"picked up" vs "picking up"

Question

"picked up" vs "picking up"

Both "picked up" and "picking up" are correct, but they are used in different contexts. "Picked up" is the past tense and past participle form of the verb "pick up," while "picking up" is the present participle form. The choice between them depends on the tense and structure of the sentence.

Last Updated: March 22, 2024

Use "picked up" when referring to an action that was completed in the past. For example, "He picked up the book from the table."

Examples:

She picked up her keys before leaving the house.
The children picked up all the toys in the room.
I have picked up some useful tips from the workshop.
He had picked up a few words of Spanish during his trip.
The store clerk picked up the phone to answer a call.

Alternatives:

grabbed
lifted
collected
acquired
retrieved

Use "picking up" when describing an ongoing action in the present. For example, "She is picking up the toys from the floor."

Examples:

He is picking up his dry cleaning after work.
They are picking up some groceries at the store.
She was picking up the pieces of broken glass.
I will be picking up my friend from the airport tomorrow.
The robot is picking up objects and placing them in a bin.

Alternatives:

collecting
gathering
retrieving
lifting
taking

Answer 1

picked up

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English as the past tense and past participle form of the verb "pick up."

Answer 2

picking up

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English as the present participle form of the verb "pick up."

"picked up" vs "picking up"

picked up

picking up

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