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Study Resource: English irregular verbs

By: revel arroway

The following tables illustrate the most important English irregular verbs (beginner to advanced intermediate) and some notes about how to use the forms. We’ve provided two versions of the list to help you study.

Version 1: English irregular verbs – by CEFR level

CEFR
root
past simple
past participle
Notes

A1

be

was / were

been

I, he, she, it + was

you, we, they + were

A1

have

had

had

A1

do

did

done

A1

say

said

said

A1

go

went

gone

A1

get

got

got / gotten

In American English, got is used for receiving an object and gotten is used for other uses of got.

In British English got is always preferred.

A1

make

made

made

A1

know

knew

known

A1

think

thought

thought

A1

take

took

taken

A1

see

saw

seen

A1

come

came

come

A1

find

found

found

A1

give

gave

given

A1

tell

told

told

A1

feel

felt

felt

A1

become

became

become

A1

leave

left

left

A1

put

put

put

A1

mean

meant

meant

A1

keep

kept

kept

A1

let

let

let

A1

begin

began

begun

A1

show

showed

shown

A1

hear

heard

heard

the root is pronounced [heer]

the past simple and past participle are pronounced: [herd]

A1

run

ran

run

A1

hold

held

held

A1

bring

brought

brought

A1

write

wrote

written

A1

stand

stood

stood

A1

lose

lost

lost

A1

pay

paid

paid

only the spelling is irregular ( paidnot payed)

A1

meet

met

met

A1

see

saw

seen

A1

learn

learned / (learnt)

learned / (learnt)

In America, this is mostly a regular verb learn / learned / learned, but learnt is acceptable as a past participle.

In British English, the learnt form can be used in both the past simple and the past participle form.

A1

lead

led

led

A1

understand

understood

understood

A1

speak

spoke

spoken

A1

read

read

read

The root is pronounced: [reed]

The past simple and past participle are pronounced: [red]

A1

spend

spent

spent

A1

grow

grew

grown

A1

win

won

won

A1

buy

bought

bought

A1

send

sent

sent

A1

build

built

built

A1

fall

fell

fallen

A1

cut

cut

cut

A1

sell

sold

sold

A1

light

lit

lit

A1

drive

drove

driven

A1

break

broke

broken

A2

wear

wore

worn

A2

hit

hit

hit

A2

eat

ate

eaten

A2

teach

taught

taught

A2

cost

cost

cost

A2

catch

caught

caught

A2

draw

drew

drawn

A2

choose

chose

chosen

A2

seek

sought

sought

A2

deal

dealt

dealt

A2

fight

fought

fought

A2

throw

threw

thrown

A2

rise

rose

risen

A2

shoot

shot

shot

A2

lie

lay

lain

A2

lay

laid

laid

A2

prove

proved

proven / (proved)

Proven is a bit more formal, but also more common

A2

hang

hung / (hanged)

hung / (hanged)

We usually use hung, since hanged is only for executions

A2

forget

forgot

forgotten

A2

spring

sprang

sprung

A2

shake

shook

shaken

A2

fly

flew

flown

A2

dream

dreamed / (dreamt)

dreamed / dreamt

For the past simple: dreamed is used in American English

Both forms are used in British English, but dreamed is still more common

For the past participle: both are used, but dreamt is more formal.

B1

sing

sang

sung

B1

beat

beat

beaten

B1

wind

wound

wound

B1

hurt

hurt

hurt

B1

strike

struck

struck

B1

sleep

slept

slept

B1

stick

stuck

stuck

B1

drink

drank

drunk

B1

hide

hid

hidden

B1

ride

rode

ridden

B1

feed

fed

fed

B1

fit

fit / (fitted)

fit / (fitted)

In American English we usually use fit for all forms.

In British English fitted can be used for both past simple and past participle.

The past participle fitted has a special meaning. It is used only when cloth is cut and sewn "to fit" something or someone.

B1

spread

spread

spread

B1

speed

sped / (speeded)

sped / speeded

For past simple: sped is more common, especially recently

B1

blow

blew

blown

B1

burn

burned / (burnt)

burnt / burned

For the past simple: burned is used in American English. Both are used in British English, but burned is more common

For the past participle: both are acceptable, burnt is more formal and used more as an adjective

B1

lean

leaned / (leant)

leaned / leant

For the past simple: leaned is used in American English, and both are used in British English

For the past participle: both are used, but leaned is more common

B1

shut

shut

shut

B1

bear

bore

born / borne

Bornis always used when discussing “giving birth,” as in the baby was born

Bornecan be used for carrying something, as in the crates were borne by a truck

B1

ring

rang

rung

B1

wake

woke

woken

B1

steal

stole

stolen

B1

tear

tore

torn

B1

cast

cast

cast

B1

slide

slid

slid / slidden

Slid is much more common

B1

bend

bent

bent

B1

smell

smelled / (smelt)

smelled / smelt

For the past simple: smelled is used in American English; both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but smelt is quite formal.

