Mastering the Past Tense of ‘Steal’: Forms, Usage, and Examples

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The English verb “steal” means to take something unlawfully or without permission. Whether you’re recounting a story, reporting an event, or describing a past crime, knowing how to correctly use the past tense of “steal” is essential.

Irregular past tense verbs like “steal” often cause confusion because, unlike regular verbs, they don’t follow the typical “-ed” ending rule. Mastering these irregular forms is vital for clear communication, accurate storytelling, polished writing, and fluent conversation.

This comprehensive guide is designed for all English language learners—from beginners to advanced students—as well as teachers seeking thorough reference material. It will help anyone aiming to improve grammatical accuracy by covering definitions, grammatical structure, examples, rules, common errors, advanced usage, and practice exercises related to the past tense of “steal”.

Let’s dive in to understand everything about the past tense of “steal” and learn to use it confidently and correctly!

Table of Contents

3. Definition Section: What Is the Past Tense of “Steal”?

3.1. Basic Definition

The verb “steal” means to take something that does not belong to you without permission, often secretly or by force.

The simple past tense of “steal” is “stole”.

3.2. Grammatical Classification

“Steal” is an irregular verb, meaning its past tense form does not follow the standard “-ed” suffix pattern.

For example, a regular verb like “walk” becomes “walked” in the past tense, but “steal” changes unpredictably to “stole”.

Thus, “stole” is the simple past tense form of “steal”.

3.3. Function of the Past Tense

The form “stole” indicates that the action of stealing was completed in the past.

It is used to:

  • Describe past events: “She stole my keys yesterday.”
  • Recount stories or reports involving theft.
  • Report what someone said about a past theft: “He said his wallet was stolen.”

3.4. Usage Contexts

Some common contexts for using “stole” include:

  • Statements about past actions: “They stole the car last week.”
  • Storytelling or recounting crimes: “The burglar stole jewelry worth thousands.”
  • Reporting speech: “She told me someone stole her bag during lunch.”

4. Structural Breakdown

4.1. Irregular Verb Patterns

Irregular verbs do not follow the conventional “-ed” ending for their past tense. Instead, their forms change unpredictably and must be memorized individually.

“Steal” is irregular because its past form is “stole”, not “stealed”.

Table 1: Regular vs. Irregular Verb Examples
Base Verb Regular Past Irregular Past
walk walked —
play played —
steal — stole
go — went
break — broke

4.2. Principal Parts of “Steal”

Understanding a verb’s principal parts helps with forming all its tenses:

  • Base form: steal
  • Simple past: stole
  • Past participle: stolen
  • Present participle: stealing
Table 2: Principal Parts of “Steal” vs. Similar Irregular Verbs
Verb Base Past Tense Past Participle Present Participle
steal steal stole stolen stealing
break break broke broken breaking
choose choose chose chosen choosing
write write wrote written writing

4.3. Forming the Simple Past

Because “steal” is irregular, its past tense “stole” is not created by adding “-ed.”

Instead, English learners must memorize this change.

4.4. Sentence Structure with “Stole”

In the simple past tense, “stole” is used in affirmative sentences, while negatives and questions require the auxiliary “did” plus the base form.

  • Affirmative: Subject + stole + object
    “They stole the money.”
  • Negative: Subject + did not + steal + object
    “They did not steal the money.”
  • Interrogative: Did + subject + steal + object?
    “Did they steal the money?”

4.5. Verb Tense Comparison

Compare the different forms:

Table 3: Tense Forms of “Steal” with Examples
Tense Form Example Sentence
Present Simple steal They steal cars.
Simple Past stole They stole a car yesterday.
Present Perfect have/has stolen They have stolen many cars.
Past Perfect had stolen They had stolen the car before sunrise.
Present Continuous am/is/are stealing They are stealing a car right now.
Past Continuous was/were stealing They were stealing a car when police arrived.

5.1. Simple Past vs. Past Participle

Many learners confuse “stole” (simple past) and “stolen” (past participle).

