“Giving” and “given” are both forms of the verb give, but they do not work in the same way. English learners often confuse them because both words describe the act of providing, offering, or handing something to someone. However, their grammatical roles are different. Knowing when to use giving vs given can make your sentences clearer and more natural.
The main difference is simple: giving is the present participle or gerund form of give, while given is the past participle. “Giving” commonly appears with forms of be to describe an action in progress, or it can function as a noun. “Given” is often used with have/has/had in perfect tenses and with be in passive constructions. In this guide, you’ll learn the meanings, grammar rules, common mistakes, examples, and memory tricks that make the difference easy to remember.
Quick Answer
Giving is the -ing form of give and usually describes an ongoing action or functions as a gerund. Given is the past participle of give and is commonly used with have/has/had or in passive sentences.
Example: “She is giving me advice.” / “She has given me advice.”
Why People Confuse It
The confusion comes from the fact that giving and given both come from the same base verb: give.
The three principal forms are:
- Give — base form
- Gave — simple past
- Given — past participle
- Giving — present participle/gerund
Compare these sentences:
- I give him books every month.
- I gave him a book yesterday.
- I have given him several books.
- I am giving him another book today.
The form changes according to the grammatical structure and the time or meaning being expressed.
Giving
Giving is the present participle and gerund form of give.
It is commonly used to describe an action that is happening now or around the present time.
Examples of “Giving”
- She is giving me some useful advice.
- They are giving away free samples.
- He is giving his brother a present.
- We are giving the students more time.
- She enjoys giving gifts to her friends.
“Giving” as an Ongoing Action
When giving follows a form of be, it often describes an action in progress.
Subject + be + giving + object
Example:
Tom is giving Sarah a book.
This means Tom is currently performing the action of giving.
“Giving” as a Gerund
“Giving” can also act like a noun.
Giving is better than receiving.
Here, “giving” refers to the activity or concept of giving.
Another example:
She enjoys giving to charity.
Given
Given is the past participle of give.
It is frequently used with have, has, or had in perfect tenses.
Examples of “Given”
- She has given me excellent advice.
- They have given us enough information.
- He had given the keys to his brother.
- I have given this matter serious thought.
“Given” is also common in passive voice:
The students were given extra time.
Here, the students receive the action rather than perform it.
“Given” in Perfect Tenses
The structure is:
have/has/had + given
Examples:
- I have given him the message.
- She has given me permission.
- They had given us clear instructions.
Notice that given does not normally stand alone as the simple past tense.
❌ I given him the book yesterday.
✅ I gave him the book yesterday.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Giving | Given |
| Base verb | Give | Give |
| Form | Present participle / gerund | Past participle |
| Common use | Continuous actions | Perfect tenses |
| Passive voice | Less common in this structure | Very common |
| Example | She is giving advice. | She has given advice. |
| Meaning | Action in progress/activity | Completed action or received action |
| Common helpers | am, is, are, was, were | have, has, had, be |
When to Use Each
Use “Giving” When:
Use giving when you want to describe an action in progress.
- He is giving a speech.
- She is giving me directions.
- They are giving away food.
Use it after certain verbs when it functions as a gerund:
- I enjoy giving presents.
- Giving can make people happy.
Use “Given” When:
Use given after have, has, or had to form perfect tenses.
- She has given me the answer.
- We had given him enough time.
Use given in passive constructions.
- He was given a second chance.
- The children were given new books.
Giving vs Given: 12 Examples
- She is giving me a present.
- She has given me a present.
- They are giving free food to visitors.
- They have given free food to visitors.
- He is giving his friend some advice.
- He has given his friend some advice.
- We are giving the team another opportunity.
- We have given the team another opportunity.
- The teacher is giving the students a test.
- The teacher has given the students a test.
- She enjoys giving gifts.
- The students were given extra time.
The key difference is the grammatical structure surrounding each word.
Common Mistakes
1. Using “Given” Instead of “Gave”
❌ He given me the book yesterday.
✅ He gave me the book yesterday.
The simple past form of give is gave, not given.
2. Using “Giving” After “Has”
❌ She has giving me the information.
✅ She has given me the information.
After has, use the past participle given.
3. Using “Given” for an Action Happening Now
❌ He is given me a gift.
✅ He is giving me a gift.
After is in the present continuous, use giving.
4. Confusing Active and Passive Voice
Compare:
The teacher is giving students homework.
The teacher performs the action.
The students are given homework.
The students receive the action.
Memory Trick
Remember this simple pattern:
Giving = happening
Given = completed/received
Think:
I am giving → happening now
I have given → completed
You can also remember the verb forms as:
Give → Gave → Given → Giving
If you see am/is/are + ___, “giving” is often the correct choice when describing an action in progress.
If you see have/has/had + ___, “given” is usually the correct past participle.
American vs British English
There is no major difference between American and British English in the basic grammatical distinction between giving and given.
Both varieties use:
- giving as the present participle/gerund
- given as the past participle
For example:
American English:
She has given me the information.
British English:
She has given me the information.
The grammar is the same. Differences between American and British English are more likely to involve vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, or certain usage preferences rather than the forms giving and given.
Similar Words
Because give has several forms, learners may also confuse these words:
- Give — base form
- Gave — simple past
- Given — past participle
- Giving — present participle/gerund
Example
I give him advice every day.
I gave him advice yesterday.
I have given him advice many times.
I am giving him advice now.
Learning all four forms together makes English verb conjugation much easier.
Final Verdict
The difference between giving vs given is mainly grammatical.
Giving is the -ing form of give, used for ongoing actions and as a gerund. Given is the past participle, commonly used after have, has, or had and in passive constructions.
When choosing between them, look at the helping verb and the sentence structure. If the action is in progress, giving is often appropriate. If you are forming a perfect tense or passive construction, given is generally the correct form.
FAQs
1. Is “giving” the present tense of “give”?
Not exactly. Giving is the present participle or gerund form of give. It is commonly used in continuous tenses, such as “She is giving me advice.”
2. Is “given” the past tense of “give”?
No. Given is the past participle. The simple past form is gave.
- Past: She gave me a book.
- Perfect: She has given me a book.
3. Is “giving” correct after “is”?
Yes, when you are describing an ongoing action.
He is giving me directions.
4. Is “given” correct after “has”?
Yes.
She has given me permission.
The structure is has + given.
5. What is the difference between “gave” and “given”?
Gave is the simple past form, while given is the past participle.
He gave me the keys yesterday.
He has given me the keys.
6. Can “given” be used in passive voice?
Yes. For example:
The employees were given extra time.
7. Can “giving” be a noun?
Yes. When it functions as a gerund, giving can act like a noun.
Giving is an important part of friendship.
Conclusion
Understanding giving vs given becomes much easier when you focus on their grammatical roles instead of simply memorizing their meanings. Giving describes an ongoing action or can function as a gerund, while given is the past participle used in perfect tenses and many passive constructions.
The most useful shortcut is to look at the word before the verb. Am, is, are, was, and were can introduce an ongoing giving action, while have, has, and had normally require given. With a little practice, you can quickly recognize which form belongs in a sentence.
Remember This
Give → Gave → Given → Giving
- Giving = action in progress or gerund
- Given = past participle
- Gave = simple past
- Have/has/had + given = perfect tense
- Am/is/are + giving = continuous action
I’m Aria White, a passionate word enthusiast who enjoys exploring grammar, vocabulary, and meaningful word connections. I create simple, helpful content that makes matching words easier, clearer, and enjoyable.