B1

swing

swung

swung

B1

dig

dug

dug

B2

bind

bound

bound

B2

quit

quit

quit

B2

arise

arose

arisen

B2

sweep

swept / (sweeped)

swept / (sweeped)

Sweptis more common for both past simple and past participle.

B2

spin

spun

spun

B2

bet

bet

bet

B2

strip

stripped / (stript)

stripped / stript

This verb is only sometimes irregular in spelling, not pronunciation.

Stripped is much more common, but stript is more formal and more likely for the past participle.

B2

withdraw

withdrew

withdrawn

B2

freeze

froze

frozen

B2

sink

sank

sunk

B2

swim

swam

swum

B2

split

split

split

B2

flee

fled

fled

B2

rid

rid

rid

You may hear ridded but this is generally considered wrong.

B2

undergo

underwent

undergone

B2

bite

bit

bitten

B2

swear

swore

sworn

B2

dare

dared / (durst)

dared

This is mostly a regular verb: dare / dared / dared, the irregular past simple form is only found in poetry.

B2

shine

shone

shone

B2

upset

upset

upset

B2

melt

melted

melted / (molten)

This is mostly a regular verb. The word molten was the historical past participle, but now this only describes melted rock (e.g. molten lava)

B2

lend

lent

lent

B2

burst

burst

burst

B2

forgive

forgave

forgiven

B2

broadcast

broadcast

broadcast / broadcasted

Both broadcast and broadcasted are used for the past participle

B2

leap

leapt / leaped

leapt / leaped

Both leapt and leaped are used for past simple and past participle, but leapt is a little more common in British English and leaped is a little more common in American English

B2

spill

spilled / (spilt)

spilled / (spilt)

For the simple past: spilled is used in American English, and spilt is used in British English

For the past participle: both are used, but in American English, spilled is much more common, while in British English spilt is more common

B2

undertake

undertook

undertaken

B2

spell

spelled / (spelt)

spelled / (spelt)

In American English only spelled is used. In British English, both are used.

B2

shed

shed

shed

B2

shrink

shrank

shrunk

B2

sneak

sneaked / snuck

sneaked / snuck

Both sneaked and snuck are standard, but sneaked is the better choice

B2

cling

clung

clung

B2

forbid

forbade / forbad

forbidden

For the simple past: forbad is preferred in America, forbade in Britain, but forbade and forbad should be pronounced the same way:
[for-bad](though some Americans will mispronounce forbade as [for-bayed].)

B2

swell

swelled

swollen

B2

weave

wove

woven

B2

spit

spat / spit

spat / spit

In both cases, spat is generally better and more common, but both are used

B2

kneel

knelt / kneeled

knelt / kneeled

Kneltis more common, and in British English, kneltis standard.

Version 2: English irregular verbs – by pattern

Pattern
root
past simple
past participle
Notes

the root, past simple, and past participle each have their own unique irregular form

Look for these features:

(1) vowel change

(2) -n added to participle

be

was / were

been

I, he, she, it + was

you, we, they + were

do

did

done

go

went

gone

know

knew

known

take

took

taken

see

saw

seen

give

gave

given

begin

began

begun

write

wrote

written

see

saw

seen

speak

spoke

spoken

grow

grew

grown

fall

fell

fallen

drive

drove

driven

break

broke

broken

wear

wore

worn

eat

ate

eaten

draw

drew

drawn

choose

chose

chosen

throw

threw

thrown

rise

rose

risen

lie

lay

lain

prove

proved

proven / (proved)

Provenis a bit more formal, but also more common.

forget

forgot

forgotten

spring

sprang

sprung

shake

shook

shaken

fly

flew

flown

sing

sang

sung

beat

beat

beaten

drink

drank

drunk

hide

hid

hidden

ride

rode

ridden

blow

blew

blown

bear

bore

born / borne

Bornis always used when discussing “giving birth,” as in: The baby was born.

Bornecan be used for carrying something, as in The crates were borne by a truck.

ring

rang

rung

wake

woke

woken

steal

stole

stolen

tear

tore

torn

arise

arose

arisen

withdraw

withdrew

withdrawn

freeze

froze

frozen

sink

sank

sunk

swim

swam

swum

undergo

underwent

undergone

bite

bit

bitten

swear

swore

sworn

forgive

forgave

forgiven

undertake

undertook

undertaken

shrink

shrank

shrunk

forbid

forbade / forbad

forbidden

For the simple past: forbad is preferred in America, forbade in Britain, but forbade and forbad should be pronounced the same way: [for-bad](though some Americans will mispronounce forbade as [for-bayed].)

weave

wove

woven

get

got

got / gotten

In American English, gotten is used in most contexts.

In British English got is more common.

