Irregular verbs Regular verbs
weave, weaves, weaving, woven, wove
Synonyms: entwine, interlace, braid, plait, knit
Antonyms: unravel, separate, unpick, detach, straighten
The Verb Weave – Definition, Usage, and Clarification The verb weave is an irregular verb that means to form fabric by interlacing threads. It also means to create a complex story, or to move by twisting and turning through obstacles. VERB FORMS ■ Base Form: weave ■ Past Simple: wove (or weaved) ■ Past Participle: woven (or weaved) ■ Present Participle/Gerund: weaving USAGE AND CONTEXT 'Weave' is used for creating textiles, stories, and for a specific type of movement. 1. Making Fabric or Baskets This is its traditional, literal meaning. ■ Textiles: 'Artisans weave colourful rugs by hand.' ■ Stories (Figurative): 'She wove a complex plot for her new novel.' 2. Moving Through Obstacles This describes a twisting and turning path. ■ Traffic: 'The motorcycle was weaving in and out of the cars.' ■ Crowds: 'He had to weave his way through the crowd.' ℹ IMPORTANT: TWO SETS OF VERB FORMS The verb forms can change depending on the meaning. This is a subtle but important point. ■ For making fabric or stories (Irregular): The traditional forms are wove and woven. ■ Example: 'She wove the threads.' / 'A beautifully woven tapestry.' ■ For moving through traffic/obstacles (Often Regular): The form weaved is commonly used for this meaning. ■ Example: 'The cyclist weaved through the pedestrians.'
| WEAVE - PRESENT SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | weave |
| ★ you | weave |
| ★ he/she/it | weaves |
| ★ we | weave |
| ★ you (plural) | weave |
| ★ they | weave |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Present Simple |
|---|
| - I weave baskets out of reeds. |
| - You weave through the crowd with ease. |
| - A spider weaves a beautiful web. | She weaves intricate plots in her novels. |
| - We weave the fabric on a traditional loom. |
| - You (plural) weave your way through traffic every morning. |
| - They weave the colorful threads into a tapestry. |
| WEAVE - PRESENT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I am | weaving |
| ★ you are | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it is | weaving |
| ★ we are | weaving |
| ★ you are | weaving |
| ★ they are | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Present Continuous |
|---|
| - I am weaving a new scarf for the winter. |
| - You are weaving a tale that I don't quite believe. |
| - He is weaving the car through the heavy traffic. | The artist is weaving the threads on her loom. |
| - We are weaving the different plotlines together. |
| - You (plural) are weaving the flower stems into a crown. |
| - They are weaving the willow branches to make a fence. |
| WEAVE - PRESENT PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have | woven |
| ★ you have | woven |
| ★ he/she/it has | woven |
| ★ we have | woven |
| ★ you have | woven |
| ★ they have | woven |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Present Perfect |
|---|
| - I have woven/weaved a complex story with many characters. |
| - You have woven/weaved through the obstacles successfully. |
| - He has woven/weaved a beautiful blanket. | The spider has woven/weaved a new web. |
| - We have woven/weaved our ideas into a single proposal. |
| - You (plural) have woven/weaved the fabric for the dress. |
| - They have woven/weaved a garland of flowers. |
| WEAVE - PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I have been | weaving |
| ★ you have been | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it has been | weaving |
| ★ we have been | weaving |
| ★ you have been | weaving |
| ★ they have been | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I have been weaving this tapestry for months. |
| - You have been weaving your way into her confidence. |
| - He has been weaving through traffic all day. | The community has been weaving these traditional rugs for centuries. |
| - We have been weaving these different elements into our plan. |
| - You (plural) have been weaving these baskets since morning. |
| - They have been weaving lies for a long time. |
| WEAVE - PAST SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I | wove |
| ★ you | wove |
| ★ he/she/it | wove |
| ★ we | wove |
| ★ you (plural) | wove |
| ★ they | wove |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Past Simple |
|---|
| - I wove/weaved a small rug for the bathroom. |
| - You wove/weaved a story that captivated everyone. |
| - He wove/weaved the car through the narrow city streets. | The bird wove/weaved its nest with twigs and grass. |
| - We wove/weaved the strands of hair into a braid. |
| - You (plural) wove/weaved your way to the front of the crowd. |
| - They wove/weaved a beautiful pattern. |
