Irregular Verbs

Englishpage.com’s Irregular Verb Dictionary for English learners contains over 370 irregular verbs used in modern English as well as flashcards and exercises to practice those forms. To view our Extended Irregular Verb Dictionary, which contains over 470 verbs including rare and antiquated forms, Click Here.

List of Irregular Verbs

InfinitiveSimple PastPast Participle
A
arisearosearisen
awakeawakened / awokeawakened / awoken
B
backslidebackslidbackslidden / backslid
bewas, werebeen
bearboreborn / borne
beatbeatbeaten / beat
becomebecamebecome
beginbeganbegun
bendbentbent
betbet / [?]bet / [?]
bid (farewell)bid / badebidden
bid (offer amount)bidbid
bindboundbound
bitebitbitten
bleedbledbled
blowblewblown
breakbrokebroken
breedbredbred
bringbroughtbrought
broadcastbroadcast / broadcastedbroadcast / broadcasted
browbeatbrowbeatbrowbeaten / browbeat
buildbuiltbuilt
burnburned / burnt [?]burned / burnt [?]
burstburstburst
bustbusted / bustbusted / bust
buyboughtbought
C
castcastcast
catchcaughtcaught
choosechosechosen
clingclungclung
clotheclothed / clad [?]clothed / clad [?]
comecamecome
costcostcost
creepcreptcrept
crossbreedcrossbredcrossbred
cutcutcut
D
daydreamdaydreamed / daydreamt [?]daydreamed / daydreamt [?]
dealdealt dealt
digdugdug
disprovedisproveddisproved / disproven
dive (jump head-first)dove / diveddived
dive (scuba diving)dived / dovedived
dodiddone
drawdrewdrawn
dreamdreamed / dreamt [?]dreamed / dreamt [?]
drinkdrankdrunk
drivedrovedriven
dwelldwelt / dwelled [?]dwelt / dwelled [?]
E
eatateeaten
F
fallfellfallen
feedfedfed
feelfeltfelt
fightfoughtfought
findfoundfound
fit (tailor, change size)fitted / fit [?]fitted / fit [?]
fit (be right size)fit / [?]fit / [?]
fleefledfled
flingflungflung
flyflewflown
forbidforbadeforbidden
forecastforecastforecast
forego (also forgo)forewentforegone
foreseeforesawforeseen
foretellforetoldforetold
forgetforgotforgotten / [?]
forgiveforgaveforgiven
forsakeforsookforsaken
freezefrozefrozen
frostbitefrostbitfrostbitten
G
getgotgotten / [?]
givegavegiven
gowentgone
grindgroundground
growgrewgrown
H
hand-feedhand-fedhand-fed
handwritehandwrotehandwritten
hanghunghung
havehadhad
hearheardheard
hewhewedhewn / hewed
hidehidhidden
hithithit
holdheldheld
hurthurthurt
I
inbreedinbredinbred
inlayinlaidinlaid
inputinput / inputtedinput / inputted
interbreedinterbredinterbred
interweaveinterwove / interweavedinterwoven / interweaved
interwindinterwoundinterwound
J
jerry-buildjerry-builtjerry-built
K
keepkeptkept
kneelknelt / kneeledknelt / kneeled
knitknitted / knitknitted / knit
knowknewknown
L
laylaidlaid
leadledled
leanleaned / leant [?]leaned / leant [?]
leapleaped / leapt [?]leaped / leapt [?]
learnlearned / learnt [?]learned / learnt [?]
leaveleftleft
lendlentlent
letletlet
lielaylain
lie (not tell truth) REGULARliedlied
lightlit / lightedlit / lighted
lip-readlip-readlip-read
loselostlost
M
makemademade
meanmeantmeant
meetmetmet
miscastmiscastmiscast
misdealmisdealtmisdealt
misdomisdidmisdone
mishearmisheardmisheard
mislaymislaidmislaid
misleadmisledmisled
mislearnmislearned / mislearnt [?]mislearned / mislearnt [?]
misreadmisreadmisread
missetmissetmisset
misspeakmisspokemisspoken
misspellmisspelled / misspelt [?]misspelled / misspelt [?]
misspendmisspentmisspent
mistakemistookmistaken
misteachmistaughtmistaught
