English has plenty of verbs that seem simple until you try to use them in a sentence. Showed or shown is a good example. Both words come from the verb show, but they do not work in exactly the same way.
So, what is the past tense of show? The answer is showed. But shown is also a correct form of the verb, and it is commonly used as a past participle. Knowing when to use each one will help you avoid awkward sentences and common grammar mistakes.
Showed or Shown at a Glance
| Word | Grammatical form | Example |
| Show | Base form | I show my work to the teacher. |
| Showed | Simple past | She showed me her new car. |
| Shown | Past participle | She has shown me her new car. |
| Showing | Present participle | She is showing me her new car. |
The key point is simple:
Showed = simple past
Shown = past participle
What Is the Past Tense of Show?
The past tense of show is showed.
For example:
I show my friends the photos.
becomes:
I showed my friends the photos.
You can use showed when describing an action that happened in the past.
Examples of showed
- She showed me her new apartment.
- He showed his teacher the completed assignment.
- They showed great enthusiasm during the event.
- The results showed a significant improvement.
- We showed them how to use the equipment.
In these sentences, showed describes something that happened in the past.
When Should You Use Shown?
Shown is the past participle of show. It is normally used with an auxiliary or helping verb such as has, have, had, is, or was, depending on the grammatical construction.
For example:
She has shown remarkable improvement.
The results have shown a clear trend.
He had shown great interest in the project.
You would generally not replace showed with shown in a simple past sentence.
Compare these examples
Correct:
She showed me the picture yesterday.
Correct:
She has shown me the picture before.
Incorrect in standard English:
She shown me the picture yesterday.
The difference comes down to how the verb is being used in the sentence.
Showed vs Shown: The Main Difference
The easiest way to understand showed vs shown is to look at their grammatical roles.
Showed
Use showed for the simple past.
He showed me his new phone.
The action happened in the past.
Shown
Use shown as a past participle, usually with a helping verb.
He has shown me his new phone.
The construction uses has + shown.
A quick comparison:
I showed her the answer.
I have shown her the answer.
Both sentences describe showing something, but they use different verb forms.
Is “Showed” the Past Tense of Show?
Yes. Showed is the standard simple past tense of show.
The basic forms are:
Show → showed → shown
This makes show somewhat unusual because its simple past and past participle are different.
Compare:
- Go → went → gone
- See → saw → seen
- Write → wrote → written
- Show → showed → shown
Knowing these three forms makes it much easier to choose the right word.
Showed or Shown in Perfect Tenses
The perfect tenses require the past participle shown.
Present perfect
She has shown excellent leadership.
Past perfect
She had shown excellent leadership before becoming manager.
Future perfect
She will have shown enough evidence by then.
In each example, shown follows a form of have.
This is one of the easiest clues for deciding between showed and shown.
Showed or Shown After “Have”
When you see have, has, or had, use shown in standard modern English.
For example:
- I have shown him the document.
- She has shown considerable improvement.
- They had shown interest in the proposal.
Not:
- I have showed him the document.
- She has showed improvement.
- They had showed interest.
The form showed is the simple past, while shown functions as the past participle.
Showed vs Shown in Passive Sentences
Shown can also appear in passive constructions.
For example:
The results were shown on the screen.
The documentary was shown on television.
The evidence was shown to the jury.
Here, shown is part of a passive construction.
You would not normally say:
The results were showed on the screen.
The standard form is:
The results were shown on the screen.
Can “Showed” Be Used With “Have”?
In standard English, the normal form is shown after have, has, or had.
So:
She has shown me the results.
is preferred over:
She has showed me the results.
However, there are dialectal and historical variations in English, and showed can occasionally appear in nonstandard usage. For formal, academic, professional, and general standard writing, has shown is the safest choice.
Showed vs Shown Examples
Here are some practical examples that make the distinction clearer.
Simple past: showed
The teacher showed us a new technique.
The movie showed how difficult the journey was.
He showed me where the keys were.
Present perfect: shown
The teacher has shown us a new technique.
The movie has shown how difficult the journey can be.
He has shown me where the keys are.
Past perfect: shown
The teacher had shown us the technique before.
The study had shown promising results.
The general pattern remains the same: showed for simple past, shown for the past participle.
A Simple Trick to Remember Showed vs Shown
Ask yourself one question:
Is there a helping form of “have” before the verb?
If yes, use shown.
I showed him the report.
I have shown him the report.
If you are simply describing something that happened in the past, use showed.
She showed me the photograph yesterday.
This quick test works in many everyday sentences.
Common Mistakes With Showed and Shown
Mistake 1: Using shown by itself for the simple past
She shown me the letter.
She showed me the letter.
Mistake 2: Using showed after “has”
He has showed us the results.
He has shown us the results.
Mistake3: Confusing passive and active constructions
The results were showed on the screen.
The results were shown on the screen.
Understanding whether the sentence is active, passive, simple past, or perfect tense will usually reveal the correct form.
Show, Showed, Shown, or Showing?
Here’s the complete set:
- Show — base form
- Showed — simple past
- Shown — past participle
- Showing — present participle
Examples:
I show my work every week.
I showed my work yesterday.
I have shown my work already.
I am showing my work now.
Once you see all four forms together, the pattern becomes much easier to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the past tense of show?
The simple past tense of show is showed.
She showed me the photograph.
Is shown past tense?
Not exactly. Shown is the past participle of show. It is commonly used with helping verbs such as has, have, and had, and in passive constructions.
She has shown me the photograph.
Is “shown” grammatically correct?
Yes. Shown is completely correct when it is used as the past participle of show.
The results have shown an improvement.
Is “showed” grammatically correct?
Yes. Showed is the correct simple past form of show.
He showed me the way.
Should I say “I showed him” or “I shown him”?
Say:
I showed him.
Because this is the simple past tense.
Should I say “I have showed” or “I have shown”?
In standard English, say:
I have shown.
What is the difference between showed and shown?
Showed is the simple past tense, while shown is the past participle.
She showed me the results.
She has shown me the results.
Can shown be used without “has,” “have,” or “had”?
Yes. Shown can appear in passive constructions, such as:
The film was shown at the festival.
So it is not limited exclusively to sentences containing has, have, or had.
Final Answer: Showed or Shown?
When deciding between showed or shown, remember the basic rule:
Showed is the simple past tense of show.
Shown is the past participle.
The basic forms are:
Show → Showed → Shown
So say:
I showed her the picture yesterday.
But:
I have shown her the picture before.
If you’re asking specifically for the past tense of show, the answer is showed. When you need the past participle, use shown. Once you recognize that difference, choosing between showed vs shown becomes much easier.
