Understanding how to correctly use the past tense forms of the verb “give” is essential for clear, accurate English communication. Whether you’re telling a story, writing a report, or engaging in everyday conversation, knowing when to use “gave” versus “given” helps you express past actions precisely and confidently.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to master the past tense of “give”. We’ll explore definitions, grammar rules, structural patterns, common mistakes, advanced usage, and provide plenty of examples and exercises. Whether you’re a student, teacher, writer, or English learner at any level, this article will sharpen your understanding and usage of this important irregular verb.
Table of Contents
- 3. Definition Section
- 4. Structural Breakdown
- 5. Types or Categories
- 6. Examples Section
- 7. Usage Rules
- 8. Common Mistakes
- 9. Practice Exercises
- 10. Advanced Topics
- 11. FAQ Section
- 12. Conclusion
3. Definition Section
3.1 Overview of the Verb “Give”
“Give” is a widely used irregular verb meaning to hand over, provide, or present something to someone. It commonly requires an object, making it primarily transitive, though it can be intransitive in idiomatic uses (e.g., “Don’t give in”).
Its core forms are irregular:
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle | Present Participle | 3rd Person Singular Present |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| give | gave | given | giving | gives |
Table 1: Principal parts of “give”
3.2 What Is the Past Tense of “Give”?
The **simple past tense** of “give” is “gave”, used to describe completed actions in the past (e.g., “She gave me advice yesterday”). The **past participle** is “given”, used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses (“He has given his opinion.”) or passive constructions (“The prize was given to her.”).
Because both relate to past time, learners often confuse them. Remember:
- “gave” = simple past, stands alone without auxiliaries
- “given” = past participle, used with auxiliaries (have, had, be)
3.3 Grammatical Classification
Past simple (“gave”) is a **finite verb form** indicating a completed action that took place at a specific point in the past. It carries tense and agrees with the subject.
Past participle (“given”) is a **non-finite verb form**. It cannot stand alone as the main verb; it requires auxiliaries and serves in perfect tenses or passive voice or acts as an adjective.
3.4 Usage Contexts
- Narrative past actions: “She gave me a gift yesterday.”
- Perfect tenses: “He has given his answer.”
- Passive constructions: “The award was given to her.”
Mastering these forms lets you communicate past events effectively and accurately.
4. Structural Breakdown
4.1 Forming the Simple Past of “Give”
Because “give” is irregular, its past form is “gave”, not the regular “*gived”.
- Affirmative: Subject + gave + object (“He gave me a ride.”)
- Negative: Subject + did not give + object (“She did not give a reason.”) — uses the base form “give”
- Question: Did + subject + give + object? (“Did you give the message?”)
Note: “Did” carries the past tense in negatives and questions, so “give” remains in base form.
4.2 Forming Past Participles
The past participle of “give” is irregular: “given”. It’s used in combination with auxiliaries:
- Present perfect: have/has + given (“They have given their consent.”)
- Past perfect: had + given (“She had given her answer.”)
- Passive voice: be + given (“The instructions were given yesterday.”)
4.3 Sentence Patterns
- Affirmative: “They gave her a chance.”
- Negative: “She did not give a reason.”
- Interrogative: “Did he give you the book?”
4.4 Time Expressions with Past Tense
Common phrases include:
- “yesterday” → “She gave me a pen yesterday.”
- “last week” → “They gave a presentation last week.”
- “in 2010” → “He gave a famous speech in 2010.”
- “two days ago” → “I gave my notice two days ago.”
4.5 Table 2: Comparison of “give” Forms in Different Tenses
| Tense | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past Simple | Subject + gave | She gave him a letter. |
| Present Perfect | have/has + given | They have given their consent. |
| Past Perfect | had + given | He had given up hope. |
| Passive (past) | was/were + given | The prize was given to the team. |
5. Types or Categories
5.1 Past Simple (“gave”)
- Isolated past events: “She gave a speech yesterday.”
- Sequences: “He entered, gave his name, and sat down.”
- Reported speech: Direct: “I give you my word.” → Reported: He said he gave me his word.
5.2 Past Participle (“given”)
- Perfect tenses: “They have given notice.” / “She had given her reply.”
- Passive voice: “A warning was given.”
- Reduced relative clauses: “The money given to charity made a difference.”
5.3 Idiomatic Expressions
- “Given that” (meaning considering): “Given that it’s raining, we’ll stay inside.”
- Phrasal verbs: “gave up” (quit), “given in” (surrender), “given away” (reveal or donate)
5.4 Variations in Formality and Register
- Formal: “The committee has given approval.”
- Informal: “She gave me a hand yesterday.”
6. Examples Section
6.1 Basic Examples with Past Simple “gave”
- “She gave me a pen yesterday.”
- “They gave a standing ovation.”
- “My father gave me good advice.”
- “The student gave his presentation last week.”
- “We gave the keys back to the owner.”
6.2 Examples with Past Participle “given” in Perfect Tenses
- “I have given all my notes to her.”
- “He had given up before the contest started.”
- “They have given their consent already.”
