Give, Gave, Given: Mastering the Forms of Irregular Verbs
Understanding irregular verbs is crucial for mastering English grammar. Among these, “give,” “gave,” and “given” are fundamental.
This article provides a comprehensive guide to using these forms correctly, covering definitions, structures, examples, and common mistakes. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, this resource will help you confidently use “give,” “gave,” and “given” in your writing and speaking.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Definition of Give, Gave, and Given
- Structural Breakdown
- Usage Scenarios
- Examples of Give, Gave, and Given
- Usage Rules
- Common Mistakes
- Practice Exercises
- Advanced Topics
- FAQ
- Conclusion
Introduction
The verb “give” is one of the most common and versatile verbs in the English language. It signifies the act of voluntarily transferring something to someone.
To use “give” correctly, it’s essential to understand its various forms: the base form “give,” the past tense form “gave,” and the past participle “given.” Mastering these forms allows for clear and accurate communication in different tenses and grammatical structures. This guide will provide a thorough exploration of each form, ensuring you can confidently and correctly use them in any context.
This article will benefit students, educators, and anyone looking to refine their English grammar skills.
Definition of Give, Gave, and Given
The verb “give” is an irregular verb, meaning its past tense and past participle forms do not follow the standard -ed ending rule. Let’s define each form:
Give
Definition: The base form of the verb, indicating the act of transferring something to someone. It is used in the present tense and with modal verbs.
Classification: Base form, present tense.
Function: To express an action happening now or habitually.
Contexts: Simple present, present continuous (with helping verbs), and future tenses. It is also used in the infinitive form (to give) and the imperative mood (Give!).
Gave
Definition: The past tense form of “give,” indicating that the action of transferring something occurred in the past.
Classification: Past tense.
Function: To express a completed action in the past.
Contexts: Simple past tense.
Given
Definition: The past participle form of “give,” used with auxiliary verbs like “have,” “has,” “had,” “is,” “are,” “was,” and “were” to form perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.
Classification: Past participle.
Function: To express completed actions in relation to a specific time or to indicate the receiver of an action in passive sentences.
Contexts: Present perfect, past perfect, future perfect, and passive voice.
Structural Breakdown
Understanding the structural roles of “give,” “gave,” and “given” is essential for accurate usage. Each form fits into specific grammatical structures within a sentence.
Give – Base Form
The base form “give” is used in several ways:
- Simple Present: I give, you give, we give, they give (He/She/It gives)
- Imperative: Give me the book.
- Infinitive: To give is better than to receive.
- Modal Verbs: I can give you a ride.
Gave – Past Tense
The past tense “gave” is straightforward:
- Simple Past: I gave, you gave, he/she/it gave, we gave, they gave
Given – Past Participle
The past participle “given” is more complex, requiring auxiliary verbs:
- Present Perfect: I have given, you have given, he/she/it has given, we have given, they have given
- Past Perfect: I had given, you had given, he/she/it had given, we had given, they had given
- Future Perfect: I will have given, you will have given, he/she/it will have given, we will have given, they will have given
- Passive Voice: The book was given to me.
Usage Scenarios
The forms “give,” “gave,” and “given” are used in a variety of scenarios, each requiring a specific understanding of tense and context.
Present Tense
Use “give” to describe actions happening now, habitual actions, or general truths. For example, “I give my time to volunteer work every week.” This indicates a regular, ongoing action.
Past Tense
Use “gave” to describe actions that happened and were completed in the past. For example, “She gave me a thoughtful gift for my birthday.” This indicates a single, completed action in the past.
Perfect Tenses
Use “given” with auxiliary verbs to describe actions completed at a certain point or period. Perfect tenses relate a past action to a point in time, either the present (present perfect), the past (past perfect), or the future (future perfect).
For example, “I have given my best effort to this project” (present perfect), “I had given all my money away before I realized I needed it” (past perfect), and “By next week, I will have given all the presentations” (future perfect).
Passive Voice
Use “given” in passive voice constructions to emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the doer. For example, “The award was given to her for her outstanding achievements.”
Examples of Give, Gave, and Given
Here are several examples illustrating the usage of “give,” “gave,” and “given” in different contexts.
Examples of “Give”
The following table provides examples of the word “give” used in various tenses and sentence structures. Each example showcases the base form of the verb used in the present tense, imperative mood, with modal verbs, or in the infinitive form.
