Learn Irregular Verbs in English with definitions and Examples

Learning English becomes easier when we understand the basic rules and special cases that shape the language. One area that many learners find challenging is irregular verbs, because they do not follow the normal pattern of adding “-ed” for the past tense. Instead, their forms change in unique ways, and that makes them important to study carefully. Knowing irregular verbs with their clear definitions and examples helps learners speak and write English more naturally. In this article, we will learn irregular verbs in English so you can build confidence and improve your communication skills.

Table of Contents

Definition of Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs are verbs in English that do not follow the normal rule of adding –ed to form the past tense and past participle. Instead, they change in different and sometimes unpredictable ways, such as go → went → gone or sing → sang → sung. Because their forms cannot be guessed by a simple rule, they must be learned and remembered individually.

What are Irregular Verbs?

Irregular verbs are verbs that do not follow the standard rule of adding -ed to make the past tense or past participle. Instead, they change their form in different ways, sometimes slightly, sometimes completely.

✔ Example:

Regular verb: walk → walked → walked
Irregular verb: go → went → gone

This means irregular verbs need to be memorized because their changes are not predictable.

Why Are Irregular Verbs Important?

Irregular verbs are important because they appear in almost every conversation and piece of writing. Unlike regular verbs, they do not follow a simple rule, so learning them helps you speak and write correctly. Many of the most common verbs in English, like go, eat, and see, are irregular. If you do not use them properly, your sentences can sound wrong or confusing. That is why understanding irregular verbs is necessary for daily communication, exams, and improving overall fluency.

Characteristics of Irregular Verbs

They do not follow the -ed rule.
Some change vowels inside the word (sing → sang → sung).
Some remain the same in all three forms (put → put → put).
Some change completely (go → went → gone).

irregular verbs definition with Example Sentences in English

Common Examples of Irregular Verbs

Here is a table with some of the most commonly used irregular verbs. These are important for daily use and exams.

Basic Irregular Verb for Beginners

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle	Example Sentence
go	went	gone	She has gone to school.
eat	ate	eaten	They have eaten dinner.
come	came	come	He came late yesterday.
see	saw	seen	I have seen that movie.
drink	drank	drunk	She has drunk the milk.

Cover Irregular Verb That Do Not Change

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle	Example Sentence
put	put	put	Please put it on the table.
cut	cut	cut	He cut the paper yesterday.
hit	hit	hit	She accidentally hit her hand.
set	set	set	They set the alarm at night.
shut	shut	shut	He shut the window quickly.

Explore Irregular Verb with Vowel Change

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle	Example Sentence
sing	sang	sung	She has sung beautifully.
ring	rang	rung	The phone rang loudly.
swim	swam	swum	He has swum across the river.
begin	began	begun	They have begun the work.
run	ran	run	He has run very fast.

How to Learn Irregular Verb Easily

Group them by pattern
- Example: sing–sang–sung, ring–rang–rung.
Use flashcards
- Write the base form on one side and past tense on the other.
Practice with sentences
- Instead of memorizing lists only, use them in short sentences.
Repeat daily
- Frequent exposure helps in remembering naturally.

Advanced Irregular Verbs for Exams

Some irregular verbs are less common but are often seen in written English, academic tests, and literature.

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle	Example Sentence
arise	arose	arisen	Problems have arisen in the project.
bear	bore	borne	She has borne all difficulties.
bid	bade	bidden	He bade us farewell.
stride	strode	stridden	He strode confidently into the hall.
forsake	forsook	forsaken	He has forsaken his old habits.

Key Tips for ESL Students

Always practice irregular verbs in context, not just lists.
Pay attention to spoken forms, as pronunciation can change.
Remember that many irregular verbs are used in idioms and expressions.
Keep a personal notebook of verbs you find difficult.

Example Sentences or Irregular Verb with Images

Irregular Verb	Sentence
go	She went to school yesterday.
eat	They have eaten all the cake.
see	I saw him at the park.
come	He came home late last night.
drink	She has drunk the milk.
run	He ran very fast in the race.
take	She took my pencil by mistake.
write	He has written a short letter.
give	They gave me a nice gift.
sing	She sang a beautiful song.
swim	He has swum across the pool.
break	The boy broke the window.
begin	They have begun the meeting.
choose	She chose the red dress.
speak	He spoke clearly in class.
fall	The glass fell from the table.
find	She found her lost keys.
buy	He bought a new book.
teach	She taught us English today.
know	I knew the correct answer.