Give, Gave, Given: Mastering the Verb in English Grammar

Understanding the verb “give” and its various forms – “gave” and “given” – is crucial for effective communication in English. As one of the most frequently used verbs, “give” appears in countless contexts, from simple everyday interactions to complex literary expressions.

Mastering its different forms and usages will significantly improve your fluency and accuracy. This comprehensive guide is designed for English learners of all levels, from beginners seeking to grasp the basics to advanced speakers aiming to refine their understanding of nuanced applications.

By exploring definitions, structural patterns, and practical examples, you’ll gain the confidence to use “give,” “gave,” and “given” correctly in any situation.

This article will delve into the intricacies of this essential verb, exploring its different forms, usages, and common pitfalls. We’ll cover everything from basic definitions and structural breakdowns to advanced topics and practical exercises.

Whether you’re preparing for an English exam, writing a report, or simply trying to improve your everyday communication, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to master “give,” “gave,” and “given.”

Table of Contents

• Definition of Give, Gave, Given
• Structural Breakdown
• Types and Categories of Usage
  • Transitive Verbs
  • Intransitive Verbs
  • Ditransitive Verbs
  • Phrasal Verbs with Give
• Examples of Give, Gave, Given in Use
  • Simple Present Tense
  • Simple Past Tense
  • Present Perfect Tense
  • Past Perfect Tense
  • Future Tense
• Usage Rules
  • Subject-Verb Agreement
  • Tense Consistency
  • Passive Voice
• Common Mistakes
• Practice Exercises
  • Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
  • Exercise 2: Correct the Errors
  • Exercise 3: Sentence Construction
• Advanced Topics
  • Idiomatic Expressions
  • Give in Literature
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Conclusion

Definition of Give, Gave, Given

The verb “give” is a fundamental verb in the English language with a broad range of meanings. At its core, “give” means to freely transfer the possession of something to someone.

This transfer can be physical, such as handing over an object, or abstract, such as offering advice or showing affection. The verb “give” is an irregular verb, meaning its past tense and past participle forms do not follow the standard -ed ending rule.

Here’s a breakdown of the forms:

• Give: This is the base form of the verb, used in the present tense (except for the third-person singular).
• Gave: This is the simple past tense form, used to describe actions that happened in the past.
• Given: This is the past participle form, used in perfect tenses (e.g., present perfect, past perfect) and in the passive voice.

The verb “give” can function as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the thing being given), or as a ditransitive verb, requiring both a direct object and an indirect object (the recipient of the giving). It can also be part of various phrasal verbs, which combine “give” with prepositions or adverbs to create new meanings.

Structural Breakdown

Understanding the structural patterns of “give,” “gave,” and “given” is essential for constructing grammatically correct sentences. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

1. Simple Present Tense (Give):

• I give
• You give
• He/She/It gives (note the -s ending)
• We give
• They give

Example: I give my old clothes to charity every year.

2. Simple Past Tense (Gave):

• I gave
• You gave
• He/She/It gave
• We gave
• They gave

Example: Yesterday, she gave me a beautiful flower.

3. Present Perfect Tense (Have/Has Given):

• I have given
• You have given
• He/She/It has given
• We have given
• They have given

Example: They have given us a lot of help with the project.

4. Past Perfect Tense (Had Given):

• I had given
• You had given
• He/She/It had given
• We had given
• They had given

Example: By the time I arrived, he had given away all the cookies.

5. Future Tense (Will Give):

• I will give
• You will give
• He/She/It will give
• We will give
• They will give

Example: I will give you a call tomorrow.

6. Passive Voice (Is/Are/Was/Were Given):

• It is given
• They are given
• It was given
• They were given

Example: The award was given to the most deserving student.

Types and Categories of Usage

The verb “give” can be categorized based on how it interacts with objects within a sentence. The verb can be transitive, intransitive, or ditransitive.

Each of these types impacts sentence structure and meaning.

Transitive Verbs

A transitive verb requires a direct object, which receives the action of the verb. The direct object answers the question “what?” or “whom?” after the verb.

Example: She gave a presentation. (What did she give? A presentation.)

Intransitive Verbs

While “give” is typically transitive or ditransitive, it can be used intransitively in certain phrasal verbs where the preposition implies the object. In these cases, the verb does not need a direct object to complete its meaning.

Example: He gave in to the pressure. (Here, “gave in” is a phrasal verb meaning “surrendered.”)

Ditransitive Verbs

A ditransitive verb takes both a direct object and an indirect object. The indirect object identifies to whom or for whom the action is performed.

