Irregular verbs

1. Concept of irregular verbs

- As its name suggests, a verb that does not follow the usual rules when changing to the past form or past participle is called irregular verbs.

For example: 

• begin has a past form of began and the participle form is begun.

More than 70% of the time we use verbs in English, we are using irregular verbs. Be, have, do, go, say, come, take, get, make, see,…

Do you feel familiar? These are all the most common verbs in English, and they are all irregular verbs. So are there any general transformation rules for irregular verbs? The answer is no, if you want to remember, the only way is to memorize. However, we have some tips to make studying more effective.

2. Table 360 irregular verbs

STT	Infinitive	Past	Past participle
1	abide	abode/abided	abode/abided
2	arise	arose	arisen
3	awake	awoke	awoken
4	backslide	backslid	backslidden/backslid
5	be	was/were	been
6	bear	bore	borne
7	beat	beat	beaten/beat
8	become	became	become
9	befall	befell	befallen
10	begin	began	begun
11	behold	beheld	beheld
12	bend	bent	bent
13	beset	beset	beset
14	bespeak	bespoke	bespoken
15	bet	bet/betted	bet/betted
16	bid	bid	bid
17	bind	bound	bound
18	bite	bit	bitten
19	bleed	bled	bled
20	blow	blew	blown
21	break	broke	broken
22	breed	bred	bred
23	bring	brought	brought
24	broadcast	broadcast	broadcast
25	browbeat	browbeat	browbeaten/browbeat
26	build	built	built
27	burn	burnt/burned	burnt/burned
28	burst	burst	burst
29	bust	busted/bust	busted/bust
30	buy	bought	bought
31	cast	cast	cast
32	catch	caught	caught
33	chide	chid/chided	chid/chidden/chided
34	choose	chose	chosen
35	cleave	clove/cleft/cleaved	cloven/cleft/cleaved
36	cleave	clave	cleaved
37	cling	clung	clung
38	clothe	clothed/clad	clothed/clad
39	come	came	come
40	cost	cost	cost
41	creep	crept	crept
42	crossbreed	crossbred	crossbred
43	crow	crew/crewed	crowed
44	cut	cut	cut
45	daydream	daydreameddaydreamt	daydreameddaydreamt
46	deal	dealt	dealt
47	dig	dug	dug
48	disprove	disproved	disproved/disproven
49	dive	dove/dived	dived
50	do	did	done
51	draw	drew	drawn
52	dream	dreamt/dreamed	dreamt/dreamed
53	drink	drank	drunk
54	drive	drove	driven
55	dwell	dwelt	dwelt
56	eat	ate	eaten
57	fall	fell	fallen
58	feed	fed	fed
59	feel	felt	felt
60	fight	fought	fought
61	find	found	found
62	fit	fitted/fit	fitted/fit
63	flee	fled	fled
64	fling	flung	flung
65	fly	flew	flown
66	forbear	forbore	forborne
67	forbid	forbade/forbad	forbidden
68	forecast	forecast/forecasted	forecast/forecasted
69	forego (also forgo)	forewent	foregone
70	foresee	foresaw	forseen
71	foretell	foretold	foretold
72	forget	forgot	forgotten
73	forgive	forgave	forgiven
74	forsake	forsook	forsaken
75	freeze	froze	frozen
76	frostbite	frostbit	frostbitten
77	get	got	got/gotten
78	gild	gilt/gilded	gilt/gilded
79	gird	girt/girded	girt/girded
80	give	gave	given
81	go	went	gone
82	grind	ground	ground
83	grow	grew	grown
84	hand-feed	hand-fed	hand-fed
85	handwrite	handwrote	handwritten
86	hang	hung	hung
87	have	had	had
88	hear	heard	heard
89	heave	hove/heaved	hove/heaved
90	hew	hewed	hewn/hewed
91	hide	hid	hidden
92	hit	hit	hit
93	hurt	hurt	hurt
94	inbreed	inbred	inbred
95	inlay	inlaid	inlaid
96	input	input	input
97	inset	inset	inset
98	interbreed	interbred	interbred
99	interweave	interwoveinterweaved	interwoveninterweaved
100	interwind	interwound	interwound
101	jerry-build	jerry-built	jerry-built
102	keep	kept	kept
103	kneel	knelt/kneeled	knelt/kneeled
104	knit	knit/knitted	knit/knitted
105	know	knew	known
106	lay	laid	laid
107	lead	led	led
108	lean	leaned/leant	leaned/leant
109	leap	leapt	leapt
110	learn	learnt/learned	learnt/learned
