What are Irregular Verbs

What are Irregular Verbs

Verbs have different tenses and forms in grammar. Most verbs in the English language conform to the general rule of forming their tenses and forms, particularly, their simple past tense and past participle form. The general rule is adding -ed or -d to the end of the verb root. The verbs that form their simple past tense and past participle form are called regular verbs. However, there are some verbs that do not conform to this general rule. The verbs that don’t take the regular spelling patterns for the past tense and past participle are called irregular verbs. Irregular verbs are called strong verbs.

Some irregular verbs follow patterns.

Ex: drink–drank, spring–sprang, and know-knew

But these patterns are not always predictable. Therefore, irregular verbs have to be memorized.

Examples of Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs include some of the most common verbs in English. Given below is a list of some common irregular verbs with their simple past tense and past participle forms.

Here are some examples of irregular verbs used in sentences. The irregular verbs are underlined for the ease of identification.

Example 1: Go

I want to go home.

He went to school.

Everyone has gone home.

Example 2: Eat

I can eat 10 apples.

He ate my cake.

The cake was eaten by him.

Example 3: Give

I want to give him a present.

I gave him a present.

This present was given by me.

Example 4: Fly

The bird can fly fast.

The bird flew over the trees. 

The has flown.

I give him an apple.
I gave him an apple.
An apple was given by me.

It is important to remember that some irregular verbs have the same past tense and past participle.

Ex: sit- sat, run-ran, buy-bought

Some verbs that don’t change in the simple past tense and past participle are also considered to be irregular verbs.

Ex: bet, set, read, cut, spread, hit

Moreover, there are some verbs that can be either regular verbs or irregular verbs. This is because they tend to have two past tenses and past participles.

Irregular Verbs – Summary

• Irregular verbs are verbs that don’t follow regular spelling patterns of the past simple or past participle.

• Irregular verbs are opposite of regular verbs.

• Some of the most common verbs in English are irregular.

• The past tense and the past participle form of an irregular form can be either different or same.

• Some verbs that don’t change in the simple past tense and past participle are also considered to be irregular verbs.

• Some verbs can be either regular or irregular.