Word lists Irregular verbs The 167 irregular verbs you will meet in English, with their past and past participle in American English. Where two forms are both standard, the more common one comes first.
Irregular verbs A to Z Verb Past Past participle arise arose arisen awake awoke awoken be was, were been bear bore borne For a birth, the past participle is born: she was born in May. beat beat beaten become became become begin began begun bend bent bent bet bet bet bid bid bid bind bound bound bite bit bitten bleed bled bled blow blew blown break broke broken breed bred bred bring brought brought broadcast broadcast broadcast build built built burst burst burst buy bought bought cast cast cast catch caught caught choose chose chosen cling clung clung come came come cost cost cost creep crept crept cut cut cut deal dealt dealt dig dug dug dive dove or diveddived Dove is the usual past in American English; British English uses dived. do did done draw drew drawn drink drank drunk drive drove driven dwell dwelled or dwelt dwelled or dwelt eat ate eaten fall fell fallen feed fed fed feel felt felt fight fought fought find found found fit fit or fitted fit or fitted British English uses fitted. flee fled fled fling flung flung fly flew flown forbid forbade forbidden forecast forecast forecast foresee foresaw foreseen forget forgot forgotten forgive forgave forgiven freeze froze frozen get got gotten or got Gotten is the usual American past participle (they've gotten better); have got means have. British English uses got. give gave given go (entry) went gone grind ground ground grow grew grown hang hung hung For an execution, the forms are hanged, hanged. have had had hear heard heard hide hid hidden hit hit hit hold held held hurt hurt hurt keep kept kept kneel knelt or kneeled knelt or kneeled know knew known lay laid laid Lay needs an object (lay the book down). Lie, without an object, is lie, lay, lain. lead led led leap leaped or leaptleaped or leaptleave left left lend lent lent let let let lie lay lain For telling untruths, lie is regular: lie, lied, lied. light lit or lightedlit or lightedlose lost lost make made made mean meant meant meet met met mislead misled misled mistake mistook mistaken overcome overcame overcome oversee oversaw overseen overtake overtook overtaken pay paid paid prove proved proven or proved put put put quit quit quit read read read The past forms sound like red. rebuild rebuilt rebuilt rid rid rid ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen run ran run say said said see saw seen seek sought sought sell sold sold send sent sent set set set sew sewed sewn or sewed shake shook shaken shed shed shed shine shone shone When it means polish, shine is regular: he shined his shoes. shoot shot shot show showed shown or showed shrink shrank shrunk shut shut shut sing sang sung sink sank sunk sit sat sat sleep slept slept slide slid slid sling slung slung slit slit slit sneak sneaked or snucksneaked or snuckSnuck is common in American English, especially in speech. sow sowed sown or sowed speak spoke spoken speed sped or speededsped or speededspend spent spent spin spun spun spit spit or spat spit or spat split split split spread spread spread spring sprang sprung stand stood stood steal stole stolen stick stuck stuck sting stung stung stink stank stunk stride strode stridden strike struck struck Stricken is used for illness or grief: stricken with fear. string strung strung strive strove or strivedstriven or strivedswear swore sworn sweep swept swept swell swelled swollen or swelled swim swam swum swing swung swung take took taken teach taught taught tear tore torn tell told told think thought thought throw threw thrown thrust thrust thrust tread trod trodden or trod undergo underwent undergone understand understood understood undertake undertook undertaken undo undid undone uphold upheld upheld upset upset upset wake woke woken wear wore worn weave wove woven weep wept wept wet wet or wettedwet or wettedwin won won wind wound wound Says wind like find; wound rhymes with found. withdraw withdrew withdrawn withhold withheld withheld withstand withstood withstood wring wrung wrung write wrote written
Regular in American English These verbs are regular in American English. British English often uses the form in the last column.
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