This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on List of English irregular verbs is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
Ads by Tiva
This is list of irregular verbs in the English language. The citation form (the infinitive) comes first (with a link to the Wiktionary article on the verb), together with the present tense forms when they are different, then the preterite or simple past, and finally the past participle. The right hand column notes whether they are weak or strong and whether they belong to a subclass, and links to discussions elsewhere. Typical irregularities in weak verbs are the assimilation of dentals (bended → bent) and vowel reduction (*keeped → kept).
It should be noted that many of these verbs are irregular in British or American English only; in many cases, such as spell (spelt vs. spelled), learn (learnt vs. learned), and spill (spilt vs. spilled), American English uses the regular form, while British English tends to favor the irregular. In other cases, the opposite is true (dived and sneaked in Britain, also dove and snuck in the U.S.); Australian English tends to follow British practice, while Canadian English often sides with American usage. See further at American and British English differences.
 |
This table includes many obsolete forms. |
| verb forms | verb class and notes |
|---|---|
| abide abided/abode abided/abidden | Strong, class 1 |
| arise arose arisen | Strong, class 1 |
| awake awoke awoken | Strong, class 6 |
| be (am, is, are) was (were) been | Suppletive. See: Indo-European copula. |
| bear bore born/borne | Strong, class 4 |
| beat beat beaten/beat | Strong, class 7 |
| become became become | Strong, class 4 |
| befall befell befallen | Strong, class 7 |
| beget begot begotten | Strong, class 5 |
| begin began begun | Strong, class 3 |
| behold beheld beheld/beholden | Strong, class 7 |
| bend bended/bent bended/bent | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| bereave bereaved/bereft bereaved/bereft | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| beseech besought/beseeched besought/beseeched | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| beset beset beset | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| bet bet/betted bet/betted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| bid (in cards, auctions, etc.) bid bid | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| bid (meaning to request or say) bade/bid/bidded bidden/bid/bidded | Strong, class 5 |
| bide bided/bode bided/bidden | Strong, class 1 |
| bind bound bound | Strong, class 3 |
| bite bit bitten | Strong, class 1 |
| bleed bled bled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| blow blew blown | Strong, class 7 |
| break broke broken | Strong, class 4 |
| breed bred bred | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| bring brought brought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| broadcast broadcast broadcast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| browbeat browbeat browbeaten | Strong, class 7 |
| build built built | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| burn burned/burnt burnt/burned | Weak |
| burst burst/bursted/ burst/bursted | Strong, class 3 |
| buy bought bought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| can (aux. only) could (none) | Preterite-present |
| cast cast cast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| catch caught caught | Weak - a French loanword conjugated perhaps by analogy with teach-taught |
| choose chose chosen | Strong, class 2 |
| cleave(split apart) clove cloven | Strong, class 2 |
| clepe clept/cleped clept/cleped | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| cleave(cling to) cleft/cleaved cleft/cleaved | Weak with vowel reduction |
| cling clang/clung clung | Strong, class 3 |
| clothe clothed/clad clothed/clad | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| come came come | Strong, class 4 |
| cost cost cost | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| creep crept crept | Strong, class 2 |
| cut cut cut | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| deal dealt dealt | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| dig dug dug | |
| dive dived/dove dived | Strong, class 2 |
| do did done | Reduplication with p.p. springing from OE "gedon" |
| drag drug/dragged drug/dragged | Strong, class 6 |
| draw drew drawn | Strong, class 6 |
| dream dreamed/dreamt dreamed/dreamt | Weak with vowel reduction assimilation of dentals |
| drink drank/drunk drank/drunk/drunken | Strong, class 3 |
| drive drove driven | Strong, class 1 |
| dwell dwelt/dwelled dwelt/dwelled | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| eat ate eaten | Strong, class 5 |
