Difference between revisions of "Language/English/Grammar/Irregular-Verbs"
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AussieInBg (talk | contribs) (Added descriptions for verbs for cases of primarily British or American usage, or formal or informal usage. Wrote an introduction to the table. Removed several very archaic cases and added several verbs missing from the table.) |
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==Irregular Verb List== | ==Irregular Verb List== | ||
Here is a list of the most common and contemporary irregular verbs in English. Note that there are often differences between British (Br) and American (Am) English. These are marked. | |||
Sometimes, it is relative usage. For example, the simple past and past participle of of "learn" - "learnt" - is the usual form for the majority of British English speakers whereas "learned" is used by most American English speakers, less than one third use "learnt". | |||
Sometimes, the regular form of a verb has one meaning whereas its irregular form has another. | |||
Also, usage of irregular verbs can even depend on which region you are from in Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and other English-speaking countries. Native English speakers often love to argue with each other about which irregular form is the correct one - even when they are from the same country! | |||
{| class="wikitable sortable" | {| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Line 14: | Line 27: | ||
!|Simple Past | !|Simple Past | ||
!|Past Participle | !|Past Participle | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 28: | Line 36: | ||
|awake | |awake | ||
|awoke | |awoke | ||
|awoken | |awoke (Br - informal) | ||
awoken (formal) | |||
awaken (Am - informal) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 53: | Line 64: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|beget | |beget | ||
|begat | |begat (Br) | ||
begot | begot (Am) | ||
|begotten | |begot (Br) | ||
begotten (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 121: | Line 133: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|burn | |burn | ||
|burnt | |burnt (Br) | ||
burned | burned (Am) | ||
|burnt | |burnt (Br) | ||
burned | burned (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 208: | Line 220: | ||
|dive | |dive | ||
|dived | |dived | ||
|dived | |dived (Br) | ||
dove | dove (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 223: | Line 235: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|dream | |dream | ||
|dreamt | |dreamt (Br) | ||
dreamed | dreamed (Am) | ||
|dreamt | |dreamt (Br) | ||
dreamed | dreamed (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 240: | Line 252: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|dwell | |dwell | ||
|dwelt | |dwelt (Br) | ||
|dwelt | dwelled (Am) | ||
dwelled | |dwelt (Br) | ||
dwelled (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 307: | Line 320: | ||
|forget | |forget | ||
|forgot | |forgot | ||
| | |forgot (Br) | ||
forgotten (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 328: | Line 341: | ||
|get | |get | ||
|got | |got | ||
| | |got (Br) | ||
gotten (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 343: | Line 356: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|grind | |grind | ||
|ground | |ground | ||
|ground | |ground (Br) | ||
grounded (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 353: | Line 367: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|hang | |hang | ||
|hung | |hung / | ||
|hung | hanged | ||
|hung / | |||
hanged | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 393: | Line 409: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|kneel | |kneel | ||
|knelt | |knelt (Br) | ||
knelled | knelled (Am) | ||
|knelt | |knelt (Br) | ||
kneeled | kneeled (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 415: | Line 431: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|lean | |lean | ||
|leant | |leant (Br) | ||
leaned | leaned (Am) | ||
|leant | |leant (Br) | ||
leaned | leaned (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|leap | |leap | ||
|leapt | |leapt (Br) | ||
leaped | leaped (Am) | ||
|leapt | |leapt (Br) | ||
leaped | leaped (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|learn | |learn | ||
|learnt | |learnt (Br) | ||
|learnt | learned (Am) | ||
|learnt (Br) | |||
learned (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 454: | Line 472: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|light | |light | ||
|lit | |lit (Br) | ||
