How to learn irregular verbs in English?

We have at our disposal the list of the main English irregular verbs . Great! But now the question arises: how to learn irregular verbs in English easily and sustainably?

Ohhh the irregular verbs… Mistakes with misplaced -ed endings , teachers forcing us to learn a boring list, without style and energy, knowing them one day and forgetting them the next day… We’ve all been there, Nope ?

It is by being organized that we succeed. So let’s see a strategy for learning irregular verbs that combines efficiency, fun and long-term memory.

And since I like you, I’m going to offer you not one strategy but three!

“When you have to go, you have to go! »

If you want to become bilingual , you absolutely have to know how to make learning rhyme with pleasure . (The other, less viable option is to have a gun to your head for 6-24 months!)

To combat our reluctance to approach irregular verbs, creating a space of pleasure is a good idea. This will help us:

  • To be immediately rewarded for our efforts  ;
  • Have the patience to persevere to move these verbs from our short-term memory to our long-term memory   ;
  • Make the effort to recognize the meaning and the exact pronunciation of each verb, thanks to the examples.

It is strongly advised, to start, to apply the techniques below on the list of the most used irregular verbs in English . This will allow you to notice immediate results – which is far more motivating and productive than leaving it to chance.

 

Three Strategies for Learning Irregular Verbs in English

Ready to discover three active techniques that will finally allow you to learn irregular verbs in English once and for all? It left my Kiki !

 

Learn by repetition

Wait ! I’m not going to leave you in trouble with this ultra-basic advice!

To take full advantage of the potential of the list and, thus, learn irregular verbs in English, here is the first strategy to adopt:

  • Listen and repeat all the verbs without the examples (yes, yes, all 60 verbs  !) while identifying those you already know.

I’m sure you’ll recognize at least between 8 and 16 verbs ! It’s great to start!

Then perform the following exercise:

  1. Listen to the three forms of the verb , three times each or more, while repeating them  :
    • Pay attention to pronunciation with phonetic transcription and audio.
    • The goal is to get used to these words, to make these verbs familiar.
  2. Listen to the three examples given for the verb, three times too , and simply spot which form is used (verb base, past tense , past participle?)
    • The goal is to get used to the context in which each form is used, to get a sense of what is being said.
  3. Listen and repeat each example three times.
    • The goal is to make the examples your own, to get used to speaking . Because listening is not enough.

Let’s apply this with an example, the verb “to forget” –  to forget /fɚ’ɡɛt/ :

  1. Repeat the three shapes , 3 or more times:
    • Verbal base: FORGET /fɚ’ɡɛt/
    • Past simple : FORGOT / fɚ’ɡɑt /
    • Past participle: FORGOTTEN /fɚ’ɡɑt ən/
  2. Listen to the three examples  :
    • FORGET /fɚ’ɡɛt/ → 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.
  3. Listen and, this time, repeat the three examples:
    • FORGET /fɚ’ɡɛt/ → 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.

Do this exercise for five minutes , with a series of 4 verbs .

Perform this exercise with four verbs, no need to go further than four verbs at a time. This optimizes your working memory. (We can all memorize four elements without effort, while memorizing more has a cost in terms of concentration).

Then rest a bit before continuing. The idea here is to:

  • Maintain the pleasure side  – avoid feeling constrained.
  • Familiarize yourself with all these irregular verbs for having seen them all at least once . The irregular verbs on our list are useful and listening to them, reading them for the first time, will help you identify them later – you will be on familiar ground!

Hop, take a few minutes to do this exercise with the list… Repeat the three shapes… Listen to the three examples… Repeat the examples… Four by four.

Go for it.

§

It is done ? Good.

It’s true that it’s a bit of brainwashing and it’s a bit academic, but learning its irregular verbs by heart, to get started, it works.

As always with English, one will want to be mindful of pronunciation . To help you, pay attention to the tonic accent! . For example, on FORGET /fɚ’ɡɛt/ , the accent is on the second syllable  ! (Marked by /’/ ).

 

Learn with stories

The first technique focused on a first hearing of each form of a verb , without necessarily paying much attention to the meaning.

Now, it is thanks to the examples that we will truly capture the meaning of these words and, thus, retain irregular verbs naturally. Specifically, through stories.

To begin, listen to and repeat each example given with the verb, imagining the action the sentence describes . Repeat several times. Your imagination and the story you are picturing will encourage permanent memorization of these verbs.

Again, go no further than four verbs to start with!

Let’s take another irregular verb, “to write” :

  • 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.

Let’s keep the second example with WROTE /ɹoʊt/ :
He took a napkin and wrote her phone number before he would forget it!

This sentence includes two irregular verbs: took and wrote . Perfect, we remember a verb and we learn another at the same time!

Imagine the action in progress:

We think it is a man, a handsome boy who invited a charming young lady to the restaurant, but still does not know her phone number. Thus, to go to the next step, he needs his number. She gives him her number but, being a real gentleman, he hasn’t taken her phone, just a Mickey Mouse pen, blue and red with two round black ears. (Yes, it’s funny, but it helps memorize!)

Either (if we translate, to check that we have understood):

He took a napkin and wrote down his phone number before he forgot it.

Here we have a story, a scene, a context, and two new irregular verbs in mind (in any case the past tense form) and, above all, their meaning.

This kind of mental gymnastics helps anchor irregular verbs in your brain , rather than them remaining mere words on a piece of paper (or screen).

The more you are able to tell yourself a story by learning a word in English, the stronger your memory will be – because you create a real memory of the word.


NOTE: In some cases the past participle is similar to the past tense form, but in others it differs:

  • Take → Take- Took-Taken
  • Write → Write – Write – Written

Thanks to the examples given for each verb, the meaning will become obvious thanks to the situation presented (which avoids a literal translation). This will allow you to learn irregular verbs in English quite naturally (with real English, not just columns). Additionally, you will differentiate between the past tense form and the past participle form , depending on their usages.

For all these reasons, learn by example .

Finally, to be sure to learn irregular verbs in English well, after a few weeks of practice, perform the last strategy .

 

Learn in practice

The list is fine. Having read, heard and spotted these verbs in examples is cool…

Come on, let’s push your work a little further, putting it into practice in real conditions, those that are scary but give a boost to your self-confidence. Thereby :

  • Afraid to watch series or sitcoms in English? Discover the best sitcoms to learn English .
  • Fear of approaching new people, even virtually? We explain how to do it.
  • Fear of never getting there? Read Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ultra-motivating story .

Now that we are familiar with the form AND the meaning of irregular verbs, it is thanks to real English content that we will be able to remember irregular verbs in English forever .

I insist: since these verbs are everywhere, practicing English (whether on a series or in a conversation), will allow you to see that your work has not been for nothing and that your work is bearing fruit. You have casually developed your ability to recognize and use irregular verbs . Continue the work started with this article and practice your English . Soon, irregular verbs will hold no secrets for you – they will have become second nature.

Did you use another technique to learn your irregular verbs? Share it in the comments!

 

See as well

If you liked this article on how to learn irregular verbs in English , you may also like…

  • 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.
  • Complete List of Irregular Verbs in English : The list of all English irregular verbs. There are 145 to know, discover the list and why (with examples).

And on other related topics for learning or practicing English  :

  • How to learn English in immersion  : what works BUT ALSO what does not work to learn English in an English-speaking country.
  • The 16 Best Sitcoms  : What Kind of Content Do We Recommend to Maintain a Fun/Effort Balance and Learn English? The sitcoms of course, and we offer you 16 of them!
  • How to Retain English Vocabulary: Strategies and tips for memorizing English vocabulary and dealing with your memory difficulties.