What is the past tense of "encourage"?

The past simple of "encourage" is "encouraged". My teacher encouraged me to enter the writing competition.

What is the past participle of "encourage"?

The past participle of "encourage" is "encouraged". Use it after have/has/had: "I have encouraged".

What is a common mistake with "encourage"?

Wrong: "The coach encouraged the team playing harder.". Correct: "The coach encouraged the team to play harder.". Encourage + object requires to-infinitive, not gerund form.

Conjugation of "Encourage" — All Forms, Examples, and Usage

Q: Is "encourage" regular or irregular?

"Encourage" is a regular English verb. Both past simple and past participle are formed by adding -ed.

Q: How do you pronounce "encourage"?

/ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/ — The stress falls on the second syllable: in-CUR-ij. The final 'age' sound is like 'ij' in 'judge'.

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All 12 Tenses of "Encourage"

Quick reference table — every tense form of "encourage" with the first-person example and a link to the grammar guide for that tense.

Tense	Example (I)	Quick rule
Simple Present	`I encourage`	Used for habits, facts, routines, and permanent situations. Full rule →
Simple Past	`I encouraged`	Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past. Full rule →
Simple Future	`I will encourage`	Used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, and promises. Full rule →
Present Continuous	`I am encouraging`	Used for actions happening right now or temporary situations. Full rule →
Past Continuous	`I was encouraging`	Used for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past. Full rule →
Future Continuous	`I will be encouraging`	Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect	`I have encouraged`	Used for past actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished situations. Full rule →
Past Perfect	`I had encouraged`	Used for an action that was completed before another past action. Full rule →
Future Perfect	`I will have encouraged`	Used for an action that will be completed before a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect Continuous	`I have been encouraging`	Used for actions that started in the past and continue now, with focus on duration. Full rule →
Past Perfect Continuous	`I had been encouraging`	Used for ongoing actions in the past that continued up to another past moment. Full rule →
Future Perfect Continuous	`I will have been encouraging`	Used for actions that will have been ongoing up until a specific future time. Full rule →

Past Tense of "Encourage" — Encouraged

The past simple of "encourage" is "encouraged" — formed by adding "-ed". Use it for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past, such as "yesterday", "last week", or "in 2020". For the full grammar of this tense, see our simple past tense guide.

My teacher encouraged me to enter the writing competition. B1

Past Participle of "Encourage" — Encouraged

The past participle of "encourage" is "encouraged" — the same form as the past simple, since "encourage" is a regular verb. Use it after "have/has/had" for perfect tenses ("I have encouraged") and after "be" for passive voice ("It was encouraged").

My teacher encouraged me to enter the writing competition. B1

Is "Encourage" Regular or Irregular?

"Encourage" is a regular English verb. Its past simple and past participle are both formed by adding "-ed" to give "encouraged". The 3rd-person singular present is "encourages" and the gerund/present participle is "encouraging".

Conjugation pattern: regular -ed

How to Pronounce "Encourage" and Its Forms

Encourage: /ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/ — Stress pattern: oOo

The stress falls on the second syllable: in-CUR-ij. The final 'age' sound is like 'ij' in 'judge'.

Common mispronunciation of "encourage"

Sometimes mispronounced as en-COUR-age with stress on the second syllable only; it also has secondary stress on the first.

Syllable breakdown: en · cour · age

How to Use "Encourage" — Common Grammar Patterns

Use 'encourage' when someone supports or inspires another person to take action.

S + encourage + O + to-infinitive
S + encourage + O + in + gerund

Example Sentences with "Encourage" in Different Tenses

Simple Present: These statistics encourage further research into renewable energy. B1
Simple Past: My teacher encouraged me to enter the writing competition. B1

Common Collocations with "Encourage"

encourage participation
encourage learning
encourage innovation
encourage team members
strongly encourage

When to Use "Encourage" vs Similar Verbs

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

motivate — When emphasizing emotional drive or inner determination
inspire — When the encouragement creates new ideas or ambitions

Antonyms: discourage, deter

Common Mistakes with "Encourage"

Wrong: She encourage often.
Correct: She encourages often.
Add "s" to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he/she/it).

Origin and Etymology of "Encourage"

From Old French 'encoragier' (en- + courage).

Other Forms of "Encourage"

Noun: encouragement
Adjective: encouraging

Conjugation Tables for "Encourage"

Negative Forms

Simple present: I do not encourage · He does not encourage
Simple past: I did not encourage · She did not encourage
Present perfect: I have not encouraged · He has not encouraged

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you encourage? · Does he encourage?
Simple past: Did you encourage?
Present perfect: Have you encouraged?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

Simple present passive: It is encouraged
Simple past passive: It was encouraged
Present perfect passive: It has been encouraged

Frequently Asked Questions About "Encourage"

Is "encourage" regular or irregular?: "encourage" is a regular verb. Add -ed for past simple and past participle: "encouraged".
What is the past tense of "encourage"?: The simple past of "encourage" is "encouraged".
When do I use simple present vs present continuous with "encourage"?: Use simple present for habits, facts, and routines: "I encourage every day." Use present continuous for actions happening right now: "I am encouraging right now."