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Background and Objectives	Isolated Cases: 42 Truly Irregular Verbs
General Overview of Verb Inflections	Abbreviations Used
152 Irregular Verbs in 26 Conjugations	Traditional Style Alphabetical Listing

 

 

Background and Objectives

English belongs to the Germanic group of languages descended from Proto-Indo-European. One of the characteristic features of Old Germanic was its utilization of root vowel inflections to indicate changes in verb tense. While modern English makes use of a simpler suffixing system (e.g. call-ed, phone-d, etc.), verbs with irregular vowel inflections still survive for many of the oldest and most basic human activities, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, sitting, standing or swimming. This means that even the most elementary of students soon have to get down to the nitty-gritty of committing them to memory, and that is the process I would like to facilitate.

Unfortunately, since English orthography has undergone comparatively few reforms in the last 500 years, it fails to reflect the sometimes inconsistent developments in educated pronunciation that have taken place over the same period. Both monophthongal and diphthongal root vowel shifts have endowed modern English with a far greater variety of irregular verb inflections than one finds in other Germanic languages. The verb conjugational patterns of, for example, German or Swedish seem to be much more easily categorized and memorized than those of English. As a consequence, and much to the frustration of overseas learners, most English dictionaries and grammar books seem content just to provide lengthy alphabetical listings of irregular verbs in an appendix at the back. Surprisingly few attempts have been made to group together verbs of clearly common conjugation for faster and more effective memorization.

This is the gap I have set out to fill with this short survey, the results of which are a little surprising. In spite of the fact that we at the end of my analysis are left with 42 irregular verbs displaying seemingly unique pronunciation patterns, more than 150 others have actually been found to be in good company with other verbs. This means they can be remembered almost as effectively as a nursery rhyme.

Layout

From left to right in the tables, the verbs are shown in their infinitive/present, simple past and past-participle forms. In those cases where more than one past tense form is presented, anything shown in brackets is generally less common. Literary and archaic forms, included here to provide a historical perspective, are indicated in italics.

Sometimes a variant has one specific application (e.g. the nautical hove instead of everyday heaved). On this page any such special usage is highlighted in red, and the student should refer to a dictionary for further details.

In cases where one irregular verb also forms the root in another (e.g. give in forgive), usually only the basic verb is listed unless there happens to be an accepted past-tense variant for the derivative (e.g. cast > forecast/forecasted). The phonetic symbols used represent the British English RP (Received Pronunciation) standard traditionally spoken by BBC World Service newsreaders or members of the Royal Family.

This survey of regular irregularity in English verbs does not claim to be complete. Rather it should be seen as an attempt to break with tradition in order to facilitate more rapid memorization, which I hope will benefit students around the world.

 

 

 

General Overview of Verb Inflections

Conjugation #	Inflection Pattern	Example
Conjugation 1	[ aɪ ]  →  [ aʊ ]  →  [ aʊ ]	find-found-found
Conjugation 2	[ aɪ ]  →  [ ɪ ]  →  [ ɪ ]	bite-bit-bitten
Conjugation 3	[ aɪ ]  →  [ əʊ ]  →  [ ɪ ]	write-wrote-written
Conjugation 4	[ aɪ ]  →  [ ɔ: ]  →  [ ɔ: ]	buy-bought-bought
Conjugation 5	[ e ]  →  [ e ]  →  [ e ]	send-sent-sent
Conjugation 6	[ e ]  →  [ e ]  →  [ əʊ ]	swell-swelled-swollen
Conjugation 7	[ e ]  →  [ ɒ ]   →  [ ɒ ]	get-got-got
Conjugation 8	[ e ]  →  [ əʊ ]  →  [ əʊ ]	tell-told-told
Conjugation 9	[ eɪ ]  →  [ eɪ ]  →  [ eɪ ]	pay-paid-paid
Conjugation 10	[ eɪ ]  →  [ əʊ ]  →  [ əʊ ]	break-broke-broken
Conjugation 11	[ eɪ ]  →  [ ʊ ]  →  [ eɪ ]	take-took-taken
Conjugation 12	[ eə ]  →  [ ɔ: ]  →  [ ɔ: ]	wear-wore-worn
Conjugation 13	[ ɪ ]  →  [ æ ]  →  [ æ ]	sit-sat-sat
Conjugation 14	[ ɪ ]  →  [ æ ]  →  [ ʌ ]	sing-sang-sung
Conjugation 15	[ ɪ ]  →  [ eɪ ]  →  [ ɪ ]	give-gave-given
Conjugation 16	[ ɪ ]  →  [ ɪ ]  →  [ ɪ ]	build-built-built
Conjugation 17	[ ɪ ]  →  [ ɔ: ]  →  [ ɔ: ]	think-thought-thought
Conjugation 18	[ ɪ ]  →  [ ʌ ]  →  [ ʌ ]	win-won-won
Conjugation 19	[ i: ]  →  [ e ]  →  [ e ]	meet-met-met
Conjugation 20	[ i: ]  →  [ əʊ ]  →  [ əʊ ]	speak-spoke-spoken
Conjugation 21	[ i: ]  →  [ ɔ: ]  →  [ ɔ: ]	teach-taught-taught
Conjugation 22	[ əʊ ]  →  [ əʊ ]  →  [ əʊ ]	show-showed-shown
Conjugation 23	[ əʊ ]  →  [ u: ]  →  [ əʊ ]	blow-blew-blown
Conjugation 24	[ u: ]  →  [ ɒ ]  →  [ ɒ ]	shoot-shot-shot
Conjugation 25	[ ɜ: ]  →  [ ɜ: ]  →  [ ɜ: ]	burn-burnt-burnt
Conjugation 26	[ -- ]  →  [ -- ]  →  [ -- ]	cut-cut-cut
42 truly irregular verbs!
Abbreviations Used
Introduction

