Whats the Past Tense of Fly: Flew vs. Flown Explained
Quick Answer
The past tense of fly is flew. With “have” or “has,” use flown.
Every day: I fly to work.
Yesterday: I flew to work.
Many times: I have flown to London three times.
Fly, Flew, Flown — See the Pattern
Read these sentences. Look at how the verb changes:
- The bird flies over the lake every morning. (now — every day)
- The bird flew over the lake this morning. (past — it is finished)
- The bird has flown over the lake many times. (past with “has”)
Did you see the pattern? There are three forms:
| When? | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Now / every day | fly | I fly to work every Monday. |
| In the past | flew | I flew to work yesterday. |
| With have / has / had | flown | I have flown many times. |
When to Use Flew and When to Use Flown
This is the part that confuses many learners. Here is the simple rule:
Use “flew” when you talk about the past — something that is finished:
- She flew to Paris last summer.
- The birds flew south for the winter.
Use “flown” when there is a helping word before it — have, has, or had:
- I have flown on that plane before.
- She has flown to New York three times.
- They had flown home before the storm started.
Easy way to remember: If you see have, has, or had before it, use flown. If not, use flew.
The Rule in One Line: have/has/had → flown. No have → flew.
Real-Life Examples With Fly, Flew, and Flown
Here are examples you might use every day:
- We flew to Spain for our holiday last year. (past — it is finished)
- The pilot flew the plane through bad weather. (past — it is finished)
- He has flown over 100 times for his job. (with “has” — use flown)
- I have never flown first class before. (with “have” — use flown)
- Time flew by so fast today! (past — no “have”)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.
Three Mistakes to Avoid With Fly
These are the most common mistakes with “fly.” Even native speakers’ children say “flyed” when they are learning to talk — so if you make this mistake, you are not alone.
Mistake 1: Using “flown” without have/has/had
✗ I flown to London yesterday.
✓ I flew to London yesterday.
Mistake 2: Using “flew” with have/has/had
✗ She has flew to Tokyo twice.
✓ She has flown to Tokyo twice.
Mistake 3: Saying “flyed”
✗ The birds flyed away when I got close.
✓ The birds flew away when I got close.
How to remember: Think of blow, blew, blown. It follows the same pattern: fly, flew, flown. Both end with the same sounds!
Other verbs like this: blow (blow, blew, blown), grow (grow, grew, grown), know (know, knew, known), throw (throw, threw, thrown).
Test Yourself: Flew or Flown?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. Yesterday, the bird _______ over our house.
2. She has _______ to London many times.
3. The pilot _______ the plane to Paris last week.
4. We have never _______ first class before.
5. The kite _______ high in the sky at the park yesterday.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned fly, flew, flown. That is one more irregular verb you will never get wrong again.
But did you notice that blow follows the exact same pattern? Blow, blew, blown — the sounds are almost the same as fly, flew, flown. Do you know when to use blew and when to use blown?
Next lesson: Blew or Blown — Which One is Correct?
Source
fly (v.) — Online Etymology Dictionary
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
