“Shown” and “showed” are both correct forms of the verb show, but they are used differently in English grammar. The main difference is that showed is the simple past tense, while shown is usually the past participle.
This difference can be confusing because show has an irregular past tense and past participle: show → showed → shown. Knowing when to use each form will help you write and speak more naturally and avoid common grammar mistakes.
Quick Answer
Showed is the simple past tense of show and is used for an action that happened in the past.
Shown is the past participle and is normally used with an auxiliary verb such as has, have, had, or be.
- Showed = simple past
- Shown = past participle
Correct: She showed me her new phone.
Correct: She has shown me her new phone.
Why People Confuse Shown and Showed
The confusion happens because both shown and showed describe something that was displayed, presented, or revealed. The key difference is their grammatical role.
Showed can stand alone as the past-tense verb:
He showed me the picture yesterday.
Shown generally needs a helping verb:
He has shown me the picture.
In passive constructions, shown is also used:
The movie was shown at the theater.
A useful way to remember the forms is:
Show → Showed → Shown
Showed
Showed is the simple past tense of show. Use it when an action happened and was completed in the past.
She showed me her new dress.
He showed us how to use the machine.
They showed their support for the team.
I showed my teacher the assignment.
Unlike shown, showed does not normally require an auxiliary verb when it is used as the main past-tense verb.
Showed for a Completed Past Action
Sarah showed me the photos last night.
The action happened in the past and is being described with the simple past tense.
Showed With a Time Expression
He showed me the results yesterday.
They showed us the house last week.
She showed her artwork at the exhibition.
Words such as yesterday, last week, and earlier often indicate that the simple past showed is appropriate.
Shown
Shown is the past participle of show. It is normally used with an auxiliary or helping verb.
She has shown great improvement.
He had shown me the documents.
The results have shown a significant difference.
Shown can also be used in passive constructions:
The film was shown on television.
The photographs were shown to the audience.
Shown With Has, Have, or Had
Use shown with perfect tenses:
She has shown excellent leadership.
They have shown remarkable progress.
He had shown me the report before the meeting.
Shown in Passive Voice
Use shown after forms of be when something is being displayed or presented:
The documentary was shown last night.
The painting was shown at the gallery.
The results were shown on the screen.
Showed vs Shown: Grammar Difference
The easiest way to understand the difference is to look at the tense.
Showed = simple past:
He showed me the email.
Shown = past participle:
He has shown me the email.
The first sentence simply describes a completed action in the past. The second uses the present perfect tense, which requires the past participle shown.
Comparison Table
| Word | Grammatical Form | Main Use | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Show | Base form | Present tense / infinitive | I want to show you something. |
| Showed | Simple past | Completed past action | She showed me the photo. |
| Shown | Past participle | Perfect tenses/passive voice | She has shown me the photo. |
| Showing | Present participle | Continuous forms | She is showing me the photo. |
When to Use Showed
Use showed when you are talking about a completed action in the past.
He showed me his new car.
She showed us her artwork.
They showed great courage.
I showed him where to find the information.
If the sentence contains a clear past-time reference and does not require a helping verb, showed is usually the correct choice.
When to Use Shown
Use shown when it follows an auxiliary verb in a perfect tense or passive construction.
Present Perfect
She has shown great improvement.
Past Perfect
He had shown me the evidence.
Future Perfect
They will have shown the results by Friday.
Passive Voice
The movie was shown at the festival.
The photographs were shown to the public.
Shown vs Showed Examples
Here are some examples that clearly demonstrate the difference:
- She showed me her new phone yesterday.
- She has shown me her new phone before.
- He showed us the way to the station.
- He had shown us the route earlier.
- They showed their support for the project.
- They have shown strong support for the project.
- I showed my parents the results.
- I have shown my parents the results.
- The teacher showed us a video.
- The video was shown to the class.
- She showed me the documents last week.
- She has shown me the documents already.
- The artist showed his work at the event.
- His work was shown at the event.
- He showed everyone his new invention.
- He has shown everyone his new invention.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using “Shown” as the Simple Past
❌ She shown me the picture yesterday.
✅ She showed me the picture yesterday.
Because this is a simple past sentence, use showed.
Mistake 2: Using “Showed” After “Has”
❌ She has showed me the report.
✅ She has shown me the report.
After has, use the past participle shown.
Mistake 3: Using “Showed” After “Had”
❌ He had showed us the results.
✅ He had shown us the results.
The past perfect requires the past participle.
Mistake 4: Forgetting the Helping Verb
❌ He shown me the documents.
✅ He showed me the documents.
Or:
✅ He has shown me the documents.
If you use shown, a suitable auxiliary is normally required.
Mistake 5: Confusing Passive and Active Forms
❌ The movie was showed yesterday.
✅ The movie was shown yesterday.
In this passive construction, shown is the standard form.
Memory Trick
Remember the three main forms:
SHOW → SHOWED → SHOWN
Think:
- Show = now/base form
- Showed = past
- Shown = past participle
A simple rule is:
No helping verb + past action → SHOWED
She showed me the letter.
Helping verb + past participle → SHOWN
She has shown me the letter.
American vs British English
Showed and shown are standard in both American and British English.
There is little difference between the two varieties in the basic use of these forms.
For example, both American and British English use:
She showed me the picture.
She has shown me the picture.
In some varieties of English, showed may occasionally be heard in constructions where traditional grammar would use shown, but shown remains the standard past participle in careful modern English.
Similar Verb Forms
Several English verbs follow a similar pattern in which the simple past and past participle are different:
- Go → went → gone
- See → saw → seen
- Write → wrote → written
- Take → took → taken
- Speak → spoke → spoken
- Break → broke → broken
Like these verbs, show has a different simple past and past participle:
show → showed → shown
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “shown” or “showed” correct?
Both are correct. Showed is the simple past tense, while shown is the past participle.
Is “shown” past tense?
Not usually. Shown is the past participle of show. The simple past is showed.
Can I say “I shown you”?
No. In standard English, say:
I showed you.
Or:
I have shown you.
Is it “has showed” or “has shown”?
The standard form is has shown.
She has shown me the answer.
Is it “was showed” or “was shown”?
The standard passive form is was shown.
The film was shown last night.
Can “showed” be used with “has”?
In standard English, use shown after has:
He has shown great interest.
What is the past tense of show?
The simple past tense is showed.
What is the past participle of show?
The past participle is shown.
Is “shown” formal English?
Yes. Shown is standard English and is commonly used in both formal and informal writing.
Final Verdict
Showed and shown are both correct, but they are not interchangeable.
Use showed as the simple past:
She showed me the picture.
Use shown as the past participle, usually after has, have, had, or in passive constructions:
She has shown me the picture.
The picture was shown to the audience.
Conclusion
The difference between shown vs showed becomes simple once you understand their grammatical forms. Showed is the simple past form of show, while shown is the past participle.
Whenever you are describing a completed action in the past, use showed. When the sentence uses a perfect tense or passive voice, shown is generally the correct choice.
Remember This
SHOW → SHOWED → SHOWN
Showed = simple past ✅
She showed me the picture.
Shown = past participle ✅
She has shown me the picture.
Easy Memory Trick
SHOWED = past action
SHOWN = used with a helping verb or in passive voice
Lucas Bennett is an American writer passionate about spiritual insight and meaningful storytelling. His work blends faith-centered ideas with real-life experiences, encouraging readers to reflect deeply and live with intention.
