Giving vs Given: giving (present participle / gerund from give) describes ongoing action or the act of offering; given (past participle) marks completed action or functions as an adjective meaning specified or considered. Use giving when you need an active sense—someone is giving something now—or a noun form that names the act (Giving helps others). Use given to show that something has already happened (He was given the book) or to modify a noun (a given fact).
Check parts of speech quickly: label the subject, auxiliary verbs, and participles so you spot whether the form is verbal (action) or adjectival (state). Roadmap: Contextual Examples; Common Mistakes; American vs British Differences; Idioms and Set Phrases; Practical Tips; Quick Checks. Use the simple substitution and tense checks that follow to confirm verb forms and subject–verb agreement, and read sentences aloud to test whether giving or given sounds right in context.
Contextual Examples
Basic Forms and Parts of Speech
- Giving — present participle or gerund of the verb give. As a present participle it helps form continuous verb tenses (for example, is giving). As a gerund it acts like a noun (for example, Giving is caring).
Parts of speech: giving (verb form: present participle / gerund). - Given — past participle of give. It is used in perfect verb tenses (for example, has given), and it can function as an adjective meaning provided or assumed (for example, given circumstances).
Parts of speech: given (verb form: past participle / adjective).
Example 1 — Present Continuous (Giving as Verb)
Sentence: She is giving a short speech now.
Parts of speech: She (pronoun, subject) is (auxiliary verb, present) giving (present participle, main verb) a (article) short (adjective) speech (noun, object) now (adverb).
Check: The auxiliary is matches the singular subject She. The tense is present continuous and correct.
Example 2 — Gerund as Noun (Giving as Noun)
Sentence: Giving helps build trust.
Parts of speech: Giving (gerund acting as noun, subject) helps (verb, present singular) build (verb, base) trust (noun).
Check: Use giving as a noun when speaking about the act of giving generally.
Example 3 — Present Perfect (Given as Past Participle)
Sentence: They have given the instructions already.
Parts of speech: They (pronoun, subject) have (auxiliary, present) given (past participle, main verb) the (article) instructions (noun, object) already (adverb).
Check: Present perfect uses have + given to show a past action with present relevance.
Example 4 — Passive Voice With Given
Sentence: The documents were given to the committee yesterday.
Parts of speech: The (article) documents (noun, subject) were (auxiliary verb, past plural) given (past participle in passive construction) to (preposition) the (article) committee (noun) yesterday (adverb).
Check: Passive voice uses a form of be + past participle. Were agrees with plural documents.
Example 5 — Adjective Use
Sentence: Given the budget, the plan looks realistic.
Parts of speech: Given (adjective/past participle used as a preposition-like modifier) the (article) budget (noun) , the (article) plan (noun) looks (verb, present singular) realistic (adjective).
Check: Here given introduces a condition that limits the following clause. Use commas when the modifier starts the sentence.
Example 6 — Reduced Clause With Given
Sentence: Given enough time, she will finish the project.
Parts of speech: Given (past participle functioning as a participial modifier) enough (adjective) time (noun) , she (pronoun) will (auxiliary) finish (verb) the (article) project (noun).
Check: Given shortens a longer clause: If she is given enough time… The reduced form is concise and correct.
Example 7 — Incorrect Swap
Wrong: She has giving the money.
Problem: Present participle giving cannot replace past participle given in perfect tenses.
Fix: She has given the money.
Parts of speech: She (pronoun, subject) has (auxiliary) given (past participle) the (article) money (noun).
Check: Perfect tenses need the past participle after have/has/had.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1 — Using Giving Instead of Given After Have/Has/Had
Error: I have giving up.
Why wrong: Perfect tense requires the past participle given (but note idiom give up uses different structure).
Correct: I have given up. or I gave up.
Parts of speech: I (pronoun) have (auxiliary) given (past participle) up (particle).
Tip: Look for auxiliary verbs have/has/had; use past participle.
Mistake 2 — Confusing Gerund vs Participle Roles
Error: Given is important for generosity. (awkward)
Why wrong: Here the writer likely means giving as a noun.
Correct: Giving is important for generosity.
Parts of speech: Giving (gerund/noun) is (verb) important (adjective) for (preposition) generosity (noun).
Tip: If the word functions as the subject meaning the act, use giving.
