Understanding Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs is essential for mastering English grammar. Whether you are a student just starting to learn English or someone refining your skills, knowing the difference between regular and irregular verbs helps in constructing correct and fluent sentences. In this article, we’ll explore 100 examples of regular and irregular verbs, highlighting key differences and providing practical examples to help you master them.
By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped with clear examples and deeper insights into when and how to use these verbs effectively in various contexts. Let’s dive into this essential aspect of English grammar!
What Are Regular and Irregular Verbs?
Before we jump into the examples, it’s crucial to understand what Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs are.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs are verbs that follow a consistent pattern when conjugated in the past tense. They generally end in -ed in their past tense and past participle forms. For example:
- Walk → Walked → Walked
- Play → Played → Played
These verbs are easy to predict because they follow a straightforward rule. If you know the base form of a verb, simply add -ed for the past tense.
Irregular Verbs
On the other hand, irregular verbs do not follow the standard pattern of adding -ed in the past tense. Instead, they change in unpredictable ways, and there’s no single rule that applies to all irregular verbs.
For instance:
- Go → Went → Gone
- Eat → Ate → Eaten
The changes in irregular verbs vary and need to be memorized, as they don’t follow the same pattern as regular verbs.
Why Are Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs Important?
Both regular and irregular verbs are crucial for forming correct sentences. Without knowing how to use these verbs correctly, it can be difficult to communicate effectively, whether in spoken or written English.
For example, using regular verbs like talk or play in their past tense form (talked, played) is easy once you’re familiar with the pattern. But irregular verbs, like begin, choose, or come, need to be learned individually because their forms are unique and don’t follow a predictable rule.
101 Examples of Regular Verbs
Here are 100 examples of regular verbs. These are the most common verbs you’ll encounter, and they all follow the simple rule of adding -ed in the past tense.
| Infinitive | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| Accept | Accepted | Accepted |
| Act | Acted | Acted |
| Admire | Admired | Admired |
| Agree | Agreed | Agreed |
| Answer | Answered | Answered |
| Arrive | Arrived | Arrived |
| Bake | Baked | Baked |
| Behave | Behaved | Behaved |
| Believe | Believed | Believed |
| Borrow | Borrowed | Borrowed |
| Call | Called | Called |
| Celebrate | Celebrated | Celebrated |
| Clean | Cleaned | Cleaned |
| Climb | Climbed | Climbed |
| Close | Closed | Closed |
| Cook | Cooked | Cooked |
| Dance | Danced | Danced |
| Decide | Decided | Decided |
| Deliver | Delivered | Delivered |
| Demand | Demanded | Demanded |
| Enjoy | Enjoyed | Enjoyed |
| Explore | Explored | Explored |
| Find | Found | Found |
| Finish | Finished | Finished |
| Help | Helped | Helped |
| Hope | Hoped | Hoped |
| Invite | Invited | Invited |
| Jump | Jumped | Jumped |
| Kick | Kicked | Kicked |
| Listen | Listened | Listened |
| Love | Loved | Loved |
| Manage | Managed | Managed |
| Offer | Offered | Offered |
| Paint | Painted | Painted |
| Plan | Planned | Planned |
| Play | Played | Played |
| Push | Pushed | Pushed |
| Return | Returned | Returned |
| Share | Shared | Shared |
| Start | Started | Started |
| Talk | Talked | Talked |
| Walk | Walked | Walked |
| Watch | Watched | Watched |
| Work | Worked | Worked |
As you can see, each of these verbs follows the same rule of simply adding -ed to the infinitive form. While there are some spelling rules (e.g., doubling consonants for verbs like stop → stopped), the pattern is consistent across these regular verbs.
101 Examples of Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are an essential part of English. Unlike regular verbs, which form their past tense by adding “-ed,” irregular verbs change their form unpredictably. Here’s a list of 100 examples of irregular verbs with their infinitive, past tense, and past participle forms. This comprehensive table will help you learn and practice the different forms of these common verbs.
