Sank vs. Sunk
“Sank” is the usual simple past of “sink,” while “sunk” is the past participle. Cambridge also records “sunk” as an alternative simple-past form in US English, so the page distinguishes the core tense pattern from that regional variation.
Use “sank” for the usual simple past (“The boat sank”) and “sunk” after an auxiliary (“The boat has sunk”). US English also permits “sunk” as a simple-past variant.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Sentence need | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| usual simple past | sank | The ship sank yesterday. |
| past participle after an auxiliary | sunk | The ship has sunk. |
| US simple-past variant | sunk | US dictionaries also record sunk as a past-tense variant. |
Further guidance
Core difference
“Sank” is the usual simple-past form; “sunk” is the past participle used with auxiliaries such as has, have, or had.
Regional Boundary
Cambridge also records “sunk” as an alternative simple-past form in US English, so “sank” versus “sunk” is not an absolute two-box rule in every variety.
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.
- Sink — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct verb-form evidence: Cambridge gives sank (and in US use also sunk) as past tense and sunk as the past participle of sink.