Giant Irregular Verb List – Plus, Understanding Regular and Irregular Verbs

Columns: Understanding Irregular Verbs and Regular Verbs

Traditionally, verbs have four principal parts: present, past, past participle, and present participle. However, irregular verb lists often have just three columns. This is because nearly all irregulars occur in the PAST TENSE and PAST PARTICIPLE. Unfortunately, people often use different names for the three columns, confusing the matter. Take a look!

Three Verb Columns

Present	Past	Past Participle
a.k.a. Simple Present a.k.a. Base Verb a.k.a. Bare Infinitive	a.k.a. Simple Past
drive	drove	driven

These three columns provide all the information needed to understand irregular verbs. The present tense (bare infinitive) is the true base verb, and the past tense and the past participle are the columns where nearly all the irregularities occur.

If we want to understand both regular and irregular verbs, we need more columns! Pay close attention to my “Six Column Model.” If you do, you will understand verbs better than most people!

Using the following list of 207 irregular verbs, you will learn all the inflections that create all the verb tenses while also learning about irregular verbs. That’s amazing!

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Irregular Verbs vs. Verbs with Spelling Rule Changes

What’s the difference between an irregular verb and a verb that changes because of a spelling rule?

•   Spelling Changes: You will notice that some of the irregular verbs below have a number next to them. These numbers represent a spelling change according to a spelling rule. In addition to being irregular, some irregular verbs change their spelling according to these rules. Please see the BLUE section below for a quick review of these rules.

•   Irregular Verbs: Irregular verbs have changes that are strange or random. Many or most irregular verbs are living dinosaurs from our Old English past.

QUIZ: With the base word do, is the inflection does irregular or the result of a spelling-rule change? Did you have to think about it for at least a moment? You can find the answer on the irregular verb list that follows!

The Table: Regular Verbs vs. Irregular Verbs with Spelling-Rule Changes

The following table has six columns in which we examine four aspects of regular and irregular verbs:

1. Regular Verbs: No Spelling Changes
2. Regular Verbs: Has Spelling Changes
3. Irregular Verbs: No Spelling Changes
4. Irregular Verbs: Has Spelling Changes

 

Comparison: Regular Verbs vs. Irregular Verbs

1	2	3	4	5	6
Infinitive	Present #1	Present #2	Past	Past Participle	Present Participle
( to )	( Base )	( –s )	( –ed )	( –ed )	( –ing **)
1. Regular Verbs: No Spelling Changes
to accept	accept	accepts	accepted	accepted	accepting
2. Regular Verbs: Has Spelling Changes
to bat	bat	bats	batted 2	batted 2	batting 2
3. Irregular Verbs: No Spelling Changes
to feel	feel	feels	felt IR*	felt IR*	feeling
4. Irregular Verbs: Has Spelling Changes
to do	do	does 4	did IR*	done IR*	doing

Important Notes About the Table

1. Think of column 6 as the –ing form or column, as –ing words function as present participles and gerunds. Gerunds never function as verbs, so I did not add the word to the column.

2. Column # 2 = Present Tense: First person, second person, and third person plural = I, you, they, we.

3. Column # 3 = Present Tense: Third-person singular = he, she, it.

4. All irregulars are in columns 4 (simple past tense) and 5 (past participles). Only these two columns have irregular verbs (marked IR*). Spelling-rule changes (marked with numbers) do not make a verb irregular.

Verbals and Columns 1, 5, and 6

To understand columns 1, 5, and 6, you must understand the three verbals: infinitives, participles, and gerunds. Verbals look like verbs, but they act like a very different part of speech:

1. Infinitives Affect Column 1: Infinitives function as or act like adverbs, adjectives, or nouns.

2. Participles Affect Column 5 and 6: Participles function as or act like adjectives. We have two types of participles: past participles (column 5) and present participles (column 6). To be clear, both types of participles function as adjectives.

3. Gerunds Affect Column 6: Gerunds function as or act like nouns.

Are VERBALS still considered verbs? Although verbals contain certain qualities, they are not in the VERB SLOT. I teach GRAMMAR SLOTS. The word is what the slot says it is.

Important Note: Columns 2-6 all can function as verbs. Column 1 can never function as a verb; it always functions as a verbal. Columns 5-6 can function as both a verb and a verbal.