misunderstandmisunderstoodmisunderstood
miswritemiswrotemiswritten
mowmowedmowed / mown
N
No irregular verbs beginning with “N.”
O
offsetoffsetoffset
outbidoutbidoutbid
outbreedoutbredoutbred
outdooutdidoutdone
outdrawoutdrewoutdrawn
outdrinkoutdrankoutdrunk
outdriveoutdroveoutdriven
outfightoutfoughtoutfought
outflyoutflewoutflown
outgrowoutgrewoutgrown
outleapoutleaped / outleapt [?]outleaped / outleapt [?]
outlie (not tell truth) REGULARoutliedoutlied
outrideoutrodeoutridden
outrunoutranoutrun
outselloutsoldoutsold
outshineoutshined / outshone [?]outshined / outshone [?]
outshootoutshotoutshot
outsingoutsangoutsung
outsitoutsatoutsat
outsleepoutsleptoutslept
outsmelloutsmelled / outsmelt [?]outsmelled / outsmelt [?]
outspeakoutspokeoutspoken
outspeedoutspedoutsped
outspendoutspentoutspent
outswearoutsworeoutsworn
outswimoutswamoutswum
outthinkoutthoughtoutthought
outthrowoutthrewoutthrown
outwriteoutwroteoutwritten
overbidoverbidoverbid
overbreedoverbredoverbred
overbuildoverbuiltoverbuilt
overbuyoverboughtoverbought
overcomeovercameovercome
overdooverdidoverdone
overdrawoverdrewoverdrawn
overdrinkoverdrankoverdrunk
overeatoverateovereaten
overfeedoverfedoverfed
overhangoverhungoverhung
overhearoverheardoverheard
overlayoverlaidoverlaid
overpayoverpaidoverpaid
overrideoverrodeoverridden
overrunoverranoverrun
overseeoversawoverseen
overselloversoldoversold
oversewoversewedoversewn / oversewed
overshootovershotovershot
oversleepoversleptoverslept
overspeakoverspokeoverspoken
overspendoverspentoverspent
overspilloverspilled / overspilt [?]overspilled / overspilt [?]
overtakeovertookovertaken
overthinkoverthoughtoverthought
overthrowoverthrewoverthrown
overwindoverwoundoverwound
overwriteoverwroteoverwritten
P
partakepartookpartaken
paypaidpaid
pleadpleaded / pledpleaded / pled
prebuildprebuiltprebuilt
predopredidpredone
premakepremadepremade
prepayprepaidprepaid
presellpresoldpresold
presetpresetpreset
preshrinkpreshrankpreshrunk
proofreadproofreadproofread
proveprovedproven / proved
putputput
Q
quick-freezequick-frozequick-frozen
quitquit / [?]quit / [?]
R
readread (sounds like “red”) read (sounds like “red”)
reawakereawokereawaken
rebidrebidrebid
rebindreboundrebound
rebroadcastrebroadcast / rebroadcastedrebroadcast / rebroadcasted
rebuildrebuiltrebuilt
recastrecastrecast
recutrecutrecut
redealredealtredealt
redoredidredone
redrawredrewredrawn
refit (replace parts)refit / refitted [?]refit / refitted [?]
refit (retailor)refitted / refit [?]refitted / refit [?]
regrindregroundreground
regrowregrewregrown
rehangrehungrehung
rehearreheardreheard
reknitreknitted / reknitreknitted / reknit
relay (for example tiles)relaidrelaid
relay (pass along) REGULARrelayedrelayed
relearnrelearned / relearnt [?]relearned / relearnt [?]
relightrelit / relightedrelit / relighted
remakeremaderemade
repayrepaidrepaid
rereadrereadreread
rerunreranrerun
resellresoldresold
resendresentresent
resetresetreset
resewresewedresewn / resewed
retakeretookretaken
reteachretaughtretaught
retearretoreretorn
retellretoldretold
rethinkrethoughtrethought
retreadretreadretread
retrofitretrofitted / retrofit [?]retrofitted / retrofit [?]
rewakerewoke / rewakedrewaken / rewaked
rewearreworereworn
reweaverewove / reweavedrewoven / reweaved
rewedrewed / reweddedrewed / rewedded
rewetrewet / [?]rewet / [?]
