knew
knew — verb
1. the form of the verb 'know' used to talk about things you learned, realized, or
the form of the verb 'know' used to talk about things you learned, realized, or were familiar with at a time in the past — for example, knowing a fact, a person, or how to do something before now
Sofia knew the answer to every question on the history test.
knew + noun phrase for past knowledge
When Pedro walked into the room, Jisoo knew that something was wrong.
knew + that-clause for realized information
Kofi knew how to fix the old bicycle without looking at a manual.
The children knew their grandmother would arrive on the evening train.
Élise knew the new teacher from her first year at university.
- learned
focuses on the moment of discovering information, while 'knew' covers both learning and already having the information
- realized
emphasizes becoming aware of something, whereas 'knew' can also mean having prior awareness
- understood
suggests deeper comprehension; 'knew' is broader and can mean simple fact recall
- was aware that
more formal than 'knew' and always takes a that-clause
- didn't know
the negative form; expresses lack of past knowledge or awareness
- forgot
implies having known something earlier but losing the memory of it
文法句型
knew + noun phrase
knew + (that-)clause
knew + wh-word + clause
knew + how to + infinitive
knew + object + to be + complement
用法筆記
Only the past-tense form of 'know'. The base form 'know' is used for present and general truths; 'knew' refers exclusively to a past time. Unlike regular past-tense verbs, 'knew' does not take an -ed ending.