Choosing between Giving or Given becomes easier when you understand how each form works in different sentences, contexts, and everyday communication.
Many English learners struggle to use giving and given correctly because these words come from the same verb, give, but their functions and roles in sentences differ. Giving is the present participle form for an action in progress, happening now, or continuing continuously, as in a presentation showing an ongoing action. Given is the past participle form, often used in completed actions and passive constructions to indicate something provided or assumed, such as an award being given.
In grammar classes, I’ve seen students grasp these patterns more naturally and confidently through practical examples rather than memorizing rules. The words may appear similar, but they function differently, and this subtle difference helps prevent confusion and improve writing and speaking. The main key is choosing the right word for the context: giving shows an action unfolding right now, while given often refers to something completed or considered. Although the same verb can create a different meaning through its form and tense, both may seem familiar and interchangeable at first.
Hands-on practice with real-life situations, solid examples, and useful tools makes the distinction clearer. Even fluent non-native speakers may pause before selecting the right one, especially during a moment of doubt that can slow writing and reduce confidence. A helpful guide breaks down the issue with simple explanations, real examples, and memory tricks, helping learners avoid mistakes and master both forms in active and passive contexts. Through repeated practice, communication becomes clear, accurate, and practical, while choosing giving or given becomes natural, quick, effortless, and eventually second nature.
Giving vs. Given: Quick Difference
The words giving and given aren’t interchangeable. They represent different forms of the irregular verb give.
| Word | Verb form | Common grammatical use | Example |
| Giving | Present participle / gerund | Continuous actions or noun-like activities | She is giving me advice. |
| Given | Past participle | Perfect tenses, passive voice, and adjective-like uses | She has given me advice. |
| Give | Base form | Present tense, infinitives, and commands | Please give me advice. |
| Gives | Third-person singular | Simple present | He gives useful advice. |
| Gave | Simple past | Completed past action | He gave me advice yesterday. |
Here’s an easy way to remember the central distinction:
Giving usually connects with an action in progress or an activity. Given usually connects with a completed action, passive construction, or the idea of something being considered.
Consider these two sentences:
- “Maria is giving John a present.”
- “Maria has given John a present.”
The first sentence presents the action as ongoing. The second uses the perfect construction to show that Maria has completed the act of giving.
What Does “Giving” Mean?
Giving is the present participle of give. It can also function as a gerund, depending on how you use it in a sentence.
As a present participle, giving commonly appears with a form of be to create continuous tenses:
- I am giving.
- She is giving.
- They are giving.
- We were giving.
The word itself doesn’t tell you exactly when something happened. The auxiliary verb helps establish the tense.
For example:
“The teacher is giving the students a test.”
The action is happening now or around the current time.
Change the sentence slightly:
“The teacher was giving the students a test.”
Now the action was in progress at a particular time in the past.
Giving as an Ongoing Action
The most recognizable use of giving occurs when someone describes an action that is happening or was happening.
For example:
- “She is giving her brother a gift.”
- “The manager is giving instructions.”
- “They are giving away old clothes.”
- “He was giving a presentation.”
- “We were giving the project careful attention.”
In each example, giving helps describe an action rather than simply reporting a completed result.
Giving as a Gerund
The word giving can also act like a noun. This happens when an -ing form names an activity or concept.
For example:
“Giving can make people feel connected.”
Here, giving isn’t describing something that someone is currently doing. Instead, it names the activity of giving.
More examples include:
- Giving honest feedback requires tact.
- Giving presents is common during holidays.
- Giving to charity can support important causes.
- Giving someone your attention shows respect.
- Giving clear instructions prevents confusion.
A useful test is to replace giving with another activity such as reading or helping. If the sentence still works grammatically, giving may be functioning as a gerund.
Giving helpful feedback takes practice.
Compare:
Reading helpful feedback takes practice.
The structure remains sound.
Giving in Continuous Tenses
One of the clearest ways to understand giving is to look at continuous verb forms.
Present Continuous
Use am/is/are + giving when an action is happening now or around the present period.
- “I am giving you one more chance.”
- “She is giving a speech.”
- “They are giving away free samples.”
