TOP 100 irregular verbs and how to learn them
TOP 100 Irregular Verbs Everyone Should Know
Irregular verbs are a crucial part of English grammar that every learner must master to achieve fluency. Unlike regular verbs that form their past tense and past participle by simply adding -ed, irregular verbs change their forms in unique ways.
Understanding these verbs is key to expressing thoughts accurately across various tenses. We’ve compiled a list of the 100 most essential irregular verbs that every English language learner should know.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive table of these verbs, including their forms in the infinitive, simple past, past participle, and their meanings. This resource is designed to help you enhance your English skills and make your speech more natural and grammatically correct.
Table of Top 100 Irregular Verbs in English
| Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
| arise [əˈraɪz] | arose [əˈrəʊz] | arisen [əˈrɪzn] |
| be [bi:] | was [wɒz] / were [wɜːr] | been [biːn] |
| become [bɪˈkʌm] | became [bɪˈkeɪm] | become [bɪˈkʌm] |
| begin [bɪˈɡɪn] | began [bɪˈɡæn] | begun [bɪˈɡʌn] |
| bend [bend] | bent [bent] | bent [bent] |
| bet [bet] | bet [bet] | bet [bet] |
| bite [baɪt] | bit [bɪt] | bitten [ˈbɪtn] |
| blow [bləʊ] | blew [bluː] | blown [bləʊn] |
| break [breɪk] | broke [brəʊk] | broken [ˈbrəʊkən] |
| bring [brɪŋ] | brought [brɔːt] | brought [brɔːt] |
| build [bɪld] | built [bɪlt] | built [bɪlt] |
| burst [bɜːst] | burst [bɜːst] | burst [bɜːst] |
| buy [baɪ] | bought [bɔːt] | bought [bɔːt] |
| catch [kætʃ] | caught [kɔːt] | caught [kɔːt] |
| choose [tʃuːz] | chose [tʃəʊz] | chosen [ˈtʃəʊzn] |
| come [kʌm] | came [keɪm] | come [kʌm] |
| cost [kɒst] | cost [kɒst] | cost [kɒst] |
| cut [kʌt] | cut [kʌt] | cut [kʌt] |
| dig [dɪɡ] | dug [dʌɡ] | dug [dʌɡ] |
| do [duː] | did [dɪd] | done [dʌn] |
| draw [drɔː] | drew [druː] | drawn [drɔːn] |
| drink [drɪŋk] | drank [dræŋk] | drunk [drʌŋk] |
| drive [draɪv] | drove [drəʊv] | driven [ˈdrɪvn] |
| eat [iːt] | ate [eɪt] | eaten [ˈiːtn] |
| fall [fɔːl] | fell [fel] | fallen [ˈfɔːlən] |
| feel [fiːl] | felt [felt] | felt [felt] |
| fight [faɪt] | fought [fɔːt] | fought [fɔːt] |
| find [faɪnd] | found [faʊnd] | found [faʊnd] |
| fly [flaɪ] | flew [fluː] | flown [fləʊn] |
| forget [fəˈɡet] | forgot [fəˈɡɒt] | forgotten [fəˈɡɒtn] |
| forgive [fəˈɡɪv] | forgave [fəˈɡeɪv] | forgiven [fəˈɡɪvn] |
| freeze [friːz] | froze [frəʊz] | frozen [ˈfrəʊzn] |
| get [ɡet] | got [ɡɒt] | got [ɡɒt] / gotten [ˈɡɒtn] |
| give [ɡɪv] | gave [ɡeɪv] | given [ˈɡɪvn] |
| go [ɡəʊ] | went [went] | gone [ɡɒn] |
| grow [ɡrəʊ] | grew [ɡruː] | grown [ɡrəʊn] |
| hang [hæŋ] | hung [hʌŋ] | hung [hʌŋ] |
| have [hæv] | had [hæd] | had [hæd] |
| hear [hɪə] | heard [hɜːd] | heard [hɜːd] |
| hide [haɪd] | hid [hɪd] | hidden [ˈhɪdn] |
| hit [hɪt] | hit [hɪt] | hit [hɪt] |
| hold [həʊld] | held [held] | held [held] |
| hurt [hɜːt] | hurt [hɜːt] | hurt [hɜːt] |
| keep [kiːp] | kept [kept] | kept [kept] |
| know [nəʊ] | knew [njuː] | known [nəʊn] |
| lay [leɪ] | laid [leɪd] | laid [leɪd] |
| lead [liːd] | led [led] | led [led] |
| learn [lɜːn] | learnt [lɜːnt] / learned [lɜːnd] | learnt [lɜːnt] / learned [lɜːnd] |
| leave [liːv] | left [left] | left [left] |
| lend [lend] | lent [lent] | lent [lent] |
| let [let] | let [let] | let [let] |
| lie [laɪ] | lay [leɪ] | lain [leɪn] |
| light [laɪt] | lit [lɪt] | lit [lɪt] |
| lose [luːz] | lost [lɒst] | lost [lɒst] |
| make [meɪk] | made [meɪd] | made [meɪd] |
| mean [miːn] | meant [ment] | meant [ment] |
| meet [miːt] | met [met] | met [met] |
| pay [peɪ] | paid [peɪd] | paid [peɪd] |
| put [pʊt] | put [pʊt] | put [pʊt] |
| quit [kwɪt] | quit [kwɪt] | quit [kwɪt] |
