Word
swam
US/ˈswæm/
UK/swˈæm/
Definition
v. the past tense of 'swim'. You use this when you moved through water in the past.
v. the past tense of 'swim'. Refers to the action of propelling oneself through water using limbs or fins.
Examples
“I swam across the pool this morning.”
“During our summer holiday, we swam in the lake every single day before breakfast.”
“The athlete swam with such efficiency and grace that she broke the regional record by nearly three seconds, despite the choppy conditions of the open water.”
Examples
simple
“I swam across the pool this morning.”
contextual
“During our summer holiday, we swam in the lake every single day before breakfast.”
complex
“The athlete swam with such efficiency and grace that she broke the regional record by nearly three seconds, despite the choppy conditions of the open water.”
Usage
The past tense form of the irregular verb 'swim'.
Pitfall
I have swam
I have swum
Learners often confuse the past tense 'swam' with the past participle 'swum' when using the present perfect.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/swam