Irregular verbs are an important type of verb in the English language. It does not follow normal rules of grammar. It is an important topic for all students, especially for those who are preparing for competitive examinations. In this article, we will delve into the world of irregular verbs, and explore their characteristics, types, and common examples of verbs. By the end of this article, you have a solid understanding of irregular verbs and be better equipped to use them correctly in your daily conversations and writing.
What are Irregular Verbs?Â
Irregular verbs are a subgroup of verbs that do not allow the typical conjunction pattern of regular verbs. Irregular verbs do not follow the normal rule of grammar. Irregular verbs differ from regular verbs in that way you can not predict the past form or 2nd form of a verb from its first or base form. As it does not follow normal rules, you have to memorize these verbs.Â
Definition of an Irregular Verb
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the usual rules of grammar. The forms of irregular verbs can not be changed by adding ‘ed’ or ‘d’ to the end. Irregular verbs do not follow the usual rules of grammar for the tense and past participle. Irregular verbs have their own unique tense forms and past participles. For irregular verbs, you have to change the inside vowel of a verb in most cases. For example, ‘swim’ changes to ‘swam’ and ‘swum’.Â
For Example – Have, Say, Make, Lose, Bring, Think, Catch, Keep, Hold, Find, Teach, Buy, Tell, Put, Know, Begin, Drink, Write, Speak, Grow, Get, Go, Come, Become, etc.Â
Conjugating Irregular Verbs – Rules and Examples
Conjugating irregular verbs can be a little challenging to learn. Although it is frequently believed to be a challenging endeavour, this is untrue. Please attempt to unlearn whatever preconceived assumptions you may have about irregular verbs before we begin. Let’s go back to the beginning with an open mind.
Based on how irregular verbs behave when transformed to reflect the simple past and past participle forms, there are three basic groups from which irregular verb conjugation can be learned.
It fits into the following categories:
Group 1 consists of irregular verbs that have the same spelling in both the simple past and past participle forms as the root verb. These verbs don’t change in any sort of tense.
Group 2: Irregular verbs spelt the same in both the past participle and simple past forms. This group includes a few irregular verbs that also have different spellings.
Group 3: Non-regular verbs with three distinct spelling patterns for the base, simple past, and past participle forms of the verb.
For a better understanding, let’s have a look at the list of irregular verbs that belong to each of the three classes.
Using Irregular Verbs in Sentences
To use irregular verbs correctly, it is essential to understand their conjugation in different tenses. Here are some examples of irregular verbs used in sentences:
- She went to the store yesterday.
- They have had a great time on their vacation.
- He did his homework earlier today.
- We saw a beautiful sunset at the beach.
- I have eaten dinner already.
There are three forms of an irregular verb.Â
- 1st form or present simple form.
- 2nd form or simple past form.
- 3rd form or Past participle form.Â
Irregular Verbs Examples
Group 1 – Irregular Verbs with the Same Spelling across All Forms
Base Verb
|
Simple Past Form
|
Past Participle Form
|
Cut
|
Cut
|
Cut
|
Put
|
Put
|
Put
|
Shut
|
Shut
|
Shut
|
Hurt
|
Hurt
|
Hurt
|
Burst
|
Burst
|
Burst
|
Shed
|
Shed
|
Shed
|
Bet
|
Bet
|
Bet
|
Let
|
Let
|
Let
