Base
I hear music from the next room.
Hear means sounds reach your ears.
Past Tense of Hear: Heard and Heard
Hear is an irregular verb. The past tense and the past participle are both heard. Both spelling and sound change from hear.
Base
hear
Past
heard
Past participle
heard
Third person: hears · -ing form: hearing
ABB: form patternExamples
Base
Can you hear me?
After can, the verb stays hear.
Past
We heard a noise in the kitchen last night.
Last night is finished, so use heard.
Past
She heard the news on TV this morning.
This morning is finished here, so the past is heard.
Past participle
I have heard this song before.
Have heard uses the participle.
Past participle
He has not heard from her since Monday.
The participle is heard, the same as the past.
Usage notes
How to say heard
Heard is pronounced like bird, not like hear. It sounds exactly like herd, a group of cows. The two words are homophones.
Hear, here and listen
Hear and here sound the same, but here means in this place: Come here. Hear is also different from listen. You hear a sound without trying, but you listen to music on purpose.
Common mistakes
I hearded a noise.
I heard a noise.
Hear is irregular, so the past is heard, not hearded.
She has hear the news.
She has heard the news.
After has, use the participle heard.
Come hear!
Come here!
Here means in this place. Hear is the verb for sounds.
Practise this verb
0/8
Choose the correct form
Choose the form that completes each English sentence.
1.We ___ a noise in the kitchen last night.
2.Have you ___ this song before?
3.Come ___ and look at this.
4.I can ___ the birds in the garden.
Write the missing form
Type the correct form of hear in each sentence.
Correct the mistake
Replace the incorrect word in the English sentence.
8.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Answer key
1. We ___ a noise in the kitchen last night.
Answer: heard
Last night is finished, so use heard.
2. Have you ___ this song before?
Answer: heard
After have, use the participle heard.
3. Come ___ and look at this.
Answer: here
Here means in this place.
4. I can ___ the birds in the garden.
Answer: hear
After can, use the verb hear.
5. Yesterday evening she ___ the phone ring.
Answer: heard
Yesterday evening is finished, so use heard.
6. I have not ___ from my brother this week.
Answer: heard
After have, the participle is heard.
7. Can you ___ the music from there?
Answer: hear
After can, use the base form hear.
8. I hearded the news.
Answer: I heard the news.
The past of hear is heard.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of hear?
The past tense of hear is heard: We heard a noise in the kitchen last night.
How do you pronounce heard?
Heard rhymes with bird. It sounds the same as herd.
What is the difference between hear and listen?
Hear is to notice a sound. Listen is to pay attention on purpose: I listen to music.