Key differences:

  • “Stole” is used alone to describe a finished past action.
  • “Stolen” is used with auxiliaries (have/has/had) or in passive voice.
Table 4: “Stole” vs. “Stolen” – Usage and Examples
Form Usage Example
stole Simple past She stole my wallet yesterday.
stolen Past participle (perfect tense) She has stolen my wallet.
stolen Past participle (passive voice) My wallet was stolen.

5.2. Passive Voice Past Tense

In the passive, the focus shifts to the object affected by the action, often because the doer is unknown or unimportant.

Form: was/were + past participle (stolen)

Examples:

  • “My car was stolen last night.”
  • “Two paintings were stolen from the gallery.”

5.3. Past Continuous with “Stealing”

Use was/were + stealing to describe an ongoing past action that was interrupted or happening at a specific point.

Example:

  • “They were stealing money when the police arrived.”
  • “He was stealing apples from the neighbor’s tree.”

5.4. Past Perfect with “Stolen”

The past perfect had stolen shows one past event happened before another.

Example:

  • “By the time we arrived, they had stolen everything.”
  • “She realized someone had stolen her purse.”

6. Extensive Examples Section

6.1. Basic Sentences Using “Stole”

  • He stole my lunch yesterday.
  • She stole a necklace from the store.
  • They stole the car last night.
  • Someone stole my bike over the weekend.
  • The thief stole all the money from the safe.
  • Who stole the cookies from the jar?
  • My brother stole my idea for the project.
  • The pickpocket stole her wallet on the bus.
  • Our neighbor’s dog stole my shoe.
  • The child stole a glance at the answers during the exam.
  • The pirates stole the treasure from the island.
  • The hacker stole important data from the company.
  • She stole his heart with her smile.
  • Last year, burglars stole several paintings.
  • I stole a moment to relax during lunch.

6.2. Examples by Tense

  • Present simple: They steal cars for a living.
  • Simple past: They stole a car last night.
  • Present perfect: They have stolen three cars this week.
  • Past perfect: They had stolen the car before the police arrived.
  • Past continuous: They were stealing a car when the alarm went off.

6.3. Examples by Context

  • Casual conversation: “Someone stole my pen during the meeting.”
  • Crime reporting: “The suspect stole over $10,000 from the bank.”
  • Storytelling: “The pirate stealthily stole the map leading to the treasure.”
  • Idiomatic: “Her performance stole the show at the competition.”
  • Romantic metaphor: “He stole her heart the first time they met.”

6.4. Comparative Examples: Correct Usage vs. Incorrect

  • Correct: She stole the money.
    Incorrect: She stealed the money.
  • Correct: The painting was stolen.
    Incorrect: The painting was stole.
  • Correct: They had stolen the files.
    Incorrect: They had stole the files.
  • Correct: Did he steal your book?
    Incorrect: Did he stole your book?
  • Correct: They didn’t steal anything.
    Incorrect: They didn’t stole anything.

6.5. Tables of Examples

Table 5: 20+ Examples of “Stole” in Affirmative Sentences
# Example
1 He stole my jacket last night.
2 She stole a diamond ring from the shop.
3 They stole the company’s confidential data.
4 The kids stole cookies from the jar.
5 The thief stole all the cash in the drawer.
6 Someone stole my laptop during the trip.
7 He stole a glance at her phone.
8 The pirates stole the treasure chest.
9 She stole his heart with her kindness.
10 The hacker stole sensitive information.
11 Burglars stole jewelry worth millions.
12 The dog stole the steak from the table.
13 My brother stole my favorite toy.
14 An employee stole company funds.
15 The magician stole the audience’s attention.
16 The child stole a piece of candy.
17 The soldiers stole supplies from the enemy.
18 He stole the idea from his colleague.
19 The protesters stole the headlines worldwide.
20 The student stole a quick look at the notes.
21 The cat stole fish from the kitchen.
22 Two men stole a truck last night.
Table 6: 10 Negative and 10 Interrogative Examples
Negative Sentences Interrogative Sentences
They did not steal the car. Did they steal the car?
She didn’t steal my wallet. Did she steal your wallet?
He did not steal any money. Did he steal any money?
We didn’t steal those documents. Did we steal those documents?
I did not steal your idea. Did you steal my idea?
The kids didn’t steal the candy. Did the kids steal the candy?
The manager didn’t steal company funds. Did the manager steal company funds?
The thief didn’t steal my phone. Did the thief steal your phone?
They didn’t steal anything from the store. Did they steal anything from the store?
She didn’t steal the painting. Did she steal the painting?
Table 7: Passive Voice Examples with “was/were stolen”
Subject (Victim/Object) Passive Past
My car was stolen last night.
Three laptops were stolen from the office.
Her purse was stolen on the bus.
All the money was stolen during the robbery.
Two bikes were stolen from the garage.
The painting was stolen from the museum.
Several documents were stolen yesterday.
His wallet was stolen at the concert.
The jewels were stolen from the safe.
Important files were stolen by hackers.
Table 8: Mixed Tenses with “Steal” Forms
Tense Form Example
Present Simple steal Thieves often steal wallets in crowded places.
Simple Past stole Someone stole my watch yesterday.
Present Perfect have stolen Hackers have stolen millions of passwords.
Past Perfect had stolen They had stolen the car before sunrise.
Present Continuous are stealing They are stealing money from the ATM.
Past Continuous were stealing They were stealing data when discovered.
Passive Voice was stolen The necklace was stolen last night.
Passive Perfect has been stolen My passport has been stolen.