rewinrewonrewon
rewindrewoundrewound
rewriterewroterewritten
ridridrid
rideroderidden
ringrangrung
riseroserisen
roughcastroughcastroughcast
runranrun
S
sand-castsand-castsand-cast
sawsawedsawed / sawn
saysaidsaid
seesawseen
seeksoughtsought
sellsoldsold
sendsentsent
setsetset
sewsewedsewn / sewed
shakeshookshaken
shaveshavedshaved / shaven
shearshearedsheared / shorn
shedshedshed
shineshined / shone [?]shined / shone [?]
shitshit / / shittedshit/ / shitted
shootshotshot
showshowedshown / showed
shrinkshrank / shrunkshrunk
shutshutshut
sight-readsight-readsight-read
singsangsung
sinksank / sunksunk
sitsatsat
slay (kill)slew / slayedslain / slayed
slay (amuse) REGULARslayedslayed
sleepsleptslept
slideslidslid
slingslungslung
slinkslinked / slunkslinked / slunk
slitslitslit
smellsmelled / smelt [?]smelled / smelt [?]
sneaksneaked / snucksneaked / snuck
sowsowedsown / sowed
speakspokespoken
speedsped / speededsped / speeded
spellspelled / spelt [?]spelled / spelt [?]
spendspentspent
spillspilled / spilt [?]spilled / spilt [?]
spinspunspun
spitspit / spit /
splitsplitsplit
spoilspoiled / spoilt [?]spoiled / spoilt [?]
spoon-feedspoon-fedspoon-fed
spreadspreadspread
springsprang / sprungsprung
stand stoodstood
stealstolestolen
stickstuckstuck
stingstungstung
stinkstunk / stankstunk
strewstrewedstrewn / strewed
stridestrodestridden
strike (delete)struckstricken
strike (hit)struckstruck / stricken
stringstrungstrung
strivestrove / strivedstriven / strived
subletsubletsublet
sunburnsunburned / sunburnt [?]sunburned / sunburnt [?]
swearsworesworn
sweatsweat / sweatedsweat / sweated
sweepsweptswept
swellswelledswollen / swelled
swimswamswum
swingswungswung
T
taketooktaken
teachtaughttaught
teartoretorn
telecasttelecasttelecast
telltoldtold
test-drivetest-drovetest-driven
test-flytest-flewtest-flown
thinkthoughtthought
throwthrewthrown
thrustthrustthrust
treadtrodtrodden / trod
typecasttypecasttypecast
typesettypesettypeset
typewritetypewrotetypewritten
Uunbendunbentunbent
unbindunboundunbound
unclotheunclothed / unclad [?]unclothed / unclad [?]
underbidunderbidunderbid
undercutundercutundercut
underfeedunderfedunderfed
undergounderwentundergone
underlieunderlayunderlain
undersellundersoldundersold
underspendunderspentunderspent
understandunderstoodunderstood
undertakeundertookundertaken
underwriteunderwroteunderwritten
undoundidundone
unfreezeunfrozeunfrozen
unhangunhungunhung
unhideunhidunhidden
unknitunknitted / unknitunknitted / unknit
unlearnunlearned / unlearnt [?]unlearned / unlearnt [?]
unsewunsewedunsewn / unsewed
unslingunslungunslung
unspinunspununspun
unstickunstuckunstuck
unstringunstrungunstrung
unweaveunwove / unweavedunwoven / unweaved
unwindunwoundunwound
upholdupheldupheld
upsetupsetupset
V
No commonly used irregular verbs beginning with “V.”
To view our extended dictionary including rare and antiquated forms, Click Here.
W
wakewoke / wakedwoken / waked
waylaywaylaidwaylaid
wearworeworn
weavewove / weavedwoven / weaved
wedwed / weddedwed / wedded
weepweptwept
wetwet / [?]wet / [?]
whet  REGULARwhettedwhetted
winwonwon
windwoundwound
withdrawwithdrewwithdrawn
withholdwithheldwithheld
withstandwithstoodwithstood
wringwrungwrung
writewrotewritten
X
No irregular verbs beginning with “X.”
Y
No irregular verbs beginning with “Y.”
Z
No irregular verbs beginning with “Z.”