lighted | lighted (Am) | ||
|lit | |lit (Br) | ||
lighted | lighted (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 482: | Line 500: | ||
|mow | |mow | ||
|mowed | |mowed | ||
| | |mown (Br) | ||
mowned (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 507: | Line 525: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|plead | |plead | ||
|pled | |pled (informal) | ||
pleaded | pleaded (formal) | ||
|pled | |pled (informal) | ||
pleaded | pleaded (formal) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 520: | Line 538: | ||
|prove | |prove | ||
|proved | |proved | ||
|proven | |proven (Br) | ||
proved | proved (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 575: | Line 593: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|saw | |saw | ||
|saw | |saw (Br) | ||
sawed | sawed (Am) | ||
|sawn | |sawn (Br) | ||
sawed | sawed (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 627: | Line 645: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|shoe | |shoe | ||
|shod | |shod (Br) | ||
|shod | shoed (Am) | ||
|shod (Br) | |||
shoed (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 652: | Line 672: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|sink | |sink | ||
|sank | |sank (Br) | ||
sunk | sunk (Am) | ||
|sunk | |sunk (Br) | ||
sunken | sunken (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 691: | Line 711: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|smell | |smell | ||
|smelt | |smelt (Br) | ||
|smelt | smelled (Am) | ||
|smelt (Br) | |||
smelled (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
|sow | |sow | ||
|sowed | |sowed | ||
|sown | |sown (Br) | ||
sowed | sowed (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 722: | Line 744: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|spill | |spill | ||
|spilt | |spilt (Br) | ||
spilled | spilled (Am) | ||
|spilt | |spilt (Br) | ||
spilled | spilled (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 746: | Line 768: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|spoil | |spoil | ||
|spoilt | |spoilt (Br) | ||
|spoilt | spoiled (Am) | ||
|spoilt (Br) | |||
spoiled (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 787: | Line 811: | ||
|strew | |strew | ||
|strewed | |strewed | ||
|strewn | |strewn (Br) | ||
strewed | strewed (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|strike | |strike | ||
|struck | |struck | ||
| | |struck | ||
struck | |||
|- | |- | ||
|strive | |strive | ||
|strove | |strove (Br) | ||
|striven | strived (Am) | ||
|striven (Br) | |||
strived (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 808: | Line 833: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|sweat | |sweat | ||
|sweat | |sweat (Br) | ||
sweated | sweated (Am) | ||
|sweat | |sweat (Br) | ||
sweated | sweated (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 821: | Line 846: | ||
|swell | |swell | ||
|swelled | |swelled | ||
|swollen | |swollen (Br) | ||
swelled | swelled (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 858: | Line 883: | ||
|thought | |thought | ||
|thought | |thought | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 878: | Line 896: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|tread | |tread | ||
|trod | |trod (Br) | ||
|trodden | treaded (Am) | ||
|trodden (Br) | |||
treaded (Am) | |||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 905: | Line 925: | ||
|wore | |wore | ||
|worn | |worn | ||
|- | |||
|wed | |||
|wed (Br) | |||
wedded (Am) | |||
|wed (Br) | |||
wedded (Am) | |||
|- | |||
|weep | |weep | ||
|wept | |wept | ||
| Line 913: | Line 938: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|wet | |wet | ||
|wet | |wet (Br) | ||
wetted | wetted (Am) | ||
|wet | |wet (Br) | ||
wetted | wetted (Am) | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 943: | Line 968: | ||
|written | |written | ||
|} | |} | ||
We've seen many of the irregular verbs, now let's see some | We've seen many of the irregular verbs, now let's see some sentences using them: | ||
== Example Sentences Using Irregular Verbs == | == Example Sentences Using Irregular Verbs == | ||
| Line 953: | Line 978: | ||
''Tom was in New York yesterday.<br>'' | ''Tom was in New York yesterday.<br>'' | ||
I've been at | I've been at home for a long time.<br> | ||
She'll be at the party next weekend. | She'll be at the party next weekend. | ||
| Line 959: | Line 984: | ||
''We beat the home team yesterday.<br>'' | ''We beat the home team yesterday.<br>'' | ||
I've never beaten | I've never beaten David at chess.<br> | ||