7. Usage Rules

7.1. When to Use “Stole”

Use “stole” for:

  • Completed actions that happened in the past
  • Single, specific events (not ongoing)
  • Actions with a clear past time reference (e.g., “yesterday,” “last week”)

7.2. Subject-Verb Agreement in Past Tense

In the simple past, “stole” does not change regardless of the subject.

  • I stole
  • You stole
  • He/She/It stole
  • We stole
  • They stole

7.3. Forming Negatives and Questions

Use the auxiliary “did” plus the base form “steal” for negatives and questions.

Do NOT use “stole” with “did.”

  • Negative: Subject + did not + steal + object
    “They did not steal the money.”
  • Question: Did + subject + steal + object?
    “Did she steal your phone?”

7.4. Common Exceptions and Special Cases

  • Idioms: “Steal the show” (attract all attention), “steal someone’s thunder” (take credit)
  • Metaphors: “He stole her heart.”
  • These do not always involve literal theft but follow the same grammar rules.

7.5. Using “Stolen” with Perfect Tenses and Passive

Remember:

  • Use “stolen” (past participle) with auxiliaries like “have,” “has,” “had,” “was,” “were”.
  • Never say: “The jewels have been stole.”
  • Correct: “The jewels have been stolen.”

8. Common Mistakes

8.1. Using Regular Past Form: “stealed”

  • Incorrect: He stealed my wallet.
  • Correct: He stole my wallet.

8.2. Confusing “stole” and “stolen”

  • Incorrect: She has stole my book.
  • Correct: She has stolen my book.

8.3. Incorrect Negative Forms

  • Incorrect: She didn’t stole anything.
  • Correct: She didn’t steal anything.

8.4. Mistakes in Passive Voice

  • Incorrect: My bike was stole.
  • Correct: My bike was stolen.

8.5. Mixing Up Verb Tenses

  • Incorrect: I was stealing the money yesterday. (if action was completed)
  • Correct: I stole the money yesterday.

8.6. Table of Errors

Table 9: Common Mistakes and Corrections
Incorrect Correct
He stealed my phone. He stole my phone.
She has stole the money. She has stolen the money.
My bag was stole. My bag was stolen.
They didn’t stole anything. They didn’t steal anything.
Did you stole it? Did you steal it?
They have stole my keys. They have stolen my keys.
My wallet got stole yesterday. My wallet got stolen yesterday.
The jewels have been stole. The jewels have been stolen.
I was stealing the book yesterday. I stole the book yesterday.
He didn’t stole the car. He didn’t steal the car.

