Three forms of English verbs. Complete list of irregular English verbs

English requires a detailed and systematic approach. Of course, if the priorities are obtaining knowledge that will help in practice. Special place within the framework of this goal, it occupies, to which there are quite rational explanations.

Why is it important to know English irregular verbs?

So, irregular verbs, as mentioned above, play a key role in the successful learning of the English language. Many people have been convinced of this. Consider the main nuances.

Practice shows that half of the mistakes made in speech and writing are the incorrect use of the forms and tenses of verbs. Often the verb is superfluous in a sentence or used falsely. This can completely change the meaning. The principle of learning English is that you need to start with those topics in which mistakes are often made. That's why table of irregular verbs must be fully explored. Otherwise, really get negative consequences consisting in a confusion of phrases. When there are many mistakes, the desire to learn the language disappears. This cannot be allowed. It is important to focus on the success of the task. With the right approach, all goals will be achieved.

Irregular verbs can be used as builders of phrases and sentences that are unique in terms of impact and originality. English philologists are proud of such verbs, referring them to the origins of the ancient Germanic language. Many English-speaking poets and writers drew creative strength from them. Readers may say that they are not going to write poetry in English language(although with time everything is possible, it is difficult to predict the twists of fate). However, they form its foundation. Without them, it is impossible to learn English. Many people who have dedicated free time learning an international language. A systematic approach will allow you to master all topics, including those that are considered to be difficult in terms of learning.

The study of irregular verbs is also required for the reason that some regular verbs are very similar to them. For example, found is like an irregular verb. If it is perceived this way, then in practice there will be confusion. Every nuance is important and worth considering.

You need to start learning irregular verbs as early as possible. Most of them are based on exceptions rather than rules. This difficult moment should spur and stimulate. Regular verbs will become much easier to learn after. Generally, basic irregular verbs in English yet they have a certain system. She will help you learn them.

Irregular verbs are difficult, that's a fact. However, it is worth devoting at least 10 minutes every day to these “insidious parts of speech” so that they are assimilated once and for all. Having a certain system will make the task a little easier. It is important to understand: without irregular verbs there will be no English. Therefore, it is worth giving them time.

Our topic today is an acquaintance with such an interesting phenomenon as the forms of irregular verbs. As you know, the English language is very cunning. This language often lays all sorts of traps for us. One of them is irregular verbs. English is not the only language that has irregular verbs. French also rich in irregular verbs. Three or four forms for irregular English verbs?

Romanian language, German, Latin language, Greek also contains irregular verbs. And even the Russian language is replete with them. I think you have repeatedly heard about irregular verbs in English, in other words, Irregular Verbs. Why are such verbs called irregular? Everything is very simple: in the past tense they conjugate in their own way, have their own special form, while all other verbs in the past tense have the ending -ed.

How to distinguish irregular verbs from regular ones?

For comparison, let's conjugate 3 regular regular verbs in the simple past tense ( past simple):

As you can see, all 3 verbs are conjugated in the same way, according to the scheme stem + ending -ed.

The situation is quite different in the case of irregular verbs. We conjugate 3 more verbs in the simple past tense (Past Simple), which are irregular, and here pay attention to the fact that each of these verbs has its own, absolutely different shape at the end or even at the root of a word:

Even to the naked eye it is clear that each of these verbs appeared in its own, completely different form from the others. The catch is that there is no certain rule, by which you can find out the form of an irregular verb. Each of them hides in their own way. The English language, friends, is full of tricky things and underwater reefs. Another catch is that each irregular verb has not one form, but three.

Three forms of irregular verbs

So what are these three forms?

• The first is the infinitive or initial (indefinite) form of the verb
• The second is Past Participle I, that is, the form that corresponds to the simple past tense (Past Simple), it is also used in the 2nd and 3rd cases of the conditional mood (Conditional of the 2-d and of the 3-d case)
• The third is Past Participle II, the one that is used in the perfect present tense (Present Perfect) and in the past tense (Past Perfect). The same form is used in the Passive Voice, in the Conditional of the 3-d case, and some other grammatical rules.

