Irregular English verbs are verbs whose conjugations differ from the conjugation patterns of regular verbs. Many common English verbs are irregular in the simple past and the past participle. Irregular verbs are verbs in Germanic languages that express the simple past tense by means of changes to the stem vowel (ablaut). Irregular verbs are also referred to as strong verbs.
The simple past is a verb form that expresses discrete, completed, non-continuous actions or states that occurred in the past. Regular English verbs take an -ed suffix in the simple past; however, irregular English verbs undergo stem, consonant, and other phonological changes that do not follow any real pattern in the simple past.
Past participles, or -en participles, are a nonfinite verb form in English that perform verbal and adjectival functions. Regular English verbs take an -ed suffix to form the past participle; however, irregular English verbs also experience stem, consonant, and other phonological changes that do not follow any real pattern to form the past participle
Note that the listing of two forms indicates a shift in the verb from irregular to regular. Both forms are currently acceptable.
| Base | Simple Past |
Past Participle |
| arise | arose | arisen |
| awake | awoke | awoken |
| backslide | backslid | backslidden/backslid |
| be | was/were | been |
| bear | bore | born |
| beat | beat | beat |
| become | became | become |
| begin | began | begun |
| bend | bent | bent |
| beset | beset | beset |
| bet | bet | bet |
| bid | bade | bidden |
| bid | bid | bid |
| bind | bound | bound |
| bite | bit | bitten |
| bleed | bled | bled |
| blow | blew | blown |
| break | broke | broken |
| breed | bred | bred |
| bring | brought | brought |
| broadcast | broadcast | broadcast |
| browbeat | browbeat | browbeaten/browbeat |
| build | built | built |
| burn | burned/burnt | burned/burnt |
| burst | burst | burst |
| bust | busted/bust | busted/bust |
| buy | bought | bought |
| cast | cast | cast |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| cling | clung | clung |
| clothe | clothed/clad | clothed/clad |
| come | came | come |
| cost | cost | cost |
| creep | crept | crept |
| crossbreed | crossbred | crossbred |
| cut | cut | cut |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| dig | dug | dug |
| disprove | disproved | disproved/disproven |
| dive | dived/dove | dived |
| do | did | done |
| draw | drew | drawn |
| dream | dreamed/dreamt | dreamed/dreamt |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| dwell | dwelt/dwelled | dwelt/dwelled |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| fit | fit | fit |
| flee | fled | fled |
| fling | flung | flung |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forbid | forbade/forbid | forbidden |
| forecast | forecast | forecast |
| forego (forgo) | forewent | foregone |
| foretell | foretold | foretold |
| foresee | foresaw | foreseen |
| forget | forgot | forgotten |
| forgive | forgave | forgiven |
| forsake | forsook | forsaken |
| freeze | froze | frozen |
| frostbite | frostbit | frostbitten |
| get | got | gotten |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grind | ground | ground |
| grow | grew | grown |
| hand-feed | hand-fed | hand-fed |
| handwrite | handwrote | handwritten |
| hang | hung | hung |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hew | hewed | hewn/hewed |
| hide | hid | hidden |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hold | held | held |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| inbreed | inbred | inbred |
| inlay | inlaid | inlaid |
| input | input | input |
| interbreed | interbred | interbred |
| interweave | interwove/interweaved | interwoven/interweaved |
| interwind | interwound | interwound |
| jerry-build | jerry-built | jerry-built |
| keep | kept | kept |
| kneel | knelt | knelt |
| knit | knit | knit |
| know | knew | known |
| lay | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| leap | leaped/leapt | leaped/leapt |
| learn | learned/learnt | learned/learnt |
| leave | left | left |
| lend | lent | lent |
| let | let | let |
| lie | lay | lain |
| light | lighted/lit | lighted |
| lip-read | lip-read | lip-read |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| miscast | miscast | miscast |
| misdeal | misdealt | misdealt |
| misdo | misdid | misdone |
| mishear | misheard | misheard |
