Appendix:English irregular verbs categories
This table lists irregular verbs in the English language, arranged according to commonly recognized groups of irregularity, which have proved to be useful for English L2 students.
The verbs are arranged as lemma (blue linked) - preterite (simple past) - past participle. Comments are in the second column where further information is useful or necessary.
See also Appendix:English irregular verbs
This table includes selected archaic forms (marked *). This table does not include be, or modal or other defective verbs, which can be found in other Category or Appendix tables.
Example cut cut cut
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| beat beat beat | Alternative Groups 6 or 7 -- beat beat beaten |
| beset beset beset | |
| bet bet bet | Alternative regular -- bet betted betted |
| bid (in cards, auctions, etc.) bid bid | |
| burst burst burst | Alternative regular -- burst bursted bursted. Archaic *brast *bursten |
| cast cast cast | |
| cost cost cost | |
| cut cut cut | |
| fit fit fit | Alternative regular -- fit fitted fitted |
hit hit hit
|
|
| hurt hurt hurt | |
| knit knit knit | Alternative regular -- knit knitted knitted |
| let (allow) let let | |
put put put
|
|
| quit quit quit | |
| read read read | While spelling is pattern Group 1, the past and participle are pronounced red |
| rid rid rid | Alternative -- rid ridden. Also alternative regular -- ridded ridded |
| set set set | |
| shed shed shed | Alternative regular -- shedded shedded |
| shit shit shit | Alternative -- shat shat. Also alternative regular -- shitted shitted. |
| shut shut shut | |
| slit slit slit | Alternative -- slit slitten |
| split split split | |
spread spread spread
|
|
| sweat sweat sweat | Alternative regular -- sweated sweated |
thrust thrust thrust
|
Alternative regular -- thrusted thrusted |
| wed wed wed | Alternative regular -- wedded wedded |
| wet wet wet | Alternative regular -- wetted wetted |
| worth worth worth | Alternative -- worth *worthen |
Example learn learnt learnt
Example spend spent spent
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| bend bent bent | Alternative regular -- bended bended |
| build built built | |
| burn burnt burnt | Alternative regular -- burned burned |
deal dealt dealt
|
|
| dream dreamt dreamt | Alternative regular -- dreamed dreamed |
gird girt girt
|
Alternative regular -- girded girded |
ken kent kent
|
Alternative regular all terms -- ~kenned ~kenned |
| leap leapt leapt | Alternative regular -- leaped leaped |
learn learnt learnt
|
Alternative regular -- learned learned -- mislearned mislearned |
lend lent lent
|
|
| mean meant meant | |
| rend rent rent | |
| send sent sent | |
| spend spent spent | |
| spoil spoilt spoilt | Alternative regular -- spoiled spoiled |
| wend went went | Alternative regular -- wended wended |
Examples keep kept kept
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| bereave bereft bereft | Alternative regular -- bereaved bereaved |
| bless blest blest | Alternative regular -- blessed blessed |
| cleave (cling to) clove/cleft cleft | Alternative regular -- cleaved cleaved |
| creep crept crept | Alternative regular -- creeped creeped |
| dwell dwelt dwelt | Alternative regular -- dwelled dwelled |
| feel felt felt | |
| get got got | Alternative Group 6 -- get got gotten |
keep kept kept
|
|
| kneel knelt knelt | Alternative regular -- kneeled kneeled |
leave left left
|
|
light lit lit
|
Alternative regular -- lighted lighted -- alighted alighted |
| lose lost lost | |
| meet met met | |
| shit shat shat | Alternative -- shit shit |
| shite shit/shat shit/shat | |
shoot shot shot/shotten
|
|
| sit sat sat | |
sleep slept slept
|
|
| smell smelt smelt | Alternative regular -- smelled smelled |
spell spelt spelt
|
Alternative regular for all terms -- ~spelled ~spelled |
spill spilt spilt
|
Alternative regular for all terms -- ~spilled ~spilled |
| sweep swept swept | |
| weep wept wept |
Examples hear heard heard
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| bind bound bound | Archaic bound *bounden |
| bleed bled bled | |
breed bred bred
|
|
clothe clad clad
|
Alternative regular for all terms -- ~clothed ~clothed |
| feed fed fed | |
| find found found | |
| flee fled fled | |
| grind ground ground | Alternative for past -- grinded ground |
| have had had | |
| hear heard heard | |
| hide hid hid | Alternative Group 6 -- hid hidden |
| hold held held | Alternative all terms -- ~held *~holden |
| lay laid laid | Regular rule is -- "consonant-y" to "consonant -ied", "vowel-y" to "vowel -yed". |
lead led led
|
|
make made made
|
Note -- "de" maintains correct pronunciation. |
| pay paid paid | Regular rule is -- "consonant-y" to "consonant -ied", "vowel-y" to "vowel -yed".
