# gave

/ˈɡeɪv/ (US) · /ɡˈeɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/gave
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. past tense of give

verb · CEFR A1

the past tense of 'give'. You use this when you handed something to someone or provided something earlier.

For teachers: the simple past tense of 'give'. This form is used to indicate the completed transfer of an object, information, or permission in the past.

- She gave me a beautiful gift for my birthday last week.
- The witness gave a detailed account of the incident to the investigators, providing several key facts that had previously been overlooked.

Usage: As the past tense of an irregular verb, it does not take an '-ed' ending.

### 2. past participle (nonstandard)

verb · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Informal

a casual way some people say 'given' in the past tense.

For teachers: a nonstandard past participle of 'give'. Used in certain dialects or informal speech in place of the standard 'given'.

- He said he should have gave her more time to finish.
- In some regional dialects, speakers might say they 'should have gave' a warning, though standard English requires the participle 'given' in such constructions.

Usage: Occurs in phrases like 'I should have gave' instead of 'I should have given'.

Teaching tip: This usage is common in some regional dialects but is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English and formal writing.

## Examples

- She gave me a beautiful gift for my birthday.
- The teacher gave the students extra time to finish their exams because the fire alarm went off.
- The witness gave a detailed account of the events leading up to the accident, providing the police with several new leads to investigate.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.