| mislay | mislaid | mislaid |
| mislead | misled | misled |
| mislearn | mislearned/mislearnt | mislearned/mislearnt |
| misread | misread | misread |
| misset | misset | misset |
| misspeak | misspoke | misspoken |
| misspell | misspelled/misspelt | misspelled/misspelt |
| misspend | misspent | misspent |
| mistake | mistook | mistaken |
| misteach | mistaught | mistaught |
| misunderstand | misunderstood | misunderstood |
| miswrite | miswrote | miswritten |
| mow | mowed | mowed/mown |
| offset | offset | offset |
| outbid | outbid | outbid |
| outbreed | outbred | outbred |
| outdo | outdid | outdone |
| outdraw | outdrew | outdrawn |
| outdrink | outdrank | outdrunk |
| outdrive | outdrove | outdriven |
| outfight | outfought | outfought |
| outfly | outflew | outflown |
| outgrow | outgrew | outgrown |
| outride | outrode | outridden |
| outrun | outran | outrun |
| outsell | outsold | outsold |
| outshine | outshined/outshone | outshined/outshone |
| outshoot | outshot | outshot |
| outsing | outsang | outsung |
| outsit | outsat | outsat |
| outsleep | outslept | outslept |
| outspeak | outspoke | outspoken |
| outspeed | outsped | outsped |
| outspend | outspent | outspent |
| outswear | outswore | outsworn |
| outswim | outswam | outswum |
| outthink | outthought | outthought |
| outthrow | outthrew | outthrown |
| outwrite | outwrote | outwritten |
| overbid | overbid | overbid |
| overbreed | overbred | overbred |
| overbuild | overbuilt | overbuilt |
| overbuy | overbought | overbought |
| overcome | overcame | overcome |
| overdo | overdid | overdone |
| overdraw | overdrew | overdrawn |
| overdrink | overdrank | overdrunk |
| overeat | overate | overeaten |
| overfeed | overfed | overfed |
| overhang | overhung | overhung |
| overhear | overheard | overheard |
| overlay | overlaid | overlaid |
| overpay | overpaid | overpaid |
| override | overrode | overridden |
| overrun | overran | overrun |
| oversee | oversaw | overseen |
| oversell | oversold | oversold |
| oversew | oversewed | oversewn/oversewed |
| overshoot | overshot | overshot |
| oversleep | overslept | overslept |
| overspeak | overspoke | overspoken |
| overspend | overspent | overspent |
| overtake | overtook | overtaken |
| overthink | overthought | overthought |
| overthrow | overthrew | overthrown |
| overwind | overwound | overwound |
| overwrite | overwrote | overwritten |
| partake | partook | partaken |
| pay | paid | paid |
| plead | pled | pled |
| prebuild | prebuilt | prebuilt |
| predo | predid | predone |
| premake | premade | premade |
| prepay | prepaid | prepaid |
| presell | presold | presold |
| preset | preset | preset |
| preshrink | preshrank | preshrunk |
| proofread | proofread | proofread |
| prove | proved | proved/proven |
| put | put | put |
| quick-freeze | quick-froze | quick-frozen |
| quit | quit | quit |
| read | read | read |
| reawake | reawoke | reawaken |
| rebid | rebid | rebid |
| rebind | rebound | rebound |
| rebroadcast | rebroadcast/rebroadcasted | rebroadcast/rebroadcasted |
| rebuild | rebuilt | rebuilt |
| recast | recast | recast |
| recut | recut | recut |
| redeal | redealt | redealt |
| redo | redid | redone |
| redraw | redrew | redrawn |
| refit | refit/refitted | refit/refitted |
| regrind | reground | reground |
| regrow | regrew | regrown |
| rehang | rehung | rehung |
| rehear | reheard | reheard |
| reknit | reknitted/reknit | reknitted/reknit |
| relay | relaid | relaid |
| relearn | relearned/relearnt | relearned/relearnt |
| relight | relit/relighted | relit/relighted |
| remake | remade | remade |
| repay | repaid | repaid |
| reread | reread | reread |
| rerun | reran | rerun |
| resell | resold | resold |
| resend | resent | resent |
| reset | reset | reset |
| resew | resewed | resewn/resewed |
| retake | retook | retaken |
| reteach | retaught | retaught |
| retear | retore | retorn |
| retell | retold | retold |
| rethink | rethought | rethought |
| retread | retread | retread |
| retrofit | retrofitted/retrofit | retrofitted/retrofit |
| rewake | rewoke/rewaked | rewaken/rewaked |
| rewear | rewore | reworn |
| reweave | rewove/reweaved | rewoven/reweaved |
| rewed | rewed/rewedded | rewed/rewedded |
| rewet | rewet/rewetted | rewet/rewetted |
| rewin | rewon | rewon |
| rewind | rewound | rewound |
| rewrite | rewrote | rewritten |
