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English Irregular Verbs List

Irregular verbs do not take -ed in the past. Each has three forms – the infinitive, the Past Simple and the Past Participle – and they are easier to learn in groups: verbs that never change, verbs with two identical forms, and verbs where every form is different.

Press ▶ to hear all three forms. Practise the verbs in picture sets and sets grouped by pattern, or in the trainer, where you type both past forms.

All three forms are the same11

The easiest group: nothing changes.

read is spelled the same in all three forms but pronounced /riːd/ – /red/ – /red/.

Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle
bet bet bet
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
hit hit hit
hurt hurt hurt
let let let
put put put
read read read
set set set
shut shut shut
spread spread spread

Past Simple = Past Participle55

Learn one new form instead of two.

Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle
bend bent bent
bleed bled bled
bring brought brought
build built built
burn burnt / burned burnt / burned
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
deal dealt dealt
dig dug dug
dream dreamt / dreamed dreamt / dreamed
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
get got got / gotten
hang hung hung
have had had
hear heard heard
hold held held
keep kept kept
lay laid laid
lead led led
learn learnt / learned learnt / learned
leave left left
lend lent lent
light lit / lighted lit / lighted
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
pay paid paid
say said said
sell sold sold
send sent sent
shine shone / shined shone / shined
shoot shot shot
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
slide slid slid
smell smelt / smelled smelt / smelled
spell spelt / spelled spelt / spelled
spend spent spent
spin spun spun
stand stood stood
stick stuck stuck
sting stung stung
strike struck struck
sweep swept swept
swing swung swung
teach taught taught
tell told told
think thought thought
understand understood understood
weep wept wept
win won won

Infinitive = Past Participle3

Only the middle form changes.

Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle
become became become
come came come
run ran run

All three forms are different41

These verbs need the most practice.

Infinitive Past Simple Past Participle
be was / were been
beat beat beaten
begin began begun
bite bit bitten
blow blew blown
break broke broken
choose chose chosen
do did done
draw drew drawn
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
hide hid hidden
know knew known
lie lay lain
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
see saw seen
shake shook shaken
show showed shown
shrink shrank shrunk
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
speak spoke spoken
steal stole stolen
swim swam swum
take took taken
tear tore torn
throw threw thrown
wake woke woken
wear wore worn
write wrote written

Practise with exercises

11 sets with picture cards and audio, a short video, a listening game and Past Simple sentences: