Top irregular verbs in English
Although irregular verbs might seem challenging at first, the truth is you don’t need to worry too much. It’s essential to recognize which verbs are irregular and which are not, so you can avoid simple mistakes. Also, understanding the four types of irregular verbs will help you categorize them easily and get the conjugation right when speaking or writing.
Are you prepared to begin? This useful guide will explain everything you need to know about irregular verbs in English, including the most frequently used ones, along with five expert tips for mastering them. Let’s start!
What are irregular verbs in English and how many are there?
Irregular verbs are different from regular ones because they don’t follow the typical conjugation rules. Regular verbs often end with -d or -ed when changing forms. However, irregular verbs don’t follow these patterns for either the simple past or the past participle — sometimes not for both. While English has about 200 irregular verbs, many of them are not frequently used. Here, we’ve listed the most common irregular verbs for you.
Types of irregular verbs in English
Before we delve into the comprehensive list of irregular verbs in English, let’s first review the four types of irregular verbs so you know what to expect.
Irregular verbs with consistent base form, past tense, and past participle:
This type is among the most common and easiest to learn. With these verbs, you simply maintain the infinitive form for both the past tense and past participle. Examples include:
- Bid
- Broadcast
- Set
Irregular verbs with the same past tense and past participle:
Another type involves verbs that share the same conjugation for both the simple past and past participle. These are relatively straightforward to remember, as you use the same conjugation for both tenses. Examples include:
- Bend → Bent
- Build → Built
- Get → Got
Irregular verbs with consistent base form and past participle:
This category comprises the wildcard verbs of English. While the simple past may have a unique and often irregular conjugation, the past participle remains identical to the base verb. Although this may seem counterintuitive, the list of verbs in this category is not extensive. Examples include:
- Run → Ran
- Become → Became
- Overcome → Overcame
Irregular verbs with distinct base form, past tense, and past participle:
Finally, we encounter verbs where each tense is entirely different from the others. Although this might appear challenging to learn, we have some tricks to help you memorize them easily. Keep reading to discover more! For now, here are examples of verbs in this category, featuring the base form followed by the simple past conjugation and the past participle:
- Freeze → Froze → Frozen
- Write → Wrote → Written
- Eat → Ate → Eaten
[table id=TopirregularverbsinEnglish /]
3 best strategies for learning irregular verbs
Here are three effective strategies for mastering irregular verbs:
Organize them by type
Before tackling all irregular verbs randomly, categorize them based on their patterns. Since memorizing over 100 irregular verbs at once can be overwhelming, prioritize those most relevant to you and group them by type. This approach simplifies understanding what makes each verb irregular. It helps you recognize whether you need to alter the entire verb or just the stem, and whether the changes apply to all verb tenses or only specific ones.
Say them out loud
Memorizing irregular verbs becomes more manageable when you learn all three verb conjugations together. This not only aids in remembering which conjugations require special attention but also allows you to create a memorable rhyme. For instance, try quickly reciting these conjugations:
Freeze, froze, frozen
Begin, began, begun
Sing, sang, sung
Wear, wore, worn
Doesn’t it feel like a fun tongue twister?
Always check if a verb is irregular
Not all verbs are irregular; the vast majority follow regular conjugation rules. However, a common mistake among English learners is treating irregular verbs as regular ones. Therefore, whenever you encounter a new verb, consult a dictionary to confirm whether it’s irregular or regular.