Mistake 3 — Forgetting Auxiliary with Present Participle
Error: She giving a talk tomorrow.
Why wrong: Progressive tense needs auxiliary is/are/am.
Correct: She is giving a talk tomorrow.
Parts of speech: She (pronoun) is (auxiliary) giving (present participle) a (article) talk (noun) tomorrow (adverb).
Tip: Add correct form of be for continuous tenses.
Mistake 4 — Misusing Given as a Conjunction
Error: Given that he was late but he left. (run-on, unclear)
Fix: Given that he was late, he still left early. or Although he was late, he left early.
Parts of speech: Given (past participle used to start a clause) that (conjunction) he (pronoun) was (verb) late (adjective) , he (pronoun) still (adverb) left (verb) early (adverb).
Tip: Use commas and clear conjunctions when reducing clauses.
Mistake 5 — Hyphenation or Capitalization Confusion
Issue: Some writers hyphenate phrases incorrectly when turning given into compound adjectives.
Correct: A given outcome (no hyphen). Use hyphens only for compound adjectives before a noun if necessary: well-given advice (rare).
Parts of speech: a (article) given (adjective) outcome (noun).
American vs British English Differences
Core Grammar: Same Rules
Both American and British English use giving as present participle/gerund and given as past participle/adjective. The rules for perfect tenses (have + past participle) and continuous tenses (be + present participle) are identical.
Subtle Usage Differences
- In informal American English, contractions and reduced forms may lead to dropped auxiliaries in speech: She givin’ it away in dialect; this is nonstandard in writing.
- British English may prefer certain constructions like He’s given it to me in spoken and written forms; both varieties accept that.
Punctuation and Style
When given starts a clause (for example, Given the circumstances,), both varieties use a comma after the clause. Style guides in each country might prefer alternative phrasing in formal prose: In view of the circumstances, or Considering the circumstances, to avoid participial openings in academic writing.
Preference in Formal Writing
Both varieties avoid sentence openings with participial modifiers in formal legal or academic texts unless the modifier is unambiguous. When using given as a modifier, consider rewriting: Because of the given constraints, the study was delayed. becomes Because of the constraints, the study was delayed.
Idiomatic Expressions and Set Phrases
Common Collocations With Giving
- Giving up — to surrender or stop. Example: She is giving up sweets. Parts of speech: She (pronoun) is (auxiliary) giving up (phrasal verb) sweets (noun).
- Giving in — to yield. Example: After long debate, he is giving in. Check tense and auxiliary.
Common Collocations With Given
- Given that — a conjunction-like phrase introducing a fact. Example: Given that the data are incomplete, the results are tentative. Grammar: Given (past participle as introductory modifier) that (conjunction) the (article) data (noun) are (verb, plural) incomplete (adjective) , the (article) results (noun) are (verb) tentative (adjective).
- Given name — a person’s first name. Example: Her given name is Maria. Parts of speech: Her (possessive pronoun) given (adjective) name (noun) is (verb) Maria (proper noun).
Fixed Expressions
- All things considered, given X — given works to introduce conditions or known facts. Ensure correct comma usage: Given X, Y. When the phrase ends the sentence, avoid dangling modifiers.
Test Sentences to See Difference
- He is giving a donation now. (action in progress)
Parts of speech: He (pronoun) is (auxiliary) giving (present participle) a (article) donation (noun) now (adverb). - He has given many donations this year. (completed actions relevant now)
Parts of speech: He (pronoun) has (auxiliary) given (past participle) many (determiner) donations (noun) this (adjective) year (noun).
Practical Tips
Tip 1 — Check for an Auxiliary Verb
If the sentence contains have/has/had, expect the past participle given to follow: have given, has given, had given. If the sentence uses be as an auxiliary for continuous tense, expect giving: is giving, was giving, were giving.
Tip 2 — Identify Noun Uses
If the action itself is the subject or object (the act of donating), use giving as a gerund: Giving helps others. If describing something provided or assumed, use given as an adjective: Given the evidence, the conclusion is clear.
Tip 3 — Use the He/Him Test for Pronouns Only
When checking clause roles, test with pronouns for subject vs object first. This does not change the giving/given choice but helps ensure the verb aligns with the correct subject or object in complex sentences.