| WEAVE - PAST CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I was | weaving |
| ★ you were | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it was | weaving |
| ★ we were | weaving |
| ★ you were | weaving |
| ★ they were | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Past Continuous |
|---|
| - I was weaving a blanket when you called. |
| - You were weaving an interesting narrative. |
| - He was weaving his motorcycle between the cars. | The spider was weaving its web in the corner. |
| - We were weaving the different threads of the story together. |
| - You (plural) were weaving flower crowns. |
| - They were weaving through the forest path. |
| WEAVE - PAST PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had | woven |
| ★ you had | woven |
| ★ he/she/it had | woven |
| ★ we had | woven |
| ★ you had | woven |
| ★ they had | woven |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Past Perfect |
|---|
| - I had woven/weaved the last part of the scarf. |
| - You had woven/weaved a complicated web of lies. |
| - He had woven/weaved through the traffic just before the accident happened. | The bird had woven/weaved a sturdy nest. |
| - We had woven/weaved our separate stories into one. |
| - You (plural) had woven/weaved the tapestry. |
| - They had woven/weaved the baskets. |
| WEAVE - PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I had been | weaving |
| ★ you had been | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it had been | weaving |
| ★ we had been | weaving |
| ★ you had been | weaving |
| ★ they had been | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - I had been weaving on my loom all day. |
| - You had been weaving your magic on the audience. |
| - He had been weaving through the crowds for an hour. | The spider had been weaving its web. |
| - We had been weaving the plot together. |
| - You (plural) had been weaving the branches. |
| - They had been weaving those rugs their entire lives. |
| WEAVE - FUTURE SIMPLE | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will | weave |
| ★ you will | weave |
| ★ he/she/it will | weave |
| ★ we will | weave |
| ★ you will | weave |
| ★ they will | weave |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Future Simple |
|---|
| - I will weave you a friendship bracelet. |
| - You will weave the various sources into your essay. |
| - He will weave through the defenders to score. | The author will weave a new mystery. |
| - We will weave the flowers into her hair. |
| - You (plural) will weave your way through the city. |
| - They will weave the threads to create the cloth. |
| WEAVE - FUTURE CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will be | weaving |
| ★ you will be | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it will be | weaving |
| ★ we will be | weaving |
| ★ you will be | weaving |
| ★ they will be | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Future Continuous |
|---|
| - I will be weaving baskets at the craft fair. |
| - You will be weaving a compelling story. |
| - He will be weaving through traffic to get there on time. | The spider will be weaving its web. |
| - We will be weaving the different themes together. |
| - You (plural) will be weaving on the loom. |
| - They will be weaving the new carpet. |
| WEAVE - FUTURE PERFECT | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have | woven |
| ★ you will have | woven |
| ★ he/she/it will have | woven |
| ★ we will have | woven |
| ★ you will have | woven |
| ★ they will have | woven |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Future Perfect |
|---|
| - I will have woven/weaved this entire blanket by the end of the month. |
| - You will have woven/weaved a very convincing argument. |
| - He will have woven/weaved his way through the entire field of racers. | The bird will have woven/weaved its nest. |
| - We will have woven/weaved the final chapter. |
| - You (plural) will have woven/weaved the rug. |
| - They will have woven/weaved the threads. |
| WEAVE - FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS | |
|---|---|
| ★ I will have been | weaving |
| ★ you will have been | weaving |
| ★ he/she/it will have been | weaving |
| ★ we will have been | weaving |
| ★ you will have been | weaving |
| ★ they will have been | weaving |
| Examples of the verb 'weave' in the Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| - By next year, I will have been weaving for a decade. |
| - You will have been weaving that story. |
| - He will have been weaving through traffic his whole life. | The spider will have been weaving its web. |
| - We will have been weaving the tapestry. |
| - You (plural) will have been weaving the baskets. |
| - They will have been weaving rugs. |