Has the year disappeared before you even had time to notice? You might say, “Wow, time has flown by!”
But if you have ever wondered whether “time has flew by” or “time has flown by” is correct, you are not alone.
The confusion comes from the verb fly, whose past forms do not follow the simple pattern many English verbs use.
We say flew for the simple past, but flown after helping verbs such as has, have, and had. That small difference makes one version grammatically correct and the other incorrect in standard English.
The good news is that the rule is simple once you understand the three forms of fly. In this guide, you will learn exactly why “time has flown by” is correct, when to use flew, why “time has flew by” sounds wrong to an experienced English speaker, and how to avoid similar mistakes with irregular verbs.
You will also see natural examples from everyday conversation, texting, school, business, professional writing, and social media.
Quick takeaway: If you are talking about time from the past up to now, say “time has flown by.”
“Time has flew by” is not grammatically correct in standard English.
Quick Answer
“Time has flown by” is correct. “Time has flew by” is incorrect in standard English.
The reason is that fly → flew → flown is an irregular verb:
- Fly = base form
- Flew = simple past
- Flown = past participle
Because has requires a past participle, the correct sentence is:
“Time has flown by.”
Time Has Flew By or Time Has Flown By: The Comparison
| Feature | Time has flew by | Time has flown by |
|---|---|---|
| Standard grammar | ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct |
| Verb | flew | flown |
| Form of fly | Simple past | Past participle |
| Used after “has” | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Meaning | Intended to mean time passed quickly | Time passed quickly |
| Natural in conversation | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Formal writing | ❌ Avoid | ✅ Preferred |
| Academic writing | ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct |
| Professional writing | ❌ Incorrect | ✅ Correct |
| Social media | ❌ Grammatically wrong | ✅ Natural |
| Main expression | — | Time has flown by |
| Example | “Time has flew by.” ❌ | “Time has flown by.” ✅ |
The rule in one sentence
After “has,” use “flown,” not “flew.”
That is the central grammar rule behind this entire question.
Why “Time Has Flown By” Is Correct
The sentence “Time has flown by” uses the present perfect tense.
The present perfect is generally formed like this:
has/have + past participle
For example:
- She has gone home.
- He has written three emails.
- They have eaten already.
- Time has flown by.
The verb fly has the following forms:
fly → flew → flown
So:
- Time flies by. — present
- Time flew by. — simple past
- Time has flown by. — present perfect
But:
- Time has flew by. ❌
Why? Because flew is the simple past form, while flown is the past participle.
Think of “has” as a signal
Whenever you see has or have being used to form the present perfect, you should expect a past participle.
Compare:
- has gone, not has went
- has seen, not has saw
- has written, not has wrote
- has taken, not has took
- has flown, not has flew
This is why “time has flown by” follows the normal grammar pattern for irregular verbs.
What Does “Time Has Flown By” Mean?
“Time has flown by” means that time has passed very quickly.
It is usually used when someone feels that a period of time seemed shorter than expected.
For example:
“I can’t believe the semester is already over. Time has flown by!”
The speaker does not mean that time literally grew wings and flew through the air. The expression is figurative.
It communicates a feeling of rapid passage.
Common situations
You might use “time has flown by” when talking about:
- A vacation
- A school year
- A relationship
- A child’s growth
- A career
- A holiday
- A weekend
- A project
- A period of several months
- A memorable event
For example:
“Time has flown by since we started working together.”
This means that the period since the beginning of the partnership seems to have passed very quickly.
The Three Forms of “Fly”
Understanding the verb forms makes this grammar question much easier.
1. Fly — Base Form
Fly is the base or infinitive form.
Examples:
- Birds fly south in winter.
- I want to fly to London.
- Planes fly over the city.
- Time seems to fly when we are having fun.
The base form can appear after to, modal verbs, and in the simple present with plural subjects.
2. Flew — Simple Past
Flew is the simple past form of fly.
Examples:
- We flew to Chicago last Friday.
- She flew home yesterday.
- The bird flew away.
- Time flew by during the summer.
Notice that flew can be completely correct when there is no has, have, or had requiring a past participle.
3. Flown — Past Participle
Flown is the past participle.