Here are some examples of 3 forms of irregular verbs:

• To arise - arose - arisen - rise
• To be - was, were - been - to be
• To bear - bore - born - give birth
• To become - became - become - become, become
• To begin - began - begun - begin
• To catch - caught - caught - catch, catch
• To choose - chose - chosen - choose
• To dig - dug - dug - dig, dig
• To dream - dream - dream - dream, dream
• To feel - felt - felt - feel
• To forget - forgot - forgotten - forget
• To have - had - had - to have

Now let's look at these 3 forms using examples of sentences in all of the above tenses of verbs.

• So, the simple past tense of the verb (Past Simple Tense):

Yesterday she felt(self-bad) to feel). She felt bad yesterday. Last Wednesday we met Jim ( to meet). We met Jim last Wednesday. Last night I dream you ( to dream). “I dreamed about you last night. I was in Paris last year ( to be) — I was in Paris last year.

• Perfect present tense of the verb (Present Perfect Tense):

I have just seen him ( to see). “I just saw him. Tom has already brought my books ( to bring). Tom has already brought my books. Have you ever been in London to be)? - Have you ever been in London? Ann has already forgotten her boy-friend( to forget).- Anna has already forgotten her boyfriend.

• The past tense of the verb (Past Perfect Tense):

I noticed that I had forgotten my keys( to forget). — I noticed that I forgot my keys. He understood that he had lost his documents ( to lose). He realized that he had lost his papers.

• Passive voice (Passive Voice):

The dog is fed by me ( to feed). The dog is fed by me (I fed the dog). Made in France ( to make). - Made in France.

• Conditional mood of the 2nd and 3rd cases (Conditional). Here are the second and third forms:

If I had money, I would buy a car to have). - If I had money, I would buy a car (real condition). If I had money, I would have bought a car ( to have, to buy).- If I had money, I would buy a car (unreal condition, past tense).
How to learn all forms of irregular verbs?

Irregular Verbs Cheat Sheet

As mentioned above, there are no rules by which the forms of irregular verbs are formed, each has its own. But, we hope that this poetic form will help you quickly remember such irregular verbs:

To write-wrote-written
To eat-ate-eat
To speak-spoke-spoken
To break-broke-broken

To come-came-come
To become-became-become
To run-run-run
To swim swam swum

To know-knew-known
To throw-threw-thrown
To blow-blew-blown
To fly-flew-flown

Tossing-sang-sung
To ring-rang-rung
To hide-hid-hidden
To bite-bit-bitten

To send-sent-sent
To spend-spent-spent
To sleep-slept-slept
To keep-kept-kept

To tell-told-told
To sell-sold-sold
To teach-taught-taught
To catch-caught-caught

To fight-fought-fought
To think-thought-thought
To buy-bought-bought
To bring-brought-brought

To cut-cut-cut
To shut-shut-shut
To cost-cost-cost
To lose-lost-lost

To lead-led-led
To feed-fed-fed
To feel-felt-felt
To hold-held-held

From this funny poetic form, we see that some irregular verbs have the same letter combinations, which allows them to rhyme and thus make it easier for us to remember them.

The "fourth" form of irregular verbs

There is a popular belief that there is also a 4th form of irregular verbs. This 4th configuration is formed according to the scheme base + ending -ing. It defines the Present Participle, that is, the present participle in tenses such as the present continuous ( Present Continuous) and the past continuous (Past Continuous). In other words, this is the present and past tense of the imperfect form. It follows from this that there are not 3, but 4 forms of irregular verbs. But this 4th configuration is, as it were, unofficial.

Consider this same 4th form using examples of sentences with Present Continuous:

The same 4th form in sentences with Past Continuous.

What rule can't do without? Of course, no exceptions! Irregular verbs in English are also not spared. But, as they say, the irregular verb is not so terrible as it is painted. Today we will deal with different methods of memorizing irregular verbs.

