39c Understanding regular and irregular verbs

39cUnderstanding regular and irregular verbs

Contents:

Quick Help: Editing for -ed or -d endings

A verb is regular when its past tense and past participle are formed by adding -ed or -d to the base form.

BASE FORM PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
love loved loved
honor honored honored
obey obeyed obeyed

A verb is irregular when it does not follow the -ed or -d pattern. If you are unsure about whether a verb is regular or irregular, or what the correct form is, consult the following list or a dictionary. Dictionaries list any irregular forms under the entry for the base form.

Common irregular verbs

BASE FORM PAST TENSE PAST PARTICIPLE
arise arose arisen
be was/were been
bear bore borne, born
beat beat beaten
become became become
begin began begun
bite bit bitten, bit
blow blew blown
break broke broken
bring brought brought
broadcast broadcast broadcast
build built built
burn burned, burnt burned, burnt
burst burst burst
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
dig dug dug
dive dived, dove dived
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamed, dreamt dreamed, dreamt
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten, forgot
freeze froze frozen
get got gotten, got
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
hang (suspend)1 hung hung
have had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hidden
hit hit hit
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie (recline)2 lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
pay paid paid
prove proved proved, proven
put put put
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
send sent sent
set set set
shake shook shaken
shoot shot shot
show showed showed, shown
shrink shrank shrunk
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
spread spread spread
spring sprang, sprung sprung
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
strike struck struck, stricken
swim swam swum
swing swung swung
take took taken
teach taught taught
tear tore torn
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
wake waked, woke waked, woken
wear wore worn
win won won
wind wound wound
write wrote written