Spun vs. Span
“Spin” has variable past-tense evidence but a stable past participle: “spun” works as past tense and past participle, while “span” is recorded as a UK past-tense variant. This makes tense and region both relevant.
“Spun” is the standard past participle of “spin” and is also a standard past tense. Cambridge also records “span” as a UK past-tense variant, so the forms are not interchangeable in every grammatical slot.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Grammar / region | Form | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| general simple past | spun | Use the broadly standard past form. |
| past participle | spun | Use “spun”; this is the stable participial form. |
| UK simple-past variant | span | This is documented for the past tense, not as a replacement for the participle. |
Quick tests
Tense-slot test
Is the form a past participle after have/has/had?
If yes: Use “spun.”
If no: For simple past, “spun” is standard broadly and “span” is also documented in UK English.
Caveat: Do not extend the UK past-tense variant “span” into participial slots that the evidence assigns to “spun.”
Examples
The wheel spun for several seconds.
“Spun” is a standard simple-past form.
The wheel had spun before the brake engaged.
“Spun” is the past participle after “had.”
In UK English, “The wheel span rapidly” uses the documented past-tense variant.
“Span” is recorded as a UK past-tense form.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “spun” safely for both simple past and past participle; “span” is a UK past-tense variant, not the regular past participle.
Fast Test
After have/has/had, choose “spun.” In simple-past UK usage, “span” can occur alongside “spun.”
Usage Boundary
Because “span” is also an unrelated noun/verb, sentence context matters when interpreting the form.
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.
- Spin — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Learner-dictionary evidence for “spun” and the UK past-tense variant “span,” with “spun” as past participle.