Learning English irregular verbs can be a difficult and frustrating task, but they are absolutely essential in mastering the English language. Irregular verbs deviate from the typical verb form, and they can often be unpredictable and hard to remember. In this blogpost, I'll do my best to give you some tips and tricks on how to tackle with irregular verbs.
What are irregular verbs in English
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard pattern of conjugation in the English language. Examples of irregular verbs include "go," "be," "do," "have," "say," "see," "come," and "take." Many common verbs have irregular forms in the past tense, such as "ate" (instead of "eat"), "drank" (instead of "drink"), and "went" (instead of "go"). It is important to learn the forms of these verbs since they are used frequently in everyday conversations.
What are the English irregular verbs used for?
English irregular verbs are verbs that don't follow the standard rules for verb conjugation. They are verbs that have a different past tense and past participle form than the infinitive form of the verb. For example, the verb "to go" is an irregular verb; its past tense is "went" and its past participle is "gone".
The simple past form of irregular verbs is used to talk about a completed action in the past. It is used to describe events, activities, and situations that happened in the past. For example, "I went to the store yesterday."
The past participle form of irregular verbs is used to form the perfect tenses, which describe completed actions and situations in the past. For example, "I have gone to the store." This sentence means that the action of going to the store was completed in the past but it has an importance or effect in the present.
When using irregular verbs, it is important to remember that the past tense and past participle forms of the verb must be used correctly in order for the sentence to make sense. It is also important to remember that some irregular verbs have the same past tense and past participle form, such as "cut". Knowing which verbs are irregular and how to correctly conjugate them will help you use them correctly in your English.
Learning the Past Participle (third form) of the irregular verbs boosts your vocabulary more than you might think! This is because the third form of the verbs are actually used as adjectives as well. Look at this example:
I have never seen the River Thames frozen over.
In this sentence, seen is a verb but frozen is an adjective.
Here are some reasons why English irregular verbs can be difficult to learn:
Unpredictability: English irregular verbs often have unpredictable forms that can be difficult to remember. For example, the verb “go” changes to “went” in the past tense. This is not the case with regular verbs, which typically follow a predictable pattern.
Multiple forms: English irregular verbs have multiple forms, depending on the tense and context. For example, the verb “be” has five forms (am, is, are, was, were). This can be confusing for learners and make it difficult to remember which form to use in which context.
Spelling changes: English irregular verbs can often involve spelling changes. For example, the verb “write” changes to “wrote” in the past tense. This can be difficult for learners to remember, especially if they are unfamiliar with the spelling of a particular verb.
Despite the challenges, English irregular verbs are essential for mastering the English language. They are used in everyday speech and can help to express subtle differences in meaning. For example, the verb “be” can be used to express a state of being (I am happy) or an action (I was running). Without these irregular verbs, many nuances of the English language would be lost.
No matter how difficult it might seem, with practice and patience, it is possible to master them and get the most out of your English language skills.
Do you find the English irregular verbs annoying sometimes?
Sometimes? More like all the time!
Nah; I've mastered them already! (just kidding)
Nah; I'm totally cool with them.
I'm OK with them...
How to learn the irregular verbs
Learning irregular verbs can be a challenge for even the most experienced language learners.
However, the best way to learn them is to practise. Start by making flashcards of the irregular
verbs and their meanings, and then create sentences using them. You can also break them
down into categories and commit them to memory. For example, you can make a list of all the verbs that do not change form, and then practice them one at a time. Another helpful tip is to watch movies and TV shows in English and take note of the irregular verbs you hear. The more you practise, the easier it will become.
20 tips on how to memorise irregular verbs
Break the verbs down into smaller chunks to make them easier to remember.
Create mnemonic devices or acronyms to help you remember the different verb forms.
Write the verbs down and use a marker to highlight the different forms.
Make flashcards with the different verb forms and use them to practise.
Use online resources like language-learning apps to help you practise.
Utilise repetition and practise the verbs at least once a day.
Make up stories to help you remember the different verb forms.
Listen to music and add the verbs to the lyrics to help you remember them.
Use visuals to help you remember the verbs, such as drawings or diagrams.
Try to associate the verbs with something you already know.
Try to use the verbs in conversations with native speakers.
Try to use the verbs in sentences in your daily life.
Take a break when you feel like you’re forgetting the verbs.
Make a game out of memorising the verbs, such as a matching game.
Read books or articles that use the verbs in context.
Try to find a study partner who can help you practise and remember the verbs.
Use memory techniques such as the memory palace or the peg system.
Try to use the verbs in different contexts to help you remember them better.
Make sure to review what you have learnt, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Reward yourself for completing your study goals.
How many irregular verbs are there in English
There is no exact number of irregular verbs in English, as new verbs and changes in verb
conjugation are constantly being added to the language. However, some estimates place the
number of irregular verbs in English at around 350.
Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle |
be | was/were | been |
beat | beat | beaten |
become | became | become |
begin | began | begun |
bend | bent | bent |
bet | bet | bet |
bid | bid | bid |
bite | bit | bitten |
blow | blew | blown |
break | broke | broken |
bring | brought | brought |
broadcast | broadcast | broadcast |
build | built | built |
burn | burned or burnt | burned or burnt |
burst | burst | burst |
buy | bought | bought |
catch | caught | caught |
choose | chose | chosen |
come | came | come |
cost | cost | cost |
creep | crept | crept |
cut | cut | cut |
dig | dug | dug |
do | did | done |
draw | drew | drawn |
dream | dreamed or dreamt | dreamed or dreamt |
drink | drank | drunk |
drive | drove | driven |
eat | ate | eaten |
fall | fell | fallen |
feel | felt | felt |
fight | fought | fought |
find | found | found |
fly | flew | flown |
forbid | forbade | forbidden |
forget | forgot | forgotten |
forgive | forgave | forgiven |
freeze | froze | frozen |
get | got | got (British English) gotten (American English) |
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 |
know | knew | known |
lay | laid | laid |
lead | led | led |
learn | learnt or learned | learnt or learned |
leave | left | left |
lend | lent | lent |
let | let | let |
lie | lay | lain |
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 |
saw | sawed | sawn |
see | saw | seen |
sell | sold | sold |
send | sent | sent |
set | set | set |
shake | shook | shaken |
shoot | shot | shot |
show | showed | shown |
shrink | shrank | shrunk |
shut | shut | shut |
sing | sang | sung |
sink | sank | sunk |
sit | sat | sat |
sleep | slept | slept |
slit | slit | slit |
speak | spoke | spoken |
spend | spent | spent |
stand | stood | stood |
steal | stole | stolen |
sting | stung | stung |
stink | stank | stunk |
swim | swam | swum |
take | took | taken |
teach | taught | taught |
tear | tore | torn |
tell | told | told |
think | thought | thought |
throw | threw | thrown |
understand | understood | understood |
wake | woke | woken |
wear | wore | worn |
win | won | won |
write | wrote | written |
Happy Learning & Good luck with your English!
Written by
Mimi Elizabeth
Meet Mimi, a passionate and multi-skilled English expert and teacher. With over 13 years of experience in language teaching, Mimi is dedicated to helping students gain a greater understanding of English, its culture, and how it’s used in different contexts. She has a deep love for the English language, and loves to explore all the nuances that make it so unique. Whether it’s discussing literature, deciphering the complexities of grammar, or helping students learn English as a second language, Mimi has a deep appreciation of English and its many forms. With an eye for detail and a commitment to the craft of teaching, she is an invaluable asset to any English course. With her expertise, students can confidently explore the language and all its facets with an experienced teacher and mentor.