| fall fell fallen | Strong, class 7 |
| feed fed fed | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| feel felt felt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| fight fought fought | Strong, class 3 |
| find found found | Strong, class 3 |
| fit fit/fitted fit/fitted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| flee fled fled | Strong, class 2 |
| fling flung flung | Strong, class 3 |
| fly flew flown | Strong, class 2 |
| forbid forbade/forbid forbidden | Strong, class 5 |
| forecast forecast forecast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| forego forewent foregone | Suppletive. See: go (verb). |
| forgo forwent forgone | Suppletive. See: go (verb). |
| foresee foresaw foreseen | Strong, class 5 |
| foretell foretold foretold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| forget forgot forgotten | Strong, class 5 |
| forgive forgave forgiven | Strong, class 5 |
| forsake forsook forsaken | Strong, class 6 |
| freeze froze frozen | Strong, class 2 |
| gainsay gainsaid gainsaid | Weak |
| get got gotten/got | Strong, class 5 |
| gird girt/girded girt/girded | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| give gave given | [[Germanic strong verb#Class 5|Strong, class 5] |
| go went gone | Suppletive. See: go (verb). |
| grave grove/graved graven/graved | Strong, class 6 |
| grind ground/grinded ground/grinded | Strong, class 3 |
| grow grew grown | Strong, class 7 |
| hang hung/hanged hung/hanged | Strong, class 7 weak past tense and present influenced by OE causative "hangian" |
| have had had | Weak pret./p.p. spring from O.E. haefd |
| hear heard heard | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| hew hew/hewed hewn/hewed | Strong, class 7 |
| hide hid hid/hidden | Weak vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| hit hit hit | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| hold held held | Strong, class 7 |
| hurt hurt hurt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| input input input | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| inset inset inset | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| interbreed interbred interbred | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| interweave interwove interwoven | Strong, class 7 |
| keep kept kept | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| kneel knelt/kneeled knelt\kneeled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| knit knit/knitted knit/knitted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| know knew known | Strong, class 7 |
| lade laded laden/laded | Strong, class 6 |
| lay laid laid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| lead led led | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| leap leaped/leapt leaped/leapt | Strong, class 7 |
| learn learned/learnt learned/learnt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| leave left left | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| lose or lese lost/lore lost/lorn | Strong, class 2 |
| lend lent lent | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| let(allow) let let | Strong, class 7 |
| lie (but not talking untruthfully) lay lain | Strong, class 5 |
| light lit/lighted lit/lighted | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| make made made | Weak contraction of "maked" |
| may might | Preterite-present |
| mean meant meant | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| meet met met | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| melt melted/molt melted/molten | Strong, class 3 |
| mishear misheard misheard | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| mislay mislaid mislaid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| mislead misled misled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| misread misread misread | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| misspell misspelled/misspelt misspelled/misspelt | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| mistake mistook mistaken | Strong, class 6 |
| misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood | Strong, class 6 |
| mow mowed/mew mowed/mown | Strong, class 7 |
| naysay naysaid naysaid | Weak |
| outbid outbid outbid | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| outdo outdid outdone | |
| outgrow outgrew outgrown | Strong, class 7 |
| outrun outran outrun | Strong, class 3 |
| outsell outsold outsold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| overcast overcast overcast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| overcome overcame overcome | Strong, class 4 |
| overdo overdid overdone | Reduplication with past participle springing from Old English "gedon" |
| overdraw overdrew overdrawn | Strong, class 6 |