The indirect object usually comes before the direct object.

Example: He gave me the book. (He gave the book to me. Me is the indirect object, book is the direct object.)

Phrasal Verbs with Give

Phrasal verbs combine “give” with a preposition or adverb, creating new meanings. These meanings are often idiomatic and can’t be easily deduced from the individual words.

Examples: Give up (stop trying), give in (surrender), give away (donate), give back (return).

Examples of Give, Gave, Given in Use

To fully understand the usage of “give,” “gave,” and “given,” let’s examine examples in different tenses. These examples will illustrate how the verb changes form to reflect different time frames and contexts.

Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, or scheduled events. With “give,” it indicates a regular or ongoing act of giving.

The following table includes examples of ‘give’ in the simple present tense:

Subject	Example Sentence
I	I give my dog a treat every morning.
You	You give excellent advice.
He	He gives generously to charity.
She	She gives me a ride to work every day.
It	The vending machine gives change for a dollar.
We	We give thanks for our blessings.
They	They give each other gifts on their birthdays.
I	I always give my best effort.
You	You give hope to those in need.
He	He gives lectures at the university.
She	She gives the impression of being very confident.
It	The company gives bonuses at the end of the year.
We	We give our support to the team.
They	They give parties every weekend.
I	I give feedback on my students’ essays.
You	You give me so much joy.
He	He gives detailed instructions.
She	She gives her time to volunteer work.
It	The plant gives off a pleasant fragrance.
We	We give presentations at conferences.
They	They give discounts to senior citizens.
I	I give a percentage of my income to charity.
You	You give people a reason to smile.
He	He gives his opinion freely.
She	She gives thoughtful gifts.
It	The government gives subsidies to farmers.
We	We give careful consideration to every proposal.
They	They give a warm welcome to newcomers.

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense describes actions that were completed in the past. “Gave” is used to indicate that an act of giving occurred at a specific time in the past.

The following table includes examples of ‘gave’ in the simple past tense:

Subject	Example Sentence
I	I gave him my old bicycle.
You	You gave a wonderful performance last night.
He	He gave her a bouquet of roses.
She	She gave a speech at the graduation ceremony.
It	The old tree gave us shade on the hot day.
We	We gave our teacher a thank-you card.
They	They gave a generous donation to the museum.
I	I gave up trying to fix the car myself.
You	You gave me a fright!
He	He gave evidence in court.
She	She gave birth to a healthy baby.
It	The company gave employees a raise.
We	We gave our opinions at the meeting.
They	They gave us a tour of the city.
I	I gave my word that I would help.
You	You gave me the best advice.
He	He gave a detailed explanation.
She	She gave a knowing look.
It	The experience gave me a new perspective.
We	We gave the project our full attention.
They	They gave a party to celebrate their anniversary.
I	I gave a presentation at the conference.
You	You gave me a reason to believe in myself.
He	He gave the impression of being very calm.
She	She gave her consent to the surgery.
It	The news gave us hope.
We	We gave a warm welcome to the new neighbors.
They	They gave us a discount on the tickets.

Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense describes actions that started in the past and continue to have relevance in the present, or actions completed at an unspecified time in the past. It uses “have/has given.”

The following table includes examples of ‘have/has given’ in the present perfect tense:

Subject	Example Sentence
I	I have given my old clothes to charity.
You	You have given me so much support.
He	He has given up smoking.
She	She has given a lot of time to the project.
It	The company has given bonuses to its employees this year.
We	We have given our best effort to this task.
They	They have given us a lot of helpful advice.
I	I have given him all the information he needs.
You	You have given me a reason to smile.
He	He has given several lectures on the topic.
She	She has given birth to twins.
It	The experience has given me a new perspective on life.
We	We have given our full attention to the problem.
They	They have given a generous donation to the hospital.
I	I have given up trying to understand his logic.
You	You have given me hope for the future.
He	He has given a detailed account of the events.
She	She has given her consent for the experiment.
It	The new policy has given employees more flexibility.
We	We have given our support to the candidate.
They	They have given a warm welcome to the new students.
I	I have given my word that I will keep the secret.
You	You have given me invaluable advice over the years.
He	He has given the impression of being very experienced.
She	She has given her all to this company.
It	The rain has given the plants a much-needed boost.
We	We have given careful consideration to your proposal.
They	They have given us a reason to celebrate.

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense describes an action that was completed before another action in the past. It uses “had given.”