The Six Columns of a Verb: An Expanded Version of the Four Principal Parts

Traditionally, verbs have four principal parts: present, past, past participle, and present participle. The following six columns provide (in my proud opinion) a much clearer picture of these principal parts. Remember, just because it looks like a verb does not mean it functions or acts like a verb.

1. Infinitive: This form is “to + the base form.” (Of course, there are a few exceptions.) An infinitive never functions as a verb.

Verbal #1: Infinitives: Infinitives always function as an infinitive verbal. Infinitives function as or act like adverbs, adjectives, or nouns. e.g., Everyone wanted to eat.   (to eat = noun)

2. Present #1 (a.k.a. Simple Present Tense, Base Form, and Bare Infinitive): This base form always functions as a verb. We use the base verb with these pronouns: I, you, they, and we. In short, we use this base form (simple present) with first person, second person, and third person plural.

Some people call this base form the infinitive. However, why call it the same thing as column 1? It creates confusion. Call it the bare infinitive, base form, present, or simple present tense, but don’t call it the infinitive. (If someone calls it the infinitive, clarify what they mean.) e.g., They bake a cake every Sunday.

3. Present #2 (a.k.a. Simple Present Tense): This inflected –s form always functions as a verb. This is simple present form just like column 2. In fact, I’ve never seen a list of verbs that creates a separate column for this –s form. They simply add the –s in parentheses to column 2: e.g., read(s), throw(s) etc. In short, there is no Present #1 and Present #2 except in this here model that I have created. The difference is that Present #2 is used with these pronouns: he, she, and it. So, Present #2 is used with third person singular. e.g., Jim bakes a cake every Sunday.

4. Past (a.k.a. Simple Past Tense): This inflected –ed form always functions as a verb. Warning: Nearly all simple past tense verbs and past participles (column 5) are spelled the same. The only way to tell if a word is simple past tense or a past participle is to analyze how it is used. e.g., Jim baked a cake.

5. Past Participle: Past participles need at least one helping verb (has, have, had) to function as a verb. The helping verb(s) and past participle form a verb phrase, and the past participle is the MAIN VERB of both the verb phrase and the sentence: e.g., The wood had rotted.

Verbal #2 – Participles: Both past participles (column 5) and present participles (column 6) can be used as a participle verbal. Participles as verbals function not as verbs, but as adjectives. In my book, if it functions as an adjective, it is an adjective e.g., The rotted wood crumbled. (rotted = adjective)

6. Present Participle (–ing Form**): Present participles need at least one helping verb (am, is, are) to function as a verb. The helping verb(s) and present participle form a verb phrase, and the present participle is the MAIN VERB of both the sentence and the verb phrase: e.g., I am running.

Verbal #2 Participles (function as adjectives) and Verbal #3 Gerunds (function as nouns): The –ing Form can be used as two different types of verbals: (present) participles and gerunds. e.g., Participle: The running man fell. (running = adjective) e.g., Gerund: Running is excellent exercise. (running = noun)

The Six Verb Columns in Table Form

The following table contains most of the information that appears in the numbered list above.    ** Nearly all irregulars occur in columns 4 and 5.

The Six Verb Columns in Table Form

1	2	3	4	5	6
Infinitive	Present #1 aka Simple Present aka Bare Infinitive aka Base Verb	Present #2 aka Simple Present Tense	Past aka Simple Past Tense	Past Participle	Present Participle
			** Irregulars	** Irregulars
to + base	base	Add –s	Add –ed	Add –ed	Add –ing
Used only as a verbal – never functions as a verb.	I, you, they, we First person, second person, and third person plural	he, she, it Third person singular	I, you, they, we AND he, she, it.	Acts as a verb when used with helping verbs (have, has, had). Also acts as a verbal: participle.	Acts as a verb when used with helping verbs (am, is, are). Also acts as two kinds of verbals: participle and gerund.
to run	run	runs	** ran	** ran	running
to accept	accept	accepts	accepted	accepted	accepting

Irregular Verbs with Two Versions: e.g., burned / burnt

We have about 29 irregular verbs with two versions similar to burned / burnt. With each of these two-version irregular verbs, there is a story behind it, a debate going on, or a transition taking place. You must research each occurrence if you wish to know what is going on. I did! For each two-version verb, there is a valid explanation for why the situation exists. As a rule, the first one (e.g., burned) is the more common version in the United States. When one of these two versions eventually wins the war, the other version will become archaic. I’ve marked a of couple archaic versions as AR.

