← All irregular verbsIrregular Verbs
Seek past tense: sought, sought
search for
Seek is an irregular English verb: the past simple of seek is sought and the past participle is sought. Learn the three forms together — seek – sought – sought.
Verb forms
Base form
seek
/siːk/
Past Simple
sought
/sɔːt/
Past Participle
sought
/sɔːt/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · seek
Graduates seek jobs in many different industries.
Past Simple · sought
They sought shelter from the storm in a cave.
Past Participle · sought
His advice has been sought by leaders worldwide.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I seek he / she / it seeks | I sought | I have sought |
| Present Continuous:I am seeking · he / she / it is seeking | ||
Grammar guide
Seek belongs to the ABB group: the past simple and the past participle are the same (sought). This is the largest group of irregular verbs — you only need to learn one past form.
- Past simple – sought: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – sought: 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 seek…? I didn’t seek.
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about seek
- What is the past simple of seek?
- The past simple of seek is sought.
- What is the past participle of seek?
- The past participle of seek is sought.
- What are the three forms of seek?
- The three forms are seek – sought – sought: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is seek a regular or an irregular verb?
- Seek is irregular: its past simple is sought, not seeked.