Irregular verbs Regular verbs
shut, shuts, shutting
Synonyms: close, seal, fasten, bar, secure
Antonyms: open, unfasten, unlock, unseal, reveal
The Verb Shut – Definition, Usage, and Clarification The verb shut is a common irregular verb that means to close something, such as a door, window, or a container, making it not open. VERB FORMS ■ Base Form: shut ■ Past Simple: shut ■ Past Participle: shut ■ Present Participle/Gerund: shutting USAGE AND CONTEXT 'Shut' is a direct, everyday verb, often more informal or abrupt than 'close.' 1. Closing Something This is its primary and most literal meaning. ■ Doors/Windows: 'Could you please shut the door? It's cold outside.' ■ Containers: 'Shut the lid tightly on the jar.' ■ Eyes/Mouth: 'He shut his eyes and tried to sleep.' 2. Ceasing Operation (Figurative) This refers to closing a business or operation, usually permanently. ■ Business: 'The old factory shut down last year.' ℹ IMPORTANT: 'SHUT' VS. 'CLOSE' AND PHRASAL VERBS ■ 'Shut' vs. 'Close': These are often interchangeable, but 'shut' can sound more forceful or final. You can 'close' a meeting, but you 'shut down' a factory. 'Close' is generally a more neutral term. ■ Identical Verb Forms: The base, past simple, and past participle forms are all 'shut.' ■ Phrasal Verbs: ■ Shut down: To turn off a machine or computer; to close a business. ('Remember to shut down your computer.') ■ Shut up: An impolite and abrupt way to tell someone to stop talking. ■ Shut out: To exclude or prevent from entering. ('He felt shut out of the conversation.')
SHUT - PRESENT SIMPLE | |
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★ I | shut |
★ you | shut |
★ he/she/it | shuts |
★ we | shut |
★ you (plural) | shut |
★ they | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Present Simple |
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- I shut the window when it gets cold. |
- You shut the door quietly. |
- He shuts his computer down every night. | The shop shuts at 6 PM. |
- We shut the gate to the garden. |
- You (plural) shut all the windows before you leave. |
- They shut their eyes during scary movie scenes. |
SHUT - PRESENT CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I am | shutting |
★ you are | shutting |
★ he/she/it is | shutting |
★ we are | shutting |
★ you are | shutting |
★ they are | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Present Continuous |
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- I am shutting the curtains because the sun is too bright. |
- You are shutting down the system for maintenance. |
- He is shutting the lid on the box. | The factory is shutting down for the holidays. |
- We are shutting the door on that possibility. |
- You (plural) are shutting all the open applications. |
- They are shutting the business for good. |
SHUT - PRESENT PERFECT | |
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★ I have | shut |
★ you have | shut |
★ he/she/it has | shut |
★ we have | shut |
★ you have | shut |
★ they have | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Present Perfect |
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- I have shut the main water valve. |
- You have shut the garage door. |
- He has shut himself in his room. | She has shut the cat in the kitchen. |
- We have shut the case due to a lack of evidence. |
- You (plural) have shut all the doors and windows. |
- They have shut down the website. |
SHUT - PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I have been | shutting |
★ you have been | shutting |
★ he/she/it has been | shutting |
★ we have been | shutting |
★ you have been | shutting |
★ they have been | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Present Perfect Continuous |
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- I have been shutting the windows in this house all morning. |
- You have been shutting down the computers one by one. |
- He has been shutting himself away from his friends. | The business has been shutting its stores across the country. |
- We have been shutting down the servers for the update. |
- You (plural) have been shutting the gates every night. |
- They have been shutting their minds to new ideas. |
SHUT - PAST SIMPLE | |
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★ I | shut |
★ you | shut |
★ he/she/it | shut |
★ we | shut |
★ you (plural) | shut |
★ they | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Past Simple |
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- I shut the book after reading the last page. |
- You shut the door in my face. |
- He shut the lid of the piano. | She shut her eyes and made a wish. |
- We shut the factory down last year. |
- You (plural) shut the windows before the rain started. |
- They shut the road because of the accident. |
SHUT - PAST CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I was | shutting |
★ you were | shutting |
★ he/she/it was | shutting |
★ we were | shutting |
★ you were | shutting |
★ they were | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Past Continuous |
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- I was shutting the window when I saw them walking down the street. |
- You were shutting the shop for the night. |
- He was shutting his laptop when his boss called him. | The library was shutting, so we had to leave. |
- We were shutting down the production line. |
- You (plural) were shutting the gates. |
- They were shutting all the doors. |
SHUT - PAST PERFECT | |
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★ I had | shut |
★ you had | shut |
★ he/she/it had | shut |
★ we had | shut |
★ you had | shut |
★ they had | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Past Perfect |
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- I had shut the window before I realized how hot it was. |
- You had shut the door, so I couldn't hear you. |
- He had shut his computer down before the power outage. | She had shut the curtains. |
- We had shut down the operation before the police arrived. |
- You (plural) had shut all the valves. |
- They had shut the bridge to traffic. |
SHUT - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I had been | shutting |
★ you had been | shutting |
★ he/she/it had been | shutting |
★ we had been | shutting |
★ you had been | shutting |
★ they had been | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Past Perfect Continuous |
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- I had been shutting the windows every night that week. |
- You had been shutting down the equipment. |
- He had been shutting himself off from the world for months. | The company had been shutting down its branches. |
- We had been shutting the park at 9 PM. |
- You (plural) had been shutting the doors. |
- They had been shutting the system down. |
SHUT - FUTURE SIMPLE | |
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★ I will | shut |
★ you will | shut |
★ he/she/it will | shut |
★ we will | shut |
★ you will | shut |
★ they will | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Future Simple |
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- I will shut the door on my way out. |
- You will shut the computer down when you are finished. |
- He will shut the shop at closing time. | The government will shut the loophole in the law. |
- We will shut the water off before we begin the repairs. |
- You (plural) will shut the windows. |
- They will shut down the server for a few hours. |
SHUT - FUTURE CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I will be | shutting |
★ you will be | shutting |
★ he/she/it will be | shutting |
★ we will be | shutting |
★ you will be | shutting |
★ they will be | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Future Continuous |
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- I will be shutting the library at 8 PM tonight. |
- You will be shutting down the network for maintenance. |
- He will be shutting the windows before the storm hits. | The company will be shutting its factories. |
- We will be shutting the road for the parade. |
- You (plural) will be shutting the gates. |
- They will be shutting the systems down. |
SHUT - FUTURE PERFECT | |
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★ I will have | shut |
★ you will have | shut |
★ he/she/it will have | shut |
★ we will have | shut |
★ you will have | shut |
★ they will have | shut |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Future Perfect |
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- I will have shut all the windows by the time the rain starts. |
- You will have shut down the computer by then. |
- He will have shut the business down by the end of the year. | She will have shut the door. |
- We will have shut off the power. |
- You (plural) will have shut the facility. |
- They will have shut the website down for good. |
SHUT - FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
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★ I will have been | shutting |
★ you will have been | shutting |
★ he/she/it will have been | shutting |
★ we will have been | shutting |
★ you will have been | shutting |
★ they will have been | shutting |
Examples of the verb 'shut' in the Future Perfect Continuous |
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- By 9 PM, I will have been shutting this shop every night for five years. |
- You will have been shutting down the system. |
- He will have been shutting himself away for weeks. | The company will have been shutting its stores. |
- We will have been shutting the gates. |
- You (plural) will have been shutting the windows. |
- They will have been shutting down the operations. |