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Shine past tense: shone, shone
give off light
Shine is an irregular English verb: the past simple of shine is shone and the past participle is shone. Learn the three forms together — shine – shone – shone.
Verb forms
Base form
shine
/ʃaɪn/
Past Simple
shone
/ʃɒn/
Past Participle
shone
/ʃɒn/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · shine
The stars shine brightly in the desert sky.
Past Simple · shone
The sun shone all day during our picnic.
Past Participle · shone
Her talent has shone in every performance.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I shine he / she / it shines | I shone | I have shone |
| Present Continuous:I am shining · he / she / it is shining | ||
Grammar guide
Shine belongs to the ABB group: the past simple and the past participle are the same (shone). This is the largest group of irregular verbs — you only need to learn one past form.
- Past simple – shone: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – shone: 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 shine…? I didn’t shine.
Questions about shine
- What is the past simple of shine?
- The past simple of shine is shone.
- What is the past participle of shine?
- The past participle of shine is shone.
- What are the three forms of shine?
- The three forms are shine – shone – shone: base form, past simple and past participle.