- “She has given many interviews this year.”
- “He has given away most of his old clothes.”
6.3 Examples with Passive Voice
- “The book was given to the library.”
- “Awards have been given annually since 2000.”
- “The warning was given by the police.”
- “Instructions were given before the test.”
- “Permission has been given for the event.”
6.4 Idiomatic Usage Examples
- “She has given in to the pressure.”
- “He gave up smoking last year.”
- “They have given away all the tickets.”
- “I gave up trying after several attempts.”
- “He has given out the assignments.”
6.5 Complex and Compound Sentences
- “After she had given her speech, the audience applauded.”
- “If he had given more effort, he might have won.”
- “They gave us instructions, but we had already given up hope.”
- “Once the signal was given, the race began.”
- “Although he had given his word, he changed his mind.”
6.6 Table 3: 20+ Examples Categorized by Usage
| Category | Example |
|---|---|
| Simple Past | The teacher gave homework. |
| Simple Past | She gave him her phone number. |
| Simple Past | They gave a loud cheer. |
| Past Perfect | She had given her notice before the meeting. |
| Past Perfect | He had given up hope long ago. |
| Present Perfect | They have given their approval. |
| Present Perfect | I have given everything I can. |
| Passive Voice | The vaccine was given in the clinic. |
| Passive Voice | The order was given by the manager. |
| Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs | He gave up after two attempts. |
| Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs | She has given in to her kids’ demands. |
| Idiomatic Phrasal Verbs | They have given away all their old books. |
| Complex Sentence | After he had given his reasons, we agreed. |
| Complex Sentence | If she had given more time, the result might differ. |
| Simple Past | We gave the waiter a generous tip. |
| Present Perfect | She has given her best effort. |
| Passive Voice | Instructions were given clearly. |
| Past Perfect | They had given their word. |
| Simple Past | He gave me an honest answer. |
| Idiomatic Use | Given that it’s late, let’s leave. |
6.7 Additional Example Tables
Table 4: Affirmative, Negative, Interrogative with “gave”
| Form | Example |
|---|---|
| Affirmative | They gave me instructions. |
| Negative | They did not give me instructions. |
| Interrogative | Did they give you instructions? |
Table 5: Past participle “given” with auxiliaries and passive
| Usage | Example |
|---|---|
| Present Perfect | She has given her opinion. |
| Past Perfect | They had given up hope. |
| Passive Present | The keys are given to the guests. |
| Passive Past | The prize was given to the winner. |
| Passive Present Perfect | Permission has been given. |
Table 6: Common Collocations with “gave” and “given”
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| give advice | My teacher gave me advice. |
| give a presentation | She gave a presentation yesterday. |
| give permission | They have given permission. |
| give a gift | He gave her a beautiful gift. |
| given the chance | Given the chance, I would travel more. |
| given that | Given that it’s raining, we’ll stay inside. |
7. Usage Rules
7.1 When to Use “Gave” vs. “Given”
- Use “gave” alone for simple past actions: “She gave me a call.”
- Use “given” after auxiliaries (have, has, had, be) in perfect tenses or passive voice: “She has given her answer.” / “The award was given yesterday.”
7.2 Auxiliary Verbs with “Given”
- Present perfect: have/has + given (“They have given feedback.”)
- Past perfect: had + given (“She had given notice.”)
- Passive: be + given (“The instructions were given.”)
7.3 Subject-Verb Agreement in Past Forms
Unlike present tense forms, “gave” does not change with singular or plural subjects:
- “He gave a speech.”
- “They gave a speech.”
7.4 Negatives and Questions
- Negative: did not give (never “*did not gave”)
- Question: Did + subject + give…? (“Did she give the answer?”)
7.5 Common Exceptions and Special Cases
- Reported speech: “I give” → He said he gave.
- Ellipsis: “I already have [given]” (past participle understood without repeating).
7.6 Table 7: Correct Usage Patterns
| Intended Meaning | Correct Form | Incorrect Form |
|---|---|---|
| Past action | She gave me a book. | *She given me a book. |
| Perfect tense | He has given a gift. | *He has gave a gift. |
| Past negative | They did not give it. | *They did not gave it. |
8. Common Mistakes
8.1 Confusing “gave” and “given”
Incorrect: She has gave me the keys.
Correct: She has given me the keys.
8.2 Using “gave” after auxiliaries
Incorrect: They have gave their answer.
Correct: They have given their answer.
8.3 Forming Negatives Incorrectly
Incorrect: She didn’t gave.
Correct: She didn’t give.
8.4 Misusing in Passive Voice
Incorrect: The letter was gave to me.
Correct: The letter was given to me.
8.5 Overusing “given” in place of “gave”
Incorrect: Yesterday, I given her the book.
Correct: Yesterday, I gave her the book.
