Past tense of Put: Complete Conjugation Guide & Usage Examples

Content publishing rules

Understanding the past tense of Put represents a fundamental milestone in English grammar mastery, as this irregular verb appears frequently across all communication contexts. The past tense of Put 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 Put alongside its complete conjugation system, providing practical examples and usage guidelines for learners at every proficiency level.

I. What is Put?
II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Put? The Past Tense of Put in English
III. How to Conjugate the Verb Put
1. 1. In the Tenses
2. 2. In special sentence structures
IV. Phrasal Verbs with "Put" in English
V. Idioms with Put in English
VI. Exercises on Conjugating the Verb Put with Answers
1. 1. Exercises
2. 2. Answer keys

I. What is Put?

Put is pronounced /pʊt/ and serves as a verb with several meanings, such as:

Meaning	Example
to place something in a particular position or location.	Anna puts the keys on the shelf.
to wear or don (an article of clothing)	John puts on his coat before leaving.
to cause something to be in a particular state or condition	David's comment puts Sarah in a good mood.
to express or articulate something in speech or writing	Emma puts it nicely during the meeting.
to present an idea, suggestion, or proposal	Michael puts forward a new idea for the project.

II. What are V0, V2, V3 of Put? The Past Tense of Put in English

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

Part of speech		Example
V0	Put(s) /pʊt/	Lisa puts her phone on the desk every morning.
V2	Put /pʊt/	Lisa put her phone on the desk yesterday.
V3	Put /pʊt/	Lisa has put her phone on the desk.

III. How to Conjugate the Verb Put

What is the past tense of Put? How is the verb Put conjugated in 12 tenses in English and in special structures? Let’s explore it right below!

1. In the Tenses

12 tenses in English	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Present simple tense	put	puts	put
	I put my keys on the table every morning. He puts his phone on silent during meetings. They put the books back on the shelf after reading.
Present progressive tense	am putting	is putting	are putting
	I am putting my coat on right now. He is putting the groceries away. They are putting up the tent for the camping trip.
Present perfect tense	have put	has put	have put
	I have put the dishes in the sink. He has put his car in the garage. They have put the chairs in the living room.
Present perfect progressive tense	have been putting	has been putting	have been putting
	I have been putting money aside for a new bike. He has been putting off his homework all week. They have been putting effort into the project for months.
Past simple tense	put	put	put
	I put my phone on the charger last night. He put the report on the manager’s desk yesterday. They put the boxes in the storage room.
Past progressive tense	was putting	was putting	were putting
	I was putting on my shoes when the doorbell rang. He was putting the files away when his boss called. They were putting up the decorations when the rain started.
Past perfect tense	had put	had put	had put
	I had put my passport in the drawer before packing. He had put the key in his pocket before leaving. They had put away all the toys before the guests arrived.
Past perfect progressive tense	had been putting	had been putting	had been putting
	I had been putting money aside for months before I bought a new phone. He had been putting off his trip until he saved enough money. They had been putting extra hours into the project before it was completed.
Future simple tense	will put	will put	will put
	I will put the package on your desk tomorrow. He will put the meeting notes in the folder. They will put the chairs away after the event.
Future progressive tense	will be putting	will be putting	will be putting
	I will be putting the kids to bed when you arrive. He will be putting the finishing touches on the report at that time. They will be putting the stage together for the concert.
Future perfect tense	will have put	will have put	will have put
	I will have put away all the laundry by the time you get home. He will have put the presentation together by tomorrow. They will have put everything in place before the guests arrive.
Future perfect progressive tense	will have been putting	will have been putting	will have been putting
	I will have been putting in extra hours for three weeks by the time the project is done. He will have been putting off his plans for a year by then. They will have been putting aside money for the vacation for six months.

2. In special sentence structures

Special Structure	I	He/She/It	We/You/They
Conditional Sentences
Second conditional - Main Clause	would put	would put	would put
Second conditional - Main Clause	If I were you, I would put more effort into solving that problem. If he had more experience, he would put forward better solutions. If they knew the details, they might put the proposal on hold.
Third conditional - Main Clause	would have put	would have put	would have put
Third conditional - Main Clause	If I had remembered the appointment, I would have put it in my calendar. If he had listened to the instructions, he could have put the machine together correctly. If they had planned better, they would have put the project on track earlier.
Subjunctive Mood
Subjunctive expressing present situation	put	put	put
Subjunctive expressing present situation	would put	would put	would put
Subjunctive expressing past situation contrary to fact	would have put	would have put	would have put
Example	If I were in your position, I would put more trust in the team. If he knew the truth, he would put an end to the argument. If they had received the information, they would have put the new strategy in place last month.

IV. Phrasal Verbs with "Put" in English

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

Phrasal verb with Put	Meaning	Example
Put something across	to present or explain an idea or information clearly.	Anna put her ideas across very effectively during the meeting.
Put aside something	to save or reserve something for a particular purpose; to set something down for later consideration.	John decided to put aside some money every month for his vacation.
Put away something	to store or arrange something in its proper place.	Sarah put away all the dishes after dinner.
Put away someone	to imprison someone.	The police finally put away the notorious criminal after years of investigation.
Put back something	to return something to its original place or position	Emma put back the book on the shelf after reading it.

V. Idioms with Put in English

In addition to the knowledge about the past tense of "put" mentioned above, let’s explore some idioms with "put" in English below!

Idioms with Put	Meaning	Example
Put a damper on something	to reduce the enjoyment or excitement of something; to spoil an event	The sudden rainstorm put a damper on Emma's outdoor wedding plans.
Put an end to something	to bring something to a conclusion; to stop something from continuing	David decided to put an end to the argument before it got out of hand.
Put down roots	to settle down and establish a permanent residence in a particular place	After years of traveling, Sarah finally put down roots in New York City.
Put your feet up	to relax and rest, usually by sitting down and elevating your feet	After a long day at work, John likes to put his feet up and watch TV.
Put your finger on something	to identify or recognize something precisely, especially when it is difficult to understand.	Michael couldn’t put his finger on what was bothering him, but he knew something was wrong.

VI. Exercises on Conjugating the Verb Put with Answers

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

1. Exercises

Exercise 1: Conjugate the verb "put" in the parentheses.

If Emi (put) ____ the documents in the right folder, we wouldn’t have lost them.
They (put) ____ the new policy into effect next week.
By the time you arrive, I (put) ____ everything away.
Jack (put) ____ the book back on the shelf yesterday.
If I were in your position, I (put) ____ more effort into the project

Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb "put."

Susan has been working on the report for hours; she finally managed to __________ it together.
If John __________ more thought into the plan, it might have been successful.
They __________ the schedule back by one week due to unforeseen delays.
By the end of the day, we will have __________ all the files in the correct folders.
I will __________ the groceries away after I unpack them from the car.

2. Answer keys

Exercise 1	Exercise 2
Had put will put will have put put would put	put Had put put put put

Mastering the past tense of Put 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 Put 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.