The English language has many irregular verbs. In most cases, the irregularity concerns the past tense or the past participle.
The other inflected parts of the verb—the third person singular present indicative in -[e]s, and the present participle and gerund form in -ing—are formed regularly in most cases.
There are a few exceptions: the verb be has irregular forms throughout the present tense; the verbs have, do, go and say have irregular -[e]s forms and certain defective verbs (such as the modal auxiliaries) lack most inflection.
The following is a list of irregular verbs that are commonly used in standard modern English.
Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
abide | abode, abided | abode, abided |
aby | abought | abought |
alight | alit, alighted | alit, alighted |
arise | arose | arisen |
awake | awoke | awoken |
backbite | backbit | backbitten |
backfit | backfit | backfit |
backlight | backlit | backlit |
backslide | backslid |
backslid, backslidden
|
be | was, were | been |
bear | bore | born, borne |
beat | beat | beaten |
become | became | become |
bedight | bedight, bedighted |
bedight, bedighted
|
befall | befell | befallen |
beget | begot, begat | begotten |
begin | began | begun |
begird | begirt, begirded | begirt |
behight | behight | behight |
behold | beheld | beheld |
belay | belayed | belayed |
bend | bent | bent |
bereave | bereft | bereft, bereaved |
beseech | besought, beseeched |
besought, beseeched
|
beset | beset | beset |
bespeak | bespoke | bespoken |
bestrew | bestrewed |
bestrewed, bestrewn
|
bestride | bestrode | bestridden |
bet | bet | bet |
betake | betook | betaken |
bethink | bethought | bethought |
beweep | bewept | bewept |
bid | bade | bidden |
bid | bid | bid |
bide | bided, bode | bided |
bind | bound | bound |
bite | bit | bitten |
blaw | blawed | blawn |
bleed | bled | bled |
blend | blended, blent | blended, blent |
bless | blessed, blest | blessed, blest |
blow | blew | blown |
bottle-feed | bottle-fed | bottle-fed |
bowstring | bowstrung, bowstringed | bowstrung |
break | broke | broken |
breast-feed | breast-fed | breast-fed |
breed | bred | bred |
bring | brought | brought |
broadcast | broadcast, broadcasted |
broadcast, broadcasted
|
browbeat | browbeat |
browbeat, browbeaten
|
build | built | built |
burn | burnt, burned | burnt, burned |
burst | burst | burst |
bust | bust | bust |
buy | bought | bought |
cast | cast | cast |
catch | caught | caught |
cheerlead | cheerled | cheerled |
chide | chid | chid, chidden |
choose | chose | chosen |
clap | clapped, clapt | clapped, clapt |
clear-cut | clear-cut | clear-cut |
cleave | cleft, cleaved, clove |
cleft, cleaved, cloven
|
cleek | claught, claucht, cleeked | cleeked |
clepe | cleped |
cleped, ycleped, yclept
|
cling | clung | clung |
clothe | clad, clothed | clad, clothed |
colorbreed | colorbred | colorbred |
colorcast | colorcast | colorcast |
come | came | come |
cost | cost | cost |
cost-cut | cost-cut | cost-cut |
counterdraw | counterdrew | counterdrawn |
counterlight | counterlit | counterlit |
crash-dive | crash-dived | crash-dived |
creep | crept | crept |
creep-feed | creep-fed | creep-fed |
crib-bite | crib-bit | crib-bitten |
cross-bite | cross-bit | cross-bitten |
cross-string | cross-strung | cross-strung |
crossbreed | crossbred | crossbred |
crosscut | crosscut | crosscut |
crosslight | crosslit | crosslit |
crow | crowed, crew | crowed |
cut | cut | cut |
dare | dared, durst | dared |
daydream | daydreamt, daydreamt |
daydreamt, daydreamt
|
deal | dealt | dealt |
deep-freeze | deep-froze | deep-frozen |
dig | dug | dug |
dight | dight, dighted | dight, dighted |
dispread | dispread | dispread |
disprove | disproved |
disproven, disproved
|
dive | dived, dove | dived |
do | did | done |
dogfight | dogfought | dogfought |
dow | dought, dowed | dought, dowed |
draw | drew | drawn |
dream | dreamt, dreamed |
dreamt, dreamed
|
drink | drank | drunk |
drip-feed | drip-fed | drip-fed |
