How to Use Go, Went, Gone (Explained, With Examples)

August 6, 2025
5 min read
By Yash, D

To go is in the present tense. Went is the past simple tense, and ‘have gone’ is the past participle of go.

How to Use Go, Went, Gone (Explained, With Examples)

To go, one of the smallest and arguably most complicated verbs in English—except for to be (because what other verb could it be?)—describes movement from one place to another, usually for a reason or purpose (We're going to dinner).

This verb has many associated uses. It can also mean to leave a place or depart: They've already gone home. Like to be, to go is complex, however its utility and inevitability in English should not be overlooked.



What's the past tense of go? ‍

  • The present tense is go.

  • The simple past tense of "go" is went; the past participle is gone.

    Go, and its past tense, went, are entirely different words in how they are spelled and sound. This is why people are so often confused with the verb forms of "go".


    Tense Examples: forms of "go" used in sentences
    present I have to go to Rome on business.
    past She went into her room and shut the door behind her.
    past participle form She has gone to see her sister this weekend.



Forms of the verb "go"

present past future
simple I go I went I will go
continuous I am going I was going I will be going
perfect I have gone I had gone I will have gone
perfect continuous I have been going I had been going I will have been going
Verb tenses of 'go'



‍Irregular verbs like "go"

Here's a chart that illustrates other verbs in English with two past tense forms, like go/went/gone:

base verb past tense past participle
go went gone
fly flew flown
blow blew blown
draw drew drawn
do did done
Irregular verbs (two past tenses).

When to use "went" vs. "gone"

Compare these sentences:

Past tense: She went into her room and shut the door behind her.

Past participle:  I had gone to the store.

A key marker of the past participle form of a verb vs. the simple past tense is the use of an auxiliary/helping verb, such as had/have/has, or forms of 'to be'. The simple past tense, went, does not require an auxiliary verb because went is a complete verb tense.


Participles are not verb tenses per se. Rather, they are forms of verbs and they are used to form the perfect aspect + the passive voice. This means that the past participle uses a sentence object, and an auxiliary verb (as mentioned).


So, remember: participles participate and need a helping verb to function as a whole verb in a sentence. The simple past, on the other hand, does not require a helping verb and can standalone in sentences.

Phrases with go (or goes)

  • What goes around comes around.
  • Go without
  • Go over
  • Go together
  • Go after
  • Go along with

Origin of go

Old English gan “to advance, walk; depart, go away; happen, take place; conquer; observe, practice, exercise,” from West Germanic *gaian.

Practice: Go, went, gone

Question 1 of 5

She ______ to the store an hour ago.



He has already ______ home for the day.



Where do you want to ______ for dinner tonight?



They ______ on vacation to Spain last summer.



By the time we arrived, the train had already ______.



FAQs

What is the simple past of go?
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According to the post, the simple past tense of the verb “go” is “went”. It is used to describe a completed action in the past without an auxiliary verb, like in “She went into her room.”

What is the past participle of go?
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The past participle form of “go” is “gone”. It requires an auxiliary verb like “have” or “had” to form perfect tenses, such as in “They have gone on vacation for a week.”

When to use went vs gone?
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Use “went” for the simple past tense, which stands alone as a complete verb (e.g., “My brother went to the concert”). Use “gone” with a helping verb (have/had) for perfect tenses.

Is go a regular verb?
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No, the blog post states that the verb “go” is highly irregular. Its past tense forms (“went,” “gone”) are entirely different words from the base form “go” in spelling and sound.

Why is the past tense of go confusing?
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The post explains confusion arises because “go” and its simple past “went” are completely different words, unlike regular verbs, making it harder for people to remember which form to use.

Sources

  1. “Go, V.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2025, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/1165652367.

Yash, D. "How to Use Go, Went, Gone (Explained, With Examples)." Grammarflex, Aug 24, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/go-went-gone/.

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