Irregular verbs are verbs whose past forms do not follow the regular “-ed” ending pattern. Instead, they change in unpredictable ways. Learning irregular verbs is essential for mastering English grammar, especially for speaking and writing in the past tense and perfect tenses.
What Are Irregular Verbs?
Definition:
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not form their past tense and past participle by simply adding “-ed” to the base form. Their forms must be memorized because they do not follow standard rules.
Patterns of Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs in English can be grouped by how their forms change:
1. Verbs with Three Different Forms
These verbs have a unique form for the infinitive, past simple, and past participle.
| Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| take | took | taken |
| break | broke | broken |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| ring | rang | rung |
| see | saw | seen |
| write | wrote | written |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| drive | drove | driven |
2. Verbs with Two Different Forms
These verbs have the same form for the past simple and past participle.
| Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| find | found | found |
| have | had | had |
| lose | lost | lost |
| meet | met | met |
| build | built | built |
| buy | bought | bought |
| teach | taught | taught |
3. Verbs with Only One Form
These verbs use the same form for the infinitive, past simple, and past participle.
| Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| cut | cut | cut |
| let | let | let |
| put | put | put |
| shut | shut | shut |
| hit | hit | hit |
| cost | cost | cost |
How to Use Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are used in the same way as regular verbs, but you must use the correct form depending on the tense:
- Present Simple: I take the bus every morning.
- Past Simple: I took the bus yesterday.
- Present Perfect: I have taken the bus many times.
Tips for Learning Irregular Verbs
- Group verbs by patterns to make memorization easier.
- Practice using them in sentences.
- Review and test yourself regularly.