Open any table of irregular verbs ( see at the end of the article) and you will see three columns there. The first column contains verbs in the impersonal, or (only without the to particle). This is what corresponds to Russian verbs ending in -t: draw, write, read - (to) draw, write, read.

The second column is - I drew, wrote, read (yesterday, for example) - drew, wrote, read.

In the third column is the so-called second participle, or past participle.

Note. The first participle corresponds to the Russian –yushchy / -yashchiy: drawing, writing, reading. In English, the first participle ends in -ing. - drawing, writing, rading.

Let's return to the third column, which presents the past participle - it corresponds to the Russian "made" - drawn, written, read. Third column for

• verbs in .

• verb tenses of the Perfect group:

I have already written my essay. I have already written an essay (or “I already have my essay written).

I have read three books this month. I have read three books this month. (Or I have three books read).

Have you ever drawn anything like that? Have you ever drawn anything like this? (Or have you ever had something similar drawn?)

What does "irregular verbs" mean?

Why irregular verbs (irregular verbs) are still “irregular”. The fact is that according to the rules, the so-called second and third forms are built by adding the ending -ed.

I work - I worked yesterday. – I have worked for three companies.

For irregular verbs, the second and third forms are formed in a completely individual way (go - went - gone), or do not change at all (put-put-put).

Memorization methods

• Alphabetically - cramming. Boring and useless.
• Make cards with three forms on one side and a translation on the other. Periodically, when a minute is given out (in transport, in the morning with a cup of coffee, etc.), go through the cards, checking yourself. If you remember, we shift to the second pile, if not, leave it in the first and return later. And so on until there is a confident memorization. When sorting through the cards, try to come up with examples - this is how figurative thinking is connected, it is remembered faster, and words are learned not separately, but in context.
• Poems. More like childish. But in whom does the child not live? Call if you like positive emotions– then why not? Here are examples of such verses

I'm at the buffet buy-bought-bought (buy)
First class sandwich
For him I pay-paid-paid, (pay)
In the classroom in the desk lay-laid-laid (put)
And not at all think-thought-thought, (think)
That his neighbor is smart.
And now I'm very sad
Smell-smelt-smelt it's delicious! (smell)

Look, slingshot Balamut
In your pocket put-put-put (put)
And begin-began-begun (begin)
Hooligan bully!
He's a pillow cut-cut-cut, (cut)
Brother in the bathroom shut-shut-shut, (shut down)
All newspapers light-lit-lit, (set fire)
Dog hit-hit-hit. (beat)
He ring-rang-rung neighbor (call)
And, of course, run-ran-run. (run)
And not at all think-thought-thought, (think)
That the police will come.

Dig-dug-dug we garden (dig)
Come-came-come there people. (come)
We said: “Go-went-gone, (go, go)
This is not a farce for you.”

We are with enemies fight-fought-fought, (fight, fight)
They are caught in a catch-caught-caught trap. (catch, catch)
Good luck day bring-brought-brought, (bring)
We are a get-got-got award. (receive)

If hares bite-bit-bitten, (bite)
Don't give them eat-ate-eaten, (eat)
They soon learn-learnt-learnt (learn)
Famously matches burn-burnt-burnt. (spark off)

If a friend meet-met-met, (meet)
Its tight keep-kept-kept. (Keep)
Well, what if lose-lost-lost, (lose)
Then he is cost-cost-cost. (cost)

Aircraft fly-flew-flown. (fly)
Our children grow-grew-grown. (grow)
Well, the wind blow-blew-blown, (blow)
He is know-knew-known about everything. (know)

Grandfather and grandmother find-found-found (find)
Basset hound dog breed.
Very close to old people
Dog become-became-become. (become)
Give-give-given grandfather to him (give)
Dear Basturma -
Well, the dog must be fed-fed-fed (feed)
Something delicious for lunch!
Your own fat and cutlets
Old people are not let-let-let. (let)
Now grandma and grandpa
Life is different lead-led-led: (lead)
Grandfather with a smile dozing in the bath,
Grandmother dwell-dwelt-dwelt in a closet, (dwell)
Dog in a lie-lay-lain bed
Just like Saddam Hussein.