Do you think you could beat him? | Do you think you could beat him? | ||
| Line 966: | Line 991: | ||
''Jason has become an excellent doctor.<br>'' | ''Jason has become an excellent doctor.<br>'' | ||
I'll become your friend if you move here.<br> | I'll become your friend if you move here.<br> | ||
The situation became | The situation became difficult last week. | ||
===begin / began / begun=== | ===begin / began / begun=== | ||
'' | ''The play hasn't begun yet.<br>'' | ||
I began to | I began to understand the problem yesterday.<br> | ||
She'll begin to explain in a moment. | She'll begin to explain in a moment what happened. | ||
===bend / bent / bent=== | ===bend / bent / bent=== | ||
''He bent the branch until it broke.<br>'' | ''He bent the branch until it broke.<br>'' | ||
The flag poll bends in the wind.<br> | The flag poll often bends in the wind.<br> | ||
I've bent the nail | I've bent the nail when I hit it with a hammer.'' '' | ||
===break / broke / broken=== | ===break / broke / broken=== | ||
| Line 984: | Line 1,009: | ||
''My boy has broken three windows this week!<br>'' | ''My boy has broken three windows this week!<br>'' | ||
I broke that window last week.<br> | I broke that window last week.<br> | ||
Glass often breaks if you drop it.'' '' | |||
===buy / bought / bought=== | ===buy / bought / bought=== | ||
''Janice bought a new watch last week.<br>'' | ''Janice bought a new watch last week.<br>'' | ||
I usually buy my vegetables | I usually buy my vegetables in the morning.<br> | ||
He's bought more than ten cars in his life.'' '' | He's bought more than ten cars in his life.'' '' | ||
| Line 996: | Line 1,021: | ||
''We came home earlier yesterday.<br>'' | ''We came home earlier yesterday.<br>'' | ||
He comes to class on time every day.<br> | He comes to class on time every day.<br> | ||
We've come across that song before.'' '' | |||
===cut / cut / cut=== | ===cut / cut / cut=== | ||
''How many pieces have you cut?<br>'' | ''How many pieces have you cut?<br>'' | ||
I cut my finger on a glass yesterday.<br> | I cut my finger on a piece of broken glass yesterday.<br> | ||
That boy never cuts his own steak. | |||
===draw / drew / drawn=== | ===draw / drew / drawn=== | ||
| Line 1,008: | Line 1,033: | ||
She drew a beautiful picture in class. | She drew a beautiful picture in class. | ||
''Jackie has drawn a few clowns this week.<br>'' | ''Jackie has drawn a few clowns this week.<br>'' | ||
The magician will now draw a card from the pack.'' '' | |||
===drink / drank / drunk=== | ===drink / drank / drunk=== | ||
| Line 1,019: | Line 1,044: | ||
''Have you ever driven across the US?<br>'' | ''Have you ever driven across the US?<br>'' | ||
I drove to the basketball game | I drove to the basketball game to see my son play.<br> | ||
He's going to drive to the airport this evening.'' '' | He's going to drive to the airport this evening.'' '' | ||
| Line 1,026: | Line 1,051: | ||
''We ate lunch early today.<br>'' | ''We ate lunch early today.<br>'' | ||
Have you eaten already?<br> | Have you eaten already?<br> | ||
Where did you eat dinner | Where did you eat dinner last year in Spain? | ||
===find / found / found=== | ===find / found / found=== | ||
''Have you found him yet?<br>'' | ''Have you found him yet?<br>'' | ||
I found | I found an old book on that table over there.<br> | ||
I'll find him, don't worry! | I'll find him, don't worry! | ||
| Line 1,038: | Line 1,063: | ||
Cheryl flew to Brazil last month. | Cheryl flew to Brazil last month. | ||
''Have you ever flown around the world?<br>'' | ''Have you ever flown around the world?<br>'' | ||
He's going to fly | He's going to learn to fly when he grows up. | ||
== Practice Resources == | == Practice Resources == | ||
Revision as of 19:57, 25 February 2023
Verbs in English are irregular if they don't have an usual "ed" ending (such as "studied") in the past tense and/or the past participle forms.
Learn and have fun
Watch this video, you will learn and have fun too ;) !
Irregular Verb List
Here is a list of the most common and contemporary irregular verbs in English. Note that there are often differences between British (Br) and American (Am) English. These are marked.
Sometimes, it is relative usage. For example, the simple past and past participle of of "learn" - "learnt" - is the usual form for the majority of British English speakers whereas "learned" is used by most American English speakers, less than one third use "learnt".
Sometimes, the regular form of a verb has one meaning whereas its irregular form has another.
