Understanding giving vs given can be confusing for English learners because both words come from the verb give, but they have different grammar rules, verb forms, and uses in a sentence. Knowing the difference can help you write and speak English more accurately. . The correct choice depends on the sentence structure, verb tense, and grammatical function.
For example, “She is giving me advice” describes an ongoing action, while “She has given me advice” uses the present perfect tense. Similarly, “He was given a chance” uses the passive voice.
In this guide, you will learn about present participles, past participles, gerunds, helping verbs, auxiliary verbs, continuous tenses, perfect tenses, passive sentences, active voice, past tense, present tense, future tense, verb forms, irregular verbs, sentence patterns, clauses, subject, object, predicate, direct object, indirect object, action verbs, main verbs, modal verbs, perfect aspect, continuous aspect, present perfect, past perfect, future perfect, present continuous, past continuous,
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Giving vs Given: Quick Definition
The simplest way to remember the difference is this:
Giving means the action of giving is happening, continuing, or being treated as a noun.
Given is the past participle of give. It is normally used with helping verbs or in passive constructions.
Giving
Giving = give + ing
Examples:
- She is giving me a present.
- He enjoys giving advice.
- They are giving free samples.
- Giving someone a chance can change their life.
Given
Given = past participle of give
Examples:
- She has given me a present.
- He had given his answer.
- They were given free samples.
- I have given this matter careful thought.
Sentence Structure of Giving and Given
Understanding sentence structure is one of the easiest ways to choose between giving and given.
Sentence Structure with Giving
A common pattern is:
Subject + be + giving + object
Examples:
- She is giving me a gift.
- They are giving students extra time.
- He was giving his friend advice.
other pattern is:
Subject + verb + giving + object
Examples:
- She enjoys giving gifts.
- He likes giving people advice.
Here, giving may act as a present participle or gerund, depending on the sentence.
Sentence Structure with Given
A common active structure is:
Subject + have/has/had + given + object
Examples:
- I have given him the information.
- She has given me permission.
- They had given us enough time.
A common passive structure is:
Subject + be + given + object
Examples:
- I was given a chance.
- She was given a new assignment.
- They were given clear instructions.
Giving: Meaning and Uses
Giving in Continuous Tenses
When giving is used with forms of be, it often describes an ongoing action.
Examples:
- I am giving a presentation.
- She is giving her brother some advice.
- They are giving away old clothes.
- We were giving the students extra practice.
The structure is:
am/is/are/was/were + giving
This is connected with continuous tenses.
Giving as a Gerund
A gerund looks like a verb but works as a noun.
Examples:
- Giving is better than taking.
- Giving to others can make you happy.
- Giving honest feedback requires courage.
- Giving children responsibility can build confidence.
In these examples, giving names an activity.
Giving After Certain Verbs
Some verbs can naturally be followed by an -ing form.
Examples:
- I enjoy giving advice.
- She loves giving presents.
- He dislikes giving speeches.
- They considered giving him another chance.
Notice that giving describes the activity.
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Given: Meaning and Uses
Given is the past participle of give.
It is an irregular verb form because the past form is gave, while the past participle is given.
The three important forms are:
give → gave → given
Given with Have, Has, and Had
One of the most important rules is that given is used after forms of have in perfect tenses.
Examples:
- I have given him the book.
- She has given me an answer.
- We had given them enough time.
This is where understanding the use of had becomes useful.
For example:
I had given him the information before the meeting started.
The first event happened earlier in the past, so had given is used for the past perfect tense.
Given in Passive Voice
Given is also common in passive sentences.
Examples:
- He was given a second chance.
- She was given an award.
- They were given clear instructions.
- The students were given extra time.
The pattern is:
Subject + be + given + object
For example:
The student was given a certificate.
The student receives the action, so the sentence is passive.