9. Practice Exercises

9.1. Fill-in-the-Blank (15 items)

  1. Yesterday, someone ___ (steal) my purse.
  2. The thief ___ (steal) the TV last night.
  3. They ___ (steal) a car two days ago.
  4. Who ___ (steal) my sandwich?
  5. She ___ (steal) his heart with her kindness.
  6. The kids ___ (steal) cookies from the jar.
  7. He ___ (steal) my idea and presented it as his own.
  8. Burglars ___ (steal) jewelry worth thousands.
  9. My bike ___ (steal) from the garage last week.
  10. Someone ___ (steal) my password.
  11. The pirates ___ (steal) the gold.
  12. She ___ (steal) a quick glance at his notes.
  13. The hacker ___ (steal) sensitive information.
  14. He ___ (steal) my phone during the concert.
  15. The soldiers ___ (steal) supplies from the enemy.

Answer Key:

  1. stole
  2. stole
  3. stole
  4. stole
  5. stole
  6. stole
  7. stole
  8. stole
  9. was stolen
  10. stole
  11. stole
  12. stole
  13. stole
  14. stole
  15. stole

9.2. Identify Correct or Incorrect Use (10 items)

  1. She has stole the money.
  2. They stole the car last night.
  3. My wallet was stole.
  4. He didn’t stole anything.
  5. Did you steal her bag?
  6. They have stolen three laptops.
  7. The jewels were stolen during the party.
  8. He stealed my idea.
  9. We didn’t steal any cash.
  10. She stole a necklace yesterday.

Answers:

  1. Incorrect
  2. Correct
  3. Incorrect
  4. Incorrect
  5. Correct
  6. Correct
  7. Correct
  8. Incorrect
  9. Correct
  10. Correct

9.3. Correct the Mistake (10 items)

  1. My phone was stole.
  2. He stealed the laptop.
  3. They didn’t stole anything.
  4. She has stole my keys.
  5. Did you stole the money?
  6. The documents were steal yesterday.
  7. The thief have stolen the bag.
  8. We was stealing the car yesterday.
  9. My wallet got steal.
  10. They have stole my bike.

Answers:

  1. My phone was stolen.
  2. He stole the laptop.
  3. They didn’t steal anything.
  4. She has stolen my keys.
  5. Did you steal the money?
  6. The documents were stolen yesterday.
  7. The thief has stolen the bag.
  8. We were stealing the car yesterday. (or “We stole the car yesterday.”)
  9. My wallet got stolen.
  10. They have stolen my bike.

9.4. Sentence Construction (10 prompts)

  1. He / bike / last week
  2. They / money / yesterday
  3. She / necklace / from the shop
  4. Someone / my wallet / on the bus
  5. The kids / cookies / from the jar
  6. Burglars / paintings / last year
  7. The hacker / data / from the bank
  8. My brother / idea / for the project
  9. The pirate / treasure / from the island
  10. She / glance / at the answers

Example Answers:

  1. He stole a bike last week.
  2. They stole money yesterday.
  3. She stole a necklace from the shop.
  4. Someone stole my wallet on the bus.
  5. The kids stole cookies from the jar.
  6. Burglars stole paintings last year.
  7. The hacker stole data from the bank.
  8. My brother stole my idea for the project.
  9. The pirate stole the treasure from the island.
  10. She stole a glance at the answers.

9.5. Transformation Exercises

  • Active to Passive:
    1. Someone stole my bag. → My bag was stolen.
    2. They stole the documents. → The documents were stolen.
    3. He stole my watch. → My watch was stolen.
  • Change tense:
    1. They steal cars. (present) → They stole cars. (past)
    2. He stole my phone. (past) → He has stolen my phone. (present perfect)
    3. She has stolen the money. (present perfect) → She had stolen the money before he arrived. (past perfect)

9.6. Mixed Review Quiz

  1. Complete: Last night, someone ___ (steal) my bike.
  2. Correct: My wallet was stole. → __________
  3. Choose: Did she steal / stole your keys?
  4. Identify: She has stole the book. Correct or Incorrect?
  5. Transform: They stole the laptop. (Passive) → __________
  6. Fix: He didn’t stole anything. → __________
  7. Complete: The paintings ___ (steal) last year. (Passive)
  8. Change tense: They steal cars. (Past) → __________
  9. Correct: The jewels have been stole. → __________
  10. Make question: She stole your idea. → __________

Answers:

  1. stole
  2. My wallet was stolen.
  3. Did she steal your keys?
  4. Incorrect
  5. The laptop was stolen.
  6. He didn’t steal anything.
  7. were stolen
  8. They stole cars.
  9. The jewels have been stolen.
  10. Did she steal your idea?

