saw
Base form
saw
/sɔː/
Past simple
sawed
/sɔːd/
Past participle
sawnsawn / sawed
/sɔːn//sɔːn/ /sɔːd/
MeaningC2
to cut something with a saw
to saw off the branch you’re sitting on
In use
- Question · Form 1Can you saw this plank in half for me?
- Imperative · Form 1Saw slowly, or the blade will get stuck.
- Past simple · Form 2Yesterday Dad sawed the old table into firewood.
- Past simple · Form 2Last weekend we sawed the branches off the fallen tree.
- Passive · Form 3The logs were sawn into short pieces.
- Present perfect · Form 3Have you sawn enough wood for the fire?
Watch out
Saw is also the past of see. Cutting with a saw: sawed, then sawn (American English also sawed). Sawen and sawned are wrong.
Same pattern
A — B — CAll three forms differ
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