It normally appears with an auxiliary verb such as:
- has
- have
- had
- will have
- would have
- could have
- should have
Examples:
- She has flown to Paris.
- They have flown several times this year.
- He had flown home before the storm.
- Time has flown by.
So the key distinction is not that flew is always wrong. It is that flew cannot replace “flown” in a perfect-tense construction.
Why People Say “Time Has Flew By”
If “time has flew by” is grammatically incorrect, why does it sometimes appear in speech, messages, comments, or online posts?
There are several possible reasons.
People confuse irregular verb forms
English has many irregular verbs, and their past forms must often be learned individually.
For example:
| Base | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone |
| see | saw | seen |
| write | wrote | written |
| take | took | taken |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| fly | flew | flown |
A speaker may remember that flew is the past form of fly but forget that the past participle is flown.
“Flew” feels natural
The word flew is familiar and strongly associated with past events:
“We flew to New York last summer.”
Because people hear flew so often, they may incorrectly extend it into a perfect construction:
“We have flew to New York.” ❌
Standard English requires:
“We have flown to New York.” ✅
Fast speech can hide the difference
In casual conversation, people sometimes produce nonstandard forms without noticing them. Spoken language contains hesitations, shortcuts, regional forms, and occasional grammatical slips.
That does not make the construction correct in formal standard English.
When Should You Use “Flew”?
Use flew when you are describing a completed action in the simple past.
Correct examples
- “We flew to Boston yesterday.”
- “The bird flew over the fence.”
- “She flew home after the meeting.”
- “Time flew by during our vacation.”
The important point is that flew does not need an auxiliary verb like has or have.
“Time Flew By” vs “Time Has Flown By”
Both can be correct, but they use different grammatical structures.
Time flew by.
This is the simple past. It generally refers to a completed period in the past.
Time has flown by.
This is the present perfect. It connects a past period or experience with the present.
Compare:
“Time flew by during my three-day vacation.”
The vacation is presented as a completed past experience.
Now compare:
“I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by since I started this job.”
The speaker connects the past beginning of the job with the present moment.
When Should You Use “Flown”?
Use flown when fly is functioning as a past participle.
That commonly happens after:
- has
- have
- had
- will have
- would have
- could have
- should have
- might have
Examples
- “Time has flown by.”
- “The plane has flown over the mountains.”
- “She has flown to Spain twice.”
- “They had flown home before the airport closed.”
- “By then, he will have flown several thousand miles.”
The form flown is not interchangeable with flew in these constructions.
Is “Time Has Flown By” an Idiom?
Yes. “Time flies” and related expressions such as “time has flown by” are common figurative expressions.
The basic idea is that time seems to move very quickly.
You may also hear:
- Time flies.
- Time flies when you’re having fun.
- Time flew by.
- Time has flown by.
- The years have flown by.
- The months have flown by.
- The weekend flew by.
These expressions use the idea of flight to describe speed.
Why “fly” is connected with time
The metaphor is intuitive: something that flies can move quickly and disappear from view. English has used fly figuratively for the rapid passage of time for centuries.
That is why phrases such as “time flies” feel completely natural to modern English speakers.
Grammar Breakdown: Why “Has Flew” Does Not Work
Let’s take the sentence apart:
Time has flown by.
“Time”
Time is the subject.
It is treated as a singular, uncountable noun in this sentence.
Therefore, we use has, not have.
“Has”
Has is the auxiliary verb used with a singular third-person subject in the present perfect.
Examples:
- She has arrived.
- He has finished.
- Time has passed.
“Flown”
Flown is the past participle of fly.
The pattern is:
subject + has + past participle
So:
Time + has + flown
“By”
By is part of the phrasal expression fly by, meaning to pass quickly.
The complete phrase is:
fly by → flew by → flown by
Therefore:
- Time flies by.
- Time flew by.
- Time has flown by.
“Fly By” vs “Flybye” vs “Fly-By”
Another possible source of confusion is the phrase fly by itself.
When talking about time passing quickly, write:
fly by
It consists of the verb fly and the adverbial particle by.
Examples:
- “The hours flew by.”
- “The afternoon has flown by.”
- “Time flies by when you’re busy.”
