Irregular Verbs

What makes a verb irregular?
Regular verbs form their past simple and past participle by adding “-ed” (or “-d” if the verb already ends in “e”). For example:

• walk → walked → walked
  
• play → played → played
  Learn about regular verbs
  

Irregular verbs do not follow this pattern. They change in various ways, such as:
Changing vowels (sing → sang → sung)
Changing consonants (bring → brought → brought)
Having the same form for all three parts (cut → cut → cut)

The following diagram gives some examples of common irregular verbs, grouped by pattern. Scroll down the page for more examples.

 

Common Irregular Verbs, Grouped by Pattern:
Grouping irregular verbs by similar patterns can make them easier to remember. Here are some common categories:

1. Same Form in All Three Parts:
   cost → cost → cost
   cut → cut → cut
   hit → hit → hit
   

2. Same Past Simple and Past Participle:
   bring → brought → brought
   buy → bought → bought
   catch → caught → caught
   

3. Vowel Change in Past Simple, Same Past Participle as Base Form:
   come → came → come
   run → ran → run
   

4. Vowel Changes in Both Past Simple and Past Participle:
   begin → began → begun
   drink → drank → drunk
   ring → rang → rung
   

5. Vowel Change and -en Ending in Past Participle:
   break → broke → broken
   choose → chose → chosen
   drive → drove → driven
   

Spelling Rules for Verbs
Adding -ed
Irregular Verbs
Adding -ing

Learning irregular verbs takes time and effort, but with consistent practice, you’ll master them.
Practice with the following videos and songs.

Irregular Verbs
Learn Irregular Verbs in Song

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80 Irregular Verbs Song

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Common Irregular Verbs | Definition & Examples

• Show Video

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