Quick answer: use drank for the simple past (I drank water) and drunk after has, have or had (I have drunk water).
The Three Forms of Drink
Drink is an irregular verb, so its forms do not follow the usual “-ed” pattern. The base form is drink, the simple past is drank, and the past participle is drunk. Mixing up the last two is one of the most common verb errors in English.
When to Use Drank
Use drank when the action happened and finished at a definite time, and no helping verb comes before it.
- She drank two glasses of water after the run.
- We drank tea on the balcony last night.
- He drank too quickly and coughed.
When to Use Drunk
Use drunk as a past participle, which always needs a helping verb such as has, have, had, or a form of “to be” in the passive.
- I have drunk enough coffee for today.
- They had drunk all the juice before we arrived.
- The milk was drunk within minutes.
A Simple Test
Look at the word before the verb. If there is a helper like have, has or had, choose drunk. If the verb stands on its own after the subject, choose drank. Compare “I drank” with “I have drunk.” Saying “I have drank” or “I drunk it yesterday” is nonstandard.
The Other Meaning of Drunk
Drunk is also an adjective meaning intoxicated, as in “He was drunk at the party.” In this case it describes a state and is not a verb form. Because of this, some people avoid drunk as a participle and rephrase, but “I have drunk my tea” is fully correct and common in British English. American speakers often prefer “I have had my tea.”
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| I have drank my coffee. | I have drunk my coffee. |
| She drunk the whole bottle. | She drank the whole bottle. |
| We had drank it already. | We had drunk it already. |
Similar Verbs That Follow the Pattern
Several verbs change the same way: sing, sang, sung; ring, rang, rung; swim, swam, swum; begin, began, begun. Once you learn the pattern, you can apply it to all of them.
Practice Sentences
- Yesterday I (drank / drunk) a lot of water.
- Have you (drank / drunk) your medicine?
- By noon they had (drank / drunk) every bottle.
Answers: drank, drunk, drunk.
Final Thoughts
Remember: drank stands alone, drunk needs a helper. Keep that rule in mind and you will choose the right form every time.