| overeat overate overeaten | Strong, class 5 |
| overhang overhung/overhanged overhung/overhanged | Preterite-present |
| overhear overheard overheard | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| overlay overlaid overlaid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| overlie overlay overlain | Strong, class 5 |
| overpay overpaid overpaid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| override overrode overridden | Strong, class 1 |
| overrun overran overrun | Strong, class 3 |
| oversee oversaw overseen | Strong, class 5 |
| oversell oversold oversold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| overset overset overset | Weak |
| overshoot overshot overshot | Strong, class 2 |
| oversleep overslept overslept | Strong, class 7 |
| overtake overtook overtaken | Strong, class 6 |
| overthrow overthrew overthrown | Strong, class 7 |
| partake partook partaken | Strong, class 6 |
| pay paid paid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| plead pleaded/pled pleaded/pled | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| proofread proofread proofread | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| prove proved/prove proved/proven | borrowed French verb |
| put put put | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| queath or quethe quoth quoth/quethen | Strong, class 5 |
| quit quit quit | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| read read read | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| reave reft reft | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| rebuild rebuilt rebuilt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| recast recast recast | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| rend rent rent | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| redo redid redone | Reduplication with p.p. springing from OE "gedon" |
| re-lay re-laid re-laid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| remake remade remade | Weak wih assimilation of dentals |
| repay repaid repaid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| rerun reran rerun | Strong, class 3 |
| resell resold resold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| reset reset reset | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| rethink rethought rethought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| rewind rewound rewound | Strong, class 3 |
| rewrite rewrote rewritten | Strong, class 1 |
| rid rid/ridded rid/ridden/ridded | |
| ride rode ridden | Strong, class 1 |
| ring rang rung | Strong, class 3 |
| rise rose risen | Strong, class 1 |
| rive rived/rove rived/riven | Strong, class 1 |
| run ran run | Strong, class 3 |
| saw sawed sawed/sawn | |
| sake sook saken | Strong, class 6 |
| say said said | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| see saw seen | Strong, class 5 |
| seek sought sought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| sell sold sold | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| send sent sent | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| set set set | Weak |
| sew sewed sewed/sewn | |
| shake shook shaken | Strong, class 6 |
| shall should (none) | Preterite-present; defective; see also Shall and will |
| shape shaped/shope shaped/shapen | Strong, class 6 |
| shave shove/shaved shaven/shaved | Strong, class 6 |
| shear shore/sheared shorn/sheared | Strong, class 4 |
| shed shed/shedded shed/shedded | Strong, class 7 |
| shine shined/shone shined/shone | Strong, class 1 |
| shit shit/shat/shitted shit/shat/shitted | Strong, class 1; |
| shite shit/shat shit/shat/shitten | Strong, class 1 |
| shoe shoed/shod shoed/shod/shodden | Weak with vowel reduction |
| shoot shot shot | Strong, class 2 |
| show showed/shew shown/showed | Weak, with participle shown perhaps by analogy with sow, sown |
| shrink shrank/shrunk shrunk/shrunken | Strong, class 3 |
| shrive shrove shriven | Strong, class 1 |
| shut shut shut | Weak |
| sing sang sung | Strong, class 3 |
| sink sank/sunk sunk/sunken | Strong, class 3 |
| sit sat sat | Strong, class 5 |
| slay slew/slayed slain/slayed | Strong, class 6 |
| sleep slept slept | Strong, class 7 |
| slide slid slid/slidden | Strong, class 1 |
| sling slang/slung slung | Strong, class 3 |
| slink slunk slunk | Strong, class 3 |
| slit slit slit | Strong, class 1 |
| smell smelled/smelt smelled/smelt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| smite smote/smit smitten | Strong, class 1 |
| sneak sneaked/snuck sneaked/snuck | Weak with naturally developing strong form |
| sow sowed/sew sowed/sown | Strong, class 7 |
| speak spoke spoken | Strong, class 5 |
