Learning English can be tricky—especially when it comes to irregular verbs in the past tense. Unlike regular verbs that simply add “-ed,” irregular verbs don’t follow the rules. That’s why they need extra attention and practice.
What Are Irregular Verbs?
Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard “-ed” rule when changing to the past tense.
| Regular Verb | Irregular Verb |
|---|---|
| walk → walked | go → went |
| play → played | eat → ate |
| talk → talked | see → saw |
There’s no fixed pattern for how irregular verbs change, so the best way to learn them is through memorization and practice.
Examples of Common Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
Download: List of Irregular Verbs
| Base Form | Simple Past |
|---|---|
| be | was / were |
| go | went |
| have | had |
| do | did |
| eat | ate |
| make | made |
| take | took |
| come | came |
| see | saw |
| give | gave |
How to Use Irregular Verbs in Sentences
Let’s look at how irregular verbs work in real-life sentences:
- I went to the market yesterday. (Not “goed”)
- She saw a movie last night. (Not “seeed”)
- They had lunch at 1:00 PM. (Not “haved”)
- He came late to class. (Not “comed”)
Tip: Time expressions like yesterday, last night, two days ago, or in 2020 often go with the simple past.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t add -ed to irregular verbs: ❌ “He goed to school.” → ✅ “He went to school.”
- Don’t confuse past participles with the simple past:
- ✅ He took the book yesterday. (Simple Past)
- ✖️ He taken the book yesterday.
Practice exercises: exercise 1
Download: List of Irregular Verbs