111	leave	left	left
112	lend	lent	lent
113	let	let	let
114	lie	lay	lain
115	light	lit/lighted	lit/lighted
116	lip-read	lip-read	lip-read
117	lose	lost	lost
118	make	made	made
119	mean	meant	meant
120	meet	met	met
121	miscast	miscast	miscast
122	misdeal	misdealt	misdealt
123	misdo	misdid	misdone
124	mishear	misheard	misheard
125	mislay	mislaid	mislaid
126	mislead	misled	misled
127	mislearn	mislearnedmislearnt	mislearnedmislearnt
128	misread	misread	misread
129	misset	misset	misset
130	misspeak	misspoke	misspoken
131	misspell	misspelt	misspelt
132	misspend	misspent	misspent
133	mistake	mistook	mistaken
134	misteach	mistaught	mistaught
135	misunderstand	misunderstood	misunderstood
136	miswrite	miswrote	miswritten
137	mow	mowed	mown/mowed
138	offset	offset	offset
139	outbid	outbid	outbid
140	outbreed	outbred	outbred
141	outdo	outdid	outdone
142	outdraw	outdrew	outdrawn
143	outdrink	outdrank	outdrunk
144	outdrive	outdrove	outdriven
145	outfight	outfought	outfought
146	outfly	outflew	outflown
147	outgrow	outgrew	outgrown
148	outleap	outleaped/outleapt	outleaped/outleapt
149	outlie	outlied	outlied
150	output	output	output
151	outride	outrode	outridden
152	outrun	outran	outrun
153	outsell	outsold	outsold
154	outshine	outshined/outshone	outshined/outshone
155	outshoot	outshot	outshot
156	outsing	outsang	outsung
157	outsit	outsat	outsat
158	outsleep	outslept	outslept
159	outsmell	outsmelled/outsmelt	outsmelled/outsmelt
160	outspeak	outspoke	outspoken
161	outspeed	outsped	outsped
162	outspend	outspent	outspent
163	outswear	outswore	outsworn
164	outswim	outswam	outswum
165	outthink	outthought	outthought
166	outthrow	outthrew	outthrown
167	outwrite	outwrote	outwritten
168	overbid	overbid	overbid
169	overbreed	overbred	overbred
170	overbuild	overbuilt	overbuilt
171	overbuy	overbought	overbought
172	overcome	overcame	overcome
173	overdo	overdid	overdone
174	overdraw	overdrew	overdrawn
175	overdrink	overdrank	overdrunk
176	overeat	overate	overeaten
177	overfeed	overfed	overfed
178	overfly	overflew	overflown
179	overhang	overhung	overhung
180	overhear	overheard	overheard
181	overlay	overlaid	overlaid
182	overpay	overpaid	overpaid
183	override	overrode	overridden
184	overrun	overran	overrun
185	oversee	oversaw	overseen
186	oversell	oversold	oversold
187	oversew	oversewed	oversewn/oversewed
188	overshoot	overshot	overshot
189	oversleep	overslept	overslept
190	overspeak	overspoke	overspoken
191	overspend	overspent	overspent
192	overspill	overspilled/overspilt	overspilled/overspilt
193	overtake	overtook	overtaken
194	overthink	overthought	overthought
195	overthrow	overthrew	overthrown
196	overwind	overwound	overwound
197	overwrite	overwrote	overwritten
198	partake	partook	partaken
199	pay	paid	paid
200	plead	pleaded/pled	pleaded/pled
201	prebuild	prebuilt	prebuilt
202	predo	predid	predone
203	premake	premade	premade
204	prepay	prepaid	prepaid
205	presell	presold	presold
206	preset	preset	preset
207	preshrink	preshrank	preshrunk
208	proofread	proofread	proofread
209	prove	proved	proven/proved
210	put	put	put
211	quick-freeze	quick-froze	quick-frozen
212	quit	quit/quitted	quit/quitted
213	read	read	read
214	reawake	reawoke	reawaken
215	rebid	rebid	rebid
216	rebind	rebound	rebound
217	rebroadcast	rebroadcastrebroadcasted	rebroadcastrebroadcasted
218	rebuild	rebuilt	rebuilt
219	recast	recast	recast
220	recut	recut	recut
221	redeal	redealt	redealt
222	redo	redid	redone
223	redraw	redrew	redrawn
224	refit	refitted/refit	refitted/refit
225	regrind	reground	reground
226	regrow	regrew	regrown
227	rehang	rehung	rehung
228	rehear	reheard	reheard