The following table includes examples of ‘had given’ in the past perfect tense:

Subject	Example Sentence
I	I had given him the money before he asked for it.
You	You had given me the best birthday present I ever received.
He	He had given up hope before the rescue team arrived.
She	She had given her all to the company before she retired.
It	The rain had given the garden a much-needed watering before the drought started.
We	We had given our consent before they started the experiment.
They	They had given us a warning before they closed the road.
I	I had given my word, so I couldn’t back out.
You	You had given me so much encouragement when I needed it most.
He	He had given a detailed explanation before anyone asked.
She	She had given birth to her first child before she turned thirty.
It	The experience had given her a new perspective on life before she wrote the book.
We	We had given the project our full attention before the deadline.
They	They had given a generous donation to the charity before the end of the year.
I	I had given up on my dream before I met him.
You	You had given me a reason to believe in myself again.
He	He had given several lectures on the topic before he published his book.
She	She had given her permission before they proceeded with the surgery.
It	The company had given bonuses to all employees before the economic downturn.
We	We had given our support to the team before they won the championship.
They	They had given a warm welcome to all the guests before the party started.
I	I had given him all the information he needed before the meeting.
You	You had given me the confidence to pursue my dreams.
He	He had given the impression of being very confident before he spoke.
She	She had given her best performance before the judges arrived.
It	The opportunity had given her a chance to prove herself.
We	We had given careful consideration to all the options before making a decision.
They	They had given us a reason to celebrate before the year ended.

Future Tense

The future tense describes actions that will happen in the future. It uses “will give.”

The following table includes examples of ‘will give’ in the future tense:

Subject	Example Sentence
I	I will give you a call tomorrow.
You	You will give an excellent presentation.
He	He will give a speech at the conference.
She	She will give the award to the winner.
It	The company will give bonuses at the end of the year.
We	We will give our support to the new initiative.
They	They will give a party to celebrate their success.
I	I will give my best effort to this project.
You	You will give hope to those who need it.
He	He will give detailed instructions for the task.
She	She will give her time to volunteer at the shelter.
It	The experience will give me a new perspective.
We	We will give careful consideration to your proposal.
They	They will give us a warm welcome when we arrive.
I	I will give him a ride to the airport.
You	You will give me a reason to believe in myself.
He	He will give the impression of being very professional.
She	She will give her consent for the surgery.
It	The opportunity will give her a chance to shine.
We	We will give our full attention to the matter.
They	They will give a generous donation to the cause.
I	I will give you my word that I will keep your secret.
You	You will give me invaluable advice.
He	He will give a presentation on the latest research.
She	She will give her all to this endeavor.
It	The rain will give the plants a much-needed drink.
We	We will give a tour of the facility.
They	They will give us a discount on the tickets.

Usage Rules

Proper usage of “give,” “gave,” and “given” involves following certain grammatical rules. These rules ensure clarity and accuracy in your writing and speech.

Understanding these rules will help you avoid common errors and communicate effectively.

Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb “give” must agree with its subject in number and person. In the simple present tense, “gives” is used with third-person singular subjects (he, she, it), while “give” is used with all other subjects.

Correct: He gives to charity. Incorrect: He give to charity.

Correct: They give to charity. Incorrect: They gives to charity.

Tense Consistency

Maintain consistent tense throughout your writing. If you start a narrative in the past tense, continue using the past tense forms of verbs, including “gave.”

Correct: She gave him a book, and he read it immediately. Incorrect: She gave him a book, and he reads it immediately.

Passive Voice

In the passive voice, “given” is used with a form of the verb “to be” (is, are, was, were, has been, have been, had been). The passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action rather than the doer.

Correct: The award was given to her. Incorrect: The award gave to her.

Correct: He has been given a second chance. Incorrect: He has been gave a second chance.

Common Mistakes

Several common mistakes occur when using “give,” “gave,” and “given.” Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them in your own writing and speech.

1. Incorrect Past Participle: Using “gave” instead of “given” in perfect tenses.

Incorrect: I have gave him the book. Correct: I have given him the book.

2. Incorrect Past Tense: Using “give” instead of “gave” for past actions.

Incorrect: Yesterday, she give me a present. Correct: Yesterday, she gave me a present.

3. Misusing Passive Voice: Incorrectly forming the passive voice with “give.”

Incorrect: The prize gave to the winner. Correct: The prize was given to the winner.

4. Subject-Verb Disagreement: Using the wrong form of “give” with third-person singular subjects in the present tense.

Incorrect: He give money to the poor. Correct: He gives money to the poor.

