If you are wondering whether to write “time has flew by” or “time has flown by,” the correct choice is “time has flown by.”
The confusion comes from two forms of the same irregular verb: flew and flown. They do not perform the same grammatical job.
“Time has flown by” describes time passing very quickly and connects that past passage of time to the present. “Time has flew by” uses the wrong verb form after has.
There is also a third sentence worth knowing: “Time flew by.” That sentence is correct because it uses the simple past form.
Quick Answer
“Time has flown by” is correct.
“Time has flew by” is incorrect in standard US English.
The reason is grammatical:
- flew = simple past
- flown = past participle
After has, the past participle is needed, so we say:
Time has flown by.
But without has, the simple past works:
Time flew by during our vacation.
The basic pattern is:
fly → flew → flown
Why People Confuse Them
The two forms are easy to confuse because they come from the same verb and express the same general idea of rapid movement.
When talking about time, fly by is figurative. It means that time seems to pass quickly. The expression is familiar in everyday American English.
The problem appears when speakers remember that flew is the past form of fly and then place it after has.
That creates:
❌ Time has flew by.
English does not use the simple-past form in that structure. The correct form is:
✅ Time has flown by.
Key Differences At A Glance
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Present perfect | Time has flown by. | “Flown” is the past participle. |
| Simple past | Time flew by. | “Flew” is the simple-past form. |
| After “has” | flown | The present perfect requires the past participle. |
| Completed past period | flew | Simple past can describe a finished past event. |
| “Time has flew by” | Avoid it | “Flew” does not fit after “has.” |
A useful comparison is:
| Feature | time has flew by | time has flown by |
|---|---|---|
| Standard US English | No | Yes |
| Verb form after “has” | Incorrect | Correct |
| Meaning intended | Time passed quickly | Time passed quickly |
| Grammar | Incorrect combination | Present perfect |
Meaning and Usage Difference
The intended meaning is almost the same: time seems to have passed very quickly.
The difference is not primarily about meaning. It is about verb form and tense.
“Time has flown by”
This uses the present perfect structure:
has + past participle
It works well when the passage of time began earlier and remains relevant now.
Examples:
- Time has flown by since we moved here.
- I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by this year.
- Time has flown by since our last reunion.
“Time has flew by”
This form is not standard English because flew is the simple-past form, not the past participle.
The problem is the combination:
❌ has + flew
The correct combination is:
✅ has + flown
“Time flew by”
This is a different but correct construction. It uses the simple past.
For example:
The afternoon flew by while we worked on the project.
Here, the afternoon is viewed as a completed past period, so flew is appropriate.
Tone, Context, and Formality
Neither flew nor flown is inherently more formal or informal. The choice depends on the grammatical structure of the sentence.
“Time has flown by” works naturally in conversation:
I can’t believe it—time has flown by!
It also works in personal writing, workplace communication, and other standard writing:
The past year has flown by, and our team has accomplished a lot.
“Time flew by” is equally natural when referring to a completed past period:
Time flew by during our family vacation.
So, do not choose between flew and flown based on formality. Choose according to the tense and structure.
Pronunciation can also help explain the confusion. Flew sounds like “floo,” while flown has the vowel sound heard in “known.” They are clearly different when spoken carefully.
Which One Should You Use?
Use “time has flown by” when your sentence contains has and uses the present perfect.
Use “time flew by” when you are describing a completed past period with the simple past.
A quick choice guide:
- Has + flown: Time has flown by.
- Past event + flew: Time flew by.
- Has + flew: ❌ Avoid this construction.
For example:
Since I started college, time has flown by.
But:
During my first semester, time flew by.
Both sentences are correct because their grammatical structures are different.
When One Choice Sounds Wrong
“Time has flew by” sounds wrong because it combines has with the simple-past form flew.
Compare these:
❌ Time has flew by since January.
✅ Time has flown by since January.
Now compare:
❌ Time has flew by during the vacation.
✅ Time flew by during the vacation.
The second correction changes the sentence structure rather than simply replacing one word.
The important point is that flew is not a bad word. It is completely correct in the right structure. The problem is using it after has.
Likewise, flown is not a replacement for flew in every sentence. It normally appears as a past participle with an auxiliary verb.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake 1: Using “flew” after “has”
❌ Time has flew by.
Fix:
✅ Time has flown by.
