Understanding the forms of irregular verbs is essential for mastering English grammar, especially when using tenses like the Past Simple and the Present Perfect. Unlike regular verbs, irregular verbs do not follow a predictable pattern for their past forms, so you have to memorize them. This article includes a comprehensive table of common irregular verbs, showing the base form (V1), the Past Simple form (V2), and the Past Participle form (V3).
Below is a detailed table of frequently used irregular verbs with their three forms:
| Base Form (V1) | Past Simple (V2) | Past Participle (V3) |
|---|---|---|
| arise | arose | arisen |
| be | was/were | been |
| become | became | become |
| begin | began | begun |
| bend | bent | bent |
| bite | bit | bitten |
| blow | blew | blown |
| break | broke | broken |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| buy | bought | bought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| come | came | come |
| cut | cut | cut |
| do | did | done |
| draw | drew | drawn |
| 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 |
| freeze | froze | frozen |
| get | got | gotten/got |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grow | grew | grown |
| hang | hung | hung |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hide | hid | hidden |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hold | held | held |
| keep | kept | kept |
| know | knew | known |
| lead | led | led |
| leave | left | left |
| lend | lent | lent |
| let | let | let |
| lie (down) | lay | lain |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| pay | paid | paid |
| put | put | put |
| read | read | read |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| ring | rang | rung |
| rise | rose | risen |
| run | ran | run |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shine | shone | shone |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| show | showed | shown |
| shut | shut | shut |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sit | sat | sat |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| spend | spent | spent |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| swim | swam | swum |
| take | took | taken |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tear | tore | torn |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| understand | understood | understood |
| wake | woke | woken |
| wear | wore | worn |
| win | won | won |
| write | wrote | written |
How to Use These Verb Forms?
- Past Simple (V2):
- The Past Simple form (V2) is used to talk about completed actions in the past.
- Example: I went to the park yesterday.
- Past Participle (V3):
- The Past Participle (V3) is used in perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.
- Example (Present Perfect): She has written a letter.
- Example (Passive Voice): The cake was eaten by the children.
Key Points to Remember
- Learn Irregular Verbs in Groups: Grouping irregular verbs by patterns (e.g., sing-sang-sung, ring-rang-rung) makes them easier to memorize.
- Pay Attention to Pronunciation: Some irregular verbs (e.g., read) have the same spelling in V2 and V3 but are pronounced differently.
- Practice, Practice, Practice: The best way to master irregular verbs is through repetition and practice.