Showed is the simple past tense of show, while shown is the past participle. Use showed for a past action and shown after helping verbs such as has, have, or had.
Have you ever typed “I have showed him” and stopped to wonder if it was correct? This is a small grammar choice, but it can make a big difference in your writing.
As an English writer, I have seen this mistake many times. Learners often know that showed and shown come from the same verb, but they are not sure when each form belongs in a sentence.
Showed is the simple past form. Shown is the past participle. Once you know which tense your sentence needs, the right word usually becomes clear.
In this guide, you will learn the difference between shown and showed, see how show fits into the same verb family, and learn the correct forms with have, has, had, and was. You will also find common mistakes, real examples, a quick memory trick, and a short quiz.
Let’s make this confusing verb pair easy.
Shown or Showed: Which One Is Correct?
Both shown and showed are correct English words, but they have different grammatical jobs.
Showed
Showed is the simple past tense of show.
I showed her the picture yesterday.
Shown
Shown is the past participle of show.
I have shown her the picture.
So, remember:
Show → Showed → Shown
| Form | Grammar | Example |
| show | Base/present form | I show my work. |
| showed | Simple past | I showed my work. |
| shown | Past participle | I have shown my work. |
Show vs. Showed vs. Shown
Looking at all three forms together makes the difference much easier.
Show
Use show for the base form and many present-tense constructions.
- I show my students the answer.
- They show great interest in the project.
- Please show me your work.
It also follows modal verbs:
- I can show you.
- She will show us.
- You should show your ID.
Showed
Use showed for a completed action in the past.
- She showed me her new car.
- He showed us the way.
- They showed great courage.
- I showed him the message yesterday.
Shown
Use shown as the past participle.
It commonly follows:
- has
- have
- had
It also appears in passive constructions.
- She has shown great skill.
- They have shown their support.
- He had shown me the document.
- The results were shown on the screen.
Quick Comparison
| Verb | Main Use | Example |
| show | Present/base form | I show my work. |
| showed | Simple past | I showed my work. |
| shown | Past participle | I have shown my work. |
When Should You Use Showed?
Use showed when you are describing an action that happened in the past.
A simple test is to ask:
“Did this happen in the past?”
If the answer is yes and you are using the simple past, showed is usually correct.
Examples
- Sarah showed me her new phone.
- The teacher showed us a video.
- Tom showed his parents the results.
- The report showed a rise in sales.
- She showed great interest in the course.
Words such as yesterday, last week, earlier, and two days ago often appear with simple past sentences.
The teacher showed us the video yesterday.
When Should You Use Shown?
Use shown when the sentence requires a past participle.
The most common pattern is:
has/have/had + shown
Examples:
- She has shown excellent leadership.
- We have shown the results to the manage.
- They have shown that the plan works.
Shown is also common in passive sentences:
The movie was shown at the theater.
The results were shown on the screen.
The important point is that shown normally does not act as the simple past by itself.
Have Shown or Have Showed?
This is one of the most common questions about show.
The correct form is:
✅ I have shown him the picture.
Not:
❌ I have showed him the picture.
Why?
Because have + past participle is used in the present perfect tense.
The past participle of show is shown.
More Examples
- She has shown great patience.
- We have shown our support.
- They have shown strong results.
- He has shown me the report.
Easy Rule
Have/has + shown
This simple pattern will help you avoid one of the most common errors.
Had Shown or Had Showed?
When you use the past perfect tense, choose shown.
✅ He had shown me the document.
❌ He had showed me the document.
The pattern is:
had + past participle
Because shown is the past participle, it follows had.
Examples
- They had shown their work to the teacher.
- I had shown him the correct answer.
- We had shown enough evidence to support the claim.
Was Shown or Was Showed?
The correct form is usually was shown, not was showed, when you are using the passive voice.
✅ The movie was shown last night.
❌ The movie was showed last night.
Here, shown is the past participle used with the verb was.
More Examples
- The results were shown to the public.
- The picture was shown on the screen.
- The evidence was shown to the jury.
Important Note
The verb show has an unusual past participle because it is shown, not showed in standard modern English.