Irregular Verbs in Pretty Good Company

I have identified the following 26 groups of irregular English verbs as having some form of shared root-vowel inflection. Although they are not officially recognized, I refer to them here as conjugations:

 

Conjugation 1

[ aɪ ]	[ aʊ ]	[ aʊ ]
bind	bound	bound
find	found	found
grind	ground	ground
wind	wound	wound

 

Conjugation 2

[ aɪ ]	[ ɪ ]	[ ɪ ]
bite	bit	bitten
chide	(chid) chided	(chidden) chided
hide	hid	hidden
light	lit (lighted)	lit (lighted)
slide	slid	slid

 

Conjugation 3

[ aɪ ]	[ əʊ ]	[ ɪ ]
drive	drove	driven
ride	rode	ridden
rise	rose	risen
shrive	shrove (shrived)	shriven (shrived)
smite	smote	smitten
stride	strode	stridden
strive	strove, strived	striven, strived
thrive	(throve), thrived	thriven, thrived
write	wrote	written

 

Conjugation 4

[ aɪ ]	[ ɔ: ]	[ ɔ: ]
buy	bought	bought
fight	fought	fought

 

Conjugation 5

[ e ]	[ e ]	[ e ]
bend	bent	bent
dwell	dwelt	dwelt
lend	lent	lent
rend	rent	rent
send	sent	sent
smell	smelt, smelled	smelt, smelled
spell	spelt, spelled	spelt, spelled
spend	spent	spent

 

Conjugation 6

[ e ]	[ e ]	[ əʊ ]
melt	melted	(molten), melted   (adj. molten)
swell	swelled	swollen, swelled

 

Conjugation 7

[ e ]	[ ɒ ]	[ ɒ ]
forget	forgot	forgotten
get	got	got,  AmE  gotten
tread	trod	trodden

 

Conjugation 8

[ e ]	[ əʊ ]	[ əʊ ]
sell	sold	sold
tell	told	told

 

Conjugation 9

[ eɪ ]	[ eɪ ]	[ eɪ ]
grave	graved	graved  (graven)
lay	laid	laid
make	made	made
pay	paid	paid
shave	shaved	shaven, shaved

 

Conjugation 10

[ eɪ ]	[ əʊ ]	[ əʊ ]
break	broke	broken
stave	stove, staved	stove, staved
wake	woke, waked	waken, waked

 

Conjugation 11

[ eɪ ]	[ ʊ ]	[ eɪ ]
forsake	forsook	forsaken
shake	shook	shaken
take	took	taken

 

Conjugation 12

[ eə ]	[ ɔ: ]	[ ɔ: ]
bear	bore	born, borne
swear	swore	sworn
tear	tore	torn
wear	wore	worn

 

Conjugation 13

[ ɪ ]	[ æ ]	[ æ ]
shit  (!)	(shat), shit, shitted	(shat), shit, shitted
sit	sat	sat
spit	spat	spat

 

Conjugation 14

[ ɪ ]	[ æ ]	[ ʌ ]
begin	began	begun
drink	drank	drunk  (adj. drunken)
ring	rang	rung
shrink	shrank	shrunk  (adj. shrunken)
sing	sang	sung
sink	sank	sunk  (adj. sunken)
spin	( BrE  span), spun	spun
spring	sprang, ( AmE  sprung)	sprung
stink	stank	stunk
swim	swam	swum

 

Conjugation 15

[ ɪ ]	[ eɪ ]	[ ɪ ]
bid	(bade), bid	(bidden), bid
forbid	forbade, forbad	forbidden
give	gave	given

 

Conjugation 16

[ ɪ ]	[ ɪ ]	[ ɪ ]
built	built	built
gild	(gilt), gilded	gilded  (adj. gilt)
spilt	spilt, spilled	spilt, spilled

 

Conjugation 17

[ ɪ ]	[ ɔ: ]	[ ɔ: ]
bring	brought	brought
think	thought	thought

 