8.6 Table 8: Common Errors and Corrections
| Incorrect | Correct | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He has gave me money. | He has given me money. | Past participle with “has” requires “given”. |
| They didn’t gave a reason. | They didn’t give a reason. | After “didn’t,” base form is used. |
| The document was gave to him. | The document was given to him. | Passive voice uses past participle. |
9. Practice Exercises
9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank
- She ___ (give) me a compliment yesterday. Answer: gave
- They have ___ (give) their response. Answer: given
- The prize was ___ (give) to the winner. Answer: given
- He ___ (give) me his phone number last week. Answer: gave
- She has ___ (give) her approval. Answer: given
9.2 Error Correction
- Incorrect: He has gave his opinion.
Correct: He has given his opinion. - Incorrect: They didn’t gave any feedback.
Correct: They didn’t give any feedback. - Incorrect: The letter was gave yesterday.
Correct: The letter was given yesterday.
9.3 Identify the Form (Simple Past or Past Participle)
- She had given her consent. Answer: Past participle
- They gave a great performance. Answer: Simple past
- The keys were given to the guests. Answer: Past participle (passive)
- He has given up smoking. Answer: Past participle
- She gave me a quick reply. Answer: Simple past
9.4 Sentence Construction
- Using “gave” (simple past):
- My friend gave me a birthday gift.
- They gave a fantastic concert last night.
- She gave the dog some food.
- Using “given” (perfect tense/passive):
- She has given her final answer.
- The medals were given to the winners.
- He had given plenty of warnings before.
9.5 Mixed Practice Quiz
- Last week, I ___ (give) a speech at the conference. Answer: gave
- The documents have been ___ (give) to the lawyer. Answer: given
- They ___ (give) us helpful advice yesterday. Answer: gave
- He has ___ (give) his best effort. Answer: given
- After she had ___ (give) her reasons, we understood. Answer: given
- Did you ___ (give) him my message? Answer: give
- The tickets were ___ (give) away for free. Answer: given
- My boss ___ (give) me extra work last Friday. Answer: gave
- She has never ___ (give) up hope. Answer: given
- They didn’t ___ (give) any explanation. Answer: give
10. Advanced Topics
10.1 Subjunctive and Hypothetical Uses
“If I had been given the chance, I would have succeeded.”
This shows a hypothetical past situation using past perfect passive.
10.2 Backshifting in Reported Speech
Direct: “I give you my word,” he said.
Reported: He said he gave me his word.
Here, “give” shifts to “gave” in reported speech to reflect past tense narration.
10.3 “Given” as an Adjective or Preposition
- Adjective: “It is a given that he will succeed.” (meaning: accepted fact)
- Preposition: “Given the circumstances, we had to leave early.” (meaning: considering)
10.4 Phrasal Verbs with “Give” in Past Forms
- gave up = quit (“He gave up playing football.”)
- given away = reveal or donate (“She has given away her secret.”)
- given in = surrender (“They have given in to demands.”)
10.5 Collocations and Fixed Expressions
- given the fact = considering the fact (“Given the fact that he’s tired, we’ll let him rest.”)
- given name = first name (“What’s your given name?”)
- given that = since, because (“Given that it’s late, let’s go home.”)
10.6 Regional Variations and Dialectal Differences
While the forms “gave” and “given” are standard globally, informal speech in some dialects may occasionally use non-standard forms (e.g., “I done gave him it” in some regional varieties), which are not grammatically correct in standard English.
11. FAQ Section
- What is the simple past tense of “give”?
The simple past tense is “gave”. - What is the past participle of “give”?
The past participle is “given”. - When do I use “gave” vs. “given”?
Use “gave” for simple past actions without auxiliaries. Use “given” with auxiliaries (“have,” “had,” “be”) in perfect tenses or passive voice. - Can “given” be used without an auxiliary verb?
Usually no. However, it can function as an adjective (“a given fact”) or preposition (“given the situation”). - Is “have gave” correct?
No. The correct form is “have given”. - How do I form the negative past tense of “give”?
Use “did not give” or “didn’t give”. - Why do I hear “was gave” sometimes? Is it correct?
No, it’s incorrect. Passive form requires past participle: “was given”. - What are some common phrasal verbs with “give” in past forms?
“gave up,” “given away,” “given in,” “gave out.” - Does “given” ever function as an adjective?
Yes, as in “It’s a given” (meaning a certainty) or “given conditions.” - Can “gave” be used in passive voice?
No. Passive requires “given” (past participle): “The award was given.” - How do I use “given that” in a sentence?
“Given that it’s raining, we’ll stay inside.” (meaning considering) - What are typical mistakes learners make with “give” in past tense?
Mixing “gave” and “given,” e.g., “*have gave” instead of “have given,” or “*didn’t gave” instead of “didn’t give.”
12. Conclusion
To master the past tense of “give,” always remember:
- “gave” is the simple past form, used alone without auxiliaries.
- “given” is the past participle, used with auxiliaries in perfect tenses and passive voice.
Choose the correct form based on sentence structure and meaning. Extensive practice with the examples and exercises above will reinforce your understanding.
As an irregular verb, “give” requires memorization and careful attention, but mastering it will significantly improve your fluency and grammatical accuracy in both speaking and writing.
Refer back to this guide whenever in doubt, and continue practicing to fully internalize these patterns. Happy learning!