| speed sped/speeded sped/speeded | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| spell spelled/spelt spelled/spelt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| spend spent spent | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| spill spilled/spilt spilled/spilt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| spin span/spun spun | strong, class 3 |
| spit spit/spat spit | |
| split split split | Weak with assimilatin of dentals |
| spoil spoiled/spoilt spoiled/spoilt | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| spread spread spread | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| spring sprang/sprung sprung | Strong, class 3 |
| stand stood stood | Strong, class 6 |
| steal stole stolen | Strong, class 4 |
| stick stuck stuck | |
| sting stang/stung stung | Strong, class 3 |
| stink stank/stunk stunk | Strong, class 3 |
| strew strew/strewed strewn/strewed | |
| stride strode/strided stridden/strided | Strong, class 1 |
| strike struck stricken/struck | Strong, class 1 |
| string strang/strung strung | Weak with naturally developing strong form |
| strive strove/strived striven/strived | Strong, class 1 |
| swear swore sworn | Strong, class 6 |
| sweep swept swept | Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals |
| swell swelled/swoll swelled/swollen | Strong, class 3 |
| swelt swolt/swelted swolten/swelted | Strong, class 3 |
| swim swam swam/swum | Strong, class 3 |
| swing swang/swung swung | Strong, class 3 |
| take took taken | Strong, class 6 |
| teach taught taught | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| tear tore torn | Strong, class 4 |
| tell told told | Weak with Rückumlaut |
| think thought thought | Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law |
| thrive thrived/throve thrived/thriven | Strong, class 1 |
| throw threw thrown | Strong, class 7 |
| thrust thrust/thrusted thrust/thrusted | |
| tread trod trodden/trod | Strong, class 5 |
| unbind unbound unbound | Strong, class 3 |
| undergo underwent undergone | |
| underlie underlay underlain | Strong, class 5 |
| understand understood understood | Strong, class 6 |
| undertake undertook undertaken | Strong, class 6 |
| underwrite underwrote underwritten | Strong, class 1 |
| undo undid undone | Reduplication with p.p. springing from OE "gedon" |
| unwind unwound unwound | Strong, class 3 |
| uphold upheld upheld | Strong, class 7 |
| upset upset/upsetted upset/upsetted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| wake woke woken | Strong, class 6 |
| wax waxed waxed/waxen | Strong, class 7 |
| waylay waylaid waylaid | Weak; irregular only in spelling |
| wear wore worn | Weak with strong form based on "bear" |
| weave wove/weft woven/weft | Strong, class 7 |
| wed wed/wedded wed/wedded | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| weep wept wept | Strong, class 7 |
| wend wended/went wended/went | weak with assimilation of dentals |
| wet wet/wetted wet/wetted | Weak with assimilation of dentals |
| will would/willed willed | Irregular; see also Shall and will |
| win won won | Strong, class 3 |
| wind wound wound | Strong, class 3 |
| wot wist wist | Preterite-present verb |
| withdraw withdrew withdrawn | Strong, class 6 |
| withhold withheld withheld | Strong, class 7 |
| withstand withstood withstood | Strong, class 6 |
| work worked/wrought worked/wrought | Weak with Rückumlaut and metathesis of r and o |
| worth worth worth/worthen | Strong, class 3 |
| wring wrang/wrung wrung | Strong, class 3 |
| write wrote/writ written | Strong, class 1 |
| writhe writhed/wrothe writhed/writhen | Strong, class 1 |
Additional note: These verbs from the list above are spelled the same in the simple past as in the present tense (excluding compounds such as set, beset, inset, upset etc.): beat, bet, burst, cast, cost, cut, hit, hurt, let, put, quit, read, rid, set, shed, shut, slit, split, spread. (Note that of all the preceding, only "read" is pronounced differently in the past than in the present.)
See also: Wiktionary list of irregular verbs or the Wiktionary English irregular verbs category.
External links
- Mind Our English: Strong and weak by Ralph Berry
- Verbs in English Grammar, wikibook
- English Irregular Verb List A comprehensive list of English irregular verbs, including their base form, past simple, past participle, 3rd person singular, and the present participle / gerund.
- TheIrregularVerbs All the irregular verbs of the English language. Conjugation, pronunciation, translation and examples.
- verbbusters Searchable reference of English irregular verbs and cognates, with audio.
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 2 August 2008, at 00:37.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "List of English irregular verbs".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.