| Infinitive | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| bear | bore | born |
| beat | beat | beaten |
| become | became | become |
| befall | befell | befallen |
| beget | begot | begotten |
| begin | began | begun |
| behold | beheld | beheld |
| bend | bent | bent |
| bereave | bereft | bereft |
| beseech | besought | besought |
| beset | beset | beset |
| bespeak | bespoke | bespoken |
| bestride | bestrode | bestridden |
| bet | bet | bet |
| bid | bade/bid | bidden/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 |
| buy | bought | bought |
| can | could | – |
| cast | cast | cast |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| cling | clung | clung |
| come | came | come |
| cost | cost | cost |
| creep | crept | crept |
| cut | cut | cut |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| dig | dug | dug |
| do | did | done |
| draw | drew | drawn |
| dream | dreamt | dreamt |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| dwell | dwelt | dwelt |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| interweave | interwove | interwoven |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| flee | fled | fled |
| fling | flung | flung |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forbid | forbad(e) | forbidden |
| forecast | forecast | forecast |
| forget | forgot | forgotten |
| forgive | forgave | forgiven |
| forsake | forsook | forsaken |
| foresee | foresaw | foreseen |
| foretell | foretold | foretold |
| freeze | froze | frozen |
| get | got | got |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grind | ground | ground |
| grow | grew | grown |
| hang | hung | hung |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hide | hid | hidden |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hold | held | held |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| keep | kept | kept |
| kneel | knelt | knelt |
| know | knew | known |
| lay | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| lean | leant | leant |
| leap | leapt | leapt |
| learn | learnt | learnt |
| leave | left | left |
| lend | lent | lent |
| let | let | let |
| lie | lay | lain |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| pay | paid | paid |
| mistake | mistook | mistaken |
| overhear | overheard | overheard |
| oversleep | overslept | overslept |
| put | put | put |
| read | read | read |
| rend | rent | rent |
| rid | rid | rid |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| ring | rang | rung |
| rise | rose | risen |
| run | ran | run |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| seek | sought | sought |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| set | set | set |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shed | shed | shed |
| shine | shone | shone |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| show | showed | shown |
| shrink | shrank | shrunk |
| shut | shut | shut |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sink | sank | sunk |
| sit | sat | sat |
| slay | slew | slain |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| slide | slid | slid |
| sling | slung | slung |
| slink | slunk | slunk |
| slit | slit | slit |
| smell | smelt | smelt |
| smite | smote | smitten |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| spend | spent | spent |
| spill | spilled | spilled |
| spin | spun | spun |
| split | split | split |
| spoil | spoiled | spoiled |
| spread | spread | spread |
| spring | sprang | sprung |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| stick | stuck | stuck |
| sting | stung | stung |
| stink | stank | stunk |
| strike | struck | struck |
| strive | strove | striven |
| swear | swore | sworn |
| sweep | swept | swept |
| 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 |
| wind | wound | wound |
| withdraw | withdrew | withdrawn |
| write | wrote | written |
Irregular verbs are more challenging to learn because they don’t follow a single pattern, so you need to memorize each form. However, understanding their patterns and practicing them regularly will help you use them with ease.
How to Use Regular and Irregular Verbs in Sentences
Knowing 100 examples of regular and irregular verbs is a significant first step, but understanding how to use them in sentences is crucial. While regular verbs follow predictable patterns, irregular verbs require a bit more attention and practice. Let’s break down how to use both types of verbs effectively in your daily conversations and written communication.
Using Regular Verbs
Regular verbs are straightforward to use in sentences because their conjugation is consistent. Here’s a step-by-step approach to using them in different tenses:
-
Present Tense: Use the base form of the verb when describing an action that is happening now or regularly.
- Example: She plays the piano every day.
-
Past Tense: Add -ed to the base form of the verb.
- Example: He played basketball last Saturday.
-
Future Tense: Combine the base form with will to indicate a future action.
- Example: They will play soccer next weekend.
-
Present Perfect Tense: Use have/has + past participle.
- Example: I have played this game before.
Let’s look at a few examples of regular verbs in sentences:
- I watched a great movie last night.
- She cleaned the kitchen this morning.
- They walked to the park yesterday.
Using Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs, unlike regular verbs, do not follow a fixed rule for conjugation. Because of this, it’s important to memorize their forms. However, understanding their conjugation patterns can help ease the process. Let’s go over the usage of irregular verbs in sentences:
-
Present Tense: Use the base form of the verb in the present tense.
- Example: She goes to the gym every day.
-
Past Tense: The past tense form of the verb is often unpredictable. For example, go becomes went.
- Example: They went to the cinema yesterday.
-
Future Tense: Use will + base form of the verb.
- Example: He will go to the conference next week.
-
Present Perfect Tense: Use have/has + past participle.
- Example: I have eaten lunch already.