drive | drove | driven |
dwell | dwelt | dwelt |
eat | ate | eaten |
end-run | end-ran | end-run |
engird | engirt | engirt |
engrave | engraved |
engraved, engraven
|
enwind | enwound | enwound |
fall | fell | fallen |
fast-cut | fast-cut | fast-cut |
feed | fed | fed |
feel | felt | felt |
fight | fought | fought |
find | found | found |
fit | fit, fitted | fit, fitted |
flash-freeze | flash-froze | flash-frozen |
flee | fled | fled |
fling | flung | flung |
floodlight | floodlit | floodlit |
fly | flew | flown |
flyblow | flyblew | flyblown |
forbear | forbore | forborne |
forbid | forbade, forbad | forbidden |
force-feed | force-fed | force-fed |
fordo | fordid | fordone |
forecast | forecast, forecasted |
forecast, forecasted
|
forefeel | forefelt | forefelt |
forego | forewent | foregone |
foreknow | foreknew | foreknown |
forerun | foreran | forerun |
foresee | foresaw | foreseen |
foreshow | foreshowed | foreshown |
forespeak | forespoke | forespoken |
foretell | foretold | foretold |
forget | forgot | forgotten |
forgive | forgave | forgiven |
forlese | forlore | forlorn |
forsake | forsook | forsaken |
forswear | forswore | forsworn |
fraught | fraught, fraughted |
fraught, fraughted
|
free-fall | free-fell | free-fallen |
freeze | froze | frozen |
frostbite | frostbit | frostbitten |
gainsay | gainsaid | gainsaid |
geld | gelded, gelt | gelded, gelt |
get | got | got, gotten |
ghostwrite | ghostwrote | ghostwritten |
gild | gilt, gilded | gilt, gilded |
gin | gan | gan |
gird | girded, girt | girded, girt |
give | gave | given |
gnaw | gnawed | gnawed, gnawn |
go | went | gone, been |
grave | graved | graven, graved |
grind | ground | ground |
grow | grew | grown |
hagride | hagrode | hagridden |
halterbreak | halterbroke | halterbroken |
hamstring | hamstrung, hamstringed |
hamstrung, hamstringed
|
hand-feed | hand-fed | hand-fed |
hand-ride | hand-rode | hand-ridden |
handsew | handsewed |
handsewn, handsewed
|
handwrite | handwrote | handwritten |
hang | hung, hanged | hung, hanged |
have | had | had |
hear | heard | heard |
heave | heaved, hove | heaved, hove |
hew | hewed | hewn |
hide | hid | hidden |
hight | hote, hight | hoten |
hit | hit | hit |
hoise | hoised, hoist | hoised, hoist |
hoist | hoist, hoisted | hoist, hoisted |
hold | held | held |
house-sit | house-sat | house-sat |
housebreak | housebroke | housebroken |
hurt | hurt | hurt |
inbreed | inbred | inbred |
indwell | indwelt | indwelt |
inhold | inheld | inheld |
inlay | inlaid | inlaid |
input | input, inputted | input, inputted |
inset | inset | inset |
interblend | interblended, interblent |
interblended, interblent
|
interbreed | interbred | interbred |
intercut | intercut | intercut |
intergrave | intergraved | intergraved |
interlay | interlaid | interlaid |
interset | interset | interset |
interweave | interwove | interwoven |
interwind | interwound | interwound |
inweave | inwove, inweaved |
inwoven, inweaved
|
inwind | inwound | inwound |
jerry-build | jerry-built | jerry-built |
keep | kept | kept |
ken | kent, kenned | kent, kenned |
kneel | knelt, kneeled | knelt, kneeled |
knit | knit, knitted | knit, knitted |
know | knew | known |
lade | laded | laden, laded |
landslide | landslid, landslided |
landslid, landslided
|
lay | laid | laid |
lead | led | led |
lean | leant, leaned | leant, leaned |
leap | leapt, leaped | leapt, leaped |
learn | learnt, learned | learnt, learned |
leave | left | left |
lend | lent | lent |
lep | lept | lept |
let | let | let |
lie | lay | lain |
light | lit | lit |
linebreed | linebred | linebred |
lip-read | lip-read | lip-read |
lose | lost | lost |
make | made | made |
mean | meant | meant |
meet | met | met |
melt | melted | molten, melted |
misbecome | misbecame | misbecome |
miscast | miscast | miscast |
mischoose | mischose | mischosen |
miscut | miscut | miscut |
misdeal | misdealt | misdealt |
misdo | misdid | misdone |
misfall | misfell | misfallen |
misfeed | misfed | misfed |