Do not write “time has flyed by.” That is also incorrect.
The verb fly is irregular, so its forms are:
fly → flew → flown
not:
fly → flyed → flyed
Key Differences Between “Flew” and “Flown”
Here is the easiest way to separate the two.
Flew
- Simple past
- Used for completed past actions
- Does not follow has/have in standard English
- Example: “Time flew by yesterday.”
Flown
- Past participle
- Used with perfect-tense auxiliary verbs
- Follows has, have, or had
- Example: “Time has flown by.”
The simplest rule
If “has,” “have,” or “had” comes before the verb, use “flown,” not “flew.”
That rule will solve most situations involving this particular mistake.
20+ Real-Life Examples
Seeing the forms in different contexts makes the difference easier to remember.
Everyday Conversation
- “I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by!”
- “Time has flown by since we moved here.”
- “The whole afternoon flew by.”
- “Where did the weekend go? It has flown by.”
Family and Relationships
- “The years have flown by since our wedding.”
- “Our daughter is already starting school. Time has flown by.”
- “I can’t believe we’ve known each other for ten years. Time has really flown by.”
School and College
- “This semester has flown by.”
- “I thought the school year would feel long, but it has flown by.”
- “The final week flew by because we were so busy preparing for exams.”
Business and Work
- “The first quarter has flown by.”
- “The project has flown by faster than we expected.”
- “It feels like six months have flown by since I joined the company.”
Email Writing
- “It has been wonderful working with you, and I can’t believe how quickly the past year has flown by.”
- “The conference has flown by, and we have already reached the final session.”
Academic Writing
In formal academic writing, you might prefer a more precise construction depending on the subject:
- “Several months have passed since the study began.”
However, if a conversational tone is appropriate:
- “The academic year has flown by.”
Social Media
- “How is it already August? This year has flown by! ✈️”
- “Another amazing trip finished. Time has flown by.”
- “From our first photo together to today—how has time flown by so quickly?”
Text Messages
- “Wow, time has flown by 😂”
- “Can’t believe it’s been a year already. Time flies!”
Professional Conversation
- “It’s hard to believe that five years have flown by since we opened the office.”
- “The training week has flown by, and the team has made great progress.”
Notice how the correct form changes with tense:
- Time flies by. — present
- Time flew by. — past
- Time has flown by. — present perfect
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: “Time has flew by.”
Incorrect:
Time has flew by so quickly.
Why?
Because flew is the simple past form, not the past participle.
Correct:
Time has flown by so quickly.
Mistake 2: “Time have flown by.”
Incorrect:
Time have flown by.
Why?
Time is singular in this context, so the auxiliary verb must be has.
Correct:
Time has flown by.
Mistake 3: “Time has fly by.”
Incorrect:
Time has fly by.
Why?
After has, the verb needs its past participle.
Correct:
Time has flown by.
Mistake 4: “Time has flyed by.”
Incorrect:
Time has flyed by.
Why?
Fly is an irregular verb. It does not form its past participle by simply adding -ed.
Correct:
Time has flown by.
Mistake 5: “Time has flewed by.”
Incorrect:
Time has flewed by.
Why?
Neither flewed nor flyed is the standard past participle of fly.
Correct:
Time has flown by.
“Time Flew By” vs “Time Has Flown By” vs “Time Flies By”
These three expressions are all useful, but they refer to different grammatical situations.
| Sentence | Tense | Typical Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Time flies by. | Simple present | Time generally seems to pass quickly |
| Time flew by. | Simple past | Time seemed to pass quickly during a completed past period |
| Time has flown by. | Present perfect | Time has passed quickly from a past point up to now |
Example 1: General truth
Time flies by when you’re having fun.
This is a general observation.
Example 2: Completed past event
Time flew by during our vacation.
The vacation is over.
Example 3: Past-to-present connection
Time has flown by since we moved here.
The period began in the past and continues to matter now.
How Tense Changes the Meaning
The difference is not only about grammar. Tense can change how the speaker frames the experience.
Simple present: “Time flies by”
This sounds general.
“Time flies by when you’re busy.”
You are making a broad statement.
Simple past: “Time flew by”
This describes a completed experience.
