Irregular Verbs: Meaning, Types, and Examples

Irregular Verbs: Meaning, Types, and Examples

Irregular verbs add a layer of complexity. Unlike regular verbs that follow a predictable pattern in their conjugation, irregular verbs deviate from the norm, making them an essential aspect of language learning. Understanding irregular verbs and their various forms is crucial for constructing accurate and fluent sentences.

In this blog, we will explore the meaning, types, and examples of irregular verbs, shedding light on their unique characteristics and usage in English grammar.

What are Irregular Verbs?

Irregular verbs are a class of verbs in English that do not follow the standard “-ed” ending to form their past tense and past participle. Instead, irregular verbs undergo distinct changes in their base form, past tense, and past participle, which must be memorized individually.

Types of Irregular Verbs:

Irregular verbs can be classified into three main types based on the changes they undergo:

1. Vowel Change: Some irregular verbs experience a change in their vowel sound between the base form, past tense, and past participle.
   Example:
   • Base Form: sing
   • Past Tense: sang
   • Past Participle: sung
2. Vowel Change with “-n” or “-en” Past Participle: In this type, the irregular verbs change their vowel sound and add “-n” or “-en” to form the past participle.
   Example:
   • Base Form: swim
   • Past Tense: swam
   • Past Participle: swum
3. No Pattern: Some irregular verbs do not follow any consistent pattern, and their past tense and past participle forms are unique.
   Example:
   • Base Form: go
   • Past Tense: went
   • Past Participle: gone
     
     

Examples of irregular verbs

Here are some examples of irregular verbs:

• Strong verbs:
  • go → went → gone
  • eat → ate → eaten
  • drink → drank → drunk
• Weak verbs:
  • read → read → read
  • write → wrote → written
  • see → saw → seen
• Mixed verbs:
  • draw → drew → drawn
  • come → came → come
  • give → gave → given
    
    

How to use irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are used in the same way as any other verb. They can be used in the present tense, past tense, past participle, and other tenses. For example, the verb “go” can be used in the following ways:

• Present tense: I go to school every day.
• Past tense: I went to school yesterday.
• Past participle: I have gone to school many times.
  
  

Example sentences of Irregular Verbs:

• He breaks the vase accidentally. (Present tense)
• She broke the record in the race. (Past tense)
• The window was broken during the storm. (Past participle)
• They eat breakfast every morning. (Present tense)
• We ate at the new restaurant yesterday. (Past tense)
• The delicious cake was eaten by everyone. (Past participle)
• He writes a story every week. (Present tense)
• She wrote a beautiful poem last night. (Past tense)
• The letter was written by the author. (Past participle)
• I see the mountains in the distance. (Present tense)
• We saw a shooting star last night. (Past tense)
• The breathtaking view was seen by many tourists. (Past participle)
• He takes the bus to work daily. (Present tense)
• She took a taxi to the airport yesterday. (Past tense)
• The luggage was taken to the hotel by the porter. (Past participle)
• They begin the journey early in the morning. (Present tense)
• We began our adventure last summer. (Past tense)
• The project was begun with enthusiasm. (Past participle)
• He goes to the gym regularly. (Present tense)
• She went to the theater last night. (Past tense)
• The kids have gone to the park to play. (Past participle)
• She breaks the chocolate bar into pieces. (Present Tense)
• The kids eat ice cream after dinner. (Present Tense)
• We write letters to our pen pals. (Present Tense)
• He sees the beautiful sunset every evening. (Present Tense)
• The chef takes pride in his culinary skills. (Present Tense)
• They begin the marathon with excitement. (Present Tense)
• The team goes for a practice session. (Present Tense)
• She broke her favorite toy accidentally. (Past Tense)
• The children ate cake at the birthday party. (Past Tense)
• We wrote poems for the school competition. (Past Tense)
• He saw a shooting star last night. (Past Tense)
• The dog took a nap in the shade. (Past Tense)
• They began the project early in the morning. (Past Tense)
• The birds went south for the winter.(Past Tense)
• The vase is breaking into pieces. (Present Participle)
• The children are eating their breakfast. (Present Participle)
• We are writing our essays for the assignment. (Present Participle)
• He is seeing his friends at the park. (Present Participle)
• The chef is taking orders from customers. (Present Participle)
• They are beginning their journey soon. (Present Participle)
• The team is going to the match tomorrow. (Present Participle)
• She has broken her phone screen twice. (Past Participle)
• They have eaten dinner at this restaurant before. (Past Participle)
• We have written thank-you notes to our teachers. (Past Participle)
• He has seen that movie multiple times. (Past Participle)
• The dog has taken its daily walk. (Past Participle)
• They have begun their vacation in Europe. (Past Participle)
• The team has gone to the playoffs. (Past Participle)
• She will break the news to her parents gently. (Future Tense)
• They will eat lunch at the new cafe. (Future Tense)
• We will write a story for the competition. (Future Tense)
• He will see his favorite band in concert. (Future Tense)
• The chef will take up new challenges. (Future Tense)
• They will begin their journey next week. (Future Tense)
• The team will go for the championship. (Future Tense)
• She will have broken the record by then. (Future Perfect Tense)
• They will have eaten dinner before the movie starts. (Future Perfect Tense)
• We will have written the report by Friday. (Future Perfect Tense)
• He will have seen all the episodes by tonight. (Future Perfect Tense)
• The dog will have taken a bath before the guests arrive. (Future Perfect Tense)
• They will have begun their training before the event. (Future Perfect Tense)
• The team will have gone to the finals by next month. (Future Perfect Tense)
• She had broken her glasses before the trip. (Past Perfect Tense)
• They had eaten dinner when we arrived. (Past Perfect Tense)
• We had written the letter before the mailman came. (Past Perfect Tense)
• He had seen that movie several times. (Past Perfect Tense)
• The dog had taken a long nap before playing. (Past Perfect Tense)
• They had begun the race when it started raining. (Past Perfect Tense)
• The team had gone to the championship before we got there. (Past Perfect Tense)
• She will have been breaking the record for ten minutes. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• They will have been eating dinner for an hour by then. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• We will have been writing the book for a month. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• He will have been seeing his therapist for a year. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• The chef will have been taking cooking classes. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• They will have been beginning their practice sessions every day. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
• The team will have been going for rigorous training for weeks. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)
  

Irregular verbs are an important part of the English language. They are used in a variety of ways, and they do not follow a predictable pattern when they are conjugated. By understanding how irregular verbs work, you can improve your grammar and writing skills.

Download Word Coach Application