229	reknit	reknitted/reknit	reknitted/reknit
230	relay	relaid	relaid
231	relay	relayed	relayed
232	relearn	relearned/relearnt	relearned/relearnt
233	relight	relit/relighted	relit/relighted
234	remake	remade	remade
235	rend	rent	rent
236	repay	repaid	repaid
237	reread	reread	reread
238	rerun	reran	rerun
239	resell	resold	resold
240	resend	resent	resent
241	reset	reset	reset
242	resew	resewed	resewn/resewed
243	retake	retook	retaken
244	reteach	retaught	retaught
245	retear	retore	retorn
246	retell	retold	retold
247	rethink	rethought	rethought
248	retread	retread	retread
249	retrofit	retrofitted/retrofit	retrofitted/retrofit
250	rewake	rewoke/rewaked	rewaken/rewaked
251	rewear	rewore	reworn
252	reweave	rewove/reweaved	rewoven/reweaved
253	rewed	rewed/rewedded	rewed/rewedded
254	rewet	rewet/rewetted	rewet/rewetted
255	rewin	rewon	rewon
256	rewind	rewound	rewound
257	rewrite	rewrote	rewritten
258	rid	rid	rid
259	ride	rode	ridden
260	ring	rang	rung
261	rise	rose	risen
262	roughcast	roughcast	roughcast
263	run	ran	run
264	sand-cast	sand-cast	sand-cast
265	saw	sawed	sawn
266	say	said	said
267	see	saw	seen
268	seek	sought	sought
269	sell	sold	sold
270	send	sent	sent
271	set	set	set
272	sew	sewed	sewn/sewed
273	shake	shook	shaken
274	shave	shaved	shaved/shaven
275	shear	sheared	shorn
276	shed	shed	shed
277	shine	shone	shone
278	shit	shit/shat/shitted	shit/shat/shitted
279	shoot	shot	shot
280	show	showed	shown/showed
281	shrink	shrank	shrunk
282	shut	shut	shut
283	sight-read	sight-read	sight-read
284	sing	sang	sung
285	sink	sank	sunk
286	sit	sat	sat
287	slay	slew	slain
288	sleep	slept	slept
289	slide	slid	slid
290	sling	slung	slung
291	slink	slunk	slunk
292	slit	slit	slit
293	smell	smelt	smelt
294	smite	smote	smitten
295	sneak	sneaked/snuck	sneaked/snuck
296	speak	spoke	spoken
298	speed	sped/speeded	sped/speeded
299	spell	spelt/spelled	spelt/spelled
300	spend	spent	spent
301	spill	spilt/spilled	spilt/spilled
302	spin	spun/span	spun
303	spoil	spoilt/spoiled	spoilt/spoiled
304	spread	spread	spread
305	stand	stood	stood
305	steal	stole	stolen
306	stick	stuck	stuck
307	sting	stung	stung
308	stink	stunk/stank	stunk
309	stride	strode	stridden
310	strike	struck	struck
311	string	strung	strung
312	sunburn	sunburned/sunburnt	sunburned/sunburnt
313	swear	swore	sworn
314	sweat	sweat/sweated	sweat/sweated
315	sweep	swept	swept
316	swell	swelled	swollen/swelled
317	swim	swam	swum
318	swing	swung	swung
319	take	took	taken
320	teach	taught	taught
321	tear	tore	torn
322	telecast	telecast	telecast
323	tell	told	told
324	think	thought	thought
325	throw	threw	thrown
326	thrust	thrust	thrust
327	tread	trod	trodden/trod
328	typewrite	typewrote	typewritten
329	unbend	unbent	unbent
330	unbind	unbound	unbound
331	unclothe	unclothed/unclad	unclothed/unclad
332	undercut	undercut	undercut
333	underfeed	underfed	underfed
334	undergo	underwent	undergone
335	underlie	underlay	underlain
336	understand	understood	understood
337	undertake	undertook	undertaken
338	underwrite	underwrote	underwritten
339	undo	undid	undone
340	unfreeze	unfroze	unfrozen
341	unhang	unhung	unhung
342	unhide	unhid	unhidden
343	unlearn	unlearned/unlearnt	unlearned/unlearnt
344	unspin	unspun	unspun
345	unwind	unwound	unwound
346	uphold	upheld	upheld
347	upset	upset	upset
348	wake	woke/waked	woken/waked
349	wear	wore	worn
350	wed	wed/wedded	wed/wedded
351	weep	wept	wept
352	wet	wet/wetted	wet/wetted
353	win	won	won
354	wind	wound	wound
355	withdraw	withdrew	withdrawn
356	withhold	withheld	withheld
357	withstand	withstood	withstood
358	work	worked	worked
359	wring	wrung	wrung
360	write	wrote	written