|
| plead pled pled | Alternative regular -- pleaded pleaded |
| say said said | Pronunciation. "sed" "sed" .
Regular rule is -- "consonant-y" to "consonant -ied", "vowel-y" to "vowel -yed".
|
| sell sold sold | |
| shoe shod shod/*shodden | Alternative regular -- shoed shoed |
slide slid slid
|
Alternative Group 7 -- ~slide ~slid ~slidden |
| speed sped sped | Alternative regular -- speeded speeded |
stand stood stood
|
|
| tell told told | |
tread trod trod
|
Alternative Group 7 -- trod trodden -- retrod retrodden |
| wind wound wound |
Example teach taught taught
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| beseech besought besought | Alternative regular -- beseeched beseeched |
| bring brought brought | |
| buy bought bought | |
| catch caught caught | |
| fight fought fought | |
| seek sought sought | |
| teach taught taught | |
| think thought thought | |
work *wrought *wrought
|
Alternative usually regular -- worked worked -- overworked overworked |
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| cling clung clung | Alternative Group 8 -- clang clung |
dig dug dug
|
|
| drag drug drug | Alternative regular -- dragged dragged |
| drink drank drunken | Alternative Group 8 -- drink drank drunk |
| fling flung flung | |
| hang hung hung | Alternative regular (normally only used for corporal punishment meaning) -- hanged hanged |
| shine shone shone | Alternative regular for all terms -- ~shined ~shined |
| sling slung slung | Alternative Group 8 -- slang slung |
| slink slunk slunk | |
| sneak snuck snuck | Alternative regular -- sneaked sneaked |
| spin spun spun | Alternative Group 8 -- spin span spun |
| stick stuck stuck | |
| sting stung stung | Alternative -- stang stung |
| stink stunk stunk | Alternative Group 8 -- stank stunk |
| strike struck struck | Alternative Group 5 -- struck stricken |
| string strung strung | Alternative Group 8 -- strang strung |
| spring sprung sprung | Alternative Group 8 -- spring sprang sprung |
swing swung swung
|
Alternative Group 8 -- swing swang swung |
| win won won | |
| wring wrung wrung | Alternative Group 8 -- wring wrang wrung |
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| abide abode *abidden | Alternative regular -- abided abided |
| arise arose arisen | |
| beat beat beaten | Alternative Groups 1 -- beat beat beat -- or 7 |
| bide bode bidden | Alternative regular -- bided bided |
| browbeat browbeat browbeaten | Alternative Groups 7 |
| befall befell befallen | |
| bid (meaning to request or say) bade bidden | Alternatives -- group 1 -- bid bid , and Regular -- bidded bidded |
blow blew blown
|
|
| do did done | |
| draw drew drawn | |
drive drove driven
|
|
eat ate eaten
|
|
fall fell fallen
|
|
| forbid forbade forbidden | Alternative regular -- forbid forbid. Also -- forbid *forbad forbid |
| forgive forgave forgiven | |
| forsake forsook forsaken | |
give gave given
|
|
| go went gone | |
| grow grew grown | |
| know knew known | |
| lade laded laden | Alternative regular -- laded laded |
| misshape misshaped misshapen | Alternative regular -- misshaped misshaped |
| mistake mistook mistaken | |
| mow mowed mown | Alternative regular -- mowed mowed |
| prove proved proven | Alternative regular -- proved proved |
ride rode ridden
|
|
| rise rose risen | |
| rive rove riven | Alternative regular -- rived rived |
| saw sawed sawn | Alternative regular -- sawed sawed |
| see saw seen | |
sew sewed sewn
|
