Complete list of irregular verbs in English
Looks like we missed irregular verbs!… 😉 After seeing the list of main irregular verbs in English and how to learn irregular verbs, now let’s see the complete list of all irregular verbs in English!
There are still a few English irregular verbs that are worth seeing.
List of all irregular verbs in English
When there’s more, well there’s more!
So here is the complete list of irregular verbs in English , with examples and sorted alphabetically . Of course, you’ll find the 60 common verbs you encountered earlier , plus some fresh new verbs.
Irregular verbs in A and B
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| AWAKE /əˈweɪk/ (to be awake) I heard some sound. He must be awake then. | AWOKE /ə·ˈwoʊk/ He was gone from our bed when I awoke. | AWOKEN /ə ˈwoʊk ən/ The bald man had awoken with fever. |
| BE /bi/ (to be) I think, therefore I am. | WAS /wɑz/ WERE /wɚ/ I was poor, you were rich. | BEEN /bɪn/ Where have you been? |
| BEAR /bɛɹ/ (to bear) I can’t bear this anymore! | BORE /bɔɹ/ I let him possess me. I bore it. But now he left me. | BORNE /bɔɹn/ or BORN /bɔɹn/ I could not have borne losing you. but He was born on the Fourth of July. |
| BEAT /bit/ (beat) I’m sure you’ll beat the other team. | BEAT /bit/ I finally beat you at something. | BEATEN /’bit ən/ Keep strong and remember, cancer can be beaten. |
| BECOME / bɪ’kəm / (to become) His dream is to become a fireman. | BECAME /bɪ’keɪm/ It became my responsibility. | BECOME / bɪ’kəm / And I’m proud to see the person you’ve become. |
| BEGIN /bɪ’ɡɪn/ (to begin) The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. | BEGAN /bɪ’ɡæn/ She began experiencing some pain and discomfort at work. | BEGUN /bɪ’ɡən/ I have begun preparations for training. |
| BEND /bɛnd/ Can you touch your toes without bending your knees? | BENT /bɛnt/ He finally bent to my wishes. | BENT /bɛnt/ Well, I see you’ve bent the men to your will. |
| BET /bɛt/ (bet) I bet she barely remembers me. | BET /bɛt/ He bet a fortune on the game. | BET /bɛt/ I’ve bet my whole fortune on this. |
| BID /bɪd/ (make a bid) For this masterpiece, I bid $1,000. | BID /bɪd/ You bought or bid an item from them. | BID /bɪd/ He shouldn’t have bid on that item. What is he gonna do with it? |
| BIND /baɪnd/ (bind) The bill does not bind the government to specific measures. | BOUND /baʊnd/ You bound me because you wanted my love just as you want everyone else’s love. | BOUND /baʊnd/ Prevention and care are inextricably bound. |
| BITE /baɪt/ (to bite) You can pet the dog. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite. | BIT /bɪt/ He bit his lip or something. | BITTEN /ˈbɪt ən/ Am I the only one getting bitten by mosquitoes? |
| BLEED /bɫid/ (bleed) Oh my God! What happened? You’re bleeding. | BLED /bɫɛd/ The poor bastard bled to death. | BLED /bɫɛd/ You told me your people had bled enough. |
| BLOW /bɫoʊ/ (to blow) He’s blowing a balloon. | BLEW /bɫu/ He really blew a fuse about his car. | BLOWN /bɫoʊn/ The wind has blown very strongly all day! |
| BREAK /bɹeɪk/ (to break) How did you break your wrist? | BROKE /bɹoʊk/ You knocked out four teeth and broke his nose. | BROKEN /’bɹoʊk ən/ Have you ever broken a bone? |
| BREED /bɹid/ (breed) They own a farm and breed a few animals there. | BRED /bɹɛd/ Government probably bred those creatures to kill monsters. | BRED /bɹɛd/ You were bred to be a soldier, a general, a leader of men. |
| BRING /bɹɪŋ/ (to bring) Would you like me to bring something? | BROUGHT /bɹɔt/ I brought you flowers. | BROUGHT /bɹɔt/ Court proceedings were brought against him in this regard. |
| BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ (diffuser) It is not authorized to broadcast news. | BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ Last time we broadcast something, he was listening. | BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ These images were broadcast all over the world. |
| BUILD /bɪɫd/ (to build) They’re building a new stadium. | BUILT /bɪɫt/ This is the wardrobe I built for you a decade ago. | BUILT /bɪɫt/ This historic building was built in 1877. |
| BURN /bɝn/ What ‘s that smell? I think something’s burning. | BURNED /bɝnd/ He burned half a bank note to show how much of his income was left after taxes. | BURNED /bɝnd/ I’m drilling this material until it’s burned into my brain! |