misgive | misgave | misgiven |
mishear | misheard | misheard |
mishit | mishit | mishit |
misknow | misknew | misknown |
mislay | mislaid | mislaid |
mislead | misled | misled |
mislearn | mislearnt, mislearned |
mislearnt, mislearned
|
misread | misread | misread |
missay | missaid | missaid |
missend | missent | missent |
misset | misset | misset |
misspeak | misspoke | misspoken |
misspell | misspelt, misspelled |
misspelt, misspelled
|
misspend | misspent | misspent |
misswear | misswore | missworn |
mistake | mistook | mistaken |
misteach | mistaught | mistaught |
mistell | mistold | mistold |
misthink | misthought | misthought |
misunderstand | misunderstood | misunderstood |
miswear | misswore | misworn |
miswed | miswed, miswedded |
miswed, miswedded
|
miswrite | miswrote | miswritten |
mow | mowed | mown |
naysay | naysaid | naysaid |
nose-dive | nose-dived, nose-dove |
nose-dived, nose-dove
|
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 |
outlay | outlaid | outlaid |
outleap | outleapt, outleaped |
outleapt, outleaped
|
output | output, outputted |
output, outputted
|
outride | outrode | outridden |
outrun | outran | outrun |
outsee | outsaw | outseen |
outsell | outsold | outsold |
outshine | outshone | outshone |
outshoot | outshot | outshot |
outsing | outsang | outsung |
outsit | outsat | outsat |
outsleep | outslept | outslept |
outsmell | outsmelled | outsmelled |
outspeak | outspoke | outspoken |
outspeed | outsped | outsped |
outspend | outspent | outspent |
outspin | outspun | outspun |
outspring | outsprang | outsprung |
outstand | outstood | outstood |
outswear | outswore | outsworn |
outswim | outswam | outswum |
outtell | outtold | outtold |
outthink | outthought | outthought |
outthrow | outthrew | outthrown |
outwear | outwore | outworn |
outwind | outwound | outwound |
outwork | outworked, outwrought |
outworked, outwrought
|
outwrite | outwrote | outwritten |
overbear | overbore | overborne |
overbid | overbid | overbid |
overblow | overblew | overblown |
overbreed | overbred | overbred |
overbuild | overbuilt | overbuilt |
overbuy | overbought | overbought |
overcast | overcast | overcast |
overcome | overcame | overcome |
overcut | overcut | overcut |
overdo | overdid | overdone |
overdraw | overdrew | overdrawn |
overdrink | overdrank | overdrunk |
overdrive | overdrove | overdriven |
overeat | overate | overeaten |
overfeed | overfed | overfed |
overfly | overflew | overflown |
overgrow | overgrew | overgrown |
overhang | overhung | overhung |
overhear | overheard | overheard |
overlay | overlaid | overlaid |
overleap | overleapt, overleaped |
overleapt, overleaped
|
overlearn | overlearnt, overlearned |
overlearnt, overlearned
|
overset | overset | overset |
oversew | oversewed |
oversewn, oversewed
|
overshoot | overshot | overshot |
oversleep | overslept | overslept |
oversow | oversowed | oversowed |
overspeak | overspoke | overspoken |
overspend | overspent | overspent |
overspill | overspilt, overspilled |
overspilt, overspilled
|
overspin | overspun | overspun |
overspread | overspread | overspread |
overspring | oversprang | oversprung |
overstand | overstood | overstood |
overstrew | overstrewed |
overstrewed, overstrewn
|
overstride | overstrode | overstridden |
overstrike | overstruck | overstruck |
overstring | overstrung | overstrung |
overtake | overtook | overtaken |
overthink | overthought | overthought |
overthrow | overthrew | overthrown |
overwear | overwore | overworn |
overwind | overwound | overwound |
overwithhold | overwithheld | overwithheld |
overwrite | overwrote | overwritten |
partake | partook | partaken |
pay | paid | paid |
pen | pent, penned | pent, penned |
pinch-hit | pinch-hit | pinch-hit |
plead | pled, pleaded | pled, pleaded |
potshot | potshot, potshotted | potshot |
practice-teach | practice-taught | practice-taught |
prebind | prebound | prebound |
prebuild | prebuilt | prebuilt |
precut | precut | precut |
predo | predid | predone |
premake | premade | premade |