Shown and Showed in Different Tenses
Here is a simple tense guide.
| Tense | Correct Form | Example |
| Present | show | I show my work. |
| Simple past | showed | I showed my work. |
| Present perfect | shown | I have shown my work. |
| Past perfect | shown | I had shown my work. |
| Passive | shown | My work was shown. |
| Future | show | I will show my work. |
| Modal | show | I can show my work. |
This table shows why you should not choose shown or showed based only on the meaning. The grammar around the verb matters.
Common Mistakes With Shown and Showed
Mistake 1: “I have showed”
❌ I have showed her the photo.
✅ I have shown her the photo.
Reason: Have needs the past participle.
Mistake 2: “I shown”
❌ I shown him the report yesterday.
✅ I showed him the report yesterday.
Reason: A simple past sentence needs showed.
Mistake 3: “She had showed”
❌ She had showed me the letter.
✅ She had shown me the letter.
Reason: Had + past participle gives us had shown.
Mistake 4: “The video was showed”
❌ The video was showed during the meeting.
✅ The video was shown during the meeting.
Reason: Passive constructions use the past participle.
Mistake 5: Using “shown” as the simple past
❌ Yesterday, he shown us his new house.
✅ Yesterday, he showed us his new house.
Reason: Showed is the simple past form.
Shown or Showed in Real-World Examples
Professional Email
I showed the client the revised proposal during yesterday’s meeting.
Here, showed is correct because the action happened in the past.
Another option is:
I have shown the client the revised proposal.
Here, shown follows have.
News Report
The latest figures showed a sharp increase in sales.
The simple past is used for a past report or finding.
Compare it with:
The latest figures have shown a steady increase in sales.
Here, shown follows have.
Social Media
My little brother showed me his new drawing today.
Formal Report
The results have shown a clear improvement in performance.
Everyday Conversation
Can you show me where the station is?
Notice that neither showed nor shown is needed here because the sentence uses the base form after can.
A Simple Memory Trick
Need to choose quickly?
Use this rule:
Yesterday → Showed
I showed her the picture yesterday.
Has/Have/Had → Shown
I have shown her the picture.
She had shown me the picture.
Was/Were → Shown in passive sentences
The picture was shown to the class.
Past action = showed
Helping verb + past participle = shown
Shown vs. Showed: Quick Comparison
| Term | Verb Form | When to Use | Example |
| show | Base form | Present, future, or after modals | I will show you. |
| showed | Simple past | Completed past action | I showed you yesterday. |
| shown | Past participle | Perfect or passive structures | I have shown you. |
FAQs About Shown or Showed
Q: Is “showed” the past tense of show?
A: Yes. Showed is the simple past tense of show. Example: “She showed me her new phone.”
Q: Is “shown” the past tense of show?
A: No. Shown is the past participle. It is commonly used with has, have, and had, or in passive constructions.
Q: Is “I have showed” correct?
A: In standard English, use “I have shown.” The present perfect requires the past participle.
Q: Is “I had showed” correct?
A: In standard English, use “I had shown.” The past perfect uses had + past participle.
Q: Which is correct: “was shown” or “was showed”?
A: Was shown is correct for the passive construction. For example, “The video was shown during the meeting.”
Q: Can I say “I showed him”?
A: Yes. “I showed him” is completely correct. It uses showed as the simple past form.
Q: What are the three forms of show?
A: The main forms are show, showed, shown. They represent the base form, simple past, and past participle.
Conclusion
The difference between shown and showed is simple once you understand their grammatical roles.
Use showed for the simple past:
She showed me the picture yesterday.
Use shown as the past participle:
She has shown me the picture.
The same rule explains common phrases such as have shown, has shown, had shown, and was shown.
If you remember only one thing, remember this:
Simple past → showed.
Past participle → shown.
Once you spot the helping verb and identify the tense, choosing the correct form becomes much easier.
Friends or Friend’s: Which One Is Correct?
I specialize in spelling comparisons, confusing word pairs, grammar, and vocabulary development. My content helps readers improve their English, avoid common mistakes, and write with confidence. My goal is to provide accurate, reliable, and easy-to-understand language resources