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| I give my best effort to every task. | Simple Present |
| Do you give blood regularly? | Simple Present (Question) |
| He gives generously to charity. | Simple Present (Third Person Singular) |
| We give thanks for all that we have. | Simple Present |
| They give their opinions freely. | Simple Present |
| Give me a break! | Imperative |
| Please give the book to her. | Imperative |
| Give it your best shot. | Imperative |
| To give is better than to receive. | Infinitive |
| I want to give you a present. | Infinitive |
| She needs to give her presentation tomorrow. | Infinitive |
| I can give you a ride home. | Modal Verb (Can) |
| You should give him a call. | Modal Verb (Should) |
| We must give our attention to this matter. | Modal Verb (Must) |
| They will give a concert next month. | Future Tense (with ‘will’) |
| I am going to give a speech. | Future Tense (with ‘going to’) |
| The company plans to give bonuses this year. | Future Tense (plans to) |
| Give the dog a bone. | Imperative |
| I give up! | Simple Present (Idiomatic Expression) |
| They give parties every weekend. | Simple Present (Habitual Action) |
| We give our support to the cause. | Simple Present |
| He gives advice to his friends. | Simple Present (Third Person Singular) |
| Can you give me a hand? | Modal Verb (Can – Asking for Help) |
| I will give it some thought. | Future Tense (with ‘will’) |
| We should give them a warning. | Modal Verb (Should) |
| Give me your attention, please. | Imperative |
| To give someone a compliment is nice. | Infinitive |
Examples of “Gave”
The following table demonstrates the past tense form “gave” in use. Each sentence showcases an action that was completed in the past.
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| I gave her a flower yesterday. | Simple Past |
| He gave a speech at the conference. | Simple Past |
| She gave me her phone number. | Simple Past |
| We gave them a warm welcome. | Simple Past |
| They gave us a ride to the airport. | Simple Past |
| The teacher gave the students homework. | Simple Past |
| The dog gave a bark. | Simple Past |
| The company gave bonuses last year. | Simple Past |
| The singer gave a brilliant performance. | Simple Past |
| The chef gave the dish a final touch. | Simple Past |
| The rain gave us a reason to stay inside. | Simple Past |
| The movie gave me a good laugh. | Simple Past |
| The book gave her new insights. | Simple Past |
| The experience gave him a new perspective. | Simple Past |
| The weather gave us an opportunity to hike. | Simple Past |
| I gave my old clothes to charity. | Simple Past |
| She gave him a second chance. | Simple Past |
| We gave them our best wishes. | Simple Past |
| They gave us a surprise party. | Simple Past |
| He gave the waiter a generous tip. | Simple Past |
| The artist gave the painting as a gift. | Simple Past |
| The athlete gave his all during the competition. | Simple Past |
| The musician gave a moving performance. | Simple Past |
| The company gave employees a raise. | Simple Past |
| The storm gave the town a heavy downpour. | Simple Past |
| The comedian gave the audience a good laugh. | Simple Past |
| The teacher gave the class a challenging assignment. | Simple Past |
Examples of “Given”
The following table lists the usage of “given” as a past participle, combined with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses and passive voice sentences.
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| I have given my word. | Present Perfect |
| She has given up smoking. | Present Perfect |
| We have given them our support. | Present Perfect |
| They have given us a reason to celebrate. | Present Perfect |
| He had given the book away before I asked for it. | Past Perfect |
| She had given her all to the project. | Past Perfect |
| We had given up hope of finding him. | Past Perfect |
| They had given their approval. | Past Perfect |
| I will have given the presentation by tomorrow. | Future Perfect |
| She will have given her answer by then. | Future Perfect |
| We will have given our donation by the end of the year. | Future Perfect |
| They will have given their feedback. | Future Perfect |
| The award was given to her. | Passive Voice |
| The information was given to us in confidence. | Passive Voice |
| The opportunity was given to him. | Passive Voice |
| The task was given to the team. | Passive Voice |
| Having given it some thought, I decided to accept. | Perfect Participle (Having + Given) |
| Given the circumstances, we had no choice. | Past Participle as Adjective |
| The scholarship has been given to a deserving student. | Present Perfect Passive |
| All the necessary supplies had been given to the team. | Past Perfect Passive |
| The instructions will be given to you shortly. | Future Passive |
| The secret was given away accidentally. | Passive Voice with Adverb |
| The prize was given to the winner. | Passive Voice |
| The assignment has been given to the students. | Present Perfect Passive |
| The presentation had been given before I arrived. | Past Perfect Passive |
| The cake will be given as a gift. | Future Passive |
Examples of “Give,” “Gave,” and “Given” in Context
This table showcases all three forms used in a variety of sentences. The sentences in the following table will help you understand how they related to each other.
