Irregular verbs in English and how to use their past simple forms correctly.
Irregular verbs are special verbs that don’t follow the regular “-ed” ending rule in the past tense. Instead, they change form in different ways. Learning these verbs is key to speaking and writing English naturally.
- Irregular verbs do not add “-ed” for the past form.
- The past form can change spelling, vowel, or stay the same.
- Some verbs have irregular past participles too (for perfect tenses).
How to Use Irregular Past Verbs
When you want to talk about something that happened in the past, use the past simple tense. For irregular verbs, use the special past form from the list below.
- Use time markers like yesterday, last week, two days ago to show it’s past.
- Example: “I saw a movie yesterday.” (not “seed” or “sawed”)
- The verb form stays the same for all subjects (I, you, he, we, they).
Examples of Irregular Past Verbs in Sentences
| Base Form | Past Form | Example Sentence | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | went | I went to the store. | Fui a la tienda. |
| see | saw | She saw a bird. | Ella vio un pájaro. |
| take | took | We took a taxi. | Tomamos un taxi. |
| eat | ate | He ate an apple. | Él comió una manzana. |
| write | wrote | I wrote a letter. | Escribí una carta. |
Tomamos un taxi.
We took a taxi.
'Take' changes to 'took' in the past simple tense.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t add “-ed” to irregular verbs. (“goed” is wrong; “went” is correct.)
- Don’t use the base form for past tense. (“I go” vs. “I went”)
- Don’t confuse similar forms (example: “sit” → “sat,” not “sit” or “sed”)
Choose the correct past tense form: 'She ___ a letter yesterday.'
wrote
'Write' changes to 'wrote' in the past simple tense; do not add '-ed'.
Tips for Learning Irregular Verbs
- Practice with simple past sentences daily.
- Group verbs by similar patterns (see/saw/written, take/took/taken).
- Use flashcards or apps to test your memory.
- Read and listen to real English to see verbs in context.
Keep practicing, and soon using irregular past verbs will feel natural and easy!
Last updated: Thu Jun 5, 2025