| rid | rid | rid |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| ring | rang | rung |
| rise | rose | risen |
| roughcast | roughcast | roughcast |
| run | ran | run |
| saw | sawed | sawed/sawn |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| seek | sought | sought |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| set | set | set |
| sew | sewed | sewed/sewn |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shave | shaved | shaved/shaven |
| shear | shore | shorn |
| shed | shed | shed |
| shine | shone | shone |
| shoe | shoed | shoed/shod |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| show | showed | showed/shown |
| shrink | shrank | shrunk |
| shut | shut | shut |
| sight-read | sight-read | sight-read |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sink | sank | sunk |
| sit | sat | sat |
| slay | slew | slain |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| slide | slid | slid |
| sling | slung | slung |
| slink | slinked/slunk | slinked/slunk |
| slit | slit | slit |
| smell | smelled/smelt | smelled/smelt |
| smite | smote | smitten |
| sneak | sneaked/snuck | sneaked/snuck |
| sow | sowed | sowed/sown |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| speed | sped | sped |
| spend | spent | spent |
| spill | spilled/spilt | spilled/spilt |
| spin | spun | spun |
| spit | spit/spat | spit |
| split | split | split |
| spoon-feed | spoon-fed | spoon-fed |
| spread | spread | spread |
| spring | sprang/sprung | sprung |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| stick | stuck | stuck |
| sting | stung | stung |
| stink | stank | stunk |
| strew | strewed | strewn/strewed |
| stride | strode | stridden |
| strike | struck | struck/stricken |
| string | strung | strung |
| strive | strove | striven |
| sublet | sublet | sublet |
| sunburn | sunburned/sunburnt | sunburned/sunburnt |
| swear | swore | sworn |
| sweat | sweat/sweated | sweat/sweated |
| sweep | swept | swept |
| swell | swelled | swelled/swollen |
| swim | swam | swum |
| swing | swung | swung |
| take | took | taken |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tear | tore | torn |
| telecast | telecast | telecast |
| tell | told | told |
| test-drive | test-drove | test-driven |
| test-fly | test-flew | test-flown |
| think | thought | thought |
| thrive | thrived/throve | thrived |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| thrust | thrust | thrust |
| tread | trod | trodden |
| typecast | typecast | typecast |
| typeset | typeset | typeset |
| typewrite | typewrote | typewritten |
| unbend | unbent | unbent |
| unbind | unbound | unbound |
| underbid | underbid | underbid |
| undercut | undercut | undercut |
| underfeed | underfed | underfed |
| undergo | underwent | undergone |
| underlie | underlay | underlain |
| undersell | undersold | undersold |
| underspend | underspent | underspent |
| understand | understood | understood |
| undertake | undertook | undertaken |
| underwrite | underwrote | underwritten |
| undo | undid | undone |
| unfreeze | unfroze | unfrozen |
| unhang | unhung | unhung |
| unhide | unhid | unhidden |
| unlearn | unlearned/unlearnt | unlearned/unlearnt |
| unsew | unsewed | unsewn/unsewed |
| unsling | unslung | unslung |
| unspin | unspun | unspun |
| unstick | unstuck | unstuck |
| unstring | unstrung | unstrung |
| unweave | unwove/unweaved | unwoven/unweaved |
| unwind | unwound | unwound |
| uphold | upheld | upheld |
| upset | upset | upset |
| wake | woke | woken |
| waylay | waylaid | waylaid |
| wear | wore | worn |
| weave | weaved/wove | weaved/woven |
| wed | wed/wedded | wed/wedded |
| weep | wept | wept |
| wet | wet/wetted | wet/wetted |
| wind | wound | wound |
| win | won | won |
| withdraw | withdrew | withdrawn |
| withhold | withheld | withheld |
| withstand | withstood | withstood |
| wring | wrung | wrung |
| write | wrote | written |
Also download a free printable copy of the list of irregular English verbs: English Irregular Verbs Simple Past and Past Participles.
References
Hopper, Paul J. 1999. A short course in grammar. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Huddleston, Rodney. 1984. Introduction to the grammar of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kilby, David. 1984. Descriptive syntax and the English verb. Dover, New Hampshire: Croom Helm.
Leech, Geoffrey N. 2004. Meaning and the English verb. Harlow, English: Pearson Longman.
