Which is correct “sweeped” or “swept”?
It’s sing, sang, sung, and ring, rang, rung; so shouldn’t it also be sweep, swap, swept? Not so fast, says the rules of English verb conjugations, no two verbs are created equal.
The verb and common household chore, to sweep, that is, “clean (an area) by brushing away dirt or litter”, has one past verb form, which is swept.
Sweeped, though logical to assume would be the past tense of sweep, is regarded as a misspelling and nonstandard way to denote the past tense of sweep. In other words, we recommend sticking with swept as both the past tense and past participle form of the verb, sweep.
Forms of sweep
| present | past | future | |
| simple | I sweep | I swept | I will sweep |
| continuous | I am sweeping | I was sweeping | I will be sweeping |
| perfect | I have swept | I had swept | I will have swept |
| perfect continuous | I have been sweeping | I had been sweeping | I will have been sweeping |
Verbs with one past tense form
| base verb | past tense | past participle |
| sweep | swept | swept |
| weep | wept | wept |
| sneak | snuck | snuck |
| mean | meant | meant |
| make | made | made |
| sting | stung | stung |
Past tense vs. past participle of sweep
Past tense: Yesterday, she swept the entire house before the guests arrived.
Past participle: The storm had swept away everything in its path, leaving a trail of destruction.
The past participle form of sweep, which is the same as its past tense form, i.e., both are swept, is distinct from its use of auxiliaries (had). This creates a more complex tense known as the past perfect tense, which clarifies the order in which past actions transpired.
Sentence examples with “sweep” (present tense)
The janitor sweeps the hallways to maintain a tidy environment.
I usually sweep the patio after gardening to clear away any dirt.
The wind outside sweeps through the trees, creating a soothing rustling sound.
He sweeps the kitchen counter with a cloth to wipe off crumbs and spills.
She sweeps the brush over the canvas, creating bold strokes of color.
Sentence examples with “swept” (past tense)
Yesterday, she swept the entire house before the guests arrived.
The cleaning crew swept the conference room after the meeting ended.
He carefully swept the broken glass into a dustpan after the vase shattered.
The storm had swept through the town, leaving a trail of destruction.
After the party, they swept the leftover confetti and balloons from the floor.
Sentence examples with “swept” (past participle)
The storm had swept away everything in its path, leaving a trail of destruction.
We had swept the floors for many hours, making them spotless.
The feeling of nostalgia swept over her as she revisited her childhood home.
The fire had swept through the forest, leaving charred trees in its wake.
His remarkable speech had swept the audience off their feet, earning him a standing ovation.
Phrases with the word sweep
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| To sweep someone off their feet | to be instantly charmed or attracted to someone |
| To sweep something under the rug/carpet | to ignore or deny a concern/issue of some kind by not addressing it |
| A new broom sweeps clean | meaning that new people, typically in a work setting, help to bring fresh perspectives and insights |
| To sweep something aside | to push someone or something to one side, especially in an indifferent or disdainful manner |
Origin of the verb sweep
From etymology online on sweep (v.):
Early 14c., “make clean by sweeping with a broom;” mid-14c., “perform the act of sweeping,” of uncertain origin, perhaps from a past tense form of Middle English swope “sweep,” from Old English swapan “to sweep” (transitive & intransitive)
Read about other confusing verbs!
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Learn about verbs
Sources
- Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of sweep.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/sweep. Accessed 14 Aug, 2023.
- “Sweep aside.” Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. 2015. Farlex, Inc 23 Nov. 2023 https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/sweep+aside