Conjugation 18

[ ɪ ]	[ ʌ ]	[ ʌ ]
cling	clung	clung
dig	dug	dug
fling	flung	flung
sling	slung	slung
slink	slunk	slunk
stick	stuck	stuck
sting	stung	stung
string	strung	strung
swing	swung	swung
win	won	won
wring	wrung	wrung

 

Conjugation 19

[ i: ]	[ e ]	[ e ]
bereave	bereft, (bereaved)	bereft, (bereaved)
bleed	bled	bled
breed	bred	bred
creep	crept	crept
deal	dealt	dealt
dream	dreamt, dreamed	dreamt, dreamed
feed	fed	fed
feel	felt	felt
flee	fled	fled
keep	kept	kept
kneel	knelt	knelt
lead	led	led
lean	leant, leaned	leant, leaned
leap	leapt, leaped	leapt, leaped
leave	left	left
mean	meant	meant
meet	met	met
read	read	read
sleep	slept	slept
speed	sped, speeded	sped, speeded
sweep	swept	swept
weep	wept	wept

 

Conjugation 20

[ i: ]	[ əʊ ]	[ əʊ ]
cleave	clove (cleft, cleaved)	cloven (cleft, cleaved)
freeze	froze	frozen
heave	(hove), heaved	(hove), heaved
speak	spoke	spoken
weave	wove	woven
wreak	(wroke), wreaked †	(wroken), wreaked

 

† Note that past tense of wreak is wreaked and not wrought, as many wrongly assume. Wrought is the old past tense of to work and so to wreak havoc means to work havoc. Past tense wroke and past participle wroken are now obsolete.

.

Conjugation 21

[ i: ]	[ ɔ: ]	[ ɔ: ]
beseech	besought	besought
seek	sought	sought
teach	taught	taught

 

Conjugation 22

[ əʊ ]	[ əʊ ]	[ əʊ ]
mow	mowed	mown, mowed
sew	sewed	sewn, sewed
show	showed	shown, showed
sow	sowed	sown, sowed

 

Conjugation 23

[ əʊ ]	[ u: ]	[ əʊ ]
blow	blew	blown
crow	crew, crowed	crowed
grow	grew	grown
know	knew	known
throw	threw	thrown

 

Conjugation 24

[ u: ]	[ ɒ ]	[ ɒ ]
lose	lost	lost
shoe	shod	shod
shoot	shot	shot

 

Conjugation 25

[ ɜ: ]	[ ɜ: ]	[ ɜ: ]
burn	burnt, burned	burnt, burned
gird	(girt), girded	(girt), girded
learn	learnt, learned	learnt, learned

 

Conjugation 26

[ — ]	[ — ]	[ — ]
bet	bet (betted)	bet (betted)
bid	bid, (bade)	bid, (bidden)
broadcast	broadcast, ( AmE  broadcasted)	broadcast, ( AmE  broadcasted)
burst	burst	burst
cast	cast	cast
cost	cost	cost
cut	cut	cut
forecast	forecast (forecasted)	forecast (forecasted)
hit	hit	hit
hurt	hurt	hurt
knit	knit (knitted)	knit (knitted)
let	let	let
put	put	put
quit	quit (quitted)	quit (quitted)
rid	rid (ridded)	rid (ridded)
set	set	set
shed	shed	shed
shut	shut	shut
slit	slit	slit
split	split	split
spread	spread	spread
thrust	thrust	thrust
wed	wed (wedded)	wed (wedded)
wet	wet (wetted)	wet (wetted)

Isolated Cases: 42 Verbs with Truly Irregular Irregularity

Infinitive or Basic Form	Past Simple	Past Participle
abide	(abode), abided	(abode), abided
be	was, were	been
beat	beat	beaten
can**	could	been able to
catch	caught	caught
choose	chose	chosen
clothe	(clad), clothed	(clad), clothed  (adj. clad)
come	came	come
dare	(durst), dared	dared
dive	( AmE  dove), dived	dived
do	did	done
draw	drew	drawn
eat	ate	eaten
fall	fell	fallen
fly	flew	flown
give	gave	given
go	went	gone
hang	hung, hanged	hung, hanged
have	had	had
hear	heard	heard
hew	hewed	hewn, hewed
hold	held	held
lie	lay	lain
may**	might	—
must**	had to	had to
ought**	—	—
prove	proved	(proven), proved
run	ran	run
saw	sawed	sawn (sawed)
say	said	said
see	saw	seen
shall**	should	—
shear	(shore), sheared	(shorn), sheared
shine	shone	shone
slay	slew	slain
spoil	spoilt, spoiled	spoilt, spoiled
stand	stood	stood
steal	stole	stolen
strew	strewed	strewn (strewed)
strike	struck	struck (stricken)  (adj. stricken)
will**	would	—
work	(wrought), worked	(wrought), worked

 

Abbreviations Used

adj.	Adjectival form
AmE	Mainly American English
BrE	Mainly British English
**	Modal auxiliary verb with no infinitive form (to...)
(!)	Vulgar expression