t built it. She didn’t build it.

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank

Sentence
1. They ______ a new playground last summer.
2. She ______ a robot for the contest.
3. We ______ a raft out of logs.
4. The company ______ new offices downtown.
5. I ______ a birdhouse with my father.
6. Engineers ______ the bridge in record time.
7. He ______ a shed behind the house.
8. The villagers ______ a well years ago.
9. The Romans ______ many roads centuries ago.
10. You ______ a computer from parts.

9.2. Correct the Mistake

  1. He builded a house.
  2. Did she built the app?
  3. They had build the shelter.
  4. She didn’t built the raft.
  5. The hospital build last year.

9.3. Identify the Tense

  1. The castle was built in 1200.
  2. We had built the raft before sunset.
  3. They built the playground last year.
  4. They had been building the house for months.
  5. Engineers were building the tunnel.

9.4. Sentence Construction

  • build / school / last year
  • she / build / robot / last week
  • they / had built / shelter / before storm
  • the bridge / build / in 2010 (passive)

9.5. Transformations

  1. They built the dam. → (Passive)
  2. The house was built by my father. → (Active)
  3. She built the model. → (Passive)
  4. The road was built last year. → (Active)

9.6. Multiple Choice

  1. Did you ____ the model?
    a) built
    b) build
    c) builds
  2. They ____ the bridge two years ago.
    a) build
    b) built
    c) builded
  3. She ____ her business from scratch.
    a) built
    b) builded
    c) builds
  4. Engineers ____ the tunnel last month.
    a) was built
    b) built
    c) build

9.7. Answers Key

Fill-in-the-Blank:

  1. built
  2. built
  3. built
  4. built
  5. built
  6. built
  7. built
  8. built
  9. built
  10. built

Correct the Mistake:

  1. He built a house.
  2. Did she build the app?
  3. They had built the shelter.
  4. She didn’t build the raft.
  5. The hospital was built last year.

Identify the Tense:

  1. Passive
  2. Past Perfect
  3. Simple Past
  4. Past Perfect Continuous
  5. Past Continuous

Sentence Construction:

  • They built a school last year.
  • She built a robot last week.
  • They had built the shelter before the storm.
  • The bridge was built in 2010.

Transformations:

  1. The dam was built.
  2. My father built the house.
  3. The model was built by her.
  4. They built the road last year.

Multiple Choice:

  1. b) build
  2. b) built
  3. a) built
  4. b) built

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Nuances of “Built” as Past Participle

Using “built” as a past participle can emphasize result or completion rather than the action:

  • Result: “The new wing has been built.” (focuses on its existence now)
  • Action: “They built the new wing.” (focuses on the act in the past)

10.2. “Built” as an Adjective

“Built” describes physical qualities:

  • “A well-built man” (muscular, sturdy)
  • “A poorly built house” (badly constructed)

This use derives from the past participle but behaves like a descriptive adjective.

10.3. Stylistic Choices

  • Active voice (“They built the school”) is direct and often clearer.
  • Passive voice (“The school was built”) emphasizes the object or when the doer is unknown or unimportant.

Formal writing prefers passive to focus on results; informal speech often uses active.

10.4. Using “Build” in Narrative Tenses

Mixing tenses creates vivid stories:

  • “They were building the ship when the storm hit.” (background ongoing action)
  • “They had built the dock before launching the ship.” (earlier completed action)
  • “They built the ship in six months.” (main past event)

10.5. Regional Variations and Idiomatic Expressions

  • UK and US English both use “built” identically.
  • Idiom: “Rome wasn’t built in a day” (important things take time)
  • Past context: “Even though Rome wasn’t built in a day, it was eventually built into a great city.”

10.6. Historical and Technical Contexts

  • “Built-in” as a compound adjective: “A built-in microphone”
  • Participle phrase: “The system was built-in to reduce errors.”

11. FAQ Section

  1. What is the past tense of “build”?
    The past tense of “build” is “built”.
  2. Is “builded” ever correct?
    No, “builded” is incorrect. The correct past tense and past participle is “built”.
  3. How do I form questions with “built”?
    Use “Did + subject + build” (base form). For example: “Did you build the house?”
  4. Can “built” be used as an adjective?
    Yes, such as “well-built” meaning sturdy or muscular.
  5. What is the difference between “built” and “have built”?
    “Built” is simple past. “Have built” is present perfect, indicating relevance to the present or recent completion.
  6. How do I pronounce “built”?
    It is pronounced /bɪlt/ (rhymes with “guilt”).
  7. Is “built” used in passive sentences?
    Yes. For example: “The bridge was built in 2010.”
  8. What tense is “was built”?
    That is simple past passive voice.
  9. How do I negate a sentence with “built”?
    Use “did not build”. Example: “They did not build the fence.”
  10. Can “build” be both a noun and a verb?
    Yes. As a verb: “to build”; as a noun: “a slim build” (body shape).
  11. What are some idioms with “built”?
    “Built to last,” “built on trust,” “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
  12. When should I use “had built”?
    When describing an action completed before another past event. Example: “They had built the shelter before the storm.”

12. Conclusion

Throughout this guide, we’ve explored how “build” transforms into “built”—an irregular past tense and past participle essential for expressing completed past actions, perfect tenses, and passive voice.

Mastering “built” will improve how you narrate past events, describe achievements, and communicate clearly about anything constructed or created. Remember the key rules and avoid common mistakes like “builded” or “Did you built…?”

Keep practicing with our examples and exercises, revisit the FAQs when in doubt, and apply “built” confidently in real-life conversations and writing. Mastery of irregular verbs like “build” is a vital step toward fluency and precision in English.

Happy building your English skills!

Leave a Comment