Irregular verbs Regular verbs
write, writes, writing, written, wrote
Synonyms: compose, draft, pen, inscribe, record
Antonyms: read, erase, delete, speak, dictate
The Verb Write – Definition, Usage, and Clarification
The verb write is a fundamental irregular verb meaning to mark coherent symbols (letters or words) on a surface. More broadly, it means to compose a text, such as a book, letter, or piece of music.
VERB FORMS
■ Base Form: write
■ Past Simple: wrote
■ Past Participle: written
■ Present Participle/Gerund: writing
USAGE AND CONTEXT
'Write' is one of the most essential verbs for communication.
1. Marking Symbols on a Surface
This is its most basic, physical action.
■ Action: 'Write your name clearly at the top of the page.'
2. Composing a Text or Work
This refers to the creative or intellectual act of creating content.
■ Authoring: 'She has written several successful novels.'
■ Music: 'He wrote the music for that film.'
3. Communicating via Mail or Email
This refers to sending a written message.
■ Communication: 'I will write you an email as soon as I have an update.'
ℹ IMPORTANT: 'WROTE' VS. 'WRITTEN'
This is a classic grammatical error.
■ Wrote (Simple Past): Use 'wrote' to describe a completed action in the past.
■ Correct: 'Shakespeare wrote Hamlet.'
■ Written (Past Participle): Use 'written' with auxiliary verbs like 'have,' 'has,' 'had,' or in the passive voice.
■ Correct: 'She has written three letters today.'
■ Correct: 'Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.'
■ Phrasal Verbs:
■ Write down: To make a note of something on paper.
■ Write off: To cancel a debt, or to deem something a total loss. ('After the crash, the car was a complete write-off.' - Noun form)
| WRITE - PRESENT SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | write |
| ★ you | write |
| ★ he/she/it | writes |
| ★ we | write |
| ★ you (plural) | write |
| ★ they | write |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Present Simple |
|---|
| - I write in my journal every night. |
| - You write beautiful poetry. |
| - He writes articles for a science magazine. | She writes code for a software company. |
| - We write a letter to our grandmother every week. |
| - You (plural) write the minutes for the meeting. |
| - They write songs for a famous band. |
| WRITE - PRESENT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I am | writing |
| ★ you are | writing |
| ★ he/she/it is | writing |
| ★ we are | writing |
| ★ you are | writing |
| ★ they are | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Present Continuous |
|---|
| - I am writing an email to my boss. |
| - You are writing a novel in your spare time. |
| - He is writing a prescription for the patient. | She is writing a shopping list. |
| - We are writing a new business plan. |
| - You (plural) are writing your names on the sign-up sheet. |
| - They are writing a complaint letter to the company. |
| WRITE - PRESENT PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have | written |
| ★ you have | written |
| ★ he/she/it has | written |
| ★ we have | written |
| ★ you have | written |
| ★ they have | written |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Present Perfect |
|---|
| - I have written three chapters of my book so far. |
| - You have written a very powerful speech. |
| - He has written to the council to complain. | She has written several best-selling novels. |
| - We have written our final report. |
| - You (plural) have written your exams. |
| - They have written a new song. |
| WRITE - PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have been | writing |
| ★ you have been | writing |
| ★ he/she/it has been | writing |
| ★ we have been | writing |
| ★ you have been | writing |
| ★ they have been | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I have been writing this essay all day, and I'm still not finished. |
| - You have been writing in your diary every day. |
| - He has been writing music since he was a teenager. | She has been writing articles for that website for years. |
| - We have been writing our wedding vows. |
| - You (plural) have been writing the code for the new app. |
| - They have been writing letters to each other for a long time. |
| WRITE - PAST SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | wrote |
| ★ you | wrote |
| ★ he/she/it | wrote |
| ★ we | wrote |
| ★ you (plural) | wrote |
| ★ they | wrote |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Past Simple |
|---|
| - I wrote a long letter to my best friend. |
| - You wrote a great summary of the meeting. |
| - He wrote his first book when he was just twenty years old. | She wrote a check for the rent. |
| - We wrote a song together. |
| - You (plural) wrote your names on the list. |
| - They wrote a formal complaint. |
| WRITE - PAST CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I was | writing |
| ★ you were | writing |
| ★ he/she/it was | writing |
| ★ we were | writing |
| ★ you were | writing |
| ★ they were | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Past Continuous |
|---|
| - I was writing an email when the power went out. |
| - You were writing your name on the board. |
| - He was writing a novel set in the 19th century. | She was writing a list of things to do. |
| - We were writing our business proposal. |
| - You (plural) were writing notes during the lecture. |
| - They were writing postcards to their families. |
| WRITE - PAST PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had | written |
| ★ you had | written |
| ★ he/she/it had | written |
| ★ we had | written |
| ★ you had | written |
| ★ they had | written |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Past Perfect |
|---|
| - I had written the report before the deadline. |
| - You had written the wrong address on the envelope. |
| - He had written three books before he became famous. | She had written a letter of apology. |
| - We had written the song lyrics, but not the music. |
| - You (plural) had written your essays. |
| - They had written to him several times without receiving a reply. |
| WRITE - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had been | writing |
| ★ you had been | writing |
| ★ he/she/it had been | writing |
| ★ we had been | writing |
| ★ you had been | writing |
| ★ they had been | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I had been writing my novel for a year before I got a publisher. |
| - You had been writing in your journal. |
| - He had been writing poetry for most of his life. | She had been writing the script for the movie. |
| - We had been writing the report for weeks. |
| - You (plural) had been writing the code. |
| - They had been writing to each other for years. |
| WRITE - FUTURE SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will | write |
| ★ you will | write |
| ★ he/she/it will | write |
| ★ we will | write |
| ★ you will | write |
| ★ they will | write |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Future Simple |
|---|
| - I will write you a letter as soon as I arrive. |
| - You will write an excellent essay, I'm sure. |
| - He will write a book about his adventures. | She will write down the phone number for you. |
| - We will write a formal request for more funding. |
| - You (plural) will write your final exams next week. |
| - They will write a new chapter in the company's history. |
| WRITE - FUTURE CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will be | writing |
| ★ you will be | writing |
| ★ he/she/it will be | writing |
| ★ we will be | writing |
| ★ you will be | writing |
| ★ they will be | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Future Continuous |
|---|
| - I will be writing my thesis for the next few months. |
| - You will be writing the weekly reports from now on. |
| - He will be writing his memoirs. | She will be writing a blog about her travels. |
| - We will be writing the script for the new play. |
| - You (plural) will be writing your dissertations. |
| - They will be writing the software for the new system. |
| WRITE - FUTURE PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have | written |
| ★ you will have | written |
| ★ he/she/it will have | written |
| ★ we will have | written |
| ★ you will have | written |
| ★ they will have | written |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Future Perfect |
|---|
| - I will have written the entire book by the end of the year. |
| - You will have written your resignation letter by then. |
| - He will have written his speech. | She will have written ten novels by the time she is forty. |
| - We will have written the final draft of the report. |
| - You (plural) will have written all the code. |
| - They will have written the new constitution. |
| WRITE - FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have been | writing |
| ★ you will have been | writing |
| ★ he/she/it will have been | writing |
| ★ we will have been | writing |
| ★ you will have been | writing |
| ★ they will have been | writing |
| Examples of the verb 'write' in the Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - By next month, I will have been writing my blog for five years. |
| - You will have been writing your book for a long time. |
| - By the time he retires, he will have been writing for that newspaper for his entire career. | She will have been writing poetry. |
| - We will have been writing this software. |
| - You (plural) will have been writing the reports. |
| - They will have been writing their songs for years. |