These are the most common fifty irregular verbs in the English language. This does not include the auxiliary verbs 'do' and 'have'. Just by learning these fifty, your students will have prepared themselves for 87% of irregular verb use in English! There is another page showing the usual list of irregular verbs in English.
Rank | Base Form | Past Tense Form | Past Participle |
1 | say | said | said |
2 | make | made | made |
3 | go | went | gone |
4 | take | took | taken |
5 | come | came | come |
6 | see | saw | seen |
7 | know | knew | known |
8 | get | got | got/gotten (US) |
9 | give | gave | given |
10 | find | found | found |
11 | think | thought | thought |
12 | tell | told | told |
13 | become | became | become |
14 | show | showed | shown |
15 | leave | left | left |
16 | feel | felt | felt |
17 | put | put | put |
18 | bring | brought | brought |
19 | begin | began | begun |
20 | keep | kept | kept |
21 | hold | held | held |
22 | write | wrote | written |
23 | stand | stood | stood |
24 | hear | heard | heard |
25 | let | let | let |
26 | mean | meant | meant |
27 | set | set | set |
28 | meet | met | met |
29 | run | ran | run |
30 | pay | paid | paid |
31 | sit | sat | sat |
32 | speak | spoke | spoken |
33 | lie | lay | lain |
34 | lead | led | led |
35 | read | read | read |
36 | grow | grew | grown |
37 | lose | lost | lost |
38 | fall | fell | fallen |
39 | send | sent | sent |
40 | build | built | built |
41 | understand | understood | understood |
42 | draw | drew | drawn |
43 | break | broke | broken |
44 | spend | spent | spent |
45 | cut | cut | cut |
46 | rise | rose | risen |
47 | drive | drove | driven |
48 | buy | bought | bought |
49 | wear | wore | worn |
50 | choose | chose | chosen |
What Are Irregular Verbs?
Irregular verbs are verbs that don’t take on the regular –d, -ed, or -ied spelling patterns of the past simple (V2) or past participle (V3). Many of the irregular V2 and V3 forms are the same, such as: cut – cut, had – had, let – let, hurt – hurt, fed- fed, sold-sold
Irregular Verb Examples
Irregular verbs are also known as strong verbs. Here are nine that are used more often than the rest. These nine irregular verb examples also happen to be among the most commonly used words in the English language. They are:
- Go
- Get
- Say
- See
- Think
- Make
- Take
- Come
- Know
The following list of examples show how irregular verbs are used in sentences. Some sentences contain more than one example.
- Go get your brother. It’s time to eat dinner.
→ In this example, all three irregular verbs (go, get, and eat) are in base form.
- I want to build a sand castle like the one we built last year.
→ In this example, the irregular verb build is in base form. The irregular verb built is the past simple form of “build”. When you look at the complete list of examples, you’ll notice that built is also the past participle of the irregular verb “build”.
- He bet me that I couldn’t run five miles without stopping. I proved him wrong; I ran seven miles before I had to catch my breath.
→ In this example, bet is a past simple form. When you look at the complete list, you will see that all three forms of “bet” are the same. Next, in the same sentence, the irregular verb run is in base form. In the next sentence, ran is the past simple form of “run” and had is the past simple form of “have.” Meanwhile, catch is base form.
- I awoke to find that a spider had bitten me. Although the wound didn’t bleed, it itched terribly.
→ In this example, the irregular verb awoke is the past simple form of “awake.” Bitten is past participle form of “bite” and bleed is base form.
- Let’s drink some of this lemonade. I drank some yesterday and found it delicious.
→ In this example, the irregular verb drink is in base form. Drank is the past simple form of “drink,” and found is the past simple form of “find.”
For more examples, read our complete list of irregular verbs in the English language.
![Verbs Verbs](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ktw4ypZUNnI/UQ4-79D7OgI/AAAAAAAAQ1Y/e3HpKamUrEA/s1600/IrregVbsGroup.jpg)
Irregular Verb Exercises
Fill the blank spaces with the appropriate irregular verb.
