Past tense of Hear: Complete Conjugation Guide & Usage Examples

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Understanding the past tense of Hear represents a fundamental milestone in English grammar mastery, as this irregular verb appears frequently across all communication contexts. The past tense of Hear follows unique conjugation patterns that distinguish it from regular verbs, requiring specific attention to achieve accurate usage. This comprehensive exploration examines the past tense of Hear alongside its complete conjugation system, providing practical examples and usage guidelines for learners at every proficiency level.

I. What is Hear?
II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Hear? The past forms of Hear in English
III. How to conjugate the verb Hear
1. 1. In tenses
2. 2. In special sentence structures
IV. Phrasal verbs with Hear in English
V. Exercise on the past forms of Hear with answers
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer

I. What is Hear?

In English, Hear is pronounced /hɪr/ and functions as a verb, meaning: to perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something). For example:

Maria heard a noise outside.
Jack could hear someone crying in the next room.

II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Hear? The past forms of Hear in English

Hear follows an irregular verb pattern. V0, V2, V3 stand for: Infinitive, Past Simple, and Past Participle. Here are its three main forms:

Past forms of Hear		Example
V0	Hear /hɪr/	I hear the noise from vehicles every day.
V2	Heard /hɜːrd/	I heard the noise from the guitar yesterday.
V3	Heard /hɜːrd/	I have heard the noise from the next room a couple of times.

In conclusion, the past forms of Hear are: the past form of Hear in past simple is Heard and the past participle of Hear is Heard.

III. How to conjugate the verb Hear

Master the conjugation of "Hear" across all tenses and sentence structures. This comprehensive breakdown shows proper usage in every grammatical context:

1. In tenses

Please note that Hear is one of the perception verbs that are not used in the continuous forms.

12 English tenses	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Present simple tense	hear	hears	hear
	For example: I hear the birds sing outside my garden every morning. He hears the piano playing from the neighbor's house. We hear the bus passing by our house every evening.
Present perfect tense	have heard	has heard	have heard
	For example: I have heard rumors about the new project, but I don't know the details yet. He has heard about the changes in the company's policy for three days. We have heard great things about the new restaurant downtown, but we haven't had a chance to try it yet.
Past simple tense	hear	hear	hear
	For example: I heard a strange noise coming from the basement last night. He heard the news on the radio yesterday. We heard a funny joke at the party last weekend.
Past Perfect Tense	had heard	had heard	had heard
	For example: I had heard about the news from my friend before it was officially announced. He had heard the story many times, but it still brought tears to his eyes. We had heard the rumors about the company's layoffs long before they were confirmed.
Future simple tense	will hear	will hear	will hear
	For example: I will hear the birds sing in the morning when I wake up early. He will hear the announcement over the loudspeaker at the airport. We will hear the music playing from the concert hall as we walk by.
Future Perfect Tense	will have heard	will have heard	will have heard
	For example: I will have heard the entire album by the time it is released next month. He will have heard the news about his promotion before the end of the day. We will have heard all the details about the event by the time it starts tomorrow.

2. In special sentence structures

Special structure	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Conditional sentences
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	would hear	would hear	would hear
Conditional sentence type 2 - Main clause	For example: If I had a better ear for music, I would hear the subtle nuances in the melody. If he had quieter neighbors, he would hear himself think. If we had better reception, we would hear the radio broadcast without any static.
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	would have heard	would have heard	would have heard
Conditional sentence type 3 - Main clause	For example: If I had arrived earlier, I would have heard the entire speech. If he had been at home, he would have heard the doorbell ring. If we had stayed longer, we would have heard the entire presentation.
Hypothetical sentence
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Present Event	hear	hear	hear
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Present	heard	heard	heard
Hypothetical Sentence Expressing a Contrast with Reality in the Past	had heard	had heard	had heard
For example	If I hear the noise, I will close the door. If he had heard this news, he would have changed the channel. We wish we had heard this song earlier.

IV. Phrasal verbs with Hear in English

These common phrasal verbs with "Hear" appear frequently in everyday English. Master their meanings for natural communication:

Phrasal verbs with Hear	Meaning	Example
Hear about	to receive information or be informed about something.	Have you heard about the restaurant takeover?
Hear back	to receive a response or reply from someone	Anna is waiting to hear back from the company about her job application.
Hear from	to get a letter, a telephone call, or message from someone	I haven't heard from them since we left high school.
Hear of	be aware of or know of the existence of someone or something	I've heard of the singer, but don't know their music.
	be told or informed of something	I have heard nothing of Jack since he moved house.
	In the negative form, the phrase indicates that someone refuses to accept, allow, or acknowledge something	I said it would be a positive step, but Jennie wouldn't hear of it.
Hear out	listen to all that someone has to say	I heard them out before I commented.

V. Exercise on the past forms of Hear with answers

Practice these exercises to reinforce your understanding of "Hear" conjugations and phrasal verbs:

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Conjugate the verb Hear

I can’t __________ you. Can you speak louder?
They __________ a strange noise coming from the street yesterday.
Maria __________ about the incident from her friend last week.
We __________ the sound of waves near the beach.
Have you ever __________ a live concert by your favorite singer?

Exercise 2: Fill in the appropriate phrasal verb with "wear" that you have learned

Did you _______ the new shop that just opened yesterday?
I applied for the English teacher position last week, but I haven't _______ from them yet.
It's been a while since I've _______ my old friend.
Have you ever _______ Jane?
Before making an important decision, it's important to _______ all sides of the argument.

2. Answer

Exercise 1	Exercise 2
hear heard heard hear heard	hear about hear back hear from hear of hear out

Mastering the past tense of Hear requires understanding its irregular nature and practicing correct usage across diverse contexts. The frequency of this verb in English makes accurate conjugation essential for effective communication. Success with the past tense of Hear reflects broader irregular verb mastery and demonstrates sophisticated English grammar knowledge. Focus on contextual usage rather than isolated memorization for lasting comprehension and natural application.

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.