snuck/sneaked

[Minnie Imagineer]

which is the correct past-tense form to use for sneak??? Snuck or Sneaked?

and what do you use??

[the other micki]

The correct usage is "sneaked"; however, I'm sure I've said "snuck" on occasion!:D

[LittleSpirit02]

^ Yeah, I believe "sneaked" is technically correct but I say "snuck." Sneaked just sounds so weird.

[PirateLover]

No clue what the proper term is but I use, and like the sound of "snuck" better.
I sneaked in the back door.
I snuck in the back door.
Whatever. Lol!

[sardanem]

Dictionary.com said both are correct, so I guess it is whatever you are comfortable with.

Lisa

[J9]

Definitely snuck.

I think proper english is: "I sneaked" and "I had/have snuck."

But in everyday real life, "I snuck" just sounds and rolls off the tongue better. It's more natural.

[azdisneymom]

The following definition is from Mariam Webster Dictionary Online - From its earliest appearance in print in the late 19th century as a dialectal and probably uneducated (?) form, the past and past participle snuck has risen to the status of standard and to approximate equality with sneaked. It is most common in the United States and Canada but has also been spotted in British and Australian English.

I guess since I use snuck more than sneaked that puts me more in the 'uneducated' group. lol

btw - what is a past and past participle?

[Minnie Imagineer]

btw - what is a past and past participle?


Its hard to explain but...a past participle is a verb that you are completly 'done' with. For instance, if you loved something and are completly done loving it, you would say "I had loved". Meaning had/have is in the past, but with the past participle you don't have to use had/have....so it would be "I loved him" (see where had/have could be inserted?)

But I have been done my SAT review classes for 3 months now so I forget some things, so please, if I'm wrong correct me!

[disneydeb]

I would say it is OK to use "snuck" in conversation, but I wouldn't write it into an English paper. :D

[JRocker]

I would say it is OK to use "snuck" in conversation, but I wouldn't write it into an English paper.

I would have to agree that you don't want to use "snuck" in a paper that you might get graded on.

According to The Chicago Manual of Style 15th Edition "Reserve snuck for dialect and tongue-in-cheek usages."

[crazypoohbear]

I say snuck. It just sounds better to the ear.

[tinkerbellybutton]

I've always used sneaked. That's how my parents said it.

[Mackflava99]

I snuck in the back door
The robbers sneaked in the back door

Its tough to call- Both are LEGIT as per Webster's Dictionary
sneak Audio Help /snik/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[sneek] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, sneaked or snuck, sneak·ing, noun

[LauraleeH]

I always say snuck...for some reason, it irritates me when I hear sneaked. It just sounds wrong, I can't stand it!