Quick Answer:
Irregular verbs are English verbs that don't follow the standard -ed rule for past tense. Examples: go → went → gone, be → was/were → been, have → had → had. There are approximately 200 commonly used irregular verbs in English.
Verb Reference
Complete List of Irregular Verbs (2026)
This irregular verbs reference is designed for English learners worldwide, including those preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, and other international exams. We use neutral global English suitable for academic and professional contexts.
| Base Form | Past Simple | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| be | was/were | been |
| beat | beat | beaten |
| become | became | become |
| begin | began | begun |
| bend | bent | bent |
| bet | bet | bet |
| bite | bit | bitten |
| bleed | bled | bled |
| blow | blew | blown |
| break | broke | broken |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| buy | bought | bought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| come | came | come |
| cost | cost | cost |
| cut | cut | cut |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| do | did | done |
| draw | drew | drawn |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| drive | drove | driven |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| fall | fell | fallen |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| fly | flew | flown |
| forget | forgot | forgotten |
| forgive | forgave | forgiven |
| freeze | froze | frozen |
| get | got | gotten |
| give | gave | given |
| go | went | gone |
| grow | grew | grown |
| hang | hung | hung |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hide | hid | hidden |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hold | held | held |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| keep | kept | kept |
| know | knew | known |
| lead | led | led |
| leave | left | left |
| let | let | let |
| lie | lay | lain |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| pay | paid | paid |
| put | put | put |
| read | read | read |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| ring | rang | rung |
| rise | rose | risen |
| run | ran | run |
| say | said | said |
| see | saw | seen |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| set | set | set |
| shake | shook | shaken |
| shine | shone | shone |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| show | showed | shown |
| shut | shut | shut |
| sing | sang | sung |
| sit | sat | sat |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
| spend | spent | spent |
| stand | stood | stood |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| swim | swam | swum |
| take | took | taken |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tear | tore | torn |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| understand | understood | understood |
| wake | woke | woken |
| wear | wore | worn |
| win | won | won |
| write | wrote | written |
Test Your Knowledge
Irregular Verbs Quiz
Question 1 of 10
What is the Past Participle of "bend"?
Frequently Asked Questions About Irregular Verbs
What are irregular verbs in English?
Irregular verbs are verbs that don't follow the standard -ed pattern for past simple and past participle forms. For example, "go" becomes "went" (past simple) and "gone" (past participle), not "goed".
How many irregular verbs are there in English?
There are approximately 200 irregular verbs in common use in English. Our comprehensive list includes over 200 of the most important irregular verbs for everyday communication and exam preparation.
What is the best way to memorize irregular verbs?
The best strategies include: grouping verbs by patterns (sing-sang-sung, ring-rang-rung), using flashcards, practicing with quizzes, reading extensively, and using the verbs in context through speaking and writing.
What is the difference between regular and irregular verbs?
Regular verbs form their past simple and past participle by adding -ed (walk → walked → walked). Irregular verbs have unique forms that must be memorized (buy → bought → bought, write → wrote → written).
Which irregular verbs are most commonly tested in IELTS and TOEFL?
The most commonly tested irregular verbs include: be, have, do, go, see, make, take, come, know, get, give, find, think, tell, become, begin, leave, feel, put, bring, and write.
Are there any patterns in irregular verbs?
Yes, some irregular verbs follow patterns: verbs ending in -ing often change to -ang/-ung (sing-sang-sung), verbs ending in -ow often change to -ew/-own (grow-grew-grown). Learning these patterns can help memorization.