What’s the past tense of “shoot”?
Take a shot at this grammar question: what’s the past tense of the verb shoot?
- Shoot is an irregular verb with one form as a past tense and past participle, i.e., shot. Shot is an irregular past tense form since it doesn’t end in –ed (like most regular verbs do in the past tense).
Verb forms of shoot
To start with a definition, the verb shoot is defined by the Oxford Learner’s dictionary as, “to fire a gun or other weapon; to fire something from a weapon”.
| present | past | future | |
| simple | I shoot | I shot | I will shoot |
| continuous | I am shooting | I was shooting | I will be shooting |
| perfect | I have shot | I had shot | I will have shot |
| perfect continuous | I have been shooting | I had been shooting | I will have been shooting |
Shoot is in the present tense: Don’t shoot—I surrender.
Shot is the simple past: He shot an arrow from his bow.
Shot is the past participle: They had been shot in the back while trying to escape.
Irregular verbs like “shoot”
Shoot is an irregular verb, since its past forms do not add an –ed. Instead, shoot drops an ‘o’ to become shot. Shoot has two forms altogether, and belongs to the class of irregular verbs with two verb forms, like spit/spat or meet/met.
| base verb | past tense | past participle |
| spit | spat | spat |
| sit | sat | sat |
| tell | told | told |
| win | won | won |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| lose | lost | lost |
Is it ‘shoot‘ or ‘shot‘? Shoot in the past tense
In the simple past tense, use the past tense verb conjugation.
Example: Accidentally, he shot himself in the foot.
To form the past perfect tense, use the auxiliary [had] + past participle of verb [shot].
Example: Accidentally, he had shot himself in the foot while defending from the attackers.
To form the past perfect continuous, pair the auxiliaries [had been] + present participle of verb [shoot+ing].
Example: Accidentally, he had been shooting himself in the foot while defending from the attackers.
Examples of shoot in sentences (present tense)
1. The soldiers were given orders to shoot on sight
2. Don’t shoot—I surrender.
3. Flames were shooting up through the roof.
4. The film crew returned to the area to shoot more footage.
5. Cameras ready? OK, shoot!
Examples of shot in the past tense:
1. He shot himself during a fit of depression.
2. He accidentally shot himself in the foot.
3. He shot an arrow from his bow.
4. Her hand shot out to grab my wrist.
5. A plane shot across the sky.
Examples of the past participle, shot:
1. Three people were shot dead during the robbery.
2. They were shot in the back while trying to escape.
3. The film is beautifully shot and edited.
4. I’d been shot in the foot and couldn’t walk.
5. I’d shot the movie in black and white.
Origin of the verb shoot
From etymology online on shoot (v.):
Middle English sheten “hasten from place to place; move swiftly; thrust forward; discharge a missile, send an arrow from a bow,” from Old English sceotan (class II strong verb; past tense sceat, past participle scoten), “dart forth, go swiftly and suddenly,” also “discharge (a missile or weapon).”
Other commonly confused verb tenses
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Learn more about verbs
- What are regular and irregular verbs?
- Transitive and intransitive verbs?
- What are verbs?
- What’re personal pronouns?
- What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
- Whose vs who’s?
Sources
1. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of shoot.” Online Etymology Dictionary, Accessed 1 March, 2023.