| BURST /bɝst/ (burst) I feel like my head might burst. | BURST /bɝst/ She burst into tears as soon as she heard the news. | BURST /bɝst/ A water pipe must have burst. |
| BUY /baɪ/ (buy) If I were a billionaire, I’d buy an island. | BOUGHT /bɑt/ I bought him some shoes yesterday. | BOUGHT /bɑt/ I’ve bought the present but I don’t have a girlfriend to send it to. |
Irregular verbs in C, D and E
Drive verb conjugation in English: Drive-Drove-Driven
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| CAST /kæst/ (cast) Marcus, stop trying to cast spells. | CAST /kaest/ She also cast a spell on you – for good luck. | CAST /kæst/ The financial crisis has cast a dark cloud over the global economy. |
| CATCH /kætʃ/ (catch) Look! The cat is going to catch the mouse. | CAUGHT /kɑt/ His parents caught him rolling a joint. | CAUGHT /kɑt/ But his friend and long-time organizer was caught red-handed. |
| CHOOSE /tʃuz/ (choose) Why did you choose to attend college? | CHOSE /tʃoʊz/ That day, I chose not to be a victim. | CHOSEN /ˈtʃoʊs ən/ Again, the government has chosen to bypass this issue. |
| CLING /kɫɪŋ/ (to cling) Don’t cling to the past. | CLUNG /kɫəŋ/ He clung to the hope that he would see her again someday. | CLUNG /kɫəŋ/ Maybe I like being clung to people. |
| COME /kəm/ (come) Come here. Time for a hug! | CAME /keɪm/ They came with some specific program changes. | COME /kəm/ We had so much fun! You should have come with us. |
| COST /kɑst/ (to cost) It’s going to cost a lot of money. | COST /kɑst/ It cost 1.7 million dollars to develop. | COST /kɑst/ Your lack of judgment has cost this company millions. |
| CREEP /kɹip/ (crawl) Would you creep in and take a look? | CREPT /kɹɛpt/ This creature crept into our most secret meetings. | CREPT /kɹɛpt/ Some of these ideas have crept into conventional medicine. |
| CUT /kət/ (to cut) I cut one side, you the other. | CUT /kət/ I cut myself shaving this morning. | CUT /kət/ Will the grass be cut this weekend? |
| DEAL /diɫ/ (deal) He deals with those kinds of problems all the time. | DEALT /dɛɫt/ Philip dealt with their case concerning the last mortgage. | DEALT /dɛɫt/ The government has simply not dealt effectively with this issue. |
| DIG /dɪɡ/ (dig) He’s digging a hole. | DUG /dəɡ/ He dug his own grave when he did that. | DUG /dəɡ/ I’ve dug enough for now, I’m so thirsty! |
| DO /du/ (do) How do I get to school from here? | DID /dɪd/ He created a website. He did it himself. | DONE /dən/ Then maybe I’m done talking. |
| DRAW /drɔ/ She waxes her eyebrows then draws them with makeup. | DREW /dru/ This looks like a kid drew it. | DRAwn /drɔn/ It’s really well drawn, like a photo. |
| DREAM /dɹim/ Pinch me, I must be dreaming. | DREAMED /dɹimd/ This is even better than I dreamed. | DREAMED /dɹimd/ I’ve always dreamed of a life at sea. |
| DRINK /dɹɪŋk/ (to drink) I drink a lot of water when I get up. | DRANK /dɹæŋk/ I drank milk that tasted funny. | DRUNK /dɹəŋk/ She can’t possibly have drunk the whole bottle on her own! |
| DRIVE /dɹaɪv/ (to drive) He drives a white car. | DROVE /dɹoʊv/ He drove carelessly and had an accident. | DRIVEN /’dɹɪv ən/ I have driven that highway many times. |
| EAT /it/ (eat) What do you wanna eat? | ATE /eɪt/ Everything he ate made him sick. | EATEN /’it ən/ Was the fly eaten by the frog? |
Irregular verbs in F and G
Verb grow conjugation: Grow-Grew-Grown
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| FALL /fɑɫ/ (to fall) I wanna fall in love… with you | FELL /fɛl/ Apparently the wall fell in Berlin. | FALLEN /’fɑɫ ən/ Their real income has catastrophically fallen. |
| FEED /fid/ (feed) She’s going to feed the dog. | FED /fɛd/ They fed the poor, protected orphans and sheltered the aged. | FED /fɛd/ Chickens are now fed organic feed. |
| FEEL /fiɫ/ If I drink green tea, I feel more relaxed. | FELT /fɛɫt/ She felt useful helping and looking after the clients. | FELT /fɛɫt/ I’ve felt pretty alone since moving here. |
| FIGHT /faɪt/ You need to fight for your dream. | FOUGHT /fɔt/ My father fought for this country. | FOUGHT /fɔt/ Mankind has fought against many diseases. |