#3 Be and #66 Have

Take special notice of these two irregular verbs. They are both extremely common and don’t follow even the rules of irregular verbs.

Prefixes

In one sense, irregular verbs with prefixes are repeats of the irregular base verbs. However, many students can use a refresher in prefixes, so I’ve included a number of them (for–, mis–, over–, re–, un–, under–, with–, and more).

 

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!!! Nearly all irregulars occur in columns 4 and 5 !!!

 

Giant Irregular Verb List: 207 Irregular Verbs

1. Inf.	2. Present #1 (Base)	3. Present #2	4. Past	5. Past Participle	6. Present Participle
1. to	arise	arises	arose	arisen	arising 1
2. to	awake	awakes	awoke	awoken	awaking 1
3. to be	(be) am / are	is	was / were	been	being 1-RB
4. to	bear	bears	bore	borne	bearing
5. to	beat	beats	beat	beaten	beating
6. to	become	becomes	became	become	becoming 1
7. to	begin	begins	began	begun	beginning 2
8. to	behold	beholds	beheld	beheld	beholding
9. to	bend	bends	bent (AR bended)	bent (AR bended)	bending
10. to	beset	besets	beset	beset	besetting 2
11. to	bet	bets	bet	bet	betting 2
12. to	bid	bids	bid / bade	bid / bidden 2	bidding 2
13. to	bind	binds	bound	bound	binding
14. to	bite	bites	bit	bitten	biting 1
15. to	bleed	bleeds	bled	bled	bleeding
16. to	blow	blows	blew	blown	blowing
17. to	break	breaks	broke	broken	breaking
18. to	breed	breeds	bred	bred	breeding
19. to	bring	brings	brought	brought	bringing
20. to	broadcast	broadcasts	broadcast	broadcast	broadcasting
21. to	build	builds	built	built	building
22. to	burn	burns	burned / burnt	burned / burnt	burning
23. to	burst	bursts	burst	burst	bursting
24. to	buy	buys	bought	bought	buying
25. to	cast	casts	cast	cast	casting
26. to	catch	catches 4	caught	caught	catching
27. to	choose	chooses	chose	chosen	choosing 1
28. to	cling	clings	clung	clung	clinging
29. to	come	comes	came	come	coming 1
30. to	cost	costs	cost	cost	costing
31. to	creep	creeps	crept	crept	creeping
32. to	cut	cuts	cut	cut	cutting 2
33. to	deal	deals	dealt	dealt	dealing
34. to	dig	digs	dug	dug	digging 2
35. to	dive	dives	dived / dove	dived	diving 1
36. to	do	does 4	did	done	doing
37. to	draw	draws	drew	drawn	drawing
38. to	dream	dreams	dreamed / dreamt	dreamed / dreamt	dreaming
39. to	drink	drinks	drank	drunk	drinking
40. to	drive	drives	drove	driven	driving 1
41. to	eat	eats	ate	eaten	eating
42. to	fall	falls	fell	fallen	falling
43. to	feed	feeds	fed	fed	feeding
44. to	feel	feels	felt	felt	feeling
45. to	fight	fights	fought	fought	fighting
46. to	find	finds	found	found	finding
47. to	fit	fits	fit	fit	fitting 2
48. to	flee	flees	fled	fled	fleeing 1-RB
49. to	fling	flings	flung	flung	flinging
50. to	fly	flies 3	flew	flown	flying
51. to	forbid	forbids	forbade	forbidden	forbidding 2
52. to	forgo	forgoes 4	forewent	foregone	forgoing
53. to	foresee	foresees	foresaw	foreseen	foreseeing 1-RB
54. to	foretell	foretells	foretold	foretold	foretelling
55. to	forget	forgets	forgot	forgotten 2	forgetting 2
56. to	forgive	forgives	forgave	forgiven	forgiving 1
57. to	forsake	forsakes	forsook	forsaken	forsaking 1
58. to	freeze	freezes	froze	frozen	freezing 1
59. to	get	gets	got	got / gotten 2	getting 2
60. to	give	gives	gave	given	giving 1
61. to	go	goes 4	went	gone	going
62. to	grind	grinds	ground	ground	grinding
63. to	grow	grows	grew	grown	growing
