English learners and writers often face confusion with the words become and became. These two words are closely related but serve different functions in sentences. Using them incorrectly can make your writing seem unprofessional or confusing. People frequently search for terms like “become vs became sentences”, “become vs became example”, or “have become vs became” because they want clarity on tense, usage, and grammar rules.
This article solves that problem by providing a step-by-step guide to understanding the difference between these words, including common mistakes, exercises, and examples from emails, social media, news, and formal writing. You’ll also learn how to use would become vs became, had become vs became, and other variations correctly. Plus, we’ll touch on 13rd or 13th meaning to clarify ordinal number usage in sentences.
By the end of this article, you’ll have complete confidence in using these words, making your writing clear, professional, and SEO-friendly.
Become vs Became – Quick Answer
Here’s a simple way to understand the difference:
| Word | Tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Become | Present/Future/Infinitive | “I want to become a better writer.” |
| Became | Past tense | “She became the class monitor last year.” |
| Becomes | Present, 3rd person singular | “He becomes nervous before exams.” |
| Have/Has/Had become | Perfect tenses | “She has become an expert in digital marketing.” |
Key tip: If you’re talking about past events, use became. If you’re talking about the present, future, or ongoing change, use become.
Example Sentences:
- ✅ Correct: “I have become more confident in my English skills.”
- ❌ Incorrect: “I became more confident in my English skills” (when talking about a continuous process).
The Origin of Become vs Became
The words become and became originate from Old English:
- Become comes from becuman, which means “to come to be.”
- Over time, English developed became as the simple past form.
- Unlike regular verbs that simply add -ed for past tense (talk → talked), become is an irregular verb.
Why confusion exists:
- English irregular verbs don’t follow predictable patterns.
- Many learners assume all verbs form past tense with -ed.
- Perfect tense usage like have become vs became adds another layer of complexity.
British English vs American English Spelling
Interestingly, the spelling of become and became is the same in British and American English. The difference lies mostly in pronunciation or preference in formal vs informal contexts.
| Form | British English | American English | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Become | ✅ Standard | ✅ Standard | “She wants to become a doctor.” |
| Became | ✅ Standard | ✅ Standard | “She became a doctor last year.” |
| Becomes | ✅ Standard | ✅ Standard | “He becomes anxious during exams.” |
| Have/Has/Had become | ✅ Standard | ✅ Standard | “Over time, the company has become a leader.” |
Tip: Focus on tense and context, not region. Both UK and US readers understand these forms the same way.
Which Form Should You Use?
Here’s a practical guide:
- For US audiences: Use standard grammar rules:
- Past → became
- Present/future → become
- For UK/Commonwealth audiences: Same rules apply; pronunciation may differ slightly.
- Global writing (blogs, SEO content, or international emails):
- Prioritize tense, clarity, and audience understanding.
Rule of Thumb: Ask yourself: “Am I talking about the past, present, or ongoing/future change?”
- Past → became
- Present/future/infinitive → become
Common Mistakes with Become vs Became
Here are frequent errors with corrections:
| Mistake | Correct Version | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| He become a famous singer last year. | He became a famous singer last year. | Past event → use became |
| She became very tired every morning. | She becomes very tired every morning. | Habitual/present → use becomes |
| She became a leader over the years. | She has become a leader over the years. | Ongoing change → use perfect tense |
| I become happy after coffee yesterday. | I became happy after coffee yesterday. | Past tense mistake |
Tips to avoid mistakes:
- Remember became = past, become = present/future/infinitive.
- Check if the sentence uses perfect tense → consider have/has/had become.
Become vs Became in Everyday Examples
Emails
- Correct: “I hope to become part of your team soon.”
- Incorrect: “I became part of your team soon.”
News Headlines
- Correct: “John became the youngest mayor in history.”
- Incorrect: “John become the youngest mayor in history.”
Social Media
- Correct: “Feeling proud to become a certified yoga instructor!”
- Incorrect: “Feeling proud to became a certified yoga instructor!”
Formal Writing
- Correct: “Over the decade, the company has become a market leader.”
- Incorrect: “Over the decade, the company became a market leader.”
Variations to note:
- Would become vs became: Conditional future → would become; past → became.
- Example: “He would become a star if he practiced every day.”
- Have become vs became: Ongoing action → have become; past completed → became.
- Example: “She has become an expert after years of training.”
- Had become vs became: Past perfect → had become.
- Example: “By 2010, he had become the CEO of the company.”
Become vs Became – Exercises
Practice makes perfect. Try filling in the blanks:
- She _______ the best student in the class last year.
- âś… Answer: became
- I hope to _______ fluent in Spanish one day.
- âś… Answer: become
- Over the years, he _______ more confident.
- âś… Answer: has become
- By 2018, they _______ the market leader.
- âś… Answer: had become
- Every morning, he _______ tired after jogging.
- âś… Answer: becomes
Exercise tip: Include ordinal numbers like 13th correctly:
- ✅ Correct: “She became the 13th president of the club.”
- ❌ Incorrect: “She become the 13rd president.”
Become vs Became – Google Trends & Usage Data
- Global trend: “become” is searched more often than “became” due to self-help, career advice, and future-oriented content.
- Top countries searching: US, UK, Canada, Australia.
- Contextual differences:
- Become: Self-improvement, educational content, career growth.
- Became: Historical events, biographies, past-focused stories.
Tip for content writers: Use become for tutorial, how-to, or instructional content; became for storytelling, history, or past events.
Comparison Table: Become vs Became
| Aspect | Become | Became | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tense | Present/Future/Infinitive | Past | “I want to become a teacher.” vs “I became a teacher last year.” |
| Third Person Singular | Becomes | — | “He becomes happy when he reads.” |
| Perfect Tense | Have/Has/Had become | — | “She has become a great writer.” |
| Common Mistake | Using for past tense | Using for present/future | “He become a leader last year.” ❌ |
Integration: 13rd or 13th Meaning
Correct use of ordinal numbers is key in sentences with become vs became:
- ❌ Incorrect: “She become the 13rd member of the team.”
- ✅ Correct: “She became the 13th member of the team.”
Key rule: Always use 13th, never 13rd.
Conclusion
Mastering become vs became improves your grammar, clarity, and credibility in English writing. Key takeaways:
- Become → Present/Future/Infinitive
- Became → Past tense
- Becomes → Present, third-person singular
- Have/Has/Had become → Perfect tenses for ongoing change
- Avoid common mistakes in emails, social media, and formal writing.
- Use 13th, not 13rd, when talking about ordinal positions.
By practicing exercises, checking Google trends, and following grammar rules, you’ll confidently use phrases like:
- “would become vs became”
- “have become vs became”
- “become vs became example”
E.M. Forster was an English novelist celebrated for his insightful stories about class, connection, and humanity, blending gentle humor with deep social themes.