Irregular Verb Flashcards and Drills

If you want to learn irregular verbs, you need to practice, practice, practice. Below we have created five sets of flashcards as well as simple irregular verb drills to help English learners learn the 100 most common irregular verbs in English.

Common Questions about English Irregular Verbs

What are irregular verbs?

Irregular verbs are verbs which do not follow normal rules for conjugation. For example, the irregular verb be has several unique forms (I am, you are, he is) which are quite different from regular verbs such as cook (I cook, you cook, he cooks).

How many irregular verbs are there in English?

Englishpage.com has conducted an extensive text analysis of over 2,000 novels and resources and we have found 680 irregular verbs so far including prefixed verbs (misunderstand, reread) as well as rare and antiquated forms (colorbreed, bethink).

What are some examples of irregular verbs?

Good examples of irregular verbs include have, understand and draw. Notice that their past forms had, understood and drew are very different from regular verbs, which end with -d or -ed. For more examples, see Englishpage.com’s list of irregular verbs.

What are the most common irregular verbs in English?

According to Englishpage.com’s text analysis of over 2,000 novels and resources, the most common irregular verbs in English are: be, have, say, do, know, get, see, think, go and take.

Are there big differences in the irregular verb forms used in British English and American English?

While many references show strong differences between British and American English in irregular verb use,

Which verb tenses have irregular forms in English?

In English, irregular verb forms occur in past perfect, future perfect,

Irregular verbs are verbs which do not follow normal rules for conjugation. For example, the irregular verb be has several unique forms (I am, you are, he is) which are quite different from regular verbs such as cook (I cook, you cook, he cooks).Englishpage.com has conducted an extensive text analysis of over 2,000 novels and resources and we have found 680 irregular verbs so far including prefixed verbs (misunderstand, reread) as well as rare and antiquated forms (colorbreed, bethink).Good examples of irregular verbs include have, understand and draw. Notice that their past forms had, understood and drew are very different from regular verbs, which end with -d or -ed. For more examples, see Englishpage.com’s list of irregular verbs.According to Englishpage.com’s text analysis of over 2,000 novels and resources, the most common irregular verbs in English are: be, have, say, do, know, get, see, think, go and take.While many references show strong differences between British and American English in irregular verb use, Englishpage.com’s research shows that there is far more crossover than many of these references might suggest. (Where we did find a real statistical difference, we have listed the British forms in italics.)In English, irregular verb forms occur in simple present and simple past as well as past participles. Remember that past participles are used in many verb forms including: present perfect passive forms and past conditional forms

More about our Irregular Verb Dictionary

For more information about our irregular verb dictionary and our research, click here

Present Tense Verbs

Present tense verbs in English can have three forms:

• the base form: go, see, talk, study, etc. 
• the base form plus ‘s’  (or ‘es’) for 3rd person singular: goes, sees, asks, studies. (For example, Joe goes to school, Ann sees a bird, Bill talks a lot, but he also studies.) 
• and the base form plus ‘ing’: going, seeing, talking, studying. (With a form of ‘to be,’ this is the present continuous tense.)

This page has a short explanation, some examples, and a chance for you to practice them.

The simple present tense is the way to talk about facts. It tells what is always, sometimes, or never true, or what happens over and over.