| FIND /faɪnd/ (to find) I’ll do it when I find the time. | FOUND /faʊnd/ But, I personally found it wonderful. | FOUND /faʊnd/ Looks like you’ve finally found a worthy opponent. |
| FLEE /fɫi/ (flee) They left the country to flee the war. | FLED /fɫɛd/ The robber took some $230 from the register and fled. | FLED /fɫɛd/ Insurgents have fled across the border. |
| FLING /fɫɪŋ/ (throw) I don’t have an urge to fling my waste. | FLUNG /fɫəŋ/ I flung it into the sea. | FLUNG /fɫəŋ/ He had been flung to the ground during the fight. |
| FLY /fɫaɪ/ (to fly in the air) I wish I could fly. | FLEW /fɫu/ They flew around me like specters. | FLOWN /fɫoʊn/ We’ve flown over that side of the island. |
| FORBID /fɝˈbɪd/ (ban) You forbid it? You can’t forbid it. You can’t forbid me anything. | FORBAD /fɝˈbæd/ or FORBADE /fɝˈbeɪd/ I forbad the kids to play on the lawn. | FORBIDDEN /fɔɹˈbəd ən/ Everything that is not specifically forbidden is allowed. |
| FORGET /fɚ’ɡɛt/ (to forget) I keep forgetting that word. | FORGOT /fɚ’ɡɑt/ Wait. I forgot what I was saying. | FORGOTTEN /fɚ’ɡɑt ən/ His brother hasn’t forgotten either about the upcoming trip to America. |
| FORGIVE /fɝˈɡɪv/ (forgive) Come on, you have to forgive me! | FORGAVE /fɝˈɡeɪv/ She already forgave you a long time ago. | FORGIVEN /fɝˈgɪv ən/ Everything we’ve done is forgiven. |
| FREEZE /fɹiz/ (to freeze) In these temperatures it could freeze in seconds. | FROZE /fɹoʊz/ I froze the food. | FROZEN /ˈfɹoʊz ən/ The lake was frozen and so we went ice skating on it. |
| GET /ɡɛt/ (get) Each player gets six cards. | GOT /ɡɑt/ Cat got your tongue? You’re so quiet tonight. | GOT /ɡɑt/ ; GOTTEN /ɡɑtn/ I have also got hardcore evidence. |
| GIVE /ɡɪv/ (give) Can I give you a piece of advice? | GAVE /ɡeɪv/ He gave 10% of everything he earned to charity. | GIVEN /’ɡɪv ən/ Perhaps judges must be given instructions. |
| GO /ɡoʊ/ (go) I’m going to the office. | WENT /wɛnt/ We went to a theme park last weekend. | GONE /ɡɔn/ He’s probably gone for a walk. |
| GRIND /ɡraɪnd/ (grind) He grinds his own coffee. | GROUND /ɡraʊnd/ We ground fresh beans to make our coffee. | GROUND /ɡraʊnd/ The natural product is finely ground. |
| GROW /ɡɹoʊ/ (to grow) What do you want to do when you grow up? | GREW /ɡɹu/ Nothing grew there but wild lavender. | GROWN /ɡɹoʊn/ But you’ve grown so much these last five years. |
Irregular verbs from H to L
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| HANG /hæŋ/ (to hang) She needs a place to hang her hat. | HUNG /həŋ/ Two more traitors arrested – and hung. | HUNG /həŋ/ I’ve hung a lantern out for you. |
| HAVE /hæv/ I have a lot of ideas. | HAD /hæd/ She had a very happy childhood. | HAD /hæd/ They’ve had their puppy for a few weeks now. |
| HEAR /hɪɹ/ (hear) I’m sorry to hear it. | HEARD /hɝd/ I heard some very disturbing news. | HEARD /hɝd/ This is the most awkward question I’ve heard so far. |
| HIDE /haɪd/ (hide) I’m so excited. And I just can’t hide it. | HID /hɪd/ Wah! What the hell? Who hid a skeleton in there? | HIDDEN /’hɪd ən/ I’ll never tell anyone where I’ve hidden the treasure. |
| HIT /hɪt/ (type) Hit the brakes! You’re gonna hit that car! | HIT /hɪt/ A big wave hit him and he lost his swimsuit. | HIT /hɪt/ He was hit by a car. |
| HOLD /hoʊɫd/ (hold) They’re holding hands. | HELD /hɛɫd/ I held very similar public meetings on this subject. | HELD /hɛɫd/ I’ve held this position for a decade. |
| HURT /hɝt/ (to hurt) My left foot hurts. | HURT /hɝt/ He hurt himself pretty badly. | HURT /hɝt/ I’ve hurt all my friends and family with my addiction. |
| KEEP /kip/ Can you keep a secret? | KEPT /kɛpt/ He kept the secret for years. | KEPT /kɛpt/ Quebec has always kept tuition fees low. |
| KNEEL /niɫ/ (to kneel) I want to kneel to my king. | KNELT /nɛɫt/ She knelt beside him and asked him what his name was. | KNELT /nɛɫt/ They’ve knelt outside for 5 days. |
| KNOW / noʊ / (to know) Do you know what the worst part is? | KNEW /nju/ He probably knew every bartender in town. | KNOWN /noʊn/ I should have known she was behind this! |
| LAY /ɫeɪ/ (lay) I’m going to lay on the bed for a bit. | LAID /ɫeɪd/ You know, I never trusted you, from the second I laid my eyes on you. | LAID /ɫeɪd/ He has never actually laid eyes on her. |
| LEAD /ɫid/ (to lead) All leaders should lead by example. | LED /ɫɛd/ It led to the appropriate investments. | LED /ɫɛd/ Economic growth has led to increasing demand. |
