Welcome to our article on the past tense of strike. In this guide, you will learn the correct past forms of strike, see clear examples in different contexts, and avoid common mistakes so you can use this verb confidently in English.
Understanding Strike and the Past Tense of Strike
The verb strike is an irregular verb, so it does not form the past tense by adding -ed. Here are the most common forms you need to know:
- Base form: strike
- Present participle: striking
- Simple past: struck
- Past participle: struck / stricken (depending on meaning)
Struck is the correct simple past form:
- I struck the ball with my bat.
- He struck a match to light the candle.
Important: The past tense of strike is struck. Striked is not a word and should not be used.
Past participle note: In perfect tenses and passive voice, struck is very common. Stricken is also used, especially to describe someone or something seriously affected (often by illness or disaster).
- The city has been struck by a storm.
- The town was stricken by a natural disaster.
Usage of Past Tense of Strike
Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense of strike is struck. It is used to describe a completed action in the past.
- You struck the ball out of the park.
- The lightning struck the tree and split it in half.
- She struck the table with her hand in frustration.
Past Continuous Tense
The past continuous tense is was striking / were striking. It describes an action that was in progress in the past.
- You were striking the nail when the hammer slipped.
- The workers were striking for better wages.
Past Perfect
The past perfect tense is had struck. It describes an action completed before another past action.
- You had struck out three batters before giving up a home run.
- The company had struck a deal with the union before the strike began.
Past Perfect Continuous
The past perfect continuous tense is had been striking. It describes an action continuing for a period of time before another past action.
- You had been striking out batters all game before the opposing team finally got a hit.
- The workers had been striking for three weeks before the company finally agreed to negotiate.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions When Using Strike
Here are common errors English learners make with strike and how to fix them:
- Mistake 1: Using “striked”
Incorrect: He striked the ball.
Correct: He struck the ball. - Mistake 2: Treating strike like a regular verb (-ed)
Strike is irregular, so you do not add -ed to form the past tense. - Mistake 3: Confusing past tense and past participle
Simple past: I struck the match.
Present perfect / passive: The area has been struck by storms.
“Stricken” is often used when something is seriously affected: The town was stricken by disease.
Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs form the past tense by adding -ed to the base form.
- I walked to the store.
- You talked to your friend yesterday.
- She played tennis last weekend.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the -ed rule. Their past tense and past participle forms must be learned.
The verb strike is an irregular verb:
| Base Form | Past Tense | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| strike | struck | struck / stricken |
Tips to Remember the Past Tense of Strike
Learning irregular verbs can feel difficult at first, but these tips can help:
- Learn in context: Practice short sentences like “Lightning struck the tree.”
- Group similar verbs: Some irregular verbs change in similar ways (e.g., stick → stuck, strike → struck).
- Practice speaking: Say the forms out loud: strike – struck – struck.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of strike (struck / striking / had struck).
- The lightning __________ the tree last night.
- He __________ the match to light the fire.
- They __________ for better working conditions when the news arrived.
- By the time we got there, the storm __________ the coast.
- The drummer __________ the drum too hard and broke the stick.
Exercise 2: Sentence Correction
Correct the sentences.
- He striked the ball really hard.
- The workers was strike for higher pay.
- The lightning has struck the tree yesterday.
- By noon, the storm strike the coast.
- The city was struck by disease for many years ago.
Answer Key
Exercise 1:
- struck
- struck
- were striking
- had struck
- struck
Exercise 2:
- He struck the ball really hard.
- The workers were striking for higher pay.
- The lightning struck the tree yesterday.
- By noon, the storm had struck the coast.
- The city was stricken by disease many years ago.