The root, past simple, and past participle all look the same

(in most cases)

put

put

put

let

let

let

cut

cut

cut

hit

hit

hit

broadcast

broadcast

broadcast / broadcasted

Both broadcast and broadcasted are used for the past participle.

cost

cost

cost

hurt

hurt

hurt

fit

fit / (fitted)

fit / (fitted)

In American English, we usually use fit for all forms.

In British English, fitted can be used for both past simple and past participle.

The past participle fitted is also used only when cloth is cut and sewn “to fit” something or someone.

spread

spread

spread

shut

shut

shut

cast

cast

cast

quit

quit

quit

bet

bet

bet

split

 split

split

rid

rid

rid

You may hear "ridded", but this is generally considered wrong.

upset

upset

upset

burst

burst

burst

shed

shed

shed

The past simple and past participle are the same

Look for these features:

(1) a change in the written vowel

(2) a change in the pronunciation of the written vowel

have

had

had

say

said

said

make

made

made

think

thought

thought

find

found

found

tell

told

told

feel

felt

felt

leave

left

left

mean

meant

meant

keep

kept

kept

hear

heard

heard

the root is pronounced [heer]

the past simple and past participle are pronounced: [herd]

hold

held

held

bring

brought

brought

sit

sat

sat

stand

stood

stood

lose

lost

lost

pay

paid

paid

only the spelling is irregular (paid not payed)

meet

met

met

lead

led

led

understand

understood

understood

read

read

read

The root is pronounced: [reed]

The past simple and past participle are pronounced: [red]

spend

spent

spent

win

won

won

buy

bought

bought

send

sent

sent

build

built

built

sell

sold

sold

light

lit

lit

teach

taught

taught

catch

caught

caught

seek

sought

sought

deal

dealt

dealt

fight

fought

fought

shoot

shot

shot

lay

laid

laid

hang

hung / (hanged)

hung / (hanged)

We usually use hung, hanged is only for executing people.

wind

wound

wound

strike

struck

struck

sleep

slept

slept

stick

stuck

stuck

feed

fed

fed

speed

sped / (speeded)

sped / speeded

For past simple: sped is more common, especially recently.

slide

slid

slid / slidden

Slidis much more common.

bend

bent

bent

swing

swung

swung

dig

dug

dug

bind

bound

bound

sweep

swept / (sweeped)

swept / (sweeped)

Sweptis much more common for both past simple and past participle.

spin

spun

spun

flee

fled

fled

shine

shone

shone

lend

lent

lent

leap

leapt / leaped

leapt / leaped

Both leapt[lept] and leaped[leept] are used for past simple and past participle and are equally common (though leapt is a little more common in Britain and leaped is a little more common in America)

cling

clung

clung

spit

spat / spit

spat / spit

In both cases, spat is generally better and more common, but both are used.

kneel

knelt / kneeled

knelt / kneeled

Kneltis more common and, in British English, knelt is standard.

Only the participle is irregular

show

showed

shown

swell

swelled

swollen

The participle matches the root form

come

came

come

become

became

become

run

ran

run

These can be conjugated as regular verbs in American English, but they have irregular forms as well.

learn

learned / (learnt)

learned / (learnt)

In America, this is mostly a regular verb learn / learned / learned, but learnt is acceptable as a past participle.

In British English, the learnt form can be used in both the past simple and the past participle form.

dream

dreamed / (dreamt)

dreamed / dreamt

For the past simple: dreamed is used in American English. Both are used in British English, but dreamed is still more common.

For the past participle: both are used, dreamtis more formal.

burn

burned / (burnt)

burnt / burned

For the past simple: burned is used in American English; both are used in British English, but burned is more common.

For the past participle: both are acceptable, but burnt is more formal and used more as an adjective.

lean

leaned / (leant)

leaned / leant

For the past simple: leaned is used in American English, and both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but leaned is more common.

smell

smelled / (smelt)

smelled / smelt

For the past simple: smelled is used in American English; both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but smelt is quite formal.

strip

stripped / (stript)

stripped / stript

This verb is only sometimes irregular in spelling, not pronunciation. Stripped is much more common, but stript is more formal and more likely for the past participle.

dare

dared / (durst)

dared

This is mostly a regular verb: dare / dared / dared,the irregular past simple form is only found in poetry.

melt

melted

melted / (molten)

This is mostly a regular verb. The word molten was the historical past participle, but now this only describes melted rock (e.g. molten lava).

spill

spilled / (spilt)

spilled / (spilt)

For the simple past: spilled is used in American English, but spilt is used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but in American English, spilled is much more common, while in British English spilt is more common.

spell

spelled / (spelt)

spelled / (spelt)

In American English, only spelled is used. In British English, both are used.

sneak

sneaked / snuck

sneaked / snuck

Both sneaked and snuck are standard, but sneaked is the better choice.

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