10. Advanced Topics

10.1. Nuances of “Steal” in Idioms and Metaphors

  • “Steal the show” – to attract all attention or admiration.
    “Her performance stole the show.”
  • “Steal someone’s thunder” – to take credit for someone else’s idea.
    “He stole my thunder during the meeting.”
  • “Steal a glance” – to look quickly or secretly.
    “She stole a glance at the answers.”
  • “Steal someone’s heart” – to make someone fall in love.
    “He stole her heart instantly.”

These uses are mostly metaphoric but employ the same verb forms.

10.2. Perfect and Perfect Continuous Past Forms

  • Past perfect continuous: had been stealing
  • Example: “They had been stealing money from the company for years before getting caught.”
  • This form emphasizes duration before a past event.

10.3. Reported Speech with “Stole”

  • Direct speech: He said, “I stole it.”
  • Indirect (reported) speech: He admitted that he had stolen it.
  • Note the backshift from simple past (“stole”) to past perfect (“had stolen”).

10.4. Modal Verbs with Past Tense

  • Could have stolen: possibility or ability in the past
    “He could have stolen the keys.”
  • Might have stolen: speculation
    “She might have stolen the documents.”
  • Should have stolen: suggestion or regret
    “Maybe they should have stolen less obvious valuables.”

10.5. Subjunctive and Hypothetical Scenarios

  • “If he had stolen the money, he would be punished.”
  • “I wish I had not stolen that candy as a child.”

10.6. Regional Variations or Dialectal Differences

There are no major regional differences for “steal” forms in standard English. However, in nonstandard dialects or slang, incorrect forms like “stealed” may occur, but these are not considered proper English.

11. FAQ Section

  1. What is the past tense of “steal”?
    Answer: The past tense of “steal” is “stole.”
  2. Is “stealed” ever correct?
    Answer: No. “Stealed” is incorrect. The correct irregular past form is “stole.”
  3. How do I use “stole” in negative sentences?
    Answer: Use the auxiliary “did not” plus the base verb “steal,” e.g., “She did not steal the money.”
  4. What is the past participle of “steal”?
    Answer: The past participle is “stolen.”
  5. When should I use “stole” vs. “stolen”?
    Answer: Use “stole” for the simple past tense (e.g., “He stole my book”). Use “stolen” with perfect tenses and in passive voice (e.g., “My book was stolen”).
  6. Can “stole” be used in passive voice?
    Answer: No. Passive voice requires the past participle “stolen”: “The phone was stolen.”
  7. How do I form questions with “stole”?
    Answer: Use “Did + subject + steal + object?” For example, “Did he steal your bag?”
  8. What are some common mistakes with “stole”?
    Answer: Common errors include using “stealed,” confusing “stole” with “stolen,” and incorrect negatives like “didn’t stole.”
  9. Are there idioms that use “steal”?
    Answer: Yes! Examples include “steal the show,” “steal someone’s thunder,” and “steal a glance.”
  10. Why is “steal” considered irregular?
    Answer: Because its past tense “stole” does not follow the regular pattern of adding “-ed.”
  11. How can I remember the forms of “steal”?
    Answer: Memorize its principal parts: steal – stole – stolen. Practice with examples and exercises helps reinforce them.
  12. Can “steal” be used in perfect tenses?
    Answer: Yes. Use the past participle “stolen” with auxiliaries: “have stolen,” “had stolen,” “has been stolen.”

12. Conclusion

In summary, the simple past tense of “steal” is “stole,” an irregular form that must be memorized. The past participle is “stolen,” used in perfect tenses and passive voice.

Mastering these forms is crucial for correct grammar in speaking and writing. Remember:

  • Use “stole” for completed past actions.
  • Use “stolen” with auxiliaries and in passive constructions.
  • Do not add “-ed” to form the past tense!

Practice regularly with the examples and exercises provided to internalize these rules. Improving your grasp of irregular verbs like “steal” will significantly enhance your English fluency and accuracy.

Keep studying other irregular verbs and past tense structures to build a solid foundation in English grammar!

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