Practice Exercises

To solidify your understanding of “give,” “gave,” and “given,” complete the following exercises. These exercises will test your knowledge of the different forms and usages of the verb.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blank with the correct form of “give” (give, gave, given).

Question	Answer
1. I ________ him my old jacket.	gave
2. They ________ us a warm welcome.	gave
3. She has ________ a lot of her time to charity.	given
4. We ________ thanks for our blessings every day.	give
5. He ________ up smoking last year.	gave
6. I will ________ you a call later tonight.	give
7. The award was ________ to the most deserving student.	given
8. They have ________ us a lot of helpful advice.	given
9. She ________ me a beautiful flower yesterday.	gave
10. I always ________ my best effort.	give

Exercise 2: Correct the Errors

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.

Question	Corrected Answer
1. I have gave him the book already.	I have given him the book already.
2. Yesterday, she give me a present.	Yesterday, she gave me a present.
3. The prize gave to the winner.	The prize was given to the winner.
4. He give money to the poor.	He gives money to the poor.
5. They has given us a lot of help.	They have given us a lot of help.
6. She give a speech last night.	She gave a speech last night.
7. We has give our support to the team.	We have given our support to the team.
8. I give him my word.	I gave him my word. (Assuming this happened in the past)
9. You has give me a reason to smile.	You have given me a reason to smile.
10. He give a detailed explanation.	He gave a detailed explanation.

Exercise 3: Sentence Construction

Create sentences using “give,” “gave,” or “given” in the specified tense.

Tense	Question	Example Answer
Simple Present	Write a sentence using “give” that describes a habitual action.	I give my dog a treat every morning.
Simple Past	Write a sentence using “gave” that describes a completed action in the past.	She gave me a beautiful necklace for my birthday.
Present Perfect	Write a sentence using “have	/has given” that describes an action that started in the past and continues to the present.	They have given us a lot of support over the years.
Past Perfect	Write a sentence using “had given” that describes an action completed before another action in the past.	I had given him the keys before I realized he already had a set.
Future Tense	Write a sentence using “will give” that describes a future action.	I will give you a call when I arrive.

Advanced Topics

Beyond the basic rules and examples, there are more nuanced and advanced ways to use “give,” “gave,” and “given.” Exploring idiomatic expressions and literary uses can deepen your understanding and appreciation of this versatile verb.

Idiomatic Expressions

“Give” is used in many idiomatic expressions, which are phrases whose meanings cannot be understood from the literal definitions of the individual words. These expressions add color and depth to the English language.

Examples:

• Give someone a break: To stop putting pressure on someone or to treat someone more leniently.

Example: “Give him a break; he’s new to the job.”

• Give and take: A willingness to compromise and make mutual concessions.

Example: “A successful relationship requires give and take from both partners.”

• Give someone the cold shoulder: To intentionally ignore someone.

Example: “She gave me the cold shoulder after our argument.”

• Give someone a run for their money: To provide strong competition.

Example: “Our team gave them a run for their money in the finals.”

• Give someone the benefit of the doubt: To believe someone is being honest, even if there are reasons to doubt them.

Example: “I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but he lied to me again.”

• Give way: To yield or collapse.

Example: “The bridge gave way under the weight of the truck.”

• Give rise to: To cause or lead to something.

Example: “The new policy gave rise to several complaints.”

• Give or take: Approximately.

Example: “It will take three hours, give or take a few minutes.”

Give in Literature

In literature, “give” and its forms are used to convey a wide range of emotions, actions, and themes. Authors use “give” to depict acts of generosity, sacrifice, surrender, and more.

Examples:

• Generosity: In Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Ebenezer Scrooge learns the importance of giving to others, transforming from a miserly character to a generous benefactor.
• Sacrifice: In O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” Della and Jim each give up something precious to buy the other a gift, illustrating the theme of selfless love.
• Surrender: In many war novels, characters give in to the enemy, highlighting the themes of defeat and resilience.
• Symbolism: The act of giving can symbolize the transfer of power, knowledge, or responsibility. For example, a king might give his blessing to a knight, bestowing upon him authority and purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

Mastering the verb “give” and its forms – “gave” and “given” – is essential for effective and accurate communication in English. By understanding the definitions, structural patterns, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can confidently use this versatile verb in a wide range of contexts.

From simple everyday interactions to complex literary expressions, “give” plays a crucial role in conveying meaning and nuance.

Continue to practice and explore the various applications of “give,” “gave,” and “given” to further enhance your English language skills. With consistent effort and attention to detail, you’ll be well-equipped to use this fundamental verb with confidence and precision.