Also, usage of irregular verbs can even depend on which region you are from in Britain, the US, Australia, Canada and other English-speaking countries. Native English speakers often love to argue with each other about which irregular form is the correct one - even when they are from the same country!
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| arise | arose | arisen |
| awake | awoke | awoke (Br - informal)
awoken (formal) awaken (Am - informal) |
| be | was, were | been |
| bear | bore | borne /
born |
| beat | beat | beaten |
| become | became | become |
| beget | begat (Br)
begot (Am) |
begot (Br)
begotten (Am) |
| begin | began | begun |
| bend | bent | bent |
| bet | bet | bet |
| bid | bid /
bade |
bid /
bidden |
| bite | bit | bitten |
| bleed | bled | bled |
| blow | blew | blown |
| break | broke | broken |
| breed | bred | bred |
| bring | brought | brought |
| broadcast | broadcast | broadcast |
| build | built | built |
| burn | burnt (Br)
burned (Am) |
burnt (Br)
burned (Am) |
| burst | burst | burst |
| buy | bought | bought |
| can | could | could |
| cast | cast | cast |
| catch | caught | caught |
| chide | chid /
chode |
chid /
chidden |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| cling | clung | clung |
| clothe | clad /
clothed |
clad /
clothed |
| come | came | come |
| cost | cost | cost |
| creep | crept | crept |
| cut | cut | cut |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| dig | dug | dug |
| dive | dived | dived (Br)
dove (Am) |
| do | did | done |
| draw | drew | drawn |
| dream | dreamt (Br)
dreamed (Am) |
dreamt (Br)
dreamed (Am) |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| dwell | dwelt (Br)
dwelled (Am) |
dwelt (Br)
dwelled (Am) |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| flee | fled | fled |
| fling | flung | flung |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forbid | forbade | forbidden |
| forecast | forecast | forecast |
| foresee | foresaw | foreseen |
| forget | forgot | forgot (Br)
forgotten (Am) |
| forgive | forgave | forgiven |
| forsake | forsook | forsaken |
| freeze | froze | frozen |
| get | got | got (Br)
gotten (Am) |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grind | ground | ground (Br)
grounded (Am) |
| grow | grew | grown |
| hang | hung /
hanged |
hung /
hanged |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hide | hid | hidden |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hold | held | held |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| keep | kept | kept |
| kneel | knelt (Br)
knelled (Am) |
knelt (Br)
kneeled (Am) |
| know | knew | known |
| lay | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| lean | leant (Br)
leaned (Am) |
leant (Br)
leaned (Am) |
| leap | leapt (Br)
leaped (Am) |
leapt (Br)
leaped (Am) |
| learn | learnt (Br)
learned (Am) |
learnt (Br)
learned (Am) |
| leave | left | left |
| lend | lent | lent |
| let | let | let |
| lie | lay | lain |
| light | lit (Br)
lighted (Am) |
lit (Br)
lighted (Am) |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| mow | mowed | mown (Br)
mowned (Am) |
| offset | offset | offset |
| overcome | overcame | overcome |
| partake | partook | partaken |
| pay | paid | paid |
| plead | pled (informal)
pleaded (formal) |
pled (informal)
pleaded (formal) |
| preset | preset | preset |
| prove | proved | proven (Br)
proved (Am) |
| put | put | put |
| quit | quit | quit |
| read | read | read |
| relay | relaid | relaid |
| rend | rent | rent |
| rid | rid | rid |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| ring | rang | rung |
| rise | rose | risen |
| run | ran | run |
| saw | saw (Br)
sawed (Am) |
sawn (Br)
sawed (Am) |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| seek | sought | sought |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| set | set | set |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shed | shed | shed |
| shine | shone | shone |
| shoe | shod (Br)
shoed (Am) |
shod (Br)
shoed (Am) |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| show | showed | shown |
| shut | shut | shut |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sink | sank (Br)
sunk (Am) |
sunk (Br)
sunken (Am) |
| sit | sat | sat |
| slay | slew | slain |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| slide | slid | slid |
| slink | slunk /
slinked |
slunk /
slinked |
| slit | slit | slit |
| smell | smelt (Br)
smelled (Am) |
smelt (Br)
