As with most languages, sometimes the standard rules of grammar do not apply to certain words. Here's a handy list of the most commonly used irregular verbs in the English language, detailing their usage when expressing actions in the past tense.
Be sure to
- A
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Verb Past Past Participle arise arose arisen awake awoke awoken
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- B
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Verb Past Past Participle be (I/he/she/it) was
(you/we/they) werebeen bear bore borne become became become begin began begun bend bent bent bet bet bet bind bound bound bite bit bitten bleed bled bled blow blew blown break broke broken bring brought brought build built built burst burst burst buy bought bought
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- C
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Verb Past Past Participle catch caught caught choose chose chosen come came come cost cost cost creep crept crept cut cut cut
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- D
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Verb Past Past Participle deal dealt dealt dig dug dug dive dived, dove dived do did done draw drew drawn dream dreamed, dreamt dreamed, dreamt drink drank drunk drink drove driven
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- E
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Verb Past Past Participle eat ate eaten
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- F
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Verb Past Past Participle fall fell fallen feed fed fed feel felt felt fight fought fought find found found fit fitted, fit fitted, fit flee fled fled fling flung flung fly flew flown forbid forbade forbidden forget forgot forgotten forgive forgave forgiven freeze froze frozen
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- G
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Verb Past Past Participle get got got, gotten give gave given go went gone grow grew grown
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- H
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Verb Past Past Participle hang (person) hanged hanged hang (picture) hung hung have had had have to had to had to hear heard heard hide hid hidden hit hit hit hold held held hurt hurt hurt
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- I
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Verb Past Past Participle input input input
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- K
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Verb Past Past Participle keep kept kept kneel kneeled, knelt kneeled, knelt knit knitted knitted know knew known
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- L
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Verb Past Past Participle lay laid laid lead led led leave left left lend lent lent let let let lie (recline) lay lain lie (tell a falsehood) lied lied light lighted, lit lighted, lit lose lost lost
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- M
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Verb Past Past Participle make made made mean meant meant meet met met
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- O
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Verb Past Past Participle outbid outbid outbid outdo outdid outdone outgrow outgrew outgrown overcome overcame overcome overdo overdid overdone overtake overtook overtaken
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- P
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Verb Past Past Participle pay paid paid plead pleaded, pled pleaded, pled prove proved proved, proven put put put
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- Q
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Verb Past Past Participle quit quit quit
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- R
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Verb Past Past Participle read read read ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen rot rotted rotten run ran run
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- S
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Verb Past Past Participle 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 shine (glow) shone shone shine (to make shiny) shined shined 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/slidden slit slit slit sneak sneaked sneaked, snuck speak spoke spoken speed sped, speeded sped, speeded spend spent spent spill spilled, spilt spilled, spilt spin spun spun spit spit, spat spit, spat split split split spoil spoiled, spoilt spoiled, spoilt spread spread spread spring sprang sprung stand stood stood steal stole stolen stick stuck stuck sting stung stung stink stank stunk stride strode stridden strike (hit) struck struck, stricken string strung strung strive strove/strived striven swear swore sworn sweep swept swept swell swelled swollen swim swam swum swing swang (old), swung swung
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- T
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Verb Past Past Participle take took taken teach taught taught tear tore torn tell told told think thought thought throw threw thrown
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- U
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Verb Past Past Participle understand understood understood
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- W
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Verb Past Past Participle wake woke woken wear wore worn wed wed wed weep wept wept win won won wring wrung wrung write wrote written
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