prepay | prepaid | prepaid |
presell | presold | presold |
preset | preset | preset |
preshrink | preshrank | preshrunk |
presplit | presplit | presplit |
price-cut | price-cut | price-cut |
proofread | proofread | proofread |
prove | proved | proven, proved |
put | put | put |
quick-freeze | quick-froze | quick-frozen |
quit | quit | quit |
rap | rapped, rapt | rapped, rapt |
re-prove | re-proved | re-proved |
read | read | read |
reave | reft, reaved | reft, reaved |
reawake | reawoke |
reawoken, reawaken
|
rebid | rebid | rebid |
rebind | rebound | rebound |
rebroadcast | rebroadcast | rebroadcast |
rebuild | rebuilt | rebuilt |
recast | recast | recast |
recut | recut | recut |
redd | redd, redded | redd, redded |
redeal | redealt | redealt |
redo | redid | redone |
redraw | redrew | redrawn |
reeve | rove, reeved | rove, reeved |
refit | refit | refit |
regrind | reground | reground |
regrow | regrew | regrown |
rehang | rehung | rehung |
rehear | reheard | reheard |
reknit | reknit, reknitted | reknit, reknitted |
relay | relaid | relaid |
relearn | relearnt, relearned |
relearnt, relearned
|
relight | relit, relighted | relit, relighted |
remake | remade | remade |
rend | rent | rent |
repay | repaid | repaid |
reread | reread | reread |
rerun | reran | rerun |
resell | resold | resold |
resend | resent | resent |
reset | reset | reset |
resew | resewed | resewn |
reshoot | reshot | reshot |
resit | resat | resat |
resow | resowed |
resown, resowed
|
respell | respelled, respelt |
respelled, respelt
|
restring | restrung | restrung |
retake | retook | retaken |
reteach | retaught | retaught |
retear | retore | retorn |
retell | retold | retold |
rethink | rethought | rethought |
retread | retrod | retrodden |
retrofit | retrofit, retrofitted |
retrofit, retrofitted
|
rewake | rewoke, rewaked |
rewoken, rewaked
|
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, ridded | rid, ridded |
ride | rode | ridden |
ring | rang | rung |
rise | rose | risen |
rive | rived | riven, rived |
rough-hew | rough-hewed | rough-hewn |
roughcast | roughcast | roughcast |
run | ran | run |
sand-cast | sand-cast | sand-cast |
saw | sawed | sawn, sawed |
say | said | said |
see | saw | seen |
seek | sought | sought |
self-feed | self-fed | self-fed |
self-sow | self-sowed |
self-sown, self-sowed
|
sell | sold | sold |
send | sent | sent |
set | set | set |
sew | sewed | sewn, sewed |
shake | shook | shaken |
shave | shaved | shaven, shaved |
shear | shore, sheared | shorn, sheared |
shed | shed | shed |
shend | shent | shent |
shew | shewed | shewn, shewed |
shine | shone | shone |
shit | shat, shit | shat, shit |
shoe | shod | shod |
shoot | shot | shot |
shortcut | shortcut | shortcut |
show | showed | shown |
shrink | shrank | shrunk |
shrive | shrove | shriven |
shut | shut | shut |
sidewind | sidewound | sidewound |
sight-read | sight-read | sight-read |
sightsee | sightsaw | sightseen |
sing | sang | sung |
sink | sank | sunk |
sit | sat | sat |
skywrite | skywrote | skywritten |
slay | slew | slain |
sleep | slept | slept |
slide | slid | slid, slidden |
sling | slung | slung |
slink | slunk | slunk |
slit | slit | slit |
smell | smelt, smelled | smelt, smelled |
smite | smote | smitten |
snapshoot | snapshot | snapshot |
sneak | sneaked, snuck | sneaked, snuck |
soothsay | soothsaid | soothsaid |
sow | sowed | sown |
speak | spoke | spoken |
speed | sped, speeded | sped, speeded |
spell | spelt, spelled | spelt, spelled |
spellbind | spellbound | spellbound |
spend | spent | spent |
spill | spilt, spilled | spilt, spilled |
spin | span, spun | spun |
spit | spat, spit | spat, spit |
split | split | split |
spoil | spoilt, spoiled | spoilt, spoiled |
spoonfeed | spoonfed | spoonfed |
spread | spread | spread |
spring | sprang | sprung |
stall-feed | stall-fed | stall-fed |
stand | stood | stood |
stave | stove, staved, stoved |
stove, staved, stoved
|
steal | stole | stolen |
stick | stuck | stuck |
