Hanged and Hung

Hanged and Hung

Hanged and hung are both past participle forms of the verb to hang. However, they have different meanings. This is not the case of American and British usage.

The past and past participle form of the verb to hang is hung (hang-hung-hung). One meaning is to attach something with a rope or to stick something, let's say, on a wall.

For example:

The pictures of their ancestors are hung on the wall.

Please hang up the towel so that they dry properly.

This morning, you hung your wet socks in the bathroom.

The coats are hung on the hook on the door.

We use hanged as past and past participle of to hang when it means to kill someone by tying a rope around the neck of the person.

For example:

Up to the earlier the twentieth century, thieves had been hanged.

He hanged himself last night after his wife left him.

Witches in the medieval period were either burnt or hanged.

Note:

Hang--hanged--hanged   = to kill someone by hanging        

Hang--hung--hung           = to attach something and other meanings

Exercise: Hanged and Hung

Directions: Complete the sentences with the words that best fit the context. Make sure you use the correct forms of the verbs.

1. I feel so embarrassed that I will go home and _______ myself under the windowpane.

2. Edith _______ up the Christmas lights on the tree.

3. Her son likes the angel _______ on the window.

4. In the Wild West, cattle thieves used to be _______.

5. You can _______ your coat on the hook by the door.

6. _______ was a legal form of punishment in many states throughout America.

7. Why don’t you _______ your laundry in front of the heater so that your clothes dry more quickly?

8. Let me be _______ if I ever lied to you.