Here are a few examples with irregular verbs:
- I ate my breakfast early this morning.
- She sang beautifully at the concert last night.
- They came home late yesterday.
How to Differentiate Between Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs
Sometimes, identifying whether a verb is regular or irregular can be tricky, especially for beginners. Here are a few strategies to make the distinction clearer:
-
Look at the ending:
- If the verb ends in -ed in the past tense, it’s likely regular.
- If it doesn’t follow this pattern, it’s likely irregular. For example, run becomes ran, while jump becomes jumped.
-
Check for irregular forms:
Irregular verbs don’t have a simple -ed ending in the past tense. For example, go → went, eat → ate. These verbs need to be memorized because their past forms do not follow a predictable rule. -
Learn common irregular verbs:
Some irregular verbs are used so often that you’ll encounter them regularly in English. Learning these common irregular verbs will help you speak and write more fluently. Verbs like be, have, go, make, and do are among the most common. -
Practice, practice, practice:
The more you read, write, and speak in English, the more familiar you’ll become with both regular and irregular verbs. Over time, identifying and using them will become second nature.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs
As you continue practicing with Examples of regular and irregular verbs, you may come across some common mistakes. Let’s address five of the most frequent errors learners make with these verbs.
1. Confusing Regular and Irregular Verb Forms
Mistake: Mixing up the forms of regular and irregular verbs can lead to confusion. For example, saying “I haved lunch” instead of “I have had lunch.”
Solution: Always check if the verb you are using is irregular. If it is, make sure you’re using the correct past tense or past participle form.
2. Using the Same Form for Both Tenses
Mistake: Using the same form for both past and present tenses, such as “He drink water yesterday” instead of “He drank water yesterday.”
Solution: Irregular verbs often change form in the past tense. Make sure you use the correct past tense form of the verb, like drank instead of drink.
3. Forgetting to Use the Auxiliary Verb in Present Perfect Tense
Mistake: Overlooking auxiliary verbs when using present perfect, like “I eaten lunch” instead of “I have eaten lunch.”
Solution: In the present perfect tense, always use have/has + past participle. For example, “She has gone home” instead of “She gone home.”
4. Mispronouncing Irregular Verbs
Mistake: Mispronouncing irregular verb forms, especially those that change vowel sounds, like sing → sang or ring → rang.
Solution: Pay attention to pronunciation and practice the correct forms. You can listen to native speakers and repeat the forms to get them right.
5. Not Memorizing Irregular Verbs
Mistake: Relying too much on guessing the past tense forms of irregular verbs instead of memorizing them, like “He goed to the store” instead of “He went to the store.”
Solution: Take time to memorize the most common irregular verbs. Keep practicing until they become automatic.
Tips for Mastering Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs
While regular verbs are straightforward, irregular verbs can be tricky to learn. But with a little dedication and practice, you’ll soon become proficient in using both. Here are some tips to help you master Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs
-
Create flashcards:
Make a set of flashcards with the base form on one side and the past tense and past participle on the other. Regularly reviewing them will help you retain the correct forms. -
Practice in context:
Write sentences or short stories using both regular and irregular verbs. This will help you become familiar with how they’re used in real-life situations. -
Use mnemonic devices:
For particularly tricky irregular verbs, create a story or association that helps you remember the different forms. For example, “He ran fast to catch the bus”, where ran and catch represent common irregular verbs. -
Listen to English speakers:
Listening to podcasts, watching movies, or having conversations in English will expose you to how native speakers use these verbs. This will help reinforce your knowledge.
Final Thoughts on Regular and Irregular Verbs
Mastering regular and irregular verbs is a vital step in becoming proficient in English. While regular verbs are easier to handle due to their consistent patterns, irregular verbs add a layer of complexity. However, with practice, you can become comfortable using both types of verbs in your speaking and writing.
Remember, it’s not just about memorizing verb forms—it’s about understanding how they function in context. Practice using verbs in sentences, pay attention to their conjugations, and immerse yourself in English through reading, writing, and listening. With these strategies in place, you’ll find that both regular and irregular verbs will soon feel like second nature.
The key is consistency and practice. Over time, as you encounter more examples of Examples of Regular and Irregular Verbs , they’ll become easier to identify and use correctly. And, as you build your confidence with these verbs, your overall fluency in English will improve.
So, keep practicing, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes—they’re part of the learning process. With patience and persistence, you’ll master these verbs and elevate your command of the English language.