Strike past tense: struck, struck
hit, refuse to work
Strike is an irregular English verb: the past simple of strike is struck and the past participle is struck. Learn the three forms together — strike – struck – struck.
Verb forms
Base form
/straɪk/
Past Simple
/strʌk/
Past Participle
/strʌk/
Press the speaker button to hear each form. The transcription under each word shows the British pronunciation (IPA).
Example sentences
Base form · strike
Lightning strikes the tallest object in an area.
Past Simple · struck
The clock struck midnight as we arrived.
Past Participle · struck
The region has been struck by another earthquake.
Key tenses
| Present Simple | Past Simple | Present Perfect |
|---|---|---|
I strike he / she / it strikes | I struck | I have struck |
| Present Continuous:I am striking · he / she / it is striking | ||
Grammar guide
Strike belongs to the ABB group: the past simple and the past participle are the same (struck). This is the largest group of irregular verbs — you only need to learn one past form.
- Past simple – struck: a finished action at a definite time in the past. It is used on its own, without an auxiliary.
- Past participle – struck: 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 strike…? I didn’t strike.
Quick quiz
Which sentence is correct?
Questions about strike
- What is the past simple of strike?
- The past simple of strike is struck.
- What is the past participle of strike?
- The past participle of strike is struck.
- What are the three forms of strike?
- The three forms are strike – struck – struck: base form, past simple and past participle.
- Is strike a regular or an irregular verb?
- Strike is irregular: its past simple is struck, not striked.