64. to	handwrite	handwrites	handwrote	handwritten	handwriting 1
65. to	hang	hangs	hung (hanged)	hung (hanged)	hanging
66. to	have	has RB	had	had	having 1
67. to	hear	hears	heard	heard	hearing
68. to	hide	hides	hid	hidden	hiding 1
69. to	hit	hits	hit	hit	hitting 2
70. to	hold	holds	held	held	holding
71. to	hurt	hurts	hurt	hurt	hurting
72. to	keep	keeps	kept	kept	keeping
73. to	kneel	kneels	knelt / kneeled	knelt / kneeled	kneeling
74. to	knit	knits	knit / knitted 2	knit / knitted 2	knitting 2
75. to	know	knows	knew	know	knowing
76. to	lay	lays	laid	laid	laying
77. to	lead	leads	led	led	leading
78. to	leap	leaps	leaped / leapt	leaped / leapt	leaping
79. to	learn	learns	learned / learnt	learned / learnt	learning
80. to	leave	leaves	left	left	leaving 1
81. to	lend	lends	lent	lent	lending
82. to	let	lets	let	let	letting 2
83. to	lie	lies	lay	lain	lying 1-RB
84. to	light	lights	lighted / lit	lighted / lit	lighting
85. to	lose	loses	lost	lost	losing 1
86. to	make	makes	made	made	making 1
87. to	mean	means	meant	meant	meaning
88. to	meet	meets	met	met	meeting
89. to	mislay	mislays	mislaid	mislaid	mislaying
90. to	mislead	misleads	misled	misled	misleading
91. to	misspeak	misspeaks	misspoke	misspoken	misspeaking
92. to	misspell	misspells	misspelled / misspelt	misspelled / misspelt	misspelling
93. to	mistake	mistakes	mistook	mistaken	mistaking 1
94. to	mow	mows	mowed	mowed / mown	mowing
95. to	outrun	outruns	outran	outrun	outrunning 2
96. to	overeat	overeats	overate	overeaten	overeating
97. to	overcome	overcomes	overcame	overcome	overcoming 1
98. to	overdo	overdoes 4	overdid	overdone	overdoing
99. to	overhear	overhears	overheard	overheard	overhearing
100. to	oversleep	oversleeps	overslept	overslept	oversleeping
101. to	overtake	overtakes	overtook	overtaken	overtaking 1
102. to	overthink	overthinks	overthought	overthought	overthinking
103. to	overthrow	overthrows	overthrew	overthrown	overthrowing
104. to	pay	pays	paid	paid	paying
105. to	plead	pleads	pled	pled	pleading
106. to	proofread	proofreads	proofread	proofread	proofreading
107. to	prove	proves	proved	proved / proven	proving 1
108. to	put	puts	put	put	putting 2
109. to	quit	quits	quit	quit	quitting 2
110. to	read	reads	read	read	reading
111. to	repay	repays	repaid	repaid	repaying
112. to	reread	rereads	reread	reread	rereading
113. to	resell	resells	resold	resold	reselling
114. to	reset	resets	reset	reset	resetting 2
115. to	retake	retakes	retook	retaken	retaking 1
116. to	reteach	reteaches 4	retaught	retaught	reteaching
117. to	retell	retells	retold	retold	retelling
118. to	rethink	rethinks	rethought	rethought	rethinking
119. to	rewrite	rewrites	rewrote	rewritten	rewriting 1
120. to	rid	rids	rid / ridded 2	rid	ridding 2
121. to	ride	rides	rode	ridden	riding 1
122. to	ring	rings	rang	rung	ringing
123. to	rise	rises	rose	risen	rising 1
124. to	run	runs	ran	run	running 2
125. to	saw	saws	sawed	sawed / sawn	sawing
126. to	say	says	said	said	saying
127. to	see	sees	saw	seen	seeing 1-RB
128. to	seek	seeks	sought	sought	seeking
129. to	sell	sells	sold	sold	selling
130. to	send	sends	sent	sent	sending
131. to	set	sets	set	set	setting 2
132. to	sew	sews	sewed	sewed / sewn	sewing
133. to	shake	shakes	shook	shaken	shaking 1
134. to	shave	shaves	shaved	shaved / shaven	shaving 1
135. to	shear	shears	shore	shorn	shearing
136. to	shed	sheds	shed	shed	shedding 2
137. to	shine	shines	shone / shined	shone / shined	shining 1