- My dog jumped out of the swimming pool and _____________ himself, causing water to spray everywhere. (shake, shook, shaken)
- You should have ______________ Trish’s face when she got her surprise. (saw, had seen, seen)
- We _____________ the whole day lounging on the beach. (spend, spent, had spend)
- Let’s _____________ a hike on Saturday. (take, took, taken)
- My brother Mike ______________ his stinky socks on the coffee table. (leave, left, leaving)
- This is the ninth time that pitcher has _____________ a foul ball (throw, threw, thrown)
- The water balloon _____________ when it hit its target. (burst, busted, broken)
- Jesse intentionally ______________ gum in Jeff’s hair. (stick, stuck, sticky)
Answers: 1 – shook, 2 – seen, 3 – spent, 4 – take, 5 – left, 6 – thrown, 7- burst, 8 – stuck
See more Verbs
Many of the most common verbs in the English language are irregular
Did you know that about 70% of the time when we use a verb in English, it is an irregular one? That means that learning and using irregular verbs is essential for learning English!
The English language has so many irregular verbs that it can make you go crazy… but even irregular verbs follow some patterns. In this lesson, you’ll learn “groups” of irregular verbs that can make it easier to memorize them. For each group, I’ve given one pronunciation example.
Don’t just study this list – try to create your own sentences and use all the verbs you know! This will help you remember them much better.
Ready? Let’s go!
Verbs with all 3 forms identical
Let’s begin with the easiest group of irregular verbs. These verbs are the same in the present, the past, and the past participle. They include:
bet, burst, cast, cost, cut, fit,* hit, hurt, let, put, quit, set, shut, split, spread
* When talking about clothes being the correct size
https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IV1.mp3These verbs are the same in the present and the past participle. Only the past form is different:
Present | Past | Past Participle |
come | came | come |
become | became | become |
run | ran | run |
Verbs with –N in the Past Participle
These verbs are a little more complicated, as they have –n in the past participle form.
There are a few different groups of verbs:
With “o” in the past and past participle
Present | Past | Past Participle |
break | broke | broken |
choose | chose | chosen |
forget | forgot | forgotten |
freeze | froze | frozen |
get | got | gotten |
speak | spoke | spoken |
steal | stole | stolen |
tear | tore | torn |
wake | woke | woken |
wear | wore | worn |
With “o” in the past only
Present | Past | Past Participle |
drive | drove | driven |
ride | rode | ridden |
rise | rose | risen |
write | wrote | written |
Past with -ew, past participle with -own
Present | Past | Past Participle |
blow | blew | blown |
fly | flew | flown |
grow | grew | grown |
know | knew | known |
throw | threw | thrown |
Other irregular verbs with past participle ending in –n
![Irregular verbs in english grammar Irregular verbs in english grammar](https://www.easypacelearning.com/images/listofirregularverbs.jpg)
Present | Past | Past Participle |
bite | bit | bitten |
hide | hid | hidden |
eat | ate | eaten |
fall | fell | fallen |
forbid | forbade | forbidden |
forgive | forgave | forgiven |
give | gave | given |
see | saw | seen |
shake | shook | shaken |
take | took | taken |
Verbs with vowel changes
Long “e” changes to short “e”
Present | Past | Past Participle |
keep | kept | kept |
sleep | slept | slept |
feel | felt | felt |
bleed | bled | bled |
feed | fed | fed |
meet | met | met |
lead | led | led |
“ea” is pronounced differently
Present | Past | Past Participle |
deal | dealt | dealt |
dream | dreamt | dreamt |
mean | meant | meant |
read | read | read |
hear | heard | heard |
Long “i” changes to “ou”
Present | Past | Past Participle |
bind | bound | bound |
find | found | found |
grind | ground | ground |
wind | wound | wound |
Short “i” changes to “u”
Present | Past | Past Participle |
dig | dug | dug |
stick | stuck | stuck |
spin | spun | spun |
sting | stung | stung |
swing | swung | swung |
-ell changes to -old
Present | Past | Past Participle |
sell | sold | sold |
tell | told | told |
-ought and –aught endings
Present | Past | Past Participle |
bring | brought | brought |
buy | bought | bought |
catch | caught | caught |
fight | fought | fought |
seek | sought | sought |
teach | taught | taught |
think | thought | thought |
Are you ready for a challenge? These irregular verbs have different vowels in each form. Fortunately, they do follow a pattern.
Vowel changes from “i” to “a” to “u”
Present | Past | Past Participle |
begin | began | begun |
drink | drank | drunk |
ring | rang | rung |
shrink | shrank | shrunk |
sing | sang | sung |
sink | sank | sunk |
spring | sprang | sprung |
swim | swam | swum |
The REALLY Irregular Verbs
Well, these are the completely irregular verbs – the ones that don’t fit into any of the categories above! They are also some of the most commonly used verbs in the English language, so make sure to memorize them in all their crazy irregular forms!