|
Set
|
Set
|
Set
|
Hit
|
Hit
|
Hit
|
Split
|
Split
|
Split
|
Spread
|
Spread
|
Spread
|
Cast
|
Cast
|
Cast
|
Thrust
|
Thrust
|
Thrust
|
Group 2 – Irregular Verbs with the Same Simple Past Form and Past Participle Form
Base Verb
|
Simple Past Form
|
Past Participle Form
|
Bend
|
Bent
|
Bent
|
Bind
|
Bound
|
Bound
|
Find
|
Found
|
Found
|
Learn
|
Learnt/Learned
|
Learnt/Learned
|
Buy
|
Bought
|
Bought
|
Think
|
Thought
|
Thought
|
Catch
|
Caught
|
Caught
|
Light
|
Lit
|
Lit
|
Bring
|
Brought
|
Brought
|
Build
|
Built
|
Built
|
Hang
|
Hung
|
Hung
|
Spoil
|
Spoilt/Spoiled
|
Spoilt/Spoiled
|
Hear
|
Heard
|
Heard
|
Understand
|
Understood
|
Understood
|
Lose
|
Lost
|
Lost
|
Spill
|
Spilt/Spilled
|
Spilt/Spilled
|
Have
|
Had
|
Had
|
Burn
|
Burnt/Burned
|
Burnt/Burned
|
Strike
|
Struck
|
Struck
|
Lead
|
Led
|
Led
|
Say
|
Said
|
Said
|
Kneel
|
Knelt
|
Knelt
|
Dream
|
Dreamt/Dreamed
|
Dreamt/Dreamed
|
Hang
|
Hung
|
Hung
|
Make
|
Made
|
Made
|
Lay
|
Laid
|
Laid
|
Keep
|
Kept
|
Kept
|
Swing
|
Swung
|
Swung
|
Group 3 – Irregular Verbs with Completely Different Spellings for Each Form
Base Verb
|
Simple Past Form
|
Past Participle Form
|
Blow
|
Blew
|
Blown
|
Arise
|
Arose
|
Arisen
|
See
|
Saw
|
Seen
|
Run
|
Ran
|
Run
|
Sink
|
Sank
|
Sunk
|
Drink
|
Drank
|
Drunk
|
Sing
|
Sang
|
Sung
|
Break
|
Broke
|
Broken
|
Fly
|
Flew
|
Flown
|
Ring
|
Rang
|
Rung
|
Give
|
Gave
|
Given
|
Ride
|
Rode
|
Ridden
|
Rise
|
Rose
|
Risen
|
Take
|
Took
|
Taken
|
Shrink
|
Shrank
|
Shrunk
|
Strive
|
Strove
|
Striven
|
Throw
|
Threw
|
Thrown
|
Write
|
Wrote
|
Written
|
Show
|
Showed
|
Shown
|
Know
|
Knew
|
Known
|
Shake
|
Shook
|
Shaken
|
Bite
|
Bit
|
Bitten
|
Begin
|
Began
|
Begun
|
An Alternative Method to Learn Irregular Verbs and Their Conjugation
There is one other way in which you can learn irregular verbs easily by categorising words according to their change in spelling. Have a look at the following table to understand how.
Base Verb
|
Simple Past Form
|
Past Participle Form
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ow/Aw’ → ‘Ew’ → ‘Own/Awn’
|
Blow
|
Blew
|
Blown
|
Throw
|
Threw
|
Thrown
|
Know
|
Knew
|
Known
|
Grow
|
Grew
|
Grown
|
Draw
|
Drew
|
Drawn
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ise’ → ‘Ose’ → ‘Isen’
|
Arise
|
Arose
|
Arisen
|
Rise
|
Rose
|
Risen
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ive’ → ‘Ove/Ave’ → ‘Iven’
|
Strive
|
Strove
|
Striven
|
Give
|
Gave
|
Given
|
Forgive
|
Forgave
|
Forgiven
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Et’ → ‘Ot’ → ‘Otten’
|
Get
|
Got
|
Gotten
|
Forget
|
Forgot
|
Forgotten
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ide/Ite’ → ‘Ode/Ote/Id/It’ → ‘Idden/Itten’
|
Ride
|
Rode
|
Ridden
|
Write
|
Wrote
|
Written
|
Bite
|
Bit
|
Bitten
|
Hide
|
Hid
|
Hidden
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ink/Ing/In’ → ‘Ank/Ang/An’ → ‘Unk/Ung/Un’
|
Sink
|
Sank
|
Sunk
|
Drink
|
Drank
|
Drunk
|
Sing
|
Sang
|
Sung
|
Ring
|
Rang
|
Rung
|
Spring
|
Sprang
|
Sprung
|
Begin
|
Began
|
Begun
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ake’ → ‘Ook’ → ‘Aken’
|
Take
|
Took
|
Taken
|
Shake
|
Shook
|
Shaken
|
Mistake
|
Mistook
|
Mistaken
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Eak/Ake/Eal’ → ‘Oke/Ole’ → ‘Oken/Olen’
|
Break
|
Broke
|
Broken
|
Speak
|
Spoke
|
Spoken
|
Wake
|
Woke
|
Woken
|
Steal
|
Stole
|
Stolen
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Ear’ → ‘Ore’ → ‘Orn/Orne’
|
Wear
|
Wore
|
Worn
|
Tear
|
Tore
|
Torn
|
Bear
|
Bore
|
Borne
|
Irregular Verbs Ending in ‘Oose’ → ‘Ose’ → ‘Osen’
|
Choose
|
Chose
|
Chosen
|
Irregular Verbs With ‘Ought/Aught’ in the Simple Past and Past Participle Form