Mistake 2: Thinking “flew” is always the correct past form
“Flew” is the simple-past form, but English has different verb forms for different structures.
Yesterday, time flew by.
Time has flown by since yesterday.
Mistake 3: Replacing “flew” with “flown” everywhere
This can create another error:
❌ Time flown by yesterday.
Fix:
✅ Time flew by yesterday.
Mistake 4: Treating the two forms as interchangeable
They share the same basic verb and general meaning here, but their grammatical roles differ. The presence of has is a major clue.
Everyday Examples
Here are natural examples for common US-English situations.
Talking about the present and recent past:
Time has flown by since I started my new job.
Talking about a finished vacation:
Time flew by during our trip to California.
Talking about the year so far:
This year has flown by.
Talking about a finished meeting:
The meeting flew by because everyone stayed engaged.
Talking about a period continuing to the present:
The past few months have flown by.
Talking about childhood in a reflective way:
It feels like time has flown by since the kids started school.
The key is simple: has flown and flew can both be correct, but they belong to different grammatical structures.
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
Time has flew by: This uses flew, the simple-past form of fly, incorrectly after has.
Time has flown by: This uses flown, the past participle of fly, correctly after has.
The principal forms are:
fly → flew → flown
Here, flew functions as the simple past, while flown functions as the past participle.
Noun
Neither flew nor flown functions as a noun in the phrase being compared.
Both forms belong to the verb fly. The comparison is therefore about verb forms, not noun usage.
Synonyms
For the meaning of time has flown by, closest plain alternatives include:
- time has passed quickly
- time has gone by quickly
- time has passed very fast
For time flew by, closest plain alternatives include:
- time passed quickly
- time went by quickly
These alternatives express the general idea without using the verb fly.
Example Sentences
Time has flew by: ❌ Incorrect in standard US English.
Time has flown by: “I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by since graduation.”
Time flew by: “Time flew by while we were talking.”
The months have flown by: “The months have flown by since we opened the business.”
Word History
The compared forms come from the irregular verb fly. The verb has a long history in English, with its modern forms developing from older Germanic forms.
The important point for modern usage is the established pattern fly, flew, flown. The forms are not interchangeable simply because they belong to the same verb.
Phrases Containing
Common expressions include:
- time has flown by — time has seemed to pass quickly
- time flew by — time seemed to pass quickly during a completed past period
- the years have flown by — several years have passed quickly
- the weekend flew by — a completed weekend seemed to pass quickly
The same grammatical distinction applies when the subject changes from time to another period.
FAQs
Is “time has flew by” ever correct?
No, “time has flew by” is not standard English. The problem is the verb form after “has.” Flew is the simple-past form of fly, while flown is the past participle. Therefore, standard usage requires “time has flown by.”
Why is “time has flown by” correct?
“Time has flown by” is correct because has is followed by the past participle flown. The sentence uses the present perfect structure and describes time passing quickly while connecting that earlier passage with the present.
Can “time flew by” also be correct?
Yes, “time flew by” is correct when you use the simple past. It works for a completed period in the past, such as a vacation, meeting, afternoon, or school year that you are viewing as finished.
Are “time has flew by” and “time has flown by” interchangeable?
No. They express the same intended idea, but only “time has flown by” follows standard grammar. “Flew” and “flown” have different grammatical roles, so changing one for the other can make the sentence incorrect.
Does “time has flown by” sound formal?
No, “time has flown by” is not especially formal. It is a normal expression used in everyday conversation and ordinary writing. You can use it when talking with friends, writing a message, or describing a period in a professional context.
What is the easiest way to remember flew and flown?
Remember the three-form pattern fly → flew → flown. Use flew for the simple past and flown after “has,” “have,” or “had.” So write “time flew by” but “time has flown by” when the sentence requires the present perfect.
Conclusion
When choosing between “time has flew by” and “time has flown by,” use “time has flown by.”
The reason is grammatical rather than a difference in meaning or formality. Flew is the simple-past form of fly, while flown is the past participle.
That gives you two useful patterns:
Time flew by.
Time has flown by.
Both are correct, but they fit different sentence structures.
The phrase “time has flew by” should be avoided in standard US English because flew cannot serve as the required past participle after has.
Remember the simple pattern:
fly → flew → flown
When you see has, choose flown.
