What’s the Past Tense of Shoot: Understanding Verb Conjugation
Quick Answer
The past tense of shoot is shot. It is the same with have, has, or had — always shot, never “shooted.”
Shoot, Shot, Shot — See the Pattern
Look at these sentences. Can you see how shoot changes?
- Today I shoot photos at the park. (now)
- Yesterday I shot photos at the park. (past)
- I have shot photos at this park many times. (with have)
- She had already shot the video before we arrived. (with had)
Did you see the pattern? Shoot does not add -ed. It changes to shot — and stays shot every time.
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Now (present) | shoot | They shoot hoops after school. |
| Past | shot | They shot hoops after school. |
| With have/has/had | shot | They have shot hoops all week. |
When to Use Shot
Shoot is an irregular verb. That means it does not follow the normal -ed rule. You do not say “shooted.” You say shot.
Use shot when you talk about something that already happened:
- Past tense: He shot the basketball into the net.
- With have: She has shot three films this year.
- With had: By noon, they had shot all the scenes.
Easy way to remember: Shoot and shot — the word gets shorter, just like the action is over. Done and short. Shoot → shot.
The Rule in One Line: Shoot → shot (past) and shot (with have/has/had). Never “shooted.”
How to Use Shot in Everyday English
- I shot a quick video on my phone. (= I recorded a video)
- The player shot the ball and scored! (= kicked or threw the ball hard)
- We have shot photos at every holiday. (= we took photos)
- The prices shot up last month. (= went up very fast)
- She shot him a quick look across the room. (= gave a quick look)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make.
The Most Common Mistake With Shoot
Even advanced learners sometimes say “shooted” because most English verbs add -ed in the past. So if you have made this mistake, you are not alone. It is completely normal.
✗ He shooted the ball over the fence.
✓ He shot the ball over the fence.
✗ She has shooted many films.
✓ She has shot many films.
How to remember: Think of the word “shot” as in a photo or a basketball shot. You already know this word! The past tense is the same word you already use.
Other verbs that work like this (same form for past tense and with have): think → thought, buy → bought, catch → caught, teach → taught, fight → fought.
Test Yourself: Shot or Shooted?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. The goalkeeper _______ the ball over the net.
2. She has _______ three music videos this month.
3. We _______ hoops at the park every Saturday.
4. By noon, they had already _______ all the scenes for the film.
5. Last weekend, I _______ my first short film!
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned the past tense of shoot. That is one more irregular verb you will never get wrong again.
Now here is a question: what happens when the past tense and the form with have are different? For example, do you say “I have broke” or “I have broken“? And why does English have two different words for this?
Next lesson: The Past Tense of Break: When to Use Broke and Broken
Source
Etymology of shoot — 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.