|
Seek
|
Sought
|
Sought
|
Think
|
Thought
|
Thought
|
Catch
|
Caught
|
Caught
|
Buy
|
Bought
|
Bought
|
Fight
|
Fought
|
Fought
|
Bring
|
Brought
|
Brought
|
Teach
|
Taught
|
Taught
|
Irregular Verbs List
Have, Say, Make, Lose, Bring, Think, Catch, Keep, Hold, Find, Teach, Buy, Tell, Put, Know, Begin, Drink, Write, Speak, Grow, Get, Go, Come, Become, Â See, Go, Know, Get, Give, Tell, Come, Run, Send, Win, Steal, Speak, Swim etc.Â
Irregular Verbs Examples
Set 1 – Irregular Verbs with the Same Spelling across All Forms
Regular Verbs vs. Irregular VerbsÂ
Regular VerbsÂ
|
Irregular VerbsÂ
|
2nd form can be made easily by adding ‘ed’
|
You can not predict the 2nd form easily.
|
2nd form is formed by adding ‘ed’ to the first form.Â
Examples: Care – cared, add – added
|
2nd form is formed by changing the vowel in the middle of the verb.Â
Examples: Tell – Told, do – did
|
2nd and 3rd forms are always alike.
|
2nd  and 3rd forms are not alike.Â
|
It has four form verbs.Â
|
It has five or three form verbs.
|
Unlimited in number.
|
Limited in number, approximately over 200.
|
Irregular Verb ExerciseÂ
1. Someone has __________ (use the past participle form of steal) my purse.Â
2. Have you ________ ( Â use the past participle form of do) this work?Â
3. The innocent girl ___________ ( use the past simple form of break) the toy by mistake.Â
4. I was _________ ( use the past participle form of losing) my mobile.Â
5. Today Rahul _________ ( use the past simple form of buy) a new car.Â
6. After working two days, some workers _______ ( use the past simple form of leave) the job.Â
7. The drunk man ________ ( use the past simple form of hit) the bike.Â
8. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was ___________ ( use the past participle form of fight) for freedom.Â
9. Argentina _______ ( use the past simple form of win) the FIFA 2022 Cup.Â
10. Has the class _________ ( use the past participle form of begin) yet?Â
Answer : Â
1. StolenÂ
2. DoneÂ
3. BrokeÂ
4. LostÂ
5. BoughtÂ
6. LeftÂ
7. HitÂ
8. Fought
9. Won
10. BegunÂ
Irregular Verbs in English- FAQs
Q1. What are irregular verbs?Â
Irregular verbs do not follow the normal rule of grammar. Irregular verbs differ from regular verbs in that way you can not predict the past form or 2nd form of a verb from its first or base form. As it does not follow normal rules, you have to memorize these verbs.Â
Q2. What is the definition of irregular verbs?Â
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the usual rules of grammar. The forms of irregular verbs can not be changed by adding ‘ed’ or ‘d’ to the end.Â
Q3. What are the 4 types of irregular verbs?Â
- Type 1: Verbs with the same base form, past simple and past participle.Â
- Type 2: Verbs with the same past simple and past participle.Â
- Type 3: verbs with the same Base form and Past participle.Â
- Type 4: Verbs with different Base forms, Past simple and Past participle.Â
Q4. What are examples of irregular verbs? Â
Have, Say, Make, Lose, Bring, Think, Catch, Keep, Hold, Find, Teach, Buy, Tell, Put, Know, Begin, Drink, Write, Speak, Grow, Get, Go, Come, Become, Â See, Go, Know, Get, Give, Tell, Come, Run, Send, Win, Steal, Speak, Swim etc.Â
Q5. What is V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 list?
In the context of verb conjugation, we use five distinct forms denoted as V1, V2, V3, V4, and V5. V1 represents the base form of the verb, V2 is the simple past form, V3 is the past participle form, V4 is the third-person singular present form, and V5 is the present participle form.
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