Irregular verbs are a group of English verbs that break the standard rule of simply adding -ed to form the past tense and past participle. Instead, they change spelling in various ways or remain the same. Learning irregular verbs is essential, as they are commonly used in everyday speech and writing.
Irregular Verb Patterns
Irregular verbs fall into several patterns based on how they change form.
| Pattern | Example (Base / Past / Past Participle) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change vowel | sing / sang / sung | The vowel changes in past and past participle. |
| Add -t | keep / kept / kept | Past forms end with -t instead of -ed. |
| Repeat form | cut / cut / cut | Past tense and past participle are the same as base. |
| Change consonant | build / built / built | Consonant changes and -t is added. |
| No change | put / put / put | All forms are identical. |
Most Common Irregular Verbs
Here are 30 common irregular verbs with their base, past tense, and past participle forms.
| Base | Past Tense | Past Participle | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | was/were | been | She has been a teacher for five years. |
| become | became | become | He became very tall. |
| begin | began | begun | The movie has begun already. |
| break | broke | broken | I have broken my phone. |
| bring | brought | brought | She brought coffee this morning. |
| build | built | built | They built a new house. |
| buy | bought | bought | We bought tickets yesterday. |
| catch | caught | caught | He caught the ball easily. |
| choose | chose | chosen | I have chosen a blue dress. |
| come | came | come | She has come home early. |
| do | did | done | I have done my homework. |
| drink | drank | drunk | He drank all the juice. |
| drive | drove | driven | She has driven to the city. |
| eat | ate | eaten | We have eaten lunch already. |
| fall | fell | fallen | The leaves have fallen. |
| feel | felt | felt | I felt cold last night. |
| find | found | found | She found her keys. |
| forget | forgot | forgotten | I have forgotten your name. |
| get | got | gotten/got | He got a new job. |
| give | gave | given | She has given me a gift. |
| go | went | gone | They have gone to the park. |
| have | had | had | I had a headache yesterday. |
| hear | heard | heard | Have you heard the news? |
| keep | kept | kept | He kept the letter. |
| know | knew | known | I have known her for years. |
| leave | left | left | She left early today. |
| make | made | made | We made a cake. |
| meet | met | met | I met him yesterday. |
| pay | paid | paid | She paid the bill. |
| put | put | put | He put the book on the table. |
Which verb correctly completes the sentence? 'I have ___ my phone.'
broken
'Break' changes to 'broke' in the past and 'broken' in the past participle.
Which forms are correct for the verb 'go'?
go / went / gone
'Go' changes to 'went' in the past tense and 'gone' in the past participle.
Tips for Learning Irregular Verbs
- Group irregular verbs by similar patterns or meanings to remember them more easily.
- Use flashcards and quizzes to practice both recognition and production.
- Practice using irregular verbs in complete sentences, not just isolation.
- Pay special attention to common verbs used in everyday conversation.
- Review regularly to move verbs from short-term to long-term memory.
Irregular verbs may seem challenging at first, but with consistent practice and usage, they will become a natural part of your English skills.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