3. The secret to learning the table of irregular verbs effectively

3.1. Learn the table of irregular verbs  in groups

Instead of memorizing the whole table of irregular verbs, to make it easier to remember, you can also divide these verbs into different groups.

For example:

• Group of verbs that do not change in all three forms: bet,  burst,  cast, cost,  cut, fit, hit,  hurt, let, put, quit,  set, shut, split, spread;

• Group of verbs with the same infinitive and past participle form: become,  come, run;

• Group of verbs with the same past and past participle forms: built, lend, send, spend;

Table of irregular verbs

3.2. Learn irregular verbs with flashcards

- This is a effective way to learn vocabulary Used by many people, you can take it to school anytime, anywhere.

Write down the infinitive form of the word on one side, the past and past perfect forms on the other side and study on your own using flashcards. Repeating many times is the way to help remember words. You should also write down the pronunciation of the word. Every time you learn a word, make a sentence and read it out loud!With this way of learning, setting yourself a goal of learning 5-10 words every day, mastering the table of irregular verbs is not too far-fetched.

3.3. Learn irregular verbs through songs

Learn English through songs which is not something strange. And there are also many songs that help you memorize the table of irregular verbs in English naturally and remember it longer.

- Compared to single words, our brain absorbs the melody of a song much faster and easier. Songs will help associate memorable melodies with words and content to learn. You will be surprised at your learning ability when studying with music!

3.4. Learn irregular verb tables through online applications and games

- Currently there are many English vocabulary learning softwareand is highly appreciated. English Irregular Verbs is the application I used to learn the irregular verb table in English. The application provides pronunciation, usage of irregular verbs in English and reflex-boosting tests. Besides, word learning games are also an effective way to practice.