| LEAN /ɫin/ (lean) All you do is lean forward and kiss, like this: Mwah! | LEANED /ɫind/ I leaned down to see if he was alright. | LEANED /ɫind/ He could have leaned out of the window. |
| LEAP /ɫip/ (to leap) He’s stepped back, the better to leap forward. | LEAPED /ɫipd/ Pooh leaped out of bed and greeted the day with much enthusiasm. | LEAPED /ɫipd/ I would have leaped at the chance. |
| LEARN /ɫɝn/ (to learn) I love to learn new things! | LEARNED /ɫɝnd/ I learned some English in school but it’s just school, you know? | LEARNED /ɫɝnd/ Alright, what have we learned so far? |
| LEAVE /ɫiv/ (to leave) Nobody leaves till we find it. | LEFT /ɫɛft/ Someone left a package for you. | LEFT /ɫɛft/ She hasn’t left her room since you came back. |
| LEND /ɫɛnd/ (lend) I heard he’ll be lending them some money. | LENT /ɫɛnt/ This is the man who lent us money. | LENT /ɫɛnt/ I would have lent you some money. |
| LET /ɫɛt/ (to leave) Hmm… Let me think. | LET /ɫɛt/ She actually let us finish the whole meal. | LET /ɫɛt/ I’ve let this situation get completely out of hand. |
| LIE /ɫaɪ/ (lie down) I’m gonna lie down in the hammock and take a nap now. | LAY /ɫeɪ/ Yesterday, I lay there thinking about what I had to do. | LAIN /ɫeɪn/ Joseph, you know I have never lain with a man. |
| LIGHT /ɫaɪt/ (lighten) They light candles and put on some relaxing music. | LIT /ɫɪt/ I lit it exactly the way Bob would have. | LIT /ɫɪt/ The park is brightly lit. |
| LOSE /luz/ (lose) You may wanna lose some weight before the wedding. | LOST /ɫɔst/ Her kid lost a tooth today. | LOST /ɫɔst/ We have lost, but not the war. |
Irregular verbs from M to R
Aren’t you fed up? Courage, let’s see the verbs from M to R!
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| MAKE /meɪk/ (to make) Make love, not war. | MADE /meɪd/ Whoever made the appointment made a mistake. | MADE /meɪd/ He may have made a mistake. |
| MEAN /min/ (to mean) Do you know what I mean? | MEANT /mɛnt/ But for me it meant absolutely nothing. | MEANT /mɛnt/ These decisions have meant taking special precautionary measures. |
| MEET /mit/ Would you like to meet before class ? | MET /mɛt/ She’s dating that guy she met at the club. | MET /mɛt/ You might have met his cousin, I think. I’m not sure. |
| PAY /peɪ/ (to pay) How much did you pay for your ticket? – 375 euros. | PAID /peɪd/ He paid twenty-four grand for his car. | PAID /peɪd/ We have paid a terrible price. |
| PUT /pʊt/ (put) Just put it on the table. | PUT /pʊt/ He put his heart and soul into this project. | PUT /pʊt/ You must have put it in your bag by accident. |
| QUIT /kwɪt/ (to quit) If I were not in debt, I’d quit my job. | QUIT /kwɪt/ I quit working for him yesterday. | QUIT /kwɪt/ You shouldn’t have quit racing. |
| READ /ɹid/ (read) Can you read what’s written on this label? | READ /ɹɛd/ She read a lot of fairy tales when she was a kid. | READ /ɹɛd/ I have never read such beautiful letters. |
| RENT /ɹɛnt/ (rent) It was in 1991. He had just opened a store to rent DVDs. | RENT /ɹɛnt/ I rent a foldout couch from a very nice lady. | RENT /ɹɛnt/ It’s not like I have rent a car for 3 weeks! |
| RID /ɹɪd/ (get rid of) Let’s just do whatever necessary to rid us of this problem. | RID /ɹɪd/ I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance. | RID /ɹɪd/ He’s got a thick accent, and he’s trying to get rid of it. |
| RIDE /ɹaɪd/ (go by vehicle) Do people ride their bikes on the road or on the sidewalk here? | RODE /ɹoʊd/ Guys, I rode my bike to get here. | RIDDEN /ˈɹɪd ən/ I’ve never ridden a tricycle. |
| RING /ɹɪŋ/ (ring) Your phone’s been ringing a few times. | RANG /ɹæŋ/ Just when I was about to fall asleep, someone rang the bell. | RUNG /ɹəŋ/ The phone has rung, like, 19 times. |
| RISE /ɹaɪz/ (to rise) The sun was rising – it was beautiful. | ROSE /ɹoʊz/ As the sun rose, the stars faded away. | RISEN /ˈɹɪz ən/ Food and energy prices in international markets had risen considerably. |
| RUN /ɹən/ (run) Run Forrest. Run! | RAN /ɹæn/ They ran to the bargaining table. | RUN /ɹən/ I feel as if I’ve run a marathon. |
Irregular verbs in S
Yes, there are so many irregular verbs in S, in English, that this letter deserves its own column!