Alternative regular all terms -- ~sewed ~sewed |
shake shook shaken
|
|
shape shaped shapen
|
Alternative regular all terms -- ~shaped ~shaped |
| shave shaved shaven | Alternative regular -- shaved shaved |
| show showed shown | Alternative regular -- showed showed |
| shrive shrove shriven | |
| slay slew slain | Alternative regular -- slayed slayed |
| smite smote smitten | Alternative Group 7 -- smite smit smitten |
| sow sowed sown | Alternative regular -- sowed sowed |
| strew strew strewn | Alternative regular -- strewed strewed |
| strike struck stricken | Alternative Group 5 -- struck struck |
stride strode stridden/*strid
|
Alternative regular -- strided strided |
| strive strove striven | Alternative regular -- strived strived |
| take took taken | |
| thrive throve thriven | Alternative regular -- thrived thrived |
throw threw thrown
|
|
| withdraw withdrew withdrawn | |
write wrote/*writ written
|
|
| writhe *wrothe *writhen | Alternative regular -- writhed writhed |
| verb forms | notes | |
|---|---|---|
| awake awoke awoken | ||
| bear bore born or borne | Alternative regular -- bear beared bared -- with meaning to remove clothing. | |
| beat beat beaten | Alternative Groups 1 -- beat beat beat -- or 6 | |
| browbeat browbeat browbeaten | Alternative Groups 6 | |
beget begot begotten
|
Alternative Group 9 -- beget *begat begot.] | |
| bite bit bitten | ||
| break broke broken | ||
choose chose chosen
|
||
| cleave (split apart) clove cloven | Alternative Group 2B cleave clove/cleft cleft | |
| forget forgot forgotten | ||
| freeze froze frozen | ||
| get got gotten | Alternative Group 2B -- get got got | |
hew hew hewn
|
Alternative regular all terms -- ~hewed ~hewed | |
| hide hid hidden | Alternative Group 3 -- hid hid | |
| lie (position, horizontal) lay lain | Note -- "lie" not tell the truth, is regular. lie lied lied. | |
| shear shore shorn | Alternative regular -- sheared sheared | |
| smite smit smitten | Alternative Group -- smite smote smitten | |
slide slid slidden
|
Alternative Group 3 -- ~slide ~slid ~slid | |
| speak spoke/*spake spoken | ||
| sink sunk sunken | Alternative Group 8 -- sink sank sunk | |
| steal stole stolen | ||
| swear swore sworn | ||
| swell swoll swollen | Alternative regular -- swelled swelled | |
| tear tore torn | ||
| wake woke woken | ||
| wear wore worn | ||
weave wove woven
|
Alternative -- weave weaved woven |
Example swim swam swum
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
| begin began begun | |
| cling clang clung | Alternative Group 5 -- cling clung clung |
drink drank drunk
|
Alternative Group 5 -- drink drank drank/drunken |
| ring rang rung | |
| run ran run | |
| shrink shrank shrunk | Alternative Group 5 -- shrink shrunk shrunken |
sing sang sung
|
|
| sink sank sunk | Alternative Group 7 -- sink sunk sunken |
| sling slang slung | Alternative Group 5 -- sling slung slung |
| spin span spun | Alternative Group 5 -- spin spun spun |
| spring sprang sprung | Alternative Group 5 -- spring sprung sprung |
| swim swam swum | |
swing swang swung
|
Alternative Group 5 -- swing swung swung |
| wring wrang wrung | Alternative Group 5 -- wring wrung wrung |
| verb forms | notes |
|---|---|
become became become
|
|
beget *begat begot
|
Alternative Group 7 -- beget begot begotten |
come came come
|
|
| dive dove dived | Alternative regular -- dived dived |
fly flew flown
|
|
| spit spat spit | Alternative Group 1 -- spit spit spit |