Past Continuous
Use was/were + giving when an action was in progress at a particular past time.
- “He was giving a lecture at noon.”
- “They were giving customers directions.”
- “I was giving my presentation when the alarm sounded.”
Future Continuous
Use will be + giving when an action will be in progress at a particular future time.
- “She will be giving a presentation tomorrow.”
- “At 10 a.m., he will be giving his speech.”
The pattern is straightforward:
Form of “be” + giving
That structure explains why you shouldn’t normally use given in these continuous constructions.
What Does “Given” Mean?
Given is the past participle of give.
Unlike regular verbs, give doesn’t form its past tense and past participle by simply adding -ed. Its principal forms are:
give → gave → given
This distinction matters because gave is the simple past form, while given is the past participle.
For example:
- “She gave me a book yesterday.”
- “She has given me a book.”
- “She had given me a book before I arrived.”
You generally need an auxiliary verb such as has, have, or had when using given in a perfect tense.
Given in Perfect Tenses
The perfect tenses use forms of have plus the past participle.
For give, that means:
- has given
- have given
- had given
- will have given
Examples make the difference clearer.
Present perfect:
“She has given me the information.”
Past perfect:
“She had given me the information before the meeting.”
Future perfect:
“By Friday, they will have given everyone an answer.”
Notice that given doesn’t work alone in these examples. The auxiliary verb creates the required grammatical structure.
Given in Passive Voice
Another common use of given appears in passive constructions.
For example:
“The students were given extra time.”
The students didn’t perform the action of giving. Someone gave the students extra time.
The active version might be:
“The teacher gave the students extra time.”
The passive version changes the focus:
“The students were given extra time.”
This distinction explains why given often appears after was, were, is, are, or other forms of be.
Active vs. Passive Examples
| Active sentence | Passive sentence |
| The manager gave her a promotion. | She was given a promotion. |
| The teacher gave us homework. | We were given homework. |
| The doctor gave him medication. | He was given medication. |
| The company gave employees bonuses. | Employees were given bonuses. |
The passive construction isn’t merely a different way to use the word. It changes which part of the event receives grammatical emphasis.
“Given” as an Adjective
Given can also work as an adjective in certain contexts.
For example:
“At a given time, the system can process 500 requests.”
Here, given means something like specified, particular, or known.
You’ll often see this usage in academic, technical, mathematical, and formal writing.
Examples include:
- “For a given value of x, calculate the result.”
- “Under the given conditions, the reaction changes.”
- “At any given moment, the situation can change.”
- “The solution depends on the given information.”
In these sentences, given doesn’t mean that someone handed something to another person. Instead, it identifies information, conditions, or circumstances already established.
“Given That” Meaning and Usage
One particularly important expression is given that.
In this construction, given that means considering that, taking into account that, or sometimes because.
For example:
“Given that the roads are icy, we should leave early.”
The sentence means that the icy roads provide an important reason for leaving early.
Other examples include:
- “Given that the store closes at six, we should hurry.”
- “Given that she already finished the assignment, there’s no need to extend the deadline.”
- “Given that prices increased, the final cost wasn’t surprising.”
You can also use given without that:
“Given the weather, the flight may be delayed.”
Here, given the weather means considering the weather.
This use appears frequently in formal writing because it lets writers introduce a relevant circumstance without creating a long sentence.
Giving or Given: Which One Is Correct?
The answer depends entirely on the sentence.
Neither giving nor given is always correct. You need to examine the grammatical structure around the word.
Compare these sentences:
“She is giving him a present.”
This uses the present continuous. The action is presented as ongoing.
Now compare:
“She has given him a present.”
This uses the present perfect. The action has already taken place.
Here’s another pair:
“The manager is giving employees new instructions.”
versus:
“The employees were given new instructions.”
The first sentence uses an active continuous structure. The second uses a passive construction.
A Simple Comparison
| Sentence | Why it works |
| She is giving me a book. | Giving follows “is” in the continuous tense. |
| She has given me a book. | Given follows “has” as a past participle. |
| She gave me a book. | Gave is the simple past form. |
| I enjoy giving books as gifts. | Giving functions as a gerund. |
| I was given a book. | Given appears in a passive construction. |
| Given the circumstances, we left. | Given means “considering.” |
Common Mistakes With Giving and Given
Confusion usually starts when writers focus on the meaning of give instead of the grammatical form required by the sentence.