Giving vs Given: Main Difference
The easiest comparison is:
| Giving | Given |
| Present participle or gerund | Past participle |
| Ends in -ing | Ends in -en |
| Often shows an ongoing action | Often shows a completed action or passive action |
| Used in continuous structures | Used in perfect and passive structures |
| Can work as a gerund | Does not normally work as a gerund |
| Example: She is giving advice. | Example: She has given advice. |
Consider these two sentences:
She is giving me advice.
The action is happening now.
She has given me advice.
The action has already happened or has been completed.
That small difference changes the tense and meaning.
Giving vs Given in Different Tenses
The difference becomes clearer when you compare tenses.
Present Simple
Use give, not giving or given, for ordinary present habits.
- I give my students homework.
- She gives good advice.
Present Continuous
Use giving with am, is, or are.
- I am giving a lesson.
- She is giving a speech.
- They are giving away books.
Present Perfect
Use given with has or have.
- I have given him the answer.
- She has given me permission.
- They have given us enough information.
Past Simple
Use gave.
- I gave him the book.
- She gave me some advice.
Do not say:
I given him the book yesterday.
The correct sentence is:
I gave him the book yesterday.
Past Continuous
Use giving with was or were.
- I was giving a presentation.
- They were giving instructions.
Past Perfect
Use given with had.
- I had given him the message.
- She had given them enough time.
Future
The basic future structure uses give.
- I will give you the answer.
- She will give him another chance.
10 Examples of Giving vs Given
Here are ten useful examples that show the difference clearly.
- She is giving her brother a present.
- She has given her brother a present.
- They are giving students extra time.
- They have given students extra time.
- He was giving a speech when I arrived.
- He had given his speech before I arrived.
- I enjoy giving useful advice.
- I have given useful advice to many students.
- We are giving the team another opportunity.
- We have given the team another opportunity.
The important point is not simply the spelling. You need to look at the helping verb, time reference, and sentence meaning.
Common Grammar Rules for Giving
Follow these rules when using giving.
Rule One: Use Giving for Continuous Actions
Use giving after forms of be when describing an action in progress.
- She is giving a lecture.
- They were giving away food.
Rule Two: Giving Can Be a Gerund
When giving acts as a noun, it can be the subject or object of a sentence.
- Giving makes people feel good.
- I enjoy giving to charity.
Rule Three: Giving Can Follow Certain Verbs
Some verbs are naturally followed by an -ing form.
- enjoy giving
- avoid giving
- consider giving
- practice giving
- dislike giving
Example:
She enjoys giving helpful advice.
Common Grammar Rules for Given
Rule One: Use Given After Have, Has, or Had
Examples:
- I have given my answer.
- He has given his permission.
- They had given us directions.
Rule Two: Use Given in Passive Sentences
Examples:
- She was given a prize.
- He was given a warning.
- They were given new instructions.
Rule Three: Do Not Use Given as the Simple Past
The simple past form is gave.
Incorrect:
She given me a book yesterday.
Correct:
She gave me a book yesterday.
Giving vs Given in Real-Life Situations
Grammar becomes easier when you connect it with everyday situations.
At School
- The teacher is giving the students a test.
- The teacher has given the students a test.
- The students were given extra time.
At Work
- My manager is giving me new responsibilities.
- My manager has given me new responsibilities.
- I was given a new project.
In Daily Life
- Mom is giving me some advice.
- Mom has given me some advice.
- I enjoy giving gifts to my family.
In Conversations
- He is giving me a strange look.
- He has given me a strange look.
- She was given an opportunity to explain.
These examples show how naturally both forms appear in everyday English.
Common Mistakes with Giving and Given
Many English learners make mistakes with these two forms. Here are the most common ones.
Mistake 1: Using Given Instead of Gave
Incorrect:
I given him the money yesterday.
Correct:
I gave him the money yesterday.
Why?
Because yesterday indicates a completed simple past action. The simple past form of give is gave.
Mistake 2: Using Giving After Have
Incorrect:
I have giving him the book.
Correct:
I have given him the book.
Why?
After have or has in the present perfect, use the past participle.
Mistake 3: Using Given for an Ongoing Action
Incorrect:
She is given a speech.