smelled (Am) |
| sow | sowed | sown (Br)
sowed (Am) |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| speed | sped | sped |
| spell | spelt | spelt |
| spend | spent | spent |
| spill | spilt (Br)
spilled (Am) |
spilt (Br)
spilled (Am) |
| spin | spun | spun |
| spit | spat /
spit |
spat /
spit |
| split | split | split |
| spoil | spoilt (Br)
spoiled (Am) |
spoilt (Br)
spoiled (Am) |
| spread | spread | spread |
| spring | sprang | sprung |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| stick | stuck | stuck |
| sting | stung | stung |
| stink | stank | stunk |
| strew | strewed | strewn (Br)
strewed (Am) |
| strike | struck | struck |
| strive | strove (Br)
strived (Am) |
striven (Br)
strived (Am) |
| swear | swore | sworn |
| sweat | sweat (Br)
sweated (Am) |
sweat (Br)
sweated (Am) |
| sweep | swept | swept |
| swell | swelled | swollen (Br)
swelled (Am) |
| swim | swam | swum |
| swing | swung | swung |
| take | took | taken |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tear | tore | torn |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| thrust | thrust | thrust |
| tread | trod (Br)
treaded (Am) |
trodden (Br)
treaded (Am) |
| typeset | typeset | typeset |
| undergo | underwent | undergone |
| understand | understood | understood |
| wake | woke | woken |
| wear | wore | worn |
| wed | wed (Br)
wedded (Am) |
wed (Br)
wedded (Am) |
| weep | wept | wept |
| wet | wet (Br)
wetted (Am) |
wet (Br)
wetted (Am) |
| win | won | won |
| wind | wound | wound |
| withdraw | withdrew | withdrawn |
| wring | wrung | wrung |
| write | wrote | written |
We've seen many of the irregular verbs, now let's see some sentences using them:
Example Sentences Using Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs, on the other hand, need to be studied individually. These example sentences in all tenses will help students learn irregular verb forms in context. Click on one of the irregular verbs listed below for example sentences of irregular verbs in all tenses including active and passive forms, as well as conditional and modal forms.
To help you choose the verb you need, each verb includes three example sentences to get you started.
be / was / were / been
Tom was in New York yesterday.
I've been at home for a long time.
She'll be at the party next weekend.
beat / beat / beaten
We beat the home team yesterday.
I've never beaten David at chess.
Do you think you could beat him?
become / became / become
Jason has become an excellent doctor.
I'll become your friend if you move here.
The situation became difficult last week.
begin / began / begun
The play hasn't begun yet.
I began to understand the problem yesterday.
She'll begin to explain in a moment what happened.
bend / bent / bent
He bent the branch until it broke.
The flag poll often bends in the wind.
I've bent the nail when I hit it with a hammer.
break / broke / broken
My boy has broken three windows this week!
I broke that window last week.
Glass often breaks if you drop it.
buy / bought / bought
Janice bought a new watch last week.
I usually buy my vegetables in the morning.
He's bought more than ten cars in his life.
come / came / come
We came home earlier yesterday.
He comes to class on time every day.
We've come across that song before.
cut / cut / cut
How many pieces have you cut?
I cut my finger on a piece of broken glass yesterday.
That boy never cuts his own steak.
draw / drew / drawn
She drew a beautiful picture in class.
Jackie has drawn a few clowns this week.
The magician will now draw a card from the pack.
drink / drank / drunk
I was so thirsty I drank two bottles of water.
Have you drunk any water yet?
I'll drink something when I get there.
drive / drove / driven
Have you ever driven across the US?
I drove to the basketball game to see my son play.
He's going to drive to the airport this evening.
eat / ate / eaten
We ate lunch early today.
Have you eaten already?
Where did you eat dinner last year in Spain?
find / found / found
Have you found him yet?
I found an old book on that table over there.
I'll find him, don't worry!
fly / flew / flown
Cheryl flew to Brazil last month.
Have you ever flown around the world?
He's going to learn to fly when he grows up.
Practice Resources
https://quizlet.com/164041806/irregular-verbs-english-irregular-verbs-flash-cards/
https://www.memrise.com/course/100903/learn-english-irregular-verbs/
https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1042687651