Swim, swam, swum

[cheakamus]

Has anyone addressed this before? The past participle of "swim" is "swum." "Swam" is the simple past. You can say, "I swam three times last week" or "I have swum in that pool many times," but you can never say "I have swam ..." It's simply not correct English.

Sorry to be persnickety, but as a former book editor, it drives me crazy every time I see it, and I see it increasingly more often now that I spend so much time here.

[jaadams1]

Has anyone addressed this before? The past participle of "swim" is "swum." "Swam" is the simple past. You can say, "I swam three times last week" or "I have swum in that pool many times," but you can never say "I have swam ..." It's simply not correct English.

Sorry to be persnickety, but as a former book editor, it drives me crazy every time I see it, and I see it increasingly more often now that I spend so much time here.

I have done swum dat swim really gooder than the other time I swam.

I was done learned up real good in skool, I think.

[ElaineK]

I have done swum dat swim really gooder than the other time I swam.

I was done learned up real good in skool, I think.

You beat That Guy to it, James! I thought for sure he would be the first one to respond.

[jaadams1]

You beat That Guy to it, James! I thought for sure he would be the first one to respond.

On a side note...last Saturday at the PNA Champs...I was the first one into the pool (even ahead of That Guy) for warmups. This was also a first!!

I'm also sure That Guy will come up with a better grammar phrase than I did anyway...

[ElaineK]

On a side note...last Saturday at the PNA Champs...I was the first one into the pool (even ahead of That Guy) for warmups. This was also a first!!

I'm also sure That Guy will come up with a better grammar phrase than I did anyway...

How many points (yards) did you score off him?

[jaadams1]

How many points (yards) did you score off him?

I wasn't sure...I hopped into the 2nd pool, which they were supposed to use for the even numbered heats of the 400 IM, but at the last minute decided to only use the main competition pool. All I know is that I made the first splash!

[swimmerb212]

Has anyone addressed this before? The past participle of "swim" is "swum." "Swam" is the simple past. You can say, "I swam three times last week" or "I have swum in that pool many times," but you can never say "I have swam ..." It's simply not correct English.

Sorry to be persnickety, but as a former book editor, it drives me crazy every time I see it, and I see it increasingly more often now that I spend so much time here.

If you start noticing when people use "breathe" and "breath" interchangeably on these forums as well, that could distract you from noticing the incorrect use of "swim" in the past tense.

Also, there's a lot of use of smilies in these parts. I don't know of any style guide that suggests or condones their usage but that doesn't seem to be stopping anyone!

[ViveBene]

Has anyone addressed this before? The past participle of "swim" is "swum." "Swam" is the simple past. You can say, "I swam three times last week" or "I have swum in that pool many times," but you can never say "I have swam ..." It's simply not correct English.

It's hopeless.
I have ranned to the grocery this morning.

Sad thing is, they prolly all used "have swum" correctly before they started the referenced activity.

Let's do swimming on yer stomach next!

[Allen Stark]

Also, there's a lot of use of smilies in these parts. I don't know of any style guide that suggests or condones their usage but that doesn't seem to be stopping anyone!

My youngest child looked over my shoulder as I was typing a post for the forum using smilies and said"you post like a 13 year old girl."

[Glenn]

Cheakamus,

Thank you for pointing this out!!! It has always bothered me when I see people on this forum say such things as "I have swam". I have wanted to say something for a long time but figured it would be too picky.

OK, so while we are at it, the ones who never capitalize the letter at the beginning of the sentence or with a small "I" in the middle of the sentence also bug me. I can't read those posts. I know, it's my problem.

I do feel better having said it though.

[That Guy]

On a side note...last Saturday at the PNA Champs...I was the first one into the pool (even ahead of That Guy) for warmups. This was also a first!!

I'm also sure That Guy will come up with a better grammar phrase than I did anyway...

...

[no200fly]

Has anyone addressed this before? The past participle of "swim" is "swum." "Swam" is the simple past. You can say, "I swam three times last week" or "I have swum in that pool many times," but you can never say "I have swam ..." It's simply not correct English.

Sorry to be persnickety, but as a former book editor, it drives me crazy every time I see it, and I see it increasingly more often now that I spend so much time here.

“This is the sort of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.”

[knelson]

I don't know exactly why, but I think lots of people think "swum" is not a word. I guess it just seems a little ungainly.

My personal pet peeve is when people confuse the word "loose" for "lose."

[jaadams1]

the words "loose" for "lose."

Wait...those are too different words????

[knelson]

I'd also like to point out that--according to the search function--cheakamus is the first person to use the word "persnickety" on these forums. It seems we've all been rather niggardly* in using persnickety here.

* Darn it. I should have known Jim Thornton would have already used "niggardly."

[cheakamus]

Uh-oh, you used the "n" word!

[swimshark]

I don't know exactly why, but I think lots of people think "swum" is not a word. I guess it just seems a little ungainly.

My personal pet peeve is when people confuse the word "loose" for "lose."

The one that gets me is when someone says "he dived". No he dove. What happened to using the past tense correctly?!

[cheakamus]

The one that gets me is when someone says "he dived". No he dove. What happened to using the past tense correctly?!

Welcome to the club! "He pleaded guilty" (pled), "He shined the light" (shone), "He lighted the fire" (lit), etc., etc.

[knelson]

Welcome to the club! "He pleaded guilty" (pled), "He shined the light" (shone), "He lighted the fire" (lit), etc., etc.

"The murderer was hanged." Oh, sorry, I guess that one's OK (right?).

[Redbird Alum]

... Or the continued use of "insure" when "ensure" is the word that should have been used!