Menu
Who sat beside President Donald Trump?: The differences between sit, sat and sitting versus seat, seated and seating
- Posted By Superadmin Lilbutmighty
- 03/29/2025
Hi, there! I am Ms Sharon from Lil’ but Mighty. The difference between sit and sat versus seat and seated can be tricky to navigate and leave you stumped, especially in compositions. How do you know which word to use correctly? Today, I will be breaking down for you the different verb forms of sit and seat, providing you with their definitions and describing scenarios of when you can apply them correctly. Tips that even President Donald Trump would approve of!
The most common reason why their usage is easily confused is that they sound similar if not pronounced properly. Even though their usage may be used for the same context, their meanings and functions are completely different. Sit is a verb that describes an action of someone sitting. Seat is a noun that refers to an object or a place to sit down on. However, the confusion arises because seat can also be used as a verb.
Let us take a look at the definitions and example sentences below to better understand their contextual use. The table below reflects their verb forms:
For today’s blog, we will be exploring the definitions and applications of present, past and participle verb forms of sit and seat.
Sit, sat and sitting
To ingrain the difference between the words sit and seat into memory, we must first pronounce the respective words correctly. Sit is pronounced as follows: s, short ‘i’ sound, t. Sit is a verb that means to sit down, and the emphasis is on the action not the object. Sitting can be used as a verb as well as a gerund. Gerunds are words that end with -ing, the words look like verbs but behave like nouns. Using an article (a, an, the) and possessive pronoun (her, his, my, your, their) before the verb sitting, will change it from a verb to a gerund.
Let’ s look at some correct example sentences:
Example 1: Sit used as a verb in present, past, continuous and perfect tenses
Example 2: Sitting as a gerund
Seat, seated (verb) and seating (verb or gerund)
Now, let’s look at the word seat. Seat is pronounced as follows: s, long ‘e’ sound’, t. Seat is a noun and refers to the object the person is going to sit on or the area the person is going to sit at or around. This includes an object like a chair or bench, or refers to an area such as a stadium or the floor of the school hall the person or people are sitting on, at or around. Additionally, you can also use seating as a gerund to vividly describe the act of one person or a group of people.
Here are some correct example sentences:
Example 1: Seat used as a noun
Example 2: Seating as a gerund with the use of articles, possessives and adjectives before the word seating
Just like sit and sitting, seat and seating can also be used as a verb, to refer to when you arrange for someone to have a particular seat or to be given a place to sit. The phrase ‘to seat yourself in/on/beside something’ also means to sit down somewhere. In this instance, seat is always followed by a reflexive pronoun such as herself, himself, myself, ourselves etc. It is important to understand the contextual use of the word, so that you do not make the mistake of using sit and sitting instead of seat and seating. Take a look at these examples below:
Example 3: Seat used as a verb
Armed with grammar-savvy tips to differentiate between sit and seat and their respective verb forms, I hope today’s post have helped provide clarity on these commonly misconstrued words. See you again next time!
Ms Sharon
Ms Sharon’s child-centric approach to teaching English makes her lessons fun-filled and easy to follow along. “Learning is more than absorbing facts; it is acquiring understanding.” – William Arthur Ward. She loves keeping her students on their toes by dropping questions out of thin air to test their understanding. Ms Sharon believes that learning takes place when her students are actively applying what they have learnt boldly. She hopes to inspire her students to have the thirst for knowledge that goes beyond the classroom.
Other related posts
10 Beautiful Vivid Verbs to Boost Your Writing and Oral! | Primary School English
- Creative Writing & Compo, Oral
3 Family-Friendly Shows on Netflix (Educational & Entertaining)!
- English in the real world
10 Beautiful Words You Can Use in Narrative / Descriptive Writing | Secondary School
- Secondary School English
Understanding Purpose-Related Questions in Visual Text Comprehension
- Visual Text Comprehension
How Playing Video Games Can Improve Our English (With Practical Tips for Parents!)
- English in the real world
2021 Mother’s Day Contest Winners + Our Founder’s Journey (Mother’s Day Special)!
- Company News
PSLE ORAL | Compiled Prelim 2021 Oral Topics + Questions!
- Free Downloads, Oral
If you’re looking at getting recent PSLE Prelim Oral topics and practice questions, this will be an excellent resource for you!
5 Steps to Convert a Newspaper Article into a Cloze Passage
- Cloze Passage and Editing, Free Downloads, Primary School English
I would like to share with you 5 steps on how authentic articles can be transformed into cloze passages easily. Read on here!
PSLE English | Oral Conversation: Free SG50 Sample Practice + Model Answers
- Free Downloads, Oral, Primary School English
In this blogpost we will be touching on the oral stimulus-based conversation topic of National Day and SG50! Read on here!
PSLE English | Oral Conversation: Filling your Story with Details Easily + Free Revision Cards
- Free Downloads, Oral, Primary School English
By simply using the 5W1H, your children will be able to lengthen their stories (hence, the conversation!). Read on here!
Primary School Situational Writing: Q&A + Formal vs Informal Writing Comparison Chart
- Free Downloads, Primary School English, Situational Writing
To aid you in your situational writing revision, here is a comparison chart that shows the differences between formal and informal writing!
PSLE English Tips | Oral: Stimulus-Based Conversation Checklist
- Free Downloads, Oral, Primary School English
To help my children handle the Stimulus-Based Conversation examination, here are some instructions again about using the checklist!
A Little Encouragement | DIY Motivational Bookmark (Easy to personalise too!)
- English in the real world, Free Downloads, Reading
A bookmark with a quote to motivate is also a chance for them to see the power of words and how words can mean more than what they seem.
Situational Writing: Step-by-Step Guide + Free Revision Card
- Free Downloads, Primary School English, Situational Writing
I believe a walkthrough on the process of doing situational writing is in order. Here are the requirements for content and language!
I Love Reading | 5 Ways to Motivate Reluctant Readers
- English in the real world, Free Downloads
One of the most important ingredients necessary for a child or anyone learning English is the habit of reading. Get motivated to read now!
PSLE English | Printable Ultimate Grammar & Synthesis Summary
- Free Downloads, Grammar, Sentence Synthesis
Today, we are sharing two lists of essentials in our Ultimate Grammar and Synthesis Summary Printable. Download them free here!
How Well Do You Know Your Past Participles?
- Free Downloads, Grammar
While we are familiar with the past, present and future tenses, the little less known but equally important tense is the past participles.
Primary Composition Writing | Starting Sentences with Introductory Clauses
- Creative Writing & Compo, Free Downloads
Today, we'll be revising the use of sentence starters to help you create variety in your sentence structures. Read on here!
The Sentence Train | Lower Primary English
- Free Downloads, Grammar
Today, we are going to learn what makes up a sentence. It will come in handy when you do the word order activity in school! Read on here!
PSLE English Tips | Oral: Reading Checklist
- Free Downloads, Oral, Primary School English
This Oral Reading Checklist can be used by children when they practise reading on their own. Download it now!
Language of COVID | 10 Words Added to the Dictionary
- English in the real world, Vocabulary
Expressing Character Feelings Too! | Using Show-Not-Tell (Part 2)
- Creative Writing & Compo
Which Picture Should I Use? | Choosing the Best Picture to Use for Composition!
- Creative Writing & Compo
Previous
Next
Like what you are reading?
Subscribe now to receive news and tips hot off the press!