138. to	shoot	shoots	shot	shot	shooting
139. to	show	shows	showed	shown / showed	showing
140. to	shrink	shrinks	shrank	shrunk	shrinking
141. to	shut	shuts	shut	shut	shutting 2
142. to	sing	sings	sang	sung	singing
143. to	sink	sinks	sank	sunk	sinking
144. to	sit	sits	sat	sat	sitting 2
145. to	slay	slays	slept	slept	slaying
146. to	sleep	sleeps	slew	slain	sleeping
147. to	slide	slides	slid	slid	sliding 1
148. to	sling	slings	slung	slung	slinging
149. to	slit	slits	slit	slit	slitting 2
150. to	sneak	sneaks	sneaked / snuck	sneaked / snuck	sneaking
151. to	sow	sows	sowed	sowed / sown	sowing
152. to	speak	speaks	spoke	spoken	speaking
153. to	speed	speeds	sped	sped	speeding
154. to	spell	spells	spelled (AR spelt)	spelled (AR spelt)	spelling
155. to	spend	spends	spent	spent	spending
156. to	spill	spills	spilled / spilt	spilled / spilt	spilling
157. to	spin	spins	spun	spun	spinning 2
158. to	spit	spits	spit / spat	spit	spiting
159. to	split	splits	split	split	splitting 2
160. to	spread	spreads	spread	spread	spreading
161. to	spring	springs	sprang / sprung	sprung	springing
162. to	stand	stands	stood	stood	standing
163. to	steal	steals	stole	stolen	stealing
164. to	stick	sticks	stuck	stuck	sticking
165. to	sting	stings	stung	stung	stinging
166. to	stink	stinks	stank	stunk	stinking
167. to	stride	strides	strode	stridden	striding 1
168. to	strike	strikes	struck	struck	striking 1
169. to	string	strings	strung	strung	stringing
170. to	strive	strives	strove	striven	striving 1
171. to	sublet	sublets	sublet	sublet	subletting 2
172. to	swear	swears	swore	sworn	swearing
173. to	sweat	sweats	sweat / sweated	sweat / sweated	sweating
174. to	sweep	sweeps	swept	swept	sweeping
175. to	swell	swells	swelled	swelled / swollen	swelling
176. to	swim	swims	swam	swum	swimming 2
177. to	swing	swings	swung	swung	swinging
178. to	take	takes	took	taken	taking 1
179. to	teach	teaches 4	taught	taught	teaching
180. to	tear	tears	tore	torn	tearing
181. to	tell	tells	told	told	telling
182. to	think	thinks	thought	thought	thinking
183. to	thrive	thrives	thrived / throve	thrived	thriving 1
184. to	throw	throws	threw	thrown	throwing
185. to	thrust	thrusts	thrust	thrust	thrusting
186. to	tread	treads	trod	trodden	treading
187. to	troubleshoot	troubleshoots	troubleshot	troubleshot	troubleshooting
188. to	undercut	undercuts	undercut	undercut	undercutting 2
189. to	undergo	undergoes 4	underwent	undergone	undergoing
190. to	understand	understands	understood	understood	understanding
191. to	undertake	undertakes	undertook	undertaken	undertaking 1
192. to	undo	undoes 4	undid	undone	undoing
193. to	unwind	unwinds	unwound	unwound	unwinding
194. to	uphold	upholds	upheld	upheld	upholding
195. to	upset	upsets	upset	upset	upsetting 2
196. to	wake	wakes	woke / waked	woken / waked	waking 1
197. to	wear	wears	wore	worn	wearing
198. to	weave	weaves	weaved / wove	weaved / woven	weaving 1
199. to	wed	weds	wed	wed	wedding 2
200. to	weep	weeps	wept	wept	weeping
201. to	win	wins	won	won	wining
202. to	wind	winds	wound	wound	winding
203. to	withdraw	withdraws	withdrew	withdrawn	withdrawing
204. to	withhold	withholds	withheld	withheld	withholding
205. to	withstand	withstands	withstood	withstood	withstanding
206. to	wring	wrings	wrung	wrung	wringing
207. to	write	writes	wrote	written	writing 1

Giant Irregular Verb List: 207 Irregular Verbs