Mistake: Using “Giving” After “Have”
A common error is writing:
“I have giving him the information.”
The correct version is:
“I have given him the information.”
Why? Have requires the past participle when forming the perfect tense. The past participle of give is given.
The pattern is:
have/has/had + past participle
Therefore:
- have given
- has given
- had given
Not:
- have giving
- has giving
- had giving
Mistake: Using “Given” for an Ongoing Action
Consider:
“She is given me advice.”
The intended meaning is probably that she is currently providing advice.
The correct sentence is:
“She is giving me advice.”
The pattern is:
be + present participle
Therefore:
- is giving
- are giving
- was giving
- were giving
Read More: Leapt or Leaped: Meaning, Difference, and Correct Usage?
Mistake: Confusing Active and Passive Structures
Look closely at these examples:
“The teacher is giving the students homework.”
The teacher performs the action.
Now:
“The students are being given homework.”
The students receive the action.
The second sentence contains being given, which combines the continuous passive structure with the past participle given.
This distinction becomes especially useful when writing professional or academic sentences.
Giving vs. Given in Everyday Examples
You encounter these forms constantly in ordinary communication.
In Conversations
- “I’m giving you one more chance.”
- “I’ve given you enough time.”
- “She’s giving me directions.”
- “He’s given me some good advice.”
In Emails
- “I’m giving you an update on the project.”
- “I’ve given the team the latest information.”
- “We are giving customers additional options.”
- “You have been given access to the shared folder.”
In School Assignments
- “The teacher is giving us a new assignment.”
- “We have given our presentation.”
- “Students were given extra time.”
- “Given the evidence, the conclusion is reasonable.”
In Workplace Communication
- “The manager is giving the team new instructions.”
- “The company has given employees additional training.”
- “Each department was given a specific target.”
- “Given the deadline, we need to act quickly.”
The surrounding words usually reveal which form belongs in the sentence.
Giving or Given in Different Sentence Structures
Understanding the structure is more reliable than memorizing isolated examples.
Continuous Structure
Subject + be + giving
“They are giving customers a discount.”
Perfect Structure
Subject + have + given
“They have given customers a discount.”
Passive Structure
Subject + be + given
“Customers were given a discount.”
Gerund Structure
Giving + object/activity
“Giving customers clear information builds trust.”
“Given” Circumstance Structure
Given + noun
“Given the circumstances, we changed the plan.”
These patterns provide a practical framework for choosing between the two words.
Giving vs. Given: Sentence Transformation
Changing the grammatical structure can also change giving into given.
Consider the active sentence:
“The company is giving employees more training.”
Turn it into a passive construction:
“Employees are being given more training.”
The meaning remains closely related, but the grammatical focus changes.
Now change the tense:
“The company has given employees more training.”
The action is no longer presented as ongoing. The present perfect shows that the company has completed the action or that its result remains relevant.
Another example:
Ongoing:
“The doctor is giving the patient instructions.”
Completed:
“The doctor has given the patient instructions.”
Passive:
“The patient was given instructions.”
Three forms. Three grammatical structures.
The Four Main Forms of “Give”
Knowing the complete verb pattern makes giving or given much easier to understand.
| Form | Name | Example |
| give | Base form | Please give me the file. |
| gives | Third-person singular | She gives useful advice. |
| gave | Simple past | She gave me the file. |
| giving | Present participle / gerund | She is giving me the file. |
| given | Past participle | She has given me the file. |
The key point is worth repeating: gave is the simple past form, while given is the past participle.
So this is correct:
“He gave me the keys yesterday.”
And this is correct:
“He has given me the keys.”
But this is incorrect:
“He has gave me the keys.”
Likewise, giving isn’t the past participle.
Giving or Given in Formal Writing
Formal writing often contains given because writers frequently discuss conditions, evidence, assumptions, and established facts.
For example:
“Given the available evidence, the researchers reached a different conclusion.”
