Irregular Verbs List| Your Handy Reference

Irregular verbs are an essential part of English grammar, often posing a challenge for learners due to their unique forms. Unlike regular verbs, which follow a predictable pattern by adding -ed for their past tense and past participle, irregular verbs do not adhere to this rule. Instead, they have their own distinct past tense and past participle forms that must be memorized.

This makes understanding and mastering these verbs crucial for effective communication. Consulting an irregular verbs list can simplify this process, providing a convenient reference for these exceptional verb forms. Whether you are a student or a language enthusiast, familiarizing yourself with these verbs will enhance your language proficiency and fluency.

Irregular Verbs List

Irregular verbs require memorization since their past tense and past participle forms deviate from the regular pattern. Below, you’ll find a tabular presentation of commonly used irregular verbs, making it convenient for quick reference.

Base Form	Past Simple	Past Participle
arise	arose	arisen
be	was/were	been
bear	bore	borne/born
beat	beat	beaten
become	became	become
begin	began	begun
bend	bent	bent
bet	bet/betted	bet/betted
bite	bit	bitten
blow	blew	blown
break	broke	broken
bring	brought	brought
build	built	built
burst	burst	burst
buy	bought	bought
catch	caught	caught
choose	chose	chosen
come	came	come
cost	cost	cost
cut	cut	cut
deal	dealt	dealt
dig	dug	dug
do	did	done
draw	drew	drawn
dream	dreamt/dreamed	dreamt/dreamed
drink	drank	drunk
drive	drove	driven
eat	ate	eaten
fall	fell	fallen
feed	fed	fed
feel	felt	felt
fight	fought	fought
find	found	found
flee	fled	fled
fly	flew	flown
forbid	forbade	forbidden
forget	forgot	forgotten
forgive	forgave	forgiven
freeze	froze	frozen
get	got	got/gotten
give	gave	given
go	went	gone
grow	grew	grown
hang	hung	hung
have	had	had
hear	heard	heard
hide	hid	hidden
hit	hit	hit
hold	held	held
hurt	hurt	hurt
keep	kept	kept
kneel	knelt/kneeled	knelt/kneeled
know	knew	known
lay	laid	laid
lead	led	led
lean	leant/leaned	leant/leaned
leap	leapt/leaped	leapt/leaped
learn	learnt/learned	learnt/learned
leave	left	left
lend	lent	lent
let	let	let
lie	lay	lain
light	lit	lit
lose	lost	lost
make	made	made
mean	meant	meant
meet	met	met
pay	paid	paid
put	put	put
read	read	read
ride	rode	ridden
ring	rang	rung
rise	rose	risen
run	ran	run
say	said	said
see	saw	seen
seek	sought	sought
sell	sold	sold
send	sent	sent
set	set	set
shake	shook	shaken
shine	shone	shone
shoot	shot	shot
show	showed	shown/showed
shrink	shrank	shrunk
shut	shut	shut
sing	sang	sung
sink	sank	sunk
sit	sat	sat
sleep	slept	slept
slide	slid	slid
smell	smelt/smelled	smelt/smelled
speak	spoke	spoken
spell	spelt/spelled	spelt/spelled
spend	spent	spent
spill	spilt/spilled	spilt/spilled
spit	spat/spit	spat/spit
split	split	split
spread	spread	spread
spring	sprang	sprung
stand	stood	stood
steal	stole	stolen
stick	stuck	stuck
sting	stung	stung
stink	stank	stunk
strike	struck	struck/stricken
swear	swore	sworn
sweep	swept	swept
swim	swam	swum
swing	swung	swung
take	took	taken
teach	taught	taught
tear	tore	torn
tell	told	told
think	thought	thought
throw	threw	thrown
understand	understood	understood
wake	woke/waked	woken/waked
wear	wore	worn
weep	wept	wept
win	won	won
wind	wound	wound
withdraw	withdrew	withdrawn
withhold	withheld	withheld
withstand	withstood	withstood

FAQs

What are irregular verbs?

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the usual pattern of adding -ed to form their past tense and past participle. Instead, they have unique forms that must be learned individually. For example, the verb “go” becomes “went” in the past tense and “gone” in the past participle.

How do I use an irregular verbs list?

An irregular verbs list helps you remember the special past tense and past participle forms of verbs that don’t follow the regular pattern. By consulting this list, you can quickly find the correct forms for verbs like “see” (saw, seen) and “eat” (ate, eaten). It’s a handy tool for improving your grammar and writing skills.

Why is it important to learn irregular verbs?

Learning irregular verbs is important because they are commonly used in everyday conversation and writing. Mastering these verbs helps you speak and write correctly and fluently. Without knowing the correct forms, your communication might sound awkward or incorrect.

Are there many irregular verbs in English?

Yes, there are many irregular verbs in English, and they can vary in form and usage. While the list might seem long, focusing on the most commonly used verbs will make it easier to learn and remember them. Regular practice and use will help you become more familiar with these verbs.

How can I practice irregular verbs effectively?

To practice irregular verbs effectively, try using them in sentences and conversations. Repetition is key, so writing out the forms or using them in daily practice can help reinforce your memory. Additionally, engaging in grammar exercises and quizzes can make learning these verbs more interactive and enjoyable.

Final tips

In conclusion, mastering irregular verbs is a crucial aspect of achieving fluency in English. Although they present a challenge due to their unique forms, using an irregular verbs list can significantly simplify the learning process. By dedicating time to practice and familiarizing yourself with these verbs, you can enhance your communication skills and ensure that your writing and speaking are accurate and natural. Embrace the process, and with perseverance, you’ll find that handling these verbs becomes second nature.