Irregular verbs in English

Did you know that about 70% of the time when we use a verb in English, it is an irregular one? That means that learning and using irregular verbs is essential for learning English! The English language has so many irregular verbs that it can make you go crazy but even irregular verbs follow some patterns. In this lesson, youll learn groups of irregular verbs that can make it easier to memorize them. For each group, Ive given one pronunciation example. Dont just study this list try to create your own sentences and use all the verbs you know! This will help you remember them much better. Ready? Lets go!

Verbs with all 3 forms identical

Lets begin with the easiest group of irregular verbs. These verbs are the same in the present, the past, and the past participle. They include: bet, burst, cast, cost, cut, fit,* hit, hurt, let, put, quit, set, shut, split, spread * When talking about clothes being the correct size

Verbs with identical Present and Past Participle

These verbs are the same in the present and the past participle. Only the past form is different: Present come become run Past came became ran Past Participle come become run

www.espressoenglish.net Shayna Oliveira 2012

Verbs with N in the Past Participle

These verbs are a little more complicated, as they have n in the past participle form. There are a few different groups of verbs:

With o in the past and past participle

Present break choose forget freeze get speak steal tear wake wear Past broke chose forgot froze got spoke stole tore woke wore Past Participle broken chosen forgotten frozen gotten spoken stolen torn woken worn

With o in the past only

Present drive ride rise write Past drove rode rose wrote Past Participle driven ridden risen written

Past with -ew, past participle with -own

Present blow fly grow know throw Past blew flew grew knew threw Past Participle blown flown grown known thrown

Other irregular verbs with past participle ending in n

Present bite Past bit
www.espressoenglish.net Shayna Oliveira 2012

Past Participle bitten

hide eat fall forbid forgive give see shake take

hid ate fell forbade forgave gave saw shook took

hidden eaten fallen forbidden forgiven given seen shaken taken

Verbs with vowel changes

Long e changes to short e
Present keep sleep feel bleed feed meet lead Past kept slept felt bled fed met led Past Participle kept slept felt bled fed met led

ea is pronounced differently
Present deal dream mean read hear Past dealt dreamt meant read heard Past Participle dealt dreamt meant read heard

Long i changes to ou
Present bind find grind wind Past bound found ground wound Past Participle bound found ground wound

www.espressoenglish.net Shayna Oliveira 2012

Short i changes to u
Present dig stick spin sting swing Past dug stuck spun stung swung Past Participle dug stuck spun stung swung

-ell changes to -old

Present sell tell Past sold told Past Participle sold told

-ought and aught endings

Present bring buy catch fight seek teach think Past brought bought caught fought sought taught thought Past Participle brought bought caught fought sought taught thought

Verbs with 3 different vowels

Vowel changes from i to a to u
Present begin drink ring shrink sing sink spring swim Past began drank rang shrank sang sank sprang swam Past Participle begun drunk rung shrunk sung sunk sprung swum

www.espressoenglish.net Shayna Oliveira 2012

The REALLY Irregular Verbs

Well, these are the completely irregular verbs the ones that dont fit into any of the categories above! They are also some of the most commonly used verbs in the English language, so make sure to memorize them in all their crazy irregular forms! Present be do go have make Past was / were did went had made Past Participle been done gone had made

www.espressoenglish.net Shayna Oliveira 2012