| Sentence | Form Used | Tense/Voice |
|---|---|---|
| I give my best to every project. | Give | Simple Present |
| Yesterday, I gave a presentation at the conference. | Gave | Simple Past |
| I have given my all to this company. | Given | Present Perfect |
| They give generously to charity every year. | Give | Simple Present |
| Last week, they gave a concert to raise money. | Gave | Simple Past |
| They have given us a reason to celebrate. | Given | Present Perfect |
| We give thanks for our blessings. | Give | Simple Present |
| She gave a heartfelt speech at the wedding. | Gave | Simple Past |
| The award was given to the most deserving candidate. | Given | Passive Voice |
| Do you give your time to volunteer work? | Give | Simple Present (Question) |
| He gave me a ride to the station. | Gave | Simple Past |
| He has given up smoking for his health. | Given | Present Perfect |
| I will give you a call later. | Give | Future Tense |
| She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. | Gave | Simple Past |
| The instructions were given clearly. | Given | Passive Voice |
| Please give me your attention. | Give | Imperative |
| The teacher gave the students a challenging assignment. | Gave | Simple Past |
| The prize will be given away at the ceremony. | Given | Future Passive |
| We should give them a chance to explain. | Give | Modal Verb (Should) |
| The company gave employees a generous bonus. | Gave | Simple Past |
| The news was given to them gently. | Given | Passive Voice |
| They give parties every weekend. | Give | Simple Present |
| Last night, they gave a surprise party for him. | Gave | Simple Past |
| They have given their support to the project. | Given | Present Perfect |
| I give up! | Give | Simple Present (Idiomatic) |
| He gave me a valuable piece of advice. | Gave | Simple Past |
| The opportunity was given to me unexpectedly. | Given | Passive Voice |
Usage Rules
Follow these rules to ensure correct usage of “give,” “gave,” and “given.”
Rule 1: Use “Give” for Present Tense
Use “give” for actions happening now, habitual actions, and general truths. Remember to use “gives” for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).
Example: I give my time to volunteer work. He gives generously.
Rule 2: Use “Gave” for Past Tense
Use “gave” for actions that happened and were completed in the past.
Example: She gave me a thoughtful gift.
Rule 3: Use “Given” for Perfect Tenses
Use “given” with auxiliary verbs “have,” “has,” or “had” to form perfect tenses.
Example: I have given my best effort. She had given all her money away.
Rule 4: Use “Given” for Passive Voice
Use “given” with forms of the verb “to be” (is, are, was, were, been) to form passive voice sentences.
Example: The award was given to her.
Rule 5: “Given” as an Adjective
“Given” can function as an adjective, usually indicating a condition or assumption.
Example: Given the circumstances, we must proceed carefully.
Common Mistakes
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when using “give,” “gave,” and “given.”
Mistake 1: Incorrect Past Tense
Incorrect: I gived the book to him.
Correct: I gave the book to him.
Explanation: “Gived” is not a correct form. The past tense of “give” is “gave.”
Mistake 2: Incorrect Past Participle
Incorrect: I have gave my best effort.
Correct: I have given my best effort.
Explanation: “Gave” is past tense, not the past participle. The past participle is “given.”
Mistake 3: Misusing “Give” in the Past
Incorrect: Yesterday, I will give a presentation.
Correct: Yesterday, I gave a presentation.
Explanation: Use “gave” for past actions, not “give.”
Mistake 4: Forgetting Auxiliary Verbs with “Given”
Incorrect: I given my word.
Correct: I have given my word.
Explanation: “Given” requires an auxiliary verb like “have,” “has,” or “had.”
Mistake 5: Using “Give” in Passive Voice
Incorrect: The award is give to her.
Correct: The award is given to her.
Explanation: The passive voice requires the past participle form, “given.”
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with these practice exercises. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “give” (give, gave, given).
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I always ______ my best effort. | give |
| 2. Yesterday, she ______ me a call. | gave |
| 3. They have ______ us a reason to celebrate. | given |
| 4. Please ______ me your attention. | give |
| 5. He ______ a speech at the conference last week. | gave |
| 6. The award was ______ to the most deserving candidate. | given |
| 7. We ______ thanks for our blessings. | give |
| 8. She had ______ up hope of finding her lost dog. | given |
| 9. I will ______ you a ride home after the meeting. | give |
| 10. He has ______ away all his old clothes. | given |
Exercise 2: Correct the Mistakes
Identify and correct the mistakes in the following sentences.
| Question | Corrected Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. I gived her the book yesterday. | I gave her the book yesterday. |
| 2. She have gave her best effort. | She has given her best effort. |
| 3. He give me a ride to work. | He gave me a ride to work. |
| 4. They has given us a present. | They have given us a present. |
| 5. The information was give to us in secret. | The information was given to us in secret. |
| 6. We gived up on the project. | We gave up on the project. |
| 7. I am give a speech tomorrow. | I am giving a speech tomorrow. |
| 8. He give his all to the team. | He gave his all to the team. |
| 9. They has give us a warning. | They have given us a warning. |
| 10. The prize is give to the winner. | The prize is given to the winner. |
Exercise 3: Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences using the appropriate form of “give.”