Tip 4 — Watch for Participle Clauses
When given starts a clause, it often shortens an if-clause: Given enough time, they will succeed = If they are given enough time, they will succeed. Use commas after such openings.
Tip 5 — Avoid Dangling Participles
Do not start a sentence with giving or given if the noun that follows is not the doer or recipient. Wrong: Giving the instructions, the team was confused. (dangling — who gave?) Better: While giving the instructions, the manager saw the team was confused. or The manager gave the instructions and noticed the team was confused.
Tip 6 — Keep Sentences Short for Clarity
For grade 5–8 readers, prefer short, direct sentences: She is giving the gift. She has given the gift. Label verbs and nouns when teaching.
Tip 7 — Use Rewrites to Resolve Ambiguity
If a sentence looks awkward, rewrite: Given his age, he qualified for the discount → Because he is of the right age, he qualified for the discount. Both mean the same; choose the clearer phrasing for the audience.
Tip 8 — Match Verb Number in Passive Constructions
In passive voice, ensure the auxiliary be matches the subject: The books were given to students. (books = plural → were). The book was given to a student. (book = singular → was).
Tip 9 — Practice With Minimal Pairs
Create pairs to practice the difference: giving / given
- They are giving money. vs They have given money.
Practice helps learners hear the progressive action vs completed action.
Tip 10 — Teach With Visual Timelines
Draw a timeline: present continuous arrow for is giving; past arrow with present relevance for has given. Visuals help learners place forms in time.
Revision Examples and Edits
Revision 1 — Fixing Auxiliary Mistake
Original: She had giving the report before noon.
Problems: Wrong participle after had.
Edited: She had given the report before noon.
Parts of speech: She (pronoun) had (auxiliary, past) given (past participle) the (article) report (noun) before (preposition) noon (noun).
Revision 2 — Fixing Dangling Participle
Original: Given the instructions, the students were studying. (OK if meaning intended: students had been given instructions)
If unclear, rewrite: After receiving the instructions, the students studied.
Parts of speech: After (preposition) receiving (gerund/participle) the (article) instructions (noun), the (article) students (noun) studied (verb).
Revision 3 — Making Gerund Use Clear
Original: Giving is good. (correct but vague)
Edited: Giving gifts to neighbors is a kind habit.
Parts of speech: Giving (gerund) gifts (noun) to (preposition) neighbors (noun) is (verb) a (article) kind (adjective) habit (noun).
Conclusion
The forms giving and given come from the same verb but serve different roles. Use giving for ongoing actions and for the gerund when naming the act. Use given as the past participle in perfect tenses and as an adjective or introductory modifier meaning considering or provided.
Check for auxiliary verbs (have/has/had for given, be-forms for giving), watch for dangling participles, and place modifiers next to the words they modify. Short, labeled examples and minimal-pair practice help learners spot the right form quickly.
A quick checklist: look for auxiliary verbs, decide whether the form names an action or describes a condition, check subject–verb agreement, and prefer clear rewrites when sentences sound awkward.
FAQs
- Q: When do I use “giving” instead of “given”?
A: Use giving when the action is happening (present continuous) or when using the gerund to name the action as a thing. Example: She is giving a talk or Giving helps others. - Q: When do I use “given” instead of “giving”?
A: Use given as a past participle after have/has/had (for perfect tenses) or as an adjective meaning provided or considering. Example: They have given consent; Given the facts, we decide. - Q: Is “given” ever an adjective?
A: Yes. Given can mean provided or assumed. Example: Given the evidence, the claim is weak. - Q: Can “giving” be a noun?
A: Yes. As a gerund, giving acts like a noun: Giving requires generosity. - Q: What auxiliary verbs pair with “given”?
A: The auxiliaries have, has, had pair with given for perfect tenses: have given, has given, had given. - Q: How do I avoid dangling participles with “given” or “giving”?
A: Make sure the noun after the participle is the logical subject: Given the time, she finished (she = recipient of time). If unclear, rewrite with a full clause. - Q: Which form is used in passive voice?
A: Use given in passive constructions: The award was given to the winner. Ensure the correct form of be matches the subject. - Q: Can “given” start a sentence?
A: Yes. Given enough practice, students improve. Use a comma after the opening participial phrase if it modifies the main clause.