You may also see:
- given the circumstances
- given the evidence
- given the opportunity
- given the information
- given the current conditions
- given the available resources
These expressions are concise ways to establish context.
Giving also appears in formal writing, especially when discussing actions or processes:
- “Giving employees clear instructions can reduce errors.”
- “The organization is giving applicants additional guidance.”
- “Giving students regular feedback may improve their work.”
Neither word is inherently more formal. Their grammatical function determines which one you need.
Giving vs. Given: A Practical Case Study
Imagine a manager discussing a new employee training program.
At the beginning of the meeting, the manager says:
“We are giving every new employee two days of training.”
The manager describes an ongoing or planned process.
After the program finishes, the manager might say:
“We have given every new employee two days of training.”
Now the perfect construction highlights the completed action.
If the employees become the focus, the sentence can change again:
“Every new employee was given two days of training.”
Finally, when discussing the circumstances, the manager could write:
“Given the number of new employees, the training team needed additional instructors.”
These four sentences use the same basic verb but express four different grammatical relationships.
A Useful Memory Trick for Giving vs. Given
When you’re stuck between giving or given, look at the helper verb.
Think “-ing” for an action in progress
If you see a form of be and the action is ongoing, giving is often the right choice.
“She is giving a presentation.”
Think “given” after have
If you see has, have, or had, the perfect construction normally requires given.
“She has given a presentation.”
Think “given” for passive constructions
When someone receives something, given often appears in passive structures.
“She was given an opportunity.”
Think “given” for “considering”
If given introduces a condition or circumstance, it means something like considering.
“Given the circumstances, we decided to wait.”
A compact memory formula is:
Be + giving → ongoing action
Have + given → perfect tense
Be + given → passive
Given + circumstance → considering
Giving or Given: Quick Decision Guide
When you’re proofreading a sentence, run through these questions.
- Is the action happening or continuing?
Use giving in the appropriate continuous structure. - Does the sentence use has, have, or had?
The perfect form normally uses given. - Does the subject receive something?
A passive construction may require given. - Does “given” mean “considering” or “taking into account”?
Use given. - Is the word naming the activity of giving?
Use giving as a gerund. - Are you describing a completed action in simple past tense?
Use gave, not given.
That last point catches many errors. Given isn’t the simple past tense of give.
Giving vs. Given: Common Sentence Corrections
| Incorrect | Correct | Reason |
| I have giving him the details. | I have given him the details. | Perfect tense needs the past participle. |
| She is given me advice. | She is giving me advice. | Continuous active structure needs giving. |
| He has gave me an answer. | He has given me an answer. | Given is the past participle. |
| They were giving extra time to us. | They were giving us extra time. | Active structure is possible with giving. |
| We were given extra time. | Correct. | Passive structure uses given. |
| Giving the circumstances, we left. | Given the circumstances, we left. | The expression means “considering the circumstances.” |
FAQs
1. What is the difference between giving and given?
Giving is the present participle form of give, usually describing an ongoing action, while given is the past participle, commonly used for completed actions and passive constructions.
2. When should I use giving in a sentence?
Use giving when an action is in progress or continuing. For example, “She is giving a presentation” shows that the action is happening now.
3. When should I use given?
Use given when referring to something completed, provided, or expressed through a passive construction. For example, “The award was given to her.”
4. Are giving and given interchangeable?
No. Although both forms come from the same verb, they have different grammatical roles. Choosing the right word depends on the context, tense, and intended meaning.
5. How can I remember the difference between giving and given?
Use giving for an action unfolding and given for something already completed or provided. Repeated practice, real examples, and simple memory tricks can make the difference easier to remember.
Conclusion
Understanding giving or given becomes much easier when you focus on their grammatical roles instead of treating them as interchangeable words. Giving generally describes an ongoing action, while given commonly refers to a completed action or appears in passive constructions. Once you understand this subtle difference, you can choose the right word more confidently in everyday writing and speaking.
With practical examples, hands-on practice, and repeated practice, the distinction can become natural and almost effortless. Whether you’re a student, English learner, or fluent non-native speaker, paying attention to the context, form, and tense will help you avoid mistakes and make clearer, more accurate communication.