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. Every year, we ______ to charity. | give |
| 2. Last night, she ______ a wonderful performance. | gave |
| 3. By next week, I will have ______ all my exams. | given |
| 4. If you ______ me a chance, I can explain. | give |
| 5. The opportunity was ______ to him because of his hard work. | given |
| 6. Before I left, I ______ my cat some food. | gave |
| 7. I have always ______ my best to my family. | given |
| 8. They ______ a party every summer. | give |
| 9. The teacher ______ the students a pop quiz today. | gave |
| 10. I must ______ back to the community. | give |
Advanced Topics
For advanced learners, let’s explore more complex aspects of using “give,” “gave,” and “given.”
Phrasal Verbs with “Give”
Several phrasal verbs incorporate “give,” each with unique meanings:
- Give up: To stop trying; to surrender. Example: I give up! I can’t solve this puzzle.
- Give in: To yield or concede. Example: She finally gave in to his demands.
- Give away: To donate or reveal a secret. Example: He gave away his old clothes. Don’t give away the ending!
- Give back: To return something. Example: Please give back my book when you’re finished.
- Give out: To distribute. Example: The teacher gave out the test papers.
“Given” as a Preposition
The word “given” can also function as a preposition, meaning “considering” or “taking into account.”
Example: Given the circumstances, we should proceed cautiously.
Subjunctive Mood with “Give”
In formal contexts, “give” can be used in the subjunctive mood to express a wish, suggestion, or command, often after verbs like “suggest,” “recommend,” or “demand.”
Example: I suggest that he give the presentation tomorrow.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about using “give,” “gave,” and “given.”
Q1: What is the difference between “gave” and “given”?
A: “Gave” is the simple past tense form of “give,” used to describe actions completed in the past. “Given” is the past participle, used with auxiliary verbs to form perfect tenses (e.g., “have given,” “had given”) and in passive voice constructions (e.g., “was given”).
Q2: When should I use “give” vs. “gives”?
A: Use “give” with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, as well as plural nouns. Use “gives” with the pronouns he, she, and it, as well as singular nouns. For example, “I give,” “they give,” but “he gives,” “she gives.”
Q3: How do I use “given” in a passive sentence?
A: In a passive sentence, “given” is used with a form of the verb “to be” (is, are, was, were, been). The subject of the sentence receives the action. For example, “The award was given to her for her achievements.”
Q4: What are some common phrasal verbs using “give”?
A: Common phrasal verbs include “give up” (to stop trying), “give in” (to yield), “give away” (to donate or reveal), “give back” (to return), and “give out” (to distribute). These all have different meanings from the verb “give” alone.
Q5: Can “given” be used as something other than a verb form?
A: Yes, “given” can be used as a preposition, typically meaning “considering” or “taking into account.” For example, “Given the circumstances, we should proceed cautiously.” It can also be used as an adjective, as in “Given the opportunity…”.
Q6: Is it correct to say “I have gave”?
A: No, it is not correct. The correct form is “I have given.” “Given” is the past participle of “give” and should be used with auxiliary verbs like “have,” “has,” or “had” to form perfect tenses.
Q7: How do I use “give” in the imperative mood?
A: In the imperative mood, “give” is used to give a command or make a request. The subject (you) is usually implied. For example, “Give me the book,” or “Give it your best shot.”
Q8: What is the difference between “give” and “donate”?
A: While both words involve transferring something to someone else, “donate” usually implies giving something (especially money or goods) to a charity or non-profit organization. “Give” is more general and can refer to any act of transferring something.
Conclusion
Mastering the forms of irregular verbs like “give,” “gave,” and “given” is crucial for effective communication in English. This article has provided a comprehensive overview of these forms, including their definitions, structural breakdowns, usage scenarios, and common mistakes to avoid.
By understanding the nuances of each form, you can confidently use them in various contexts. Remember to practice regularly and pay attention to how native speakers use these verbs to further improve your understanding.
Keep practicing and you will master these forms in no time!
