Grow past tense: grew, grown
increase in size
Grow is an irregular English verb: the past simple of grow is grew and the past participle is grown. Learn the three forms together — grow – grew – grown.
Verb forms
Base form
/ɡrəʊ/
Past Simple
/ɡruː/
Past Participle
/ɡrəʊn/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · grow
Tomatoes grow well in warm climates.
Past Simple · grew
He grew a beard during the winter holidays.
Past Participle · grown
The company has grown rapidly over the past decade.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I grow he / she / it grows | I grew | I have grown |
| Present Continuous:I am growing · he / she / it is growing | ||
Common collocations
grow up
to become an adult
grow apart
to become less close over time
Grammar guide
Grow belongs to the ABC group: all three forms are different (grow – grew – grown), so each form has to be learnt separately.
- Past simple – grew: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – grown: 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 grow…? I didn’t grow.
Verbs with the same pattern
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about grow
- What is the past simple of grow?
- The past simple of grow is grew.
- What is the past participle of grow?
- The past participle of grow is grown.
- What are the three forms of grow?
- The three forms are grow – grew – grown: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is grow a regular or an irregular verb?
- Grow is irregular: its past simple is grew, not growed.