We break-broke-broken the old house - (break)
It was very boring.
New house we draw-draw-drawn, (draw)
Build-built-built - and we'll live. (build)

• I like the idea of ​​distributing irregular verbs into groups based on the similarity of the formation of the second and third forms. This makes them much easier to learn.

Table of irregular English verbs:

Group 1 - all three forms are the same

Group 2 - the second and third forms coincide

Group 3 - the second and third forms do not match

• To make the process of memorizing irregular verbs more fun, my students and I make up stories together. That is, one person takes out a card, remembers all the forms and meanings, and then makes up a sentence using the second or third form. The next player takes out a second card and continues the story. As a rule, it turns out very funny. And bright positive emotions, especially laughter, are known to contribute to memorization.

Do not put it off indefinitely - it's better to cut the leaves right now, make cards - and go! And find an accomplice to write stories.

Here you can find a table of irregular English verbs with translation into Russian and transcription, videos on learning and memorizing irregular verbs, links.

In English, there is a special category of verbs that does not follow the generally accepted rules when forming the past participle. They are called "wrong". Unlike “regular” verbs, to which the ending –ed is attached to form the past participle, these verbs either remain unchanged or take on unusual forms that are not always easy to remember. For example:

put - put - put;
drive - driven - driven.

If the first verb is easy to learn and use in sentences, then the second has to be learned directly by memorization.

Where did such difficulties with some verbs come from? Scientists have come to the conclusion that these are some kind of "fossils" that have remained in the language since ancient times. During its development, the English language adopted a large number of words from other European languages, but some words remained unchanged. Irregular verbs fall into this category.

Table of irregular English verbs:

Video on learning and memorizing irregular English verbs:

Top 100 irregular verbs in English.

In this video, the author analyzes the most popular irregular verbs in English (top 100 compiled by himself). Examples are given for all irregular verbs, voice acting, etc. The most used irregular verbs come first, followed by the less used ones.

Pronunciation of irregular English verbs.

British Irregular English Verbs. The author makes it possible to repeat after him and thus hone correct pronunciation irregular verbs.

Learning irregular English verbs with the help of rap.

Interesting video for memorizing irregular English verbs superimposed on rap.

Examples of the use of irregular verbs:

English is the language of exceptions, where when studying a new grammatical rule, students are faced with a dozen but, in which this rule does not work. One of these rules is the use of irregular verbs in the past tense. For many English learners, this topic is a nightmare. But without them it is impossible, because these are the realities of English! However, there is good news - modern English is gradually getting rid of irregular verbs, replacing them with regular ones. Why and how - we will consider in the article.

Why are English verbs irregular?

The difficulty in using irregular verbs is experienced not only by foreigners, but also by the speakers themselves. Nevertheless, for English philologists, the non-standard nature of this part of speech is not a drawback, but a reason for pride. They believe that irregular verbs are a cultural monument that perpetuates the history of the English language. The explanation for this fact is the Germanic roots of the origin of irregular verbs, which makes British English a traditional variant of the language. For comparison, the Americans are trying with might and main to get rid of the wrong form, converting it into the correct one. Therefore, the list of non-standard verbs increases for those who learn both variants of the language. Thus, the incorrect version is ancient, which is reflected in prose and poetry.

How many forms does a verb have in English?

Speaking about verbs in English, it should be noted that they have 3 forms:

• infinitive, aka ;
• I, or Participle I, - this form is used in the simple past tense (Past Simple) and the 2nd and 3rd cases of the conditional mood (Conditional of the 2-d and of the 3-d case);
• Past Participle II, or Participle II, for Past Perfect, Passive Voice and Conditional of the 3-d case.

The table "Three in English" is presented later in the article.

What are regular and irregular verbs? Education rules

Regular verbs are those in which the past form (Past Simple) and the form Participle II (Participle II) are formed by adding the ending -ed to initial form. The table "Three forms of the verb in English. Regular verbs" will help you better understand this rule.