Correct:
She is giving a speech.
Why?
The sentence describes an action happening now. Therefore, use the present participle giving.
Mistake 4: Confusing Given and Giving in Passive Voice
Correct:
He was given a chance.
Not:
He was giving a chance.
The subject receives the action, so the passive form was given is required.
Mistake 5: Forgetting the Helping Verb
Incorrect:
She giving me advice.
Correct:
She is giving me advice.
The continuous form normally needs an appropriate form of be.
Giving vs Given Comparison Table
| Feature | Giving | Given |
| Base verb | Give | Give |
| Verb form | Present participle / gerund | Past participle |
| Main spelling | Give + ing | Irregular form |
| Simple past | Not used as simple past | Not used as simple past |
| Used with have/has | No | Yes |
| Used with had | No | Yes |
| Continuous tenses | Yes | No |
| Passive voice | Usually no | Yes |
| Example | She is giving advice. | She has given advice. |
| Main idea | Action in progress/activity | Completed or received action |
Verb Forms Related to Give
The verb give is an irregular verb. It does not follow the regular -ed pattern.
| Form | Verb |
| Base form | give |
| Third-person singular | gives |
| Simple past | gave |
| Present participle | giving |
| Past participle | given |
Learning all five forms is important because English verbs change depending on tense and grammatical function.
For example:
- I give advice.
- She gives advice.
- I gave advice.
- I am giving advice.
- I have given advice.
Once you know this pattern, choosing between giving and given becomes much easier.
Giving vs Given and the Use of Had
The use of had is particularly important when learning given.
The word had can be followed by the past participle to form the past perfect tense.
For example:
She had given me the information before I called her.
Here, had given tells us that giving the information happened before another past event.
Compare:
She gave me the information.
This simply tells us that the action happened in the past.
She had given me the information before the meeting.
This shows the order of two past actions.
Remember:
had + given
not:
had + giving
Giving vs Given and Has vs Have
The difference between has vs have is also useful here.
Both has and have can be followed by given in the present perfect tense.
Use has with singular third-person subjects:
- He has given me advice.
- She has given me a book.
- The teacher has given us homework.
Use have with I, you, we, and they:
- I have given my answer.
- You have given me enough information.
- We have given them permission.
- They have given us directions.
The key structure is:
has/have + given
Giving vs Given and Future Tense
In future sentences, the basic form give is normally used after will.
Examples:
- I will give you the answer.
- She will give him another chance.
- They will give us more information.
However, giving can appear in future continuous structures:
I will be giving a presentation tomorrow.
The structure is:
will + be + giving
Similarly, given can appear in future perfect structures:
I will have given the presentation by Friday.
The structure is:
will + have + given
This shows how the choice between giving and given depends on the tense structure.
Clauses and Giving vs Given
Clauses are groups of words containing a subject and a verb. Understanding clauses can help you use different forms of give correctly.
Giving in a Clause
When I am giving a presentation, I try to speak clearly.
The phrase am giving describes an action in progress.
Another example:
She smiled while giving her speech.
Here, giving helps describe what she was doing.
Given in a Clause
After she had given her answer, the teacher moved on.
Here, had given is the past perfect form.
Another example:
Because he was given another chance, he worked harder.
Here, was given is passive voice.
The surrounding clause often gives you clues about which verb form you need.
Giving vs Given: A Simple Memory Trick
If you often forget which word to use, remember this:
Giving = happening or the activity
Given = completed, received, or used after a helping verb
Think of these three examples:
She is giving me a book.
The action is happening.
She has given me a book.
The action has been completed.
I was given a book.
I received the book.
This simple distinction will help you in most everyday situations.
More Useful Examples
Here are additional examples for practice:
- The coach is giving the players new instructions.
- The coach has given the players new instructions.
- The players were given new instructions.
- I am giving my friend a birthday card.
- I have given my friend a birthday card.
- My friend was given a birthday card.
- She enjoys giving useful suggestions.
- She has given several useful suggestions.
- We are giving the children more time.
