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Creep past tense: crept, crept
move slowly, sneak
Creep is an irregular English verb: the past simple of creep is crept and the past participle is crept. Learn the three forms together — creep – crept – crept.
Verb forms
Base form
creep
/kriːp/
Past Simple
crept
/krept/
Past Participle
crept
/krept/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · creep
Cats creep silently when hunting.
Past Simple · crept
He crept downstairs so as not to wake anyone.
Past Participle · crept
Doubt had crept into her mind.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I creep he / she / it creeps | I crept | I have crept |
| Present Continuous:I am creeping · he / she / it is creeping | ||
Grammar guide
Creep belongs to the ABB group: the past simple and the past participle are the same (crept). This is the largest group of irregular verbs — you only need to learn one past form.
- Past simple – crept: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – crept: after have, has or had (present perfect, past perfect) and after be in the passive voice.
- Questions and negatives in the past simple use did + the base form: Did you creep…? I didn’t creep.
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about creep
- What is the past simple of creep?
- The past simple of creep is crept.
- What is the past participle of creep?
- The past participle of creep is crept.
- What are the three forms of creep?
- The three forms are creep – crept – crept: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is creep a regular or an irregular verb?
- Creep is irregular: its past simple is crept, not creeped.