What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
demonstrated
Example
The teacher demonstrated how to solve the math problem on the board. [demonstrated: verb]
Example
The experiment demonstrated that plants grow faster with sunlight. [demonstrated: past tense]
Example
She demonstrated her singing skills at the talent show. [demonstrated: past participle]
shown
Example
He has shown great improvement in his grades this semester. [shown: verb]
Example
The graph shown on the screen illustrates the increase in sales. [shown: past participle]
Example
The detective has shown evidence that the suspect was at the crime scene. [shown: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shown is more commonly used than demonstrated in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between demonstrated and shown?
Demonstrated can be more formal and academic than shown, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
