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12/13/12 8:19 AM

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Contributors:Dana Lynn Driscoll, Karl Stolley, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary: This handout contains a list and discussion of common irregular verbs.

Irregular Verbs: Overview and List

In English, regular verbs consist of three main parts: the root form (present), the (simple) past, and the past participle. Regular verbs have an -ed ending added to the root verb for both the simple past and past participle. Irregular verbs do not follow this pattern, and instead take on an alternative pattern.

List of Irregular Verbs in English

The following is a partial list of irregular verbs found in English. Each listing consists of the present/root form of the verb, the (simple) past form of the verb, and the past participle form of the verb. Present be become begin blow break bring build burst buy burst catch choose Past was, were became began blew broke brought built burst bought burst caught chose Past Participle been become begun blown broken brought built burst bought burst caught chosen
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Purdue OWL

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come cut deal do drink drive eat fall feed feel fight find fly forbid forget forgive freeze get give go grow have hear hide hold hurt keep know lay lead leave let lie lose make

came cut dealt did drank drove ate fell fed felt fought found flew forbade forgot forgave froze got gave went grew had heard hid held hurt kept knew laid led left let lay lost made

come cut dealt done drunk driven eaten fallen fed felt fought found flown forbidden forgotten forgiven frozen gotten given gone grown had heard hidden held hurt kept known laid led left let lain lost made

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Purdue OWL

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meet pay quit read ride run say see seek sell send shake shine sing sit sleep speak spend spring stand steal swim swing

met paid quit read rode ran said saw sought sold sent shook shone sang sat slept spoke spent sprang stood stole swam swung

met paid quit read ridden run said seen sought sold sent shaken shone sung sat slept spoken spent sprung stood stolen swum swung

take took taken teach taught taught tear tore torn tell told told think thought thought throw threw thrown understand understood understood wake woke (waked) woken (waked) wear wore worn win won won write wrote written Contributors:Dana Lynn Driscoll, Karl Stolley, Elizabeth Angeli. Summary:
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Purdue OWL

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This handout contains a list and discussion of common irregular verbs.

Commonly Confused Verbs

LIE versus LAY Lie vs. Lay usage Past I lied to my mother. I lay on the bed because I was tired.

Present lie, lying (to tell a falsehood) lie, lying (to recline)

Past Participle I have lied under oath. He has lain in the grass. We have laid the dishes on the table.

lay, laying (to put, place) I laid the baby in her cradle. Example sentences:

After laying down his weapon, the soldier lay down to sleep. Will you lay out my clothes while I lie down to rest? SIT versus SET Sit vs. Set usage Past I sat in my favorite chair.

Present sit (to be seated or come to resting position) set (to put or place) Example sentences:

Past Participle You have sat there for three hours.

I set my glass on the She has set her books on my table. desk again.

Let's set the table before we sit down to rest. RISE versus RAISE Rise vs. Raise usage Past The balloon rose into the air. They raised their hands because they knew the answer.

Present rise (steady or customary upward movement) raise (to cause to rise)
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Past Participle He has risen to a position of power. I have raised the curtain many times.
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Example sentences: The boy raised the flag just before the sun rose.

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