sting | stung | stung |
stink | stank | stunk |
straphang | straphung | straphung |
strew | strewed | strewn, strewed |
stride | strode, strided | stridden |
strike | struck | struck, stricken |
string | strung | strung |
strip | stript, stripped | stript, stripped |
strive | strove | striven |
sublet | sublet | sublet |
sunburn | sunburned, sunburnt |
sunburned, sunburnt
|
swear | swore | sworn |
sweat | sweat, sweated | sweat, sweated |
sweep | swept, sweeped | swept, sweeped |
swell | swelled | swollen |
swim | swam | swum |
swing | swung | swung |
swink | swank, swonk | swonken |
switch-hit | switch-hit | switch-hit |
take | took | taken |
teach | taught | taught |
tear | tore | torn |
telecast | telecast, telecasted |
telecast, telecasted
|
tell | told | told |
test-drive | test-drove | test-driven |
test-fly | test-flew | test-flown |
think | thought | thought |
thrive | throve, thrived | thriven, thrived |
throw | threw | thrown |
thrust | thrust | thrust |
thunderstrike | thunderstruck |
thunderstruck, thunderstricken
|
tine | tint, tined | tint, tined |
tread | trod | trodden |
troubleshoot | troubleshot | troubleshot |
typecast | typecast | typecast |
typeset | typeset | typeset |
typewrite | typewrote | typewritten |
unbear | unbore | unborn, unborne |
unbend | unbent | unbent |
unbind | unbound | unbound |
unbuild | unbuilt | unbuilt |
unclothe | unclad, unclothed |
unclad, unclothed
|
underbid | underbid | underbid |
underbuy | underbought | underbought |
undercut | undercut | undercut |
underdo | underdid | underdone |
underfeed | underfed | underfed |
undergird | undergirt, undergirded |
undergirt, undergirded
|
undergo | underwent | undergone |
underlay | underlaid | underlaid |
underlet | underlet | underlet |
underlie | underlay | underlain |
underpay | underpaid | underpaid |
underrun | underran | underrun |
undersell | undersold | undersold |
undershoot | undershot | undershot |
underspend | underspent | underspent |
understand | understood | understood |
undertake | undertook | undertaken |
underthrust | underthrust | underthrust |
underwrite | underwrote | underwritten |
undo | undid | undone |
undraw | undrew | undrawn |
unfreeze | unfroze | unfrozen |
unhang | unhung | unhung |
unhide | unhid | unhidden |
unhold | unheld | unheld |
unknit | unknit, unknitted | unknit, unknitted |
unlade | unladed |
unladen, unladed
|
unlay | unlaid | unlaid |
unlearn | unlearnt, unlearned |
unlearnt, unlearned
|
unmake | unmade | unmade |
unreeve | unrove, unreeved |
unrove, unreeved
|
unsay | unsaid | unsaid |
unsell | unsold | unsold |
unsew | unsewed |
unsewn, unsewed
|
unsling | unslung | unslung |
unspeak | unspoke | unspoken |
unspin | unspun | unspun |
unstick | unstuck | unstuck |
unstring | unstrung | unstrung |
unswear | unswore | unsworn |
unteach | untaught | untaught |
unthink | unthought | unthought |
untread | untrod | untrodden |
unweave | unwove | unwoven |
unwind | unwound | unwound |
unwrite | unwrote | unwritten |
upbuild | upbuilt | upbuilt |
uphold | upheld | upheld |
uppercut | uppercut | uppercut |
uprise | uprose | uprisen |
upset | upset | upset |
upspring | upsprang | upsprung |
upsweep | upswept | upswept |
uptear | uptore | uptorn |
vex | vext, vexed | vext, vexed |
wake | woke | woken |
waylay | waylaid | waylaid |
wear | wore | worn |
weave | wove | woven |
wed | wed, wedded | wed, wedded |
weep | wept | wept |
wend | wended, went | wended, went |
wet | wet, wetted | wet, wetted |
whipsaw | whipsawed |
whipsawn, whipsawed
|
win | won | won |
wind | wound | wound |
winterfeed | winterfed | winterfed |
wiredraw | wiredrew | wiredrawn |
wit | wist | wist |
withdraw | withdrew | withdrawn |
withhold | withheld | withheld |
withstand | withstood | withstood |
wont | wont | wont, wonted |
work | worked, wrought | worked, wrought |
wrap | wrapped, wrapt | wrapped, wrapt |
wreak | wreaked |
wreaked, wroken
|
wring | wrung | wrung |
write | wrote | written |
zinc | zinced, zincked | zinced, zincked |