“Time flew by during the concert.”
The concert happened in the past.
Present perfect: “Time has flown by”
This connects the past to the present.
“Time has flown by since graduation.”
Graduation happened in the past, but the speaker is looking at the period from then until now.
Formal vs Informal Usage
“Time has flown by” is grammatically correct in both formal and informal English.
You can use it in:
- Casual conversation
- Text messages
- Social media
- Personal emails
- Speeches
- Professional communication
- Articles
- Essays when the tone permits
- Personal statements
However, in highly technical or academic writing, a more literal phrase such as “time has passed rapidly” or “the period elapsed quickly” may sometimes be more appropriate.
That is a matter of style, not correctness.
Casual
“Wow, time has flown by!”
Professional
“It is hard to believe how quickly the past five years have flown by.”
More formal
“The five-year period has passed remarkably quickly.”
All three can work. The best choice depends on the tone and purpose of the writing.
American English vs British English
There is no major US-versus-UK difference in the grammar of flew and flown.
American and British English both use:
fly → flew → flown
Therefore:
- Time has flown by. ✅ American English
- Time has flown by. ✅ British English
- Time has flew by. ❌ Standard English in both varieties
Regional dialects may contain nonstandard or unusual verb forms, but standard written English follows the same rule.
Pronunciation: “Flew” vs “Flown”
The words also sound different.
Flew
Flew is pronounced approximately like “floo.”
It rhymes with words such as:
- blue
- true
- grew
Flown
Flown is pronounced approximately like “flone.”
It rhymes closely with:
- grown
- known
- shown
This pronunciation difference can also help you remember that these are two separate verb forms.
A Useful Pattern: Other Irregular Verbs
The problem becomes much easier when you compare fly with other irregular verbs.
Go
- go
- went
- gone
Correct:
She has gone home.
Incorrect:
She has went home.
See
- see
- saw
- seen
Correct:
I have seen that movie.
Incorrect:
I have saw that movie.
Write
- write
- wrote
- written
Correct:
He has written the report.
Incorrect:
He has wrote the report.
Fly
- fly
- flew
- flown
Correct:
Time has flown by.
Incorrect:
Time has flew by.
The pattern is the same every time:
Perfect tense = auxiliary verb + past participle
Memory Tricks for “Flew” and “Flown”
Memory Trick 1: “Has” Takes “Flown”
Remember this little rhyme:
Has? Have? Had? Choose flown instead.
Whenever you see one of those perfect-tense helpers, look for flown.
Memory Trick 2: Three-Step Ladder
Memorize:
FLY → FLEW → FLOWN
Think:
Now → Then → Has happened
- I fly.
- I flew.
- I have flown.
Memory Trick 3: “Flew” Is Alone
A useful shortcut is:
Flew can stand alone; flown needs a helper.
For example:
- “I flew yesterday.”
- “I have flown before.”
This is not an absolute description of every grammatical environment, but it is a very useful learning shortcut.
Memory Trick 4: Compare “Go”
If you know:
go → went → gone
then remember:
fly → flew → flown
You would never normally say:
“She has went home.”
You say:
“She has gone home.”
Likewise:
“Time has flown by.”
What About “Time Has Gone By”?
“Time has gone by” is also completely correct.
In fact, it is often more neutral and literal than “time has flown by.”
Compare:
Time has gone by.
This simply means time has passed.
Time has flown by.
This emphasizes that time seems to have passed very quickly.
Compare the emotional tone
Time has gone by
→ neutral
Time has flown by
→ suggests surprise or a feeling that time passed rapidly
Time has flown by so quickly
→ strongly emphasizes the speaker’s sense of speed
Similar Expressions You Can Use
If you want alternatives to “time has flown by,” consider:
- Time has gone by quickly.
- Time has passed so quickly.
- The years have flown by.
- The months have gone by so fast.
- The weeks have passed quickly.
- I can’t believe how quickly time has passed.
- It feels like yesterday.
- Where did the time go?
- The years seem to have disappeared.
- Time really flies.
Each has a slightly different tone.
Why “Time Flies When You’re Having Fun” Is Correct
One of the most famous expressions involving fly is:
“Time flies when you’re having fun.”