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| SAY /seɪ/ (to say) I’d like to say thank you. | SAID /sɛd/ You said yourself that he already has doubt. | SAID /sɛd/ We must have said something wrong. |
| SEE /si/ (see) I’m glad to see you! | SAW /sɔ/ As soon as he saw her, he ran in the opposite direction! | SEEN /sin/ It has seen the most substantive growth. |
| SEEK /sik/ (search) Given all his problems, maybe he should seek professional help. | SOUGHT /sɔt/ We sought and achieved a solution that supports common security objectives. | SOUGHT /sɔt/ Farms have sought economies of scale by growing bigger. |
| SELL /sɛɫ/ They don’t sell a lot of stuff here. | SOLD /soʊɫd/ He sold all the gold he had. | SOLD /soʊɫd/ They’ve sold over 80 million albums worldwide. |
| SEND /sɛnd/ (send) I need to send an e-mail. | SENT /sɛnt/ I looked over the file you sent me. | SENT /sɛnt/ I’ve sent someone to help you get away. |
| SET /sɛt/ (set) Set your goals high! Love for the stars! | SET /sɛt/ He set the table an hour ago. | SET /sɛt/ The oven temperature is set at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| SEW /soʊ/ (to sew) I’m sewing a button back on my shirt. | SEWED /soʊd/ I sewed the dress with silk thread. | SEWN /səʊn/ It’s sewn inside my vest. |
| SHAKE /ʃeɪk/ (to shake) I don’t know if I should shake hands or kiss her hello. | SHOOK /ʃʊk/ An earthquake of magnitude 5 shook Tokyo. | SHAKEN /ˈʃeɪk ən/ I have to admit my trust in them has been shaken. |
| SHED /ʃɛd/ (shed) Say goodbye, shed a few tears. | SHED /ʃɛd/ Some blood shed on the collar, nothing serious. | SHED /ʃɛd/ I have shed blood for the truth! |
| SHINE /ʃaɪn/ (to shine) The sun would shine even brighter. | SHONE /ʃoʊn/ The sun shone through the trees. | SHONE /ʃoʊn/ And the sun has not shone since. |
| SHOOT /ʃut/ (to shoot) Must be tough to actually shoot somebody. | SHOT /ʃɑt/ I shot a shotgun at the firing range once. | SHOT /ʃɑt/ If he was shot here, you’d expect spatter. |
| SHOW /ʃoʊ/ (show) That’s the chart I wanted to show you. | SHOWED /ʃoʊd/ Today you showed me your weaknesses. | SHOWN /ʃoʊn/ You have shown excellent results shooting. |
| SHRINK /ɹɪŋk/ (to shrink) Don’t do that, or else the laundry is going to shrink. | SHRANK /ʃɹæŋk/ My jeans shrank in the wash. | SHRUNK /ʃɹəŋk/ The world around us has shrunk with incredible speed. |
| SHUT /ʃət/ (to close) Keep your mouth shut! | SHUT /ʃət/ They finally shut up! | SHUT /ʃət/ The underground’s been shut indefinitely. |
| SING /sɪŋ/ (sing) I’m going to sing on stage for the first time! | SANG /sæŋ/ He sang beautifully… played different instruments and loved poetry. | SUNG /səŋ/ You could’ve sung him that song. |
| SINK /sɪŋk/ (to sink) Our ship is sinking! | SANK /sæŋk/ They destroyed all the houses and sank the boats. | SUNK /səŋk/ He’s sunk $5,000 into this. |
| SIT /sɪt/ (to be seated) Let’s sit in the center. | SAT /sæt/ Yesterday we sat together, not even speaking. | SAT /sæt/ I’ve sat in this kitchen a hundred times. |
| SLEEP /sɫip/ (to sleep) Do you mind if she sleeps here tonight? | SLEPT /sɫɛpt/ Aaahhh! I sleep like a baby! | SLEPT /sɫɛpt/ Personally, I really enjoyed it. I hadn’t slept like that since kindergarten. |
| SLIDE /sɫaɪd/ Now just let your fingers slide through the tortilla. | SLID / sɫɪd / Dean slid behind the wheel of his beloved Impala. | SLID / sɫɪd / This was slide under my apartment door. |
| SMELL /smɛɫ/ (feel) Yum, yum! This smells really good! Can I have a slice? | SMELLED /smɛɫd/ I can’t remember a time I smelled something so delicious! | SMELLED /smɛɫd/ Jeff has smelled gas this morning. |
| SOW /soʊ/ (to sow) You reap what you sow. | SOWED /soʊd/ The farmer sowed his field with wheat. | SOWN /soʊn/ Several hectares were sown with potatoes. |
| SPEAK /spik/ (to speak) I wanna speak good English. | SPOKE /spoʊk/ What was the name of the person you spoke to? | SPOKEN /’spoʊk ən/ I’ve spoken with my overseas representatives. |
Slide verb conjugation: Slide-Slid-Slid
