Understanding the Past Tense of ‘Putting’: Is it ‘Put’ or ‘Putted’

The verb “put” is a common word in English, but its past tense can confuse. In most cases, the simple past tense of putting is simply “put.” Unlike regular verbs that add “-ed” to form the past, put remains the same in present and past forms.

The word “putted” exists in English grammar rules, but it is only correct in the sport of golf. When a golfer hits the ball gently on the green, they say, “He putted the ball.” This is the only situation where “putted” is correct. For everyday use, “put” is always the correct past tense of putting. Whether you are talking about placing an object somewhere, taking an action, or making a decision, you should never use “putted” unless discussing golf.

Past Tense of ‘Putting’

Here’s an alternative table with examples using the in different contexts:

Present Tense	Past Tense
I am putting my keys on the table.	Last night, I put my keys on the table.
She is putting the flowers in the vase.	Yesterday, she put the flowers in the vase.
They are putting the chairs outside.	Earlier, they put the chairs outside.
He is putting his shoes near the door.	This morning, he put his shoes near the door.
We are putting our bags in the car.	A few minutes ago, we put our bags in the car.

This table provides a fresh set of usage examples of put to help you understand the past tense of putting in different sentence structures.

You Might Be Understanding the Past Tense of ‘Putting’: Is it ‘Put’ or ‘Putted’

Usage Examples of ‘Put’

To fully understand the correct usage of put, let’s look at sentence structure and real-world usage examples of put.

Correct Usage of Put in Past Tense:

• I put my phone on the table.
• She put her books in her bag.
• They put a lot of effort into their work.

Correct Usage of Putted in Golf:

• He putted the ball perfectly into the hole.
• She putted twice before making the shot.

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Common Mistakes with Put

Some people mistakenly use “putted” instead of “put” in normal conversation. Below are examples of incorrect and correct usage:

Incorrect Sentence	Correct Sentence
I putted my keys on the desk.	I put my keys on the desk.
She putted her jacket in the closet.	She put her jacket in the closet.
They putted their ideas on paper.	They put their ideas on paper.

To remember the correct usage, always ask yourself: Is this about golf? If not, use “put” instead of “putted.”

FAQ” S

What is the past tense of putting?

The correct past tense of putting is “put,” not “putted”, unless referring to golf.

Why do people say “putted”?

“Putted” is only used in golf terminology, meaning to make a short stroke with a golf club.

Is “put” an irregular verb?

Yes, “put” is an irregular verb, meaning it does not change in past and present forms.

Can I say “I putted my bag on the chair”?

No, this is incorrect. The correct sentence is “I put my bag on the chair.”

 What are some other irregular verbs like “put”?

Other verbs that stay the same in past tense include cut, set, and shut.

Conclusion

Understanding the past tense of putting is important for clear communication. The word “put” remains the same in present and past forms, while “putted” is only correct in golf. Many learners make common mistakes with put, assuming it follows standard verb conjugation rules. However, by remembering that put vs putted depends on context, you can avoid errors. English grammar rules can be tricky, but learning them step by step makes things easier.