When forming the forms Participle I and Participle II, there are some features:

• if the verb ends with the letter -e, then adding -ed does not double it;
• the consonant in monosyllabic verbs is duplicated when added. Example: stop - stopped (stop - stopped);
• if the verb ends in -y followed by a consonant, then y is changed to i before adding -ed.

Irregular verbs are those that do not obey general rule in the formation of temporary forms. In English, these include the simple past tense verb forms (Past Simple) and Participle II (Participle II).

Irregular verbs are formed with:

ablaut, in which the root is changed. Example: swim - swam - swum (swim - swam - swam);

the use of suffixes that are different from those accepted in the grammar of the language. Example: do - did - done (do - did - did);

the same or unchanged form. Example: cut - cut - cut (cut - cut - cut).

Due to the fact that each irregular verb has its own form of change, they should be learned by heart.

In total, there are 218 irregular verbs in English, of which approximately 195 are in active use.

Recent studies in the field of language show that rare verbs are gradually disappearing from the language due to the replacement of the 2nd and 3rd forms with regular verb forms, that is, the addition of the ending - ed. This fact is confirmed by the table "Three forms of the verb in English" - the table represents a number of verbs that have both regular and irregular forms.

table of irregular verbs

The table "Three forms of irregular verbs in English" includes the most commonly used verbs. The table shows 3 forms and a translation.

Irregular verbs came into modern English from Old English, which was spoken by the Angles and Saxons - British tribes.

Irregular verbs originated from the so-called strong verbs, each of which had its own type of conjugation.

Harvard researchers found that most of the verbs used are irregular, and they will remain so, as they are used more often than others.

In the history of the English language there is such a phenomenon when the correct verb became irregular. For example, sneak, which has 2 forms - sneaked and snuck.

Not only English learners have problems with verbs, but also native speakers, as even they get into awkward situations when it comes to this difficult part of speech.

One of them is Jennifer Garner, who has been sure all her life that the verb sneak is correct.

She was corrected by the host of one of the programs in which the actress took part. Dictionary in hand, he pointed out to Jennifer her mistake.

Therefore, do not be upset if you make mistakes when using irregular verbs. The main thing is that they do not become systematic.

Regular verbs

The table "Three forms of regular verbs in English with transcription and translation" is compiled on the basis of the most commonly used verbs.

Examples of the use of 3 forms of verbs with translation

Above we looked at 3 forms of verbs in English. A table with examples of usage and translation will help reinforce the topic.

Here, for each grammatical construction, two examples are given - one with regular, the other with irregular verbs.

Exercises

For better memorization of irregular verbs, you need not only to learn them by heart and repeat, but also to perform various exercises.

Exercise 1. Before you is a table "Three forms of the verb in English. Irregular verbs." Fill in one of the three missing forms.

Exercise 2. Before you is a table "Three forms of the verb in English. Regular verbs." Insert forms Participle I and II.

Exercise 3. Using the tables, translate the following sentences into English.

1. I was reading a book.
2. We saw them yesterday.
3. The Smiths lived in London until 2000. Then they moved to Manchester.
4. Alice was a university student in 2014.
5. They worked for the same company two years ago.
6. He just finished training.
7. When we were children, my mother often took us to this park.
8. I drove a toy car as a child.

Answers to the exercises

Exercise 1.

Exercise 2.

asked, borrowed, closed, decided, explained, helped, started, travelled, used, worked.

Exercise 3

1. I read a book.
2. We saw them yesterday.
3. The Smiths lived in London till 2000. Then they moved to Manchester.
4. Alice was a student of Univercity in 2014.
5. They worked in the same company two years ago.
6. He has just finished training.
7. When we were children we were taken for a walk to this park.
8. I drove a toy car in my childhood.

Get in the habit of periodically repeating the basic forms of the English verb. A table with irregular verbs, exercises and periodic repetition will help you quickly cope with the difficulties of the English language.