Draw Past Tense: Drew vs Drawn

First published on December 17, 2022 by Dalia Y.|Last revised on October 20, 2024

To draw is in the present tense; whereas drew is the simple past, and drawn is the present or past perfect). ‍

What's the past tense of "draw"?

The simple past tense of draw is drew, and the past participle is drawn. Use drew for simple past and drawn with auxiliary verbs like "have" or "had".

Definition of draw

To draw means "making a picture of something or someone with a pencil or pen," as in Jonathan can draw very well. It can also mean "to bring by inducement or allure," similar to words like 'pull', 'compel', or 'attract'. As a noun, a draw can refer to a lottery, raffle, or tie in a game.

The past tense of draw is drew.

The past participle of draw is drawn.

Verb forms of 'draw'

Simple Cont. Perfect Perfect Cont.

Present

I/you/they draw • He/she/it draws

Past

I/you/they drew • He/she/it drew

Future

I/you/they will draw • He/she/it will draw

Present

I am/you are drawing • He/she/it is drawing

Past

I was/you were drawing • He/she/it was drawing

Future

I/you will be drawing • He/she/it will be drawing

Present

I/you have drawn • He/she/it has drawn

Past

I/you had drawn • He/she/it had drawn

Future

I/you will have drawn • He/she/it will have drawn

Present

I have been drawing • He/she/it has been drawing

Past

I had been drawing • He/she/it had been drawing

Future

I will have been drawing • He/she/it will have been drawing

Is "draw" a regular or irregular verb?

The verb draw is irregular. Its past tense and past participle forms are drew and drawn, not "drawed." This is a pattern shared with several English verbs that change their vowel sound in the past tense, such as grow/grew/grown and know/knew/known.

Similar irregular verbs

draw

Past: drew

Past part: drawn

When to use drew vs. drawn

My mother drew a portrait of my father.

He had drawn a picture in her memory.

The verb draw uses different forms for simple past tense and present or past perfect), it requires an auxiliary verb like have, has, or had. The simple past doesn't use a helper verb since it's a complete tense, so drew can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.

Sentence examples: draw, drew, drawn

Draw (present tense)

• The computer can draw the graph for you.

• I draw pictures on the wall of my examining room to explain things.

• You draw beautifully.

Drew (past simple)

• Students drew maps of the states and labeled them.

• She drew a picture of her dog for her mom.

• My mother drew a portrait of my father.

Drawn (present or past perfect)

• She has drawn a picture of her dog for others as well.

• They had drawn the world's biggest picture.

• He had drawn a picture in her memory.

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for draw

sketch illustrate depict paint design create

Nearby phrases

draw out draw in draw up draw back

Origin of the verb/word, draw

To “give motion to by the act of pulling,” c. 1200, drauen, spelling alteration of Old English dragan “to drag, to draw, protract” Proto-Germanic *draganan “to draw, pull”.

Practice: Draw conjugations

FAQs

What's the past tense of "draw"?

The simple past tense of "draw" is "drew." For example, "Yesterday, I drew a picture." Avoid incorrect forms like "drawed." The past participle is "drawn," used with helping verbs like "has."

What is "drawn" grammatically?

"Drawn" is the present or past perfect). It is not used alone as a simple.

How do I use "drew" correctly?

"Drew" is the simple past tense of "draw," used to describe a completed action in the past. For instance, "My mother drew a portrait." It indicates a single, finished action unlike the participle.

When do I use "drawn" instead of "drew"?

Use "drawn" with auxiliary verbs like "have," "has," or "had" to form perfect tenses. For example, "He has drawn a picture" (present perfect) or "She had drawn a map" (past perfect).

Is "drawed" a correct past tense?

No, "drawed" is grammatically incorrect. The correct simple past tense of "draw" is "drew," as in "I drew a picture." Using "drawed" is a common mistake to avoid; always use "drew" for the simple.