Here, flies is the simple present form because the sentence expresses a general observation.
Compare:
Time flies when you’re having fun.
→ general idea
Time flew by during the party.
→ completed past event
Time has flown by since the party.
→ past-to-present connection
The verb changes because the tense changes.
Professional Writing Advice
If you are writing for work, school, a website, or a publication, use “time has flown by.”
Avoid:
“Time has flew by.”
Even if the reader understands your meaning, the incorrect verb form can make the sentence look careless.
For polished writing, grammar errors involving common irregular verbs are especially noticeable because they are basic forms that editors and readers expect writers to control.
Better professional examples
Instead of:
“Time has flew by since I joined the organization.”
Write:
“Time has flown by since I joined the organization.”
Or, for a more neutral professional tone:
“It is hard to believe how quickly the past year has passed.”
Academic Writing Advice
In academic writing, the choice depends on context.
“Time has flown by” is grammatically correct, but it is somewhat conversational and figurative.
For formal analytical writing, you may prefer:
- “The period has passed rapidly.”
- “Several years have elapsed.”
- “The study period has progressed quickly.”
- “The intervening period has been relatively short.”
But if you are writing a reflective essay, personal statement, speech, or narrative section, “time has flown by” can sound natural and expressive.
A Quick Decision Guide
When you are unsure which form to use, follow these steps.
- Look for “has,” “have,” or “had.”
- If one appears as a perfect-tense auxiliary, use flown.
- If you are simply describing a completed past event, use flew.
- If you are talking about a general truth, use flies.
- Never use flew after has/have/had in standard English.
Examples
Has + flown:
Time has flown by.
Had + flown:
Time had flown by before we noticed.
Simple past + flew:
Time flew by during the trip.
Simple present + flies:
Time flies when you’re busy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “time has flew by” grammatically correct?
No. “Time has flown by” is the correct form in standard English. Flew is the simple past form of fly, while flown is the past participle required after has.
Is it “time has flew by” or “time has flown by”?
The correct expression is “time has flown by.”
The verb forms are fly, flew, flown. Because has is followed by a past participle, you need flown.
Why is “flew” wrong after “has”?
Flew is the simple past form of fly. After has in the present perfect, English requires the past participle, which is flown.
For the same reason, we say “has gone,” not “has went.”
Can I say “time flew by”?
Yes. “Time flew by” is completely correct. It uses the simple past tense.
For example:
“Time flew by during our vacation.”
Is “time has flown by” an idiom?
It is a common figurative expression. It means that time has seemed to pass very quickly.
What is the past tense of “fly”?
The simple past is flew.
Example:
“The plane flew over the city.”
The past participle is flown:
“The plane has flown over the city.”
What is the past participle of “fly”?
The past participle is flown.
The complete set is:
fly — flew — flown
Is “time has flown by” formal or informal?
It can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is especially natural in conversation, personal writing, speeches, and reflective writing. In highly technical writing, a more literal expression such as “time has passed rapidly” may be preferable.
Is “time has flown by” correct in both American and British English?
Yes. “Time has flown by” is standard in both American and British English. The verb forms do not change between these varieties.
Final Verdict: Time Has Flew By or Time Has Flown By?
The answer is clear:
✅ Time has flown by.
❌ Time has flew by.
The reason is simple: fly is an irregular verb with three important forms:
fly → flew → flown
- Fly = present/base form
- Flew = simple past
- Flown = past participle
Because has is used to form the present perfect, it must be followed by the past participle:
has + flown
So:
“Time has flown by.”
is the grammatically correct expression.
If you are talking about a completed past period, however, “time flew by” is also correct:
“Time flew by during our vacation.”
And for a general observation:
“Time flies when you’re having fun.”
The easiest rule to remember
Flew = past. Flown = after has, have, or had.
Once you remember fly–flew–flown, you will rarely have to think twice about this expression again.
So the next time you look at the calendar and wonder where the last few months went, you can confidently say:
“Wow, time has flown by!”
Elon Parker is a dedicated writer at Wordscrowd, creating clear, informative, and engaging content for readers.
With a focus on useful information, Elon aims to make every article simple, reliable, and easy to understand.