- We have given the children more time.
- They were given permission to leave.
- He was giving an interview when I called.
- He had given the interview before lunch.
- I will give you the details tomorrow.
- I will be giving a presentation tomorrow.
- I will have given my final answer by then.
These examples also demonstrate how different tenses change the form of the verb.
How to Choose Between Giving and Given
When you are unsure, ask yourself a few questions.
Is the action happening now?
If yes, giving may be correct.
She is giving a lesson.
Is the word being used as an activity or noun?
If yes, giving may be correct.
Giving is an important part of friendship.
Does the sentence contain have, has, or had?
If yes, you will often need given.
She has given me an answer.
Is the sentence passive?
If the subject receives the action, given is often required.
He was given a warning.
Is the action simply completed in the past?
You probably need gave, not giving or given.
She gave me a present yesterday.
This final question is important because many learners think given means “past.” It does not. Given is the past participle, while gave is the simple past.
Related Grammar Topics You Should Know
Learning giving vs given also connects with other important English grammar topics.
Has vs Have
Understanding has vs have helps you form the present perfect:
- She has given.
- They have given.
Use of Had
Understanding the use of had helps you form the past perfect:
- She had given.
- They had given.
Verb Forms
English verbs can have different forms depending on their role:
give → gives → gave → giving → given
Tenses
The correct form depends heavily on the tense:
- Present: give/gives
- Past: gave
- Continuous: giving
- Perfect: given
Clauses
Words around the verb can help identify the required form.
While she was giving a speech…
After she had given her speech…
Understanding these related topics makes English grammar much easier overall.
Giving vs Given vs Gave
These three forms are often confused, so this comparison is worth remembering.
| Form | Function | Example |
| Give | Base form | I will give you the book. |
| Gives | Present singular | She gives good advice. |
| Gave | Simple past | She gave me the book. |
| Giving | -ing form | She is giving me the book. |
| Given | Past participle | She has given me the book. |
A common learner mistake is treating gave and given as interchangeable. They are not.
Gave can stand alone as the main verb in a simple past sentence.
Given normally needs an appropriate grammatical structure, such as has given, had given, or was given.
Practice: Choose the Correct Word
Try choosing giving, given, or gave.
- She is ______ me some advice.
- He has ______ me a useful book.
- They ______ us directions yesterday.
- I enjoy ______ presents.
- She had ______ him enough time.
- We were ______ another opportunity.
- I am ______ a presentation tomorrow.
- He ______ me the answer last night.
Answers
- giving
- given
- gave
- giving
- given
- given
- giving
- gave
The trick is to examine the words around the blank before choosing the verb form.
Final Takeaway
The difference between giving vs given is mainly a difference in verb form and grammatical function.
Use giving when you are talking about an ongoing action or an activity. It commonly appears with am, is, are, was, and were, and it can also function as a gerund.
Use given as the past participle of give. It commonly appears after have, has, and had, and it is also frequently used in passive constructions such as was given and were given.
Do not forget the third form, gave. When talking about a completed action in the simple past, use gave.
A useful pattern to remember is:
give → gave → given → giving
Once you understand this pattern, giving vs given becomes much easier. The key is to look at the sentence structure, helping verbs, tenses, and meaning before making your choice.
FAQs About Giving vs Given
Is giving the same as given?
No. Giving is the present participle or gerund form of give, while given is its past participle. For example, “She is giving advice” describes an ongoing action, while “She has given advice” uses the perfect tense.
What is the difference between gave and given?
Gave is the simple past form of give, while given is the past participle. Say “She gave me a book yesterday,” but “She has given me a book.”
When should I use giving?
Use giving for an ongoing action or when giving functions as a gerund. Examples include “He is giving a speech” and “Giving is a generous act.”
Can I use given after had?
Yes. Had given is the past perfect form. For example: “She had given me the information before the meeting started.” The action happened before another past event.
Is “was given” grammatically correct?
Yes. Was given is a passive construction. For example, “The student was given extra time.” The student receives the action rather than performing it.