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| SPEED /spid/ Group clothes according to fabric type to speed drying . | SPED /spɛd/ A motorcycle sped toward me, out of control. | SPED /spɛd/ If you really cared, you wouldn’t have sped off. |
| SPELL /spɛɫ/ (to spell) How do you spell that? | SPELLED /spɛɫd/ I even spelled it three different ways. | SPELLED /spɛɫd/ It is spelled differently from the word colonel. |
| SPEND /spɛnd/ I spend a lot of money on my car. | SPENT /spɛnt/ We spent an hour and a half cleaning everything. | SPENT /spɛnt/ They have spent millions of dollars conducting scientific tests. |
| SPILL /spɪɫ/ (spill) The floor is sticky! Did you spill some soda again? | SPILLED /spɪɫd/ You just spilled more on me. | SPILLED /spɪɫd/ Look at how much milk you’ve spilled. |
| SPIN /spɪn/ (to spin; to spin (cloth)) My head is spinning! | SPUN /spən/ The car spun out of control. | SPUN /spən/ You’ve spun your last web, Spider-Man! |
| SPIT /spɪt/ (to spit) Don’t spit. It’s disgusting. | SPAT /spæt/ She spat in my face! | SPAT /spæt/ You have spat in the face of my hard work. |
| SPLIT /spɫɪt/ (to split) Let’s split into two groups. | SPLIT /spɫɪt/ We split the bill yesterday, too. | SPLIT /spɫɪt/ The main question can be split into two parts. |
| SPOIL /spɔɪɫ/ (to spoil) Ground meat can spoil very quickly. | SPOILED /spɔɪɫd/ You spoiled the movie for me! | SPOILED /spɔɪɫd/ They’ve spoiled their kids and now they have no authority. |
| SPREAD /spɹɛd/ Does n’t talk about terrorism all day every day actually spread terror? | SPREAD /spɹɛd/ The bird spread its wings and flew away. | SPREAD /spɹɛd/ The disease has spread all over the world. |
| SPRING /spɹɪŋ/ (to spring) Make water spring from the Earth. | SPRANG /spɹæŋ/ And then from the Christmas tree sprang a yellow angel. | SPRUNG /spɹəŋ/ A plan has sprung to my mind. |
| STAND /stænd/ Everyone, please stand up . | STOOD /stʊd/ He stood there for a while eating an ice cream. | STOOD /stʊd/ I’ve stood where they stand. |
| STEAL /stiɫ/ (to steal) It’s to make sure his roommates don’t steal food from him. | STOLE /ˈstoʊɫ/ It was them who stole the computer… | STOLEN /ˈstoʊɫ ən/ The crown’s been stolen! |
| STICK /stɪk/ She is sticking a picture on the bathroom door . | STUCK /stək/ She stuck with it and now she’s fluent in English. | STUCK /stək/ You’re stuck at work? That’s a bummer. |
| STING /stɪŋ/ (to sting) I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee! | STUNG /stəŋ/ It just stung, then I forgot it. | STUNG /stəŋ/ He was stung by a bee and had an allergic reaction. |
| STINK /stɪŋk/ (stink) It stinks in the kitchen. | STANK /stæŋk/ You stank like a dirty bag of wet washing. | STUNK /stəŋk/ But even it had stunk, we still would have been there! |
| STRIKE /straɪk/ (to strike) We must strike while the iron is hot. | STRUCK /strək/ Looks like our man struck again. | STRUCK /strək/ A great tragedy has struck Central America. |
| STRIVE /stɹaɪv/ (to aspire to) Better strive for something more hopeful. | STROVE /stɹoʊv/ All parties strave to bring the process to a successful conclusion. | STRIVEN /ˈstɹɪv ən/ The Council has also striven to work with greater transparency. |
| SWEAR /swɛɹ/ (swear) I swear I didn’t know about it. | SWORE /swɝ/ From today, he swore to be an honest person. | SWORN /swɔɹn/ Three of your lieutenants have already sworn allegiance to me. |
| SWEEP /swip/ I ‘m gonna sweep the floor. | SWEPT /swɛpt/ Instead we swept under the carpet. | SWEPT /swɛpt/ Sand is swept over the wood to fill voids and cracks. |
| SWELL /swɛɫ/ (swell) That flight made my ankles swell. | SWELLED /swɛɫd/ My face swelled up to the size of a pumpkin. | SWOLLEN /ˈswoʊɫ ən/ And his left cheek is swollen. |
| SWIM /swɪm/ (to swim) I’d like to swim more often, but I need to buy a new swimsuit first. | SWAM /swæm/ I went lower down and swam the river. | SWUM /swəm/ I’ve swum here every summer of my adult life. |
| SWING /swɪŋ/ I could swing with you forever like this. | SWUNG /swəŋ/ I just swung from a tree. | SWUNG /swəŋ/ Things have swung our way again. |
Irregular verbs from T to Z
We are nearing the end! Do you still see the light at the end of the irregular verb tunnel?