| read [riːd] | read [red] | read [red] |
| ride [raɪd] | rode [rəʊd] | ridden [ˈrɪdn] |
| ring [rɪŋ] | rang [ræŋ] | rung [rʌŋ] |
| rise [raɪz] | rose [rəʊz] | risen [ˈrɪzn] |
| run [rʌn] | ran [ræn] | run [rʌn] |
| say [seɪ] | said [sed] | said [sed] |
| see [siː] | saw [sɔː] | seen [siːn] |
| seek [siːk] | sought [sɔːt] | sought [sɔːt] |
| sell [sel] | sold [səʊld] | sold [səʊld] |
| send [send] | sent [sent] | sent [sent] |
| set [set] | set [set] | set [set] |
| shake [ʃeɪk] | shook [ʃʊk] | shaken [ˈʃeɪkən] |
| shine [ʃaɪn] | shone [ʃɒn] | shone [ʃɒn] |
| shoot [ʃuːt] | shot [ʃɒt] | shot [ʃɒt] |
| show [ʃəʊ] | showed [ʃəʊd] | shown [ʃəʊn] |
| shut [ʃʌt] | shut [ʃʌt] | shut [ʃʌt] |
| sing [sɪŋ] | sang [sæŋ] | sung [sʌŋ] |
| sink [sɪŋk] | sank [sæŋk] | sunk [sʌŋk] |
| sit [sɪt] | sat [sæt] | sat [sæt] |
| sleep [sliːp] | slept [slept] | slept [slept] |
| smell [smel] | smelt [smelt] | smelt [smelt] |
| speak [spiːk] | spoke [spəʊk] | spoken [ˈspəʊkən] |
| spell [spel] | spelt [spelt] | spelt [spelt] |
| spend [spend] | spent [spent] | spent [spent] |
| stand [stænd] | stood [stʊd] | stood [stʊd] |
| steal [stiːl] | stole [stəʊl] | stolen [ˈstəʊlən] |
| stick [stɪk] | stuck [stʌk] | stuck [stʌk] |
| strike [straɪk] | struck [strʌk] | struck [strʌk] |
| swear [sweə] | swore [swɔː] | sworn [swɔːn] |
| swim [swɪm] | swam [swæm] | swum [swʌm] |
| take [teɪk] | took [tʊk] | taken [ˈteɪkən] |
| teach [tiːtʃ] | taught [tɔːt] | taught [tɔːt] |
| tell [tel] | told [təʊld] | told [təʊld] |
| think [θɪŋk] | thought [θɔːt] | thought [θɔːt] |
| throw [θrəʊ] | threw [θruː] | thrown [θrəʊn] |
| understand [ˌʌndəˈstænd] | understood [ˌʌndəˈstʊd] | understood [ˌʌndəˈstʊd] |
| wake [weɪk] | woke [wəʊk] | woken [ˈwəʊkən] |
| wear [weə] | wore [wɔː] | worn [wɔːn] |
| win [wɪn] | won [wʌn] | won [wʌn] |
| write [raɪt] | wrote [rəʊt] | written [ˈrɪtn] |
How to Effectively Learn Irregular Verbs
- Grouping: Divide verbs into smaller sets (5-10 words) for easier memorization.
- Associations: Create links between verb forms. For example: sing – sang – sung (all forms contain -ng).
- Context: Learn verbs in context by creating sentences using different forms.
- Consistency: Practice daily, even if only for 10-15 minutes.
- Flashcards: Use cards with the verb on one side and its forms on the other.
- Audio: Listen to correct pronunciations and repeat aloud.
- Visualization: Create mental images for each verb.
- Games: Utilize online games and apps for practice.
- Writing: Regularly write short texts using learned verbs.
- Testing: Frequently check your knowledge through tests.
- Mnemonics: Create funny phrases or stories to remember challenging forms.
- Real-life practice: Try to use learned verbs in conversation or writing.
We recommend breaking down irregular verbs into groups and studying them using Quizlet flashcards. Here are some key groupings to help you learn:
- Irregular verbs with identical forms across all three tenses
- Verbs where the past simple and past participle are the same, differing from the infinitive by one sound change
- Verbs where the past simple and past participle are identical, with the infinitive differing by one sound
- Verbs with past simple and past participle ending in -d
- Irregular verbs with past simple and past participle ending in -t
- Verbs where the past participle adds “n” to the infinitive, with vowel changes
- Verbs where the past participle is formed by adding “n” to the past simple form
By focusing on these top 100 irregular verbs and following our learning tips, you’ll significantly improve your English language skills. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your grammar, this guide will help you navigate the complexities of English irregular verbs with confidence.