GRAMMAR
What are irregular verbs?
What is the difference between regular and irregular verbs?
A regular verb follows a typical pattern in its conjugation. For example, verbs such as close, live, watch, visit and play are regular. They consistently take s, ed and ing in the simple present, past simple, past participle and present participle. Check the following chart:
Infinitive | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past participle | Present Participle |
---|---|---|---|---|
close | close(s) | closed | closed | closing |
live | live(s) | lived | lived | living |
watch | watch(es) | watched | watched | watching |
visit | visit(s) | visited | visited | visiting |
play | play(s) | played | played | playing |
Irregular verbs, on the other hand, don't follow the above pattern. They are inconsistent in their conjugation. Their simple past and past participle forms have different endings. See the chart below.
Infinitive | Simple Present | Simple Past | Past participle | Present Participle |
---|---|---|---|---|
come | come(s) | came | come | coming |
cut | cut(s) | cut | cut | cutting |
do | do(es) | did | done | doing |
go | go(es) | went | gone | going |
speak | speak(s) | spoke | spoken | speaking |
spend | spend(s) | spent | spent | spending |
write | write(s) | wrote | written | writing |
Since the simple past and the past participle forms of irregular verbs are unpredictable, they have to be learned by heart.