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| TAKE /teɪk/ Do you take sugar with your coffee? | TOOK /tʊk/ We took hundreds of photos and samples. | TAKEN /’teɪk ən/ It had taken us a long time to realize that. |
| TEACH /titʃ/ (to teach) How do you teach a dog to give his paw? | TAUGHT /tɔt/ He taught me practically everything I know! | TAUGHT /tɔt/ Life has taught me that there always exists a choice. |
| TEAR /tɛɹ/ You can tear the paper, but I remember everything. | TORE /tɔɹ/ She tore up the contract and threw it in the garbage. | TORN /tɔɹn/ I’m kind of torn between two opportunities. |
| TELL /tɛɫ/ (to tell) It’s a secret and I can’t tell you! | TOLD /təʊld/ I just don’t think he told you the truth. | TOLD /təʊld/ I’ve told you money’s tight. |
| THINK /θɪŋk/ (to think) I think we have a real chance to win. | THOUGHT /θɔt/ I thought you cared about the environment. | THOUGHT /θɔt/ So… Have you thought about it? |
| THROW /θɹoʊ/ (throw) I had to throw the food away. It was rotten. | THREW /θɹu/ The bride threw her bouquet on his face. | THROWN /θɹoʊn/ They were thrown into the Seine. |
| TREAD /tɹɛd/ (tread the ground) Now I need to tread really carefully here, do you understand? | TROD /tɹɑd/ That’s the path in which they trod last night. | TRODDEN /ˈtɹɑd ən/ Look at the road I’ve trodden. |
| UNDERSTAND /ˌən dɝˈstænd/ (to understand) Wait, I’m not sure I understand. | UNDERSTOOD /ˌən dɝˈstʊd/ I never understood people who wear sandals with socks. | UNDERSTOOD /ˌən dɝˈstʊd/ Women have always understood how precious life is. |
| WAKE /weɪk/ You must be careful not to wake up the baby. | WOKE /woʊk/ I woke up at 7 am and got up right away. | WOKEN /ˈwoʊk ən/ I was woken up at three in the morning by loud neighbors. |
| WEAR /wɛɹ/ I need something to wear for work . | WORE /wɔɹ/ His daddy wore alligator teeth around his neck and had all these tattoos. | WORN /wɔɹn/ This necklace was worn by Princess Luva. |
| WEEP /wip/ (sob) You’ve made her weep a lot! | WEPT /wɛpt/ He stood in court and wept like a lost child. | WEPT /wɛpt/ Yes, I have wept, my lord. |
| WIN /wɪn/ (to win) If he wins this match, I bet he’ll win the whole competition, too. | WON /wən/ He won the silver medal at the Summer Olympics. | WON /wən/ Madame Jean has won numerous honors for her professional achievements. |
| WRITE /ɹaɪt/ Wait , wait, wait. Let me write it down. | WROTE /ɹoʊt/ He took a napkin and wrote her phone number before he would forget it! | WRITTEN /’ɹɪt ən/ That sentence was written by a lawyer. |
I see you coming: “145 irregular verbs, this is not the complete list of all English irregular verbs!…”.
Indeed, what I call “complete list” here is a list made up of all the irregular verbs that are sufficiently common in contemporary language for us to want to pay attention to them.
According to the Pasttenses.com database , there are exactly 638 irregular verbs in English (a list that seems endless, causing nightmares at night!) and which would be of very limited educational value. Because :
- According to this same list, 116 verbs, or 18% of irregular verbs, are very little used, even archaic!
- A large majority of these verbs are formed from a common root (see below). In other words, if you know our list above, you already know how to combine them.
Which means that with the 145 irregular verbs on our list, you master the conjugation of all the verbs you need to know! Cool, isn’t it?
After such a comparison, we are delighted to return to only 145 verbs, but we must learn them now.
A bonus tip
In addition to the techniques for learning English irregular verbs given earlier, I would like to offer you a new tip that will make learning English irregular verbs meaningful – or, in any case, a way to be able to recognize them and then remember them. .
Indeed, a strategy for learning irregular verbs in English is to be able to recognize them , then by dint of having read and heard them several times, it will become automatic when it comes to using them .
It’s all about form and listening
Irregular verbs are most often short (1 syllable) . It’s a chance for us, because it facilitates memorization AND makes it easier to spot them when reading something (or listening to someone).
In addition, they can be found within other verbs which will, in principle, themselves be irregular:
Example: the irregular verbs Give and Take :
- Give –> For give – Mis give – Over give …
- Take –> Be take – In take – Mis take – Over take – Par take – Re take – Under take …
These are the famous common roots we were talking about earlier.
Observe this well and you will remember better and better.
