Carry means move someone or something while holding or supporting them.

The idea

Name the object directly: carry a bag. Use she carries in the present, carried in the past and carrying for an action in progress.

Examples

  • I carry my books in a bag.
  • She carries the child to the car.
  • We carried the boxes upstairs yesterday.
  • He is carrying a heavy suitcase.
  • Can you carry this cup to the table?
  • They will carry the chairs into the garden.

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Watch out

Carry focuses on holding or supporting the load during movement; it does not by itself specify the direction.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the present form after she. She ___ a bag to work every day. (carries / carry)

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    carries

    Carries is the present form after she.

  2. Choose the past form for yesterday. Yesterday we ___ the boxes upstairs. (carried / carry)

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    carried

    Carried is the past form, with y changed to i.

  3. Choose the verb for moving while holding. She holds the bag and moves it to the car: she ___ the bag. (carries / leaves)

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    carries

    Carries describes moving the bag while holding it.

Use it today

Describe what you carry and where you carry it.