It uses the base form of the verb (the infinitive without ‘to’) except in the third person singular. 3rd person singular (he, she, or it– one person or thing) ends in -s.

 For example, we say ‘I study‘ or ‘you study, but ‘John studies.’ Sally and Susan study too. The simple present usually adds -s or -es to the base form. Exceptions:

• the verb ‘to have,’ (he or she has

  ), &

• the verb ‘to be,

  ’ (he or she is.) 

Negatives and questions normally use the helping verb ‘to do’ plus the base form of the main verb. See examples below.

We use the present continuous tense to talk about something
that is happening right now. (I’m typing; you’re reading; my husband is driving
and my daughter is sleeping.) We form it using the verb ‘to be’ with the ‘ing’
form (present participle) of the main verb, as shown.

Examples of Present
Tense Verbs in Sentences

Joan: “You look
tired. Are you getting enough sleep?”

Bob: “No, I’m
not. I wish I could sleep!”

Sue: “Bob is
tired because he works too much. He has a term paper that’s due soon, and he isn’t sure he can finish in time. So
instead of sleeping he’s writing for
hours every night!”

Joan: “That’s too
bad! I hope you finish soon, Bob!”

Bob: “So do I! I’m almost done now! Then I plan to get back to normal. I usually sleep six or seven hours a night, but I
think I might sleep twelve hours to
catch up!”

Joan: “Wow! Only a baby sleeps
twelve hours at a time!”

Notes:

·      
When Bob says “So do I,” it’s a short form that means “I hope so too.’

·      
See The Verb ‘to be’ page if you have
questions about how to form contractions. (Examples: he’s, isn’t, aren’t, etc.) That page also gives the  present tense forms of ‘to be.’

·      
If you have questions about could, can, might,
or similar helping verbs, see Modal Verbs.

Try Using Common Present Tense Verbs

Choose
the correct form (or forms) for each sentence and write your answers on a piece of paper. 

Example: 1. Joe (is, are) an athlete. 2. He
(run, runs, is running) in every competition. 3. Every other Saturday Joe
(have, has, is having) a track meet at school.  
4. He usually (get, gets, is getting) up at 6 A.M., but even though it’s
5:30 A.M. right now he (get, gets, is getting) up for today’s race.

Answers: 
1. is. 2. runs. 3. has. 4. gets, is getting.

(Explanation: The first sentences talk
about something that is true– Joe is a runner. Examples 2-3 talk about things he does repeatedly.

The last sentence talks about what he usually
 does, and then about what he is
doing right now– this time, rather than often or all the time. So the last
‘get’ is in the present continuous tense, because it’s going on now.) For the
next answers see the link at the bottom of the page.

5. I (like, likes, am liking) to read.

6. Does Jim (like, likes, is liking) to
study?

7. Every weekday morning at 8 A.M. Josh
(go, goes, is going) to work.

8. Many mornings when I (wake, wakes, am
waking) up,  I (hear, hears, am hearing)
the birds singing.

9. Sarah (take, takes, is taking) the bus
to work often.

10. She (live, lives, is living) too far
from her work to walk.

11. Do you (know, knows, are knowing) the
time?

12. It’s 10:30.  Are you (ask, asks, asking) because you don’t
(have, has, is having) a watch?

13. No. I (have, has, am having) a watch,
but I (have, has, am having) trouble seeing right now, after an eye exam.

14. Some high school students don’t even
(try, tries, are trying) to answer questions in class.

15. For example, Bill (come, comes, is
coming) to class every day, but he never (give, gives, is giving) the answer to
the teacher’s questions.

16. He always (leave, leaves, is leaving)
the moment the bell rings.

Click here for the answers to Present Tense Verbs.

Related Pages

The simple past tense of regular verbs ends in -ed. It’s easy to form, and not hard to spell or pronounce if you learn a few easy rules.

Learn irregular verbs more easily with the patterns in these 12 lists.

Pdfs with grammar games &  exercises for verb tenses (especially irregular past tense verbs) + 

Home> English Verb Tenses> Present Tense Verbs.

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