Multiple endings
ATTENTION: For a short series of verbs, which can be regular or irregular, several endings are possible.
| Verbal base | Preterite | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| BURN /bɝn/ (to burn) | BURNED /bɝnd/ BURNT /bɝnt/ | BURNED /bɝnd/ BURNT /bɝnt/ |
| BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ (broadcast) | BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ BROADCASTED /ˈbɹɔd kæst əd/ (rare) | BROADCAST /ˈbɹɔd kæst/ BROADCASTED /ˈbɹɔd kæst əd/ (rare) |
| DREAM /dɹim/ (to dream) | DREAMED /dɹimd/ DREAMT /dɹɛmt/ | DREAMED /dɹimd/ DREAMT /dɹɛmt/ |
| GET /ɡɛt/ (get) | GOT /ɡɑt/ | GOT /ɡɑt/ GOTTEN /’ɡɑt ən/ |
| LEAN /ɫin/ (lean) | LEANED /ɫind/ LEANT /ɫɛnt/ | LEANED /ɫind/ LEANT /ɫɛnt/ |
| LEAP /ɫip/ (to take a leap) | LEAPED /ɫipt/ LEAPT /ɫɛpt/ | LEAPED /ɫipt/ LEAPT /ɫɛpt/ |
| LEARN /ɫɝn/ (to learn) | LEARNED /’ɫɝnd/ LEARNT /ɫɝnt/ | LEARNED /’ɫɝnd/ LEARNT /ɫɝnt/ |
| LIGHT /ɫaɪt/ (to light up) | LIT /ɫɪt/ LIGHTED /ˈɫaɪt ɪd/ | LIT /ɫɪt/ LIGHTED /ˈɫaɪt ɪd/ |
| SAW /sɔ/ (to mow) | SAWED /sɔd/ | SAWED /sɔd/ SAWN /sɔn/ |
| SHAVE /ʃeɪv/ (to shave) | SHAVED /ʃeɪvd/ | SHAVED /ʃeɪvd/ SHAVEN /ˈʃeɪv ən/ |
| SMELL /smel/ (to feel) | SMELLED /smeld/ SMELT /smelt/ | SMELLED /smeld/ SMELT /smelt/ |
| SOW /soʊ/ (to sow) | SOWED /soʊd/ | SOWN /soʊn/ SOWED /soʊd/ |
| SPELL /spɛɫ/ (to spell) | SPELLED /spɛɫd/ SPELT /spɛɫt/ | SPELLED /spɛɫd/ SPELT /spɛɫt/ |
| SPILL /spɪɫ/ (to spill) | SPILLED /spɪɫd/ SPILT /spɪɫt/ | SPILLED /spɪɫd/ SPILT /spɪɫt/ |
| SPOIL /spɔɪɫ/ (to spoil) | SPOILED /spɔɪɫd/ SPOILED /spɔɪɫt/ | SPOILED /spɔɪɫd/ SPOILED /spɔɪɫt/ |
| WAKE /weɪk/ (to wake up) | WOKE /woʊk/ WAKED /weɪkt/ | WOKEN /ˈwoʊk.ən/ WAKED /weɪkt/ |
Two possible explanations:
- Either old grammatical forms for certain English verbs have been saved (no choice but to make do with it);
- Either some endings vary according to the English dialect used (British or American English) .
For the second explanation, which remains very common, remember:
- -T ending : generally preferred ending in British English English and former Commonwealth countries;
- -ED ending = usually preferred ending in American English .
But this is not a strict rule (some Americans prefer the British form, and vice versa; depending on individual preference or context). The tendency is however (probably under the influence of American English) to use the -ed ending everywhere.
If in doubt, check en.wiktionary.org where you will find notes on the usage of each verb. Example for leapt/leaped : “leapt is used 80% of the time in UK and 32% in the US”.
Conclusion
This recognition work, from the complete list of irregular verbs in English, can be kept simple:
- Read the verbs and listen to them to get used to them;
- Feel what each form of the verb corresponds to;
- Practice the strategies presented earlier for verbs that are unfamiliar to you.
You can’t learn this whole list at once, but you can start to get used to all of these verbs .
Then, with practice , these shapes will become more and more familiar until they become automatic and you can’t imagine saying anything but the correct shape!
Trust us (we’ve been there): by dint of regular work, we get used to it very well.
Follow the principles discussed in the How to Learn Irregular Verbs article to help you conquer irregular verbs.
See as well
On irregular verbs in English , see:
- The main English irregular verbs : What are the most used irregular verbs in English? Find the list of the most common irregular verbs in English, the most frequent. Includes examples and audio.
- How to learn irregular verbs in English : How to learn irregular verbs in English? How to retain them? Three techniques and some tips to learn these verbs for good.
To master verbs in English (irregular verbs, tenses, conjugations), you will be interested in:
- Click & Speak™ : if remembering from a list sickens you from the start and you want to learn English from authentic content and a ready-to-use method , where you just have to click to learn to speak, then watch Click & Speak™ English training .
- English Tenses Guide : An English course on the characteristics and use of all English tenses. Super complete!
- Past tense or Present Perfect : a very good technical article that will guide you in more detail on the use of the past tense and the past participle with the Present Perfect .
- How to improve your understanding of oral English : do you understand written but not spoken English? Such a blockage makes it difficult to feel comfortable when discussing in English. This article will help you unblock yourself.