Past Tense of Cast
The principal forms are cast, cast, cast: the verb keeps the same form in the present base, simple past, and past participle.
The standard simple past and past participle of “cast” are both “cast.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| completed past action | cast | The simple past remains “cast.” |
| perfect construction after have/has/had | cast | The past participle also remains “cast.” |
| ordinary standard paradigm | cast → cast → cast | Do not regularize the ordinary verb to “casted.” |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you using the ordinary verb “cast” in the simple past or as a past participle?
If yes: Use “cast.”
If no: Keep the form required by the non-past context; do not invent “casted” for the ordinary paradigm.
Caveat: This page covers the ordinary standard verb paradigm documented by the reviewed source; it does not generalize about every specialized use that might occur in a particular field.
Examples
The director cast her in the lead role last year.
The completed past action uses “cast.”
They have cast the net several times today.
The past participle after “have” is also “cast.”
The statue casts a long shadow at sunset.
A present-tense sentence uses the appropriate present form instead.
Further guidance
Core difference
“Cast” is an unchanged irregular verb: the simple past and past participle are both “cast.”
Fast Test
Use “cast” for a completed past action and also after have/has/had when the verb means cast.
Usage Boundary
Do not create a regular “casted” form for the ordinary verb paradigm unless a specialized usage explicitly establishes it.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Cast — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct dictionary evidence that cast is unchanged in the simple past and past participle.