![English English](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/51/e2/8c/51e28c642e5e9f645c934fbe50510a01--english-to-english-lessons.jpg)
Present | Past | Past Participle |
be | was / were | been |
do | did | done |
go | went | gone |
have | had | had |
make | made | made |
Irregular Verbs In English Pdf
https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IV14.mp3100 Most Common Irregular Verbs
This list contains all the irregular verbs of the English language. Each entry includes the base or bare infinitive first, followed by the simple past (V2) form and the past participle (V3) form. Taking some time to make sentences using each irregular verb form will help you to use these verbs correctly when speaking and writing. Simply reading through this list will help you to recognize an irregular verb when you see one.
Irregular Verbs – Complete List
Base Form | Past Simple (V2) | Past Participle (V3) |
arise | arose | arisen |
awake | awoke | awoken |
be | was/were | been |
bear | bore | born(e) |
beat | beat | beaten |
become | became | become |
begin | began | begun |
bend | bent | bent |
bet | bet | bet |
bind | bound | bound |
bite | bit | bitten |
bleed | bled | bled |
blow | blew | blown |
break | broke | broken |
breed | bred | bred |
bring | brought | brought |
broadcast | broadcast | broadcast |
build | built | built |
burn | burnt/burned | burnt/burned |
burst | burst | burst |
buy | bought | bought |
can | could | … (been able) |
catch | caught | caught |
choose | chose | chosen |
cling | clung | clung |
come | came | come |
cost | cost | cost |
creep | crept | crept |
cut | cut | cut |
deal | dealt | dealt |
dig | dug | dug |
do | did | done |
draw | drew | drawn |
dream | dreamt/dreamed | dreamt/dreamed |
drink | drank | drunk |
drive | drove | driven |
eat | ate | eaten |
fall | fell | fallen |
feed | fed | fed |
feel | felt | felt |
fight | fought | fought |
find | found | found |
fly | flew | flown |
forbid | forbade | forbidden |
forget | forgot | forgotten |
forgive | forgave | forgiven |
freeze | froze | frozen |
get | got | got |
give | gave | given |
go | went | gone |
grind | ground | ground |
grow | grew | grown |
hang | hung | hung |
have | had | had |
hear | heard | heard |
hide | hid | hidden |
hit | hit | hit |
hold | held | held |
hurt | hurt | hurt |
keep | kept | kept |
kneel | knelt | knelt |
know | knew | known |
lay | laid | laid |
lead | led | led |
lean | leant/leaned | leant/leaned |
learn | learnt/learned | learnt/learned |
leave | left | left |
lent | lent | lent |
lie (in bed) | lay | lain |
lie (to not tell the truth) | lied | lied |
light | lit/lighted | lit/lighted |
lose | lost | lost |
make | made | made |
may | might | … |
mean | meant | meant |
meet | met | met |
mow | mowed | mown/mowed |
must | had to | … |
overtake | overtook | overtaken |
pay | paid | paid |
put | put | put |
read | read | read |
ride | rode | ridden |
ring | rang | rung |
rise | rose | risen |
run | ran | run |
saw | sawed | sawn/sawed |
say | said | said |
see | saw | seen |
sell | sold | sold |
send | sent | sent |
set | set | set |
sew | sewed | sewn/sewed |
shake | shook | shaken |
shall | should | … |
shed | shed | shed |
shine | shone | shone |
shoot | shot | shot |
show | showed | shown |
shrink | shrank | shrunk |
shut | shut | shut |
sing | sang | sung |
sink | sank | sunk |
sit | sat | sat |
sleep | slept | slept |
slide | slid | slid |
smell | smelt | smelt |
sow | sowed | sown/sowed |
speak | spoke | spoken |
spell | spelt/spelled | spelt/spelled |
spend | spent | spent |
spill | spilt/spilled | spilt/spilled |
spit | spat | spat |
spread | spread | spread |
stand | stood | stood |
steal | stole | stolen |
stick | stuck | stuck |
sting | stung | stung |
stink | stank | stunk |
strike | struck | struck |
swear | swore | sworn |
sweep | swept | swept |
swell | swelled | swollen/swelled |
swim | swam | swum |
swing | swung | swung |
take | took | taken |
teach | taught | taught |
tear | tore | torn |
tell | told | told |
think | thought | thought |
throw | threw | thrown |
understand | understood | understood |
wake | woke | woken |
wear | wore | worn |
weep | wept | wept |
will | would | … |
win | won | won |
wind | wound | wound |
write | wrote | written |