Strived vs. Strove: Which Is Correct? Meaning and Examples

Have you ever stopped mid-sentence because you weren’t sure whether to write strived or strove? Both are accepted forms of the verb strive, but they follow different patterns. Strove is the traditional past tense, while strived is a regular alternative. The past participle can be either striven or strived.

Quick Answer: Strived vs. Strove

• Strove: Traditional simple past — She strove to improve.
• Strived: Regular alternative simple past — She strived to improve.
• Striven: Traditional past participle — She has striven to improve.
• Strived: Also accepted as a past participle — She has strived to improve.

Strived vs. Strove: Comparison Table

Define Strove: What Does It Mean?

Strove is the traditional simple past tense of strive, which means to make a serious effort to achieve something or overcome a challenge. It is common in formal writing and appears in everyday English, too.

Examples:

• She strove to improve her writing skills.
• The students strove for better results.
• He strove to find a solution to the problem.

How to Use Strived and Striven

Strived follows the regular pattern of adding -ed to the base verb. You can use it as a simple past form, just like strove.

• The team strived to meet its target.
• The organization strived to improve its services.

Use striven as the traditional past participle after has, have, or had. Strived is also accepted in this position.

• They have striven to support their community.
• She had striven for success throughout her career.
• The team has strived to deliver better results.

Remember: strove is the simple past form, so use striven or strived after has, have, or had.

Strive To vs. Strive For

Use strive to before an action and strive for before a goal or result.

• Strive to: We strive to improve our service.
• Strive for: We strive for excellence.

The same pattern applies to the past tense: She strove to improve and She strived for success.

Common Mistakes

❌ She striven to succeed.
✅ She strove to succeed.
✅ She strived to succeed.

❌ He has strove to improve.
✅ He has striven to improve.
✅ He has strived to improve.

The first sentence needs a simple past form. After has, use a past participle instead.

Pronunciation

Strove rhymes with rove, while strived rhymes with dived. Striven has a short, unstressed ending.

Six Examples of Strived and Strove

1. She strove to improve her English.
2. The company strived to meet customer needs.
3. He strove for a better result.
4. They strived to make the process easier.
5. The students strove to reach their goals.
6. The organization has striven to help local families.

Easy Memory Trick

Think of the familiar verb pattern drive → drove → driven. The traditional pattern for strive is:

Strive → strove → striven

The regular alternative is:

Strive → strived → strived

Mini Quiz

1. What is the traditional simple past of strive?
A. Striving
B. Strove
C. Striven

2. Complete: “They have ___ to succeed.”
A. Strove
B. Striven
C. Strive

3. Is strived an accepted form?
A. Yes
B. No

4. Which sentence is correct?
A. She strove to help.
B. She has strove to help.

5. Which phrase is correct?
A. Strive to excellence
B. Strive for excellence

Answers: 1-B, 2-B, 3-A, 4-A, 5-B

FAQs

Is strived or strove correct?

Both are accepted simple past forms of strive. Strove is traditional, while strived follows the regular -ed pattern.

What is the past tense of strive?

The past tense can be either strove or strived.

Can I say “I have strived”?

Yes. Both I have strived and I have striven are accepted.

What does strive, strove, striven mean?

These are the base form, traditional simple past, and traditional past participle of the verb strive. The verb means to make a strong effort to achieve something.

Conclusion

Both strived and strove are correct past-tense forms of strive. Choose strove for the traditional form, and remember that striven is the traditional past participle, although strived is also accepted. The right choice depends on the grammatical context and your preferred writing style.

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Bryan Garne

Bryan Garner an experienced English language writer specializing in grammar, usage, word choice, and clear American English. He focuses on making complex language rules simple, accurate, and practical.