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What’s the Past Tense of Swing?

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What’s the meaning of “swing”?

It’s sing, sang, sung, and ring, rang, rung; so shouldn’t it also be swing, swang, swung? Not so fast, says the rules of English verb conjugations—the verb swing doesn’t operate that way.

👍🏼Usage Note

The child swung happily on the playground. (Uses the correct simple past tense form)
She has swung her leg over the fence many times. (Uses the correct past participle with an auxiliary verb for the present perfect tense)
The child swang happily on the playground. (Incorrect past tense form; ‘swang’ is not a recognized form)
She has swing her leg over the fence many times. (Incorrect base form ‘swing’ used as a past participle with an auxiliary verb)

Swing, which describes moving repeatedly “backward and forwards or from side to side”, has one past verb form, and that is swung.

Swung is both the simple past form and past participle of swing (which is the present tense). For the remaining verb forms, refer to the chart below.

Forms of “swing”

present past future
simple I swing I swung I will swing
continuous I am swinging I was swinging I will be swinging
perfect I have swung I had swung I will have swung
perfect continuous I have been swinging I had been swinging I will have been swinging
Tenses of ‘swing‘.

Swinged or swung?

past tense:  I swung my leg over the fence.

past perfect tense:  The door had swung closed behind the white cat.

If and when the word “swung” appears in the same sentence as an auxiliary verb (e.g., had/has/have, or is) this indicates a perfect/progressive tense, and not the simple past.

Remember: auxiliary verbs pair with participles to form the perfect and/or continuous aspects in grammar, which show time as ongoing, or ongoing up until a point in time (in the past or. present). We use helper verbs with participles to create these more complex aspects of tense, such as have/had/has.

Examples with “swing” in the present tense

She was sitting on the wall with her legs swinging‍ (present participle)

There was a massive swing away from the governing party in the election.

Cousin Arthur made me a swing in the ash tree.

She took a hacking swing at the grass.

His broad shoulders swayed with the swing of his stride.

💡Study Tip

Practice using the verb in different tenses with example sentences to memorize the correct forms.

Examples of “swung” in the past tense

He swung at the man, but missed, and fell.

He swung the hammer with all his strength.

The sail of the little boat swung crazily from one side to the other.

I swung my leg over the fence.

The door swung open and the children ran in.

Sentences with “swung”

He was pushing a door that swung open quite easily.

We had swung our arms in vain at the impending car crash about to happen in front of our eyes.

The door had swung closed behind the white cat.

Suddenly he had swung around to look at what was going on behind him.

In recent years the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other and back again.

Worksheet: forms of ‘swing’

Questions Answer options:
1. True or false: “Swing” is a regular verb. a. true b. false
2. True or false: “Swing” looks the same in the past tense and as a past participle. a. true b. false
3. True or false: “Swinged” is the simple past tense of ‘swing’. a. true b. false
4. Which tense is this sentence in: I swung my leg over the fence. a. past b. present perfect c. past perfect
5. The sentence is in which tense: Let your arms swing freely at your sides. a. present simple b. present continuous c. past continuous
6. Choose the form of ‘swing’ to complete the sentence: ___ your arms can help to increase blood flow to the rest of your body. a. swing b. swings c. swingingd. swung

Answers

  1. b
  2. a
  3. b
  4. a
  5. a
  6. c

Phrases with swing or swung

Phrase Meaning
a swing and a miss to attempt something and fail at something
To get in the swing of things/be back in full swing to return to activity or being productive
To go with a swing meaning that new people, typically in a work setting, help to bring fresh perspectives and insights
Not enough room to swing a cat to push someone or something to one side, especially in an indifferent or disdainful manner
To take a swing at something to try something new
To swing for the bleachers to attempt something with the maximum amount of effort
To swing both ways said of people that are attracted to both men and woman
Swings and roundabouts a situation where gains or advantages are offset by equal disadvantages

Worksheet

Question 1 of 10

Question 1: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 2: Grammar rules help with:




Question 3: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 4: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 5: Grammar rules help with:




Question 6: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 7: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Question 8: Grammar rules help with:




Question 9: What is the main focus of this grammar content?




Question 10: Which is most important for proper grammar?




Which aspect is most important when learning grammar?

How can you improve your grammar skills?



Frequently Asked Questions

What are literary devices?
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Techniques writers use to enhance their writing and convey messages effectively.

How do literary devices differ from rhetorical devices?
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Literary devices are specific to creative writing, while rhetorical devices are broader.

Why should I learn about literary devices?
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They help you understand and appreciate literature more deeply.

Can I use literary devices in my own writing?
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Yes, they can make your writing more engaging and effective.

What’s the best way to remember different devices?
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Practice identifying them in texts you read regularly.

Sources

  1. Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of swing.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/swing. Accessed 16 April, 2023.

Grammar Expert. "Is It Swing Swang Or Swung Whats The Past Tense Of." GrammarFlex, Jun 1, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/is-it-swing-swang-or-swung-whats-the-past-tense-of/.

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