past tense - UK English: Is "dived" a valid word?


Proofing a manuscript, I found this in the middle of a chase scene:



Spotting an opening, I dived into it and was horrified to find it was a dead end.



Is “dived” a valid past tense of the verb “dive”? I've always used “dove”, but I'm not certain what the use is in UK English.


Cambridge shows “dived” as a valid past tense of “dive”, but which is more common? Do “dove” and “dived” have different shades of meaning, or are they used differently in different contexts?



Answer



Wiktionary indicates that dived is the standard British English past tense of dive:



The past tense dove is found chiefly in North American English, where it is used alongside the regular (and earlier) dived, with regional variations; in British English dived is the standard past tense, dove existing only in some dialects. As a past participle, dove is relatively rare. (Compare Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary; The American Heritage Dictionary; The Cambridge Guide to English Usage)



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