Learn the difference between regular and irregular verbs and how to use them correctly. Perfect for Class 4-7 students. Master past tense forms with easy rules and examples.
1. What are Regular & Irregular Verbs?
Verbs change form to show past tense. Some follow rules (regular), some don't (irregular).
| Verb Type | Rule for Past Tense | Example (Present → Past) | Easy Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Verbs | Add -ed at the end | walk → walked | Follows the rule |
| Irregular Verbs | No fixed rule | go → went | Must be memorized |
| Key Difference: Regular verbs = predictable, Irregular verbs = unpredictable | |||
2. Regular Verbs - Follow the Rule!
Regular verbs always add -ed to make past tense. Simple and easy!
| Present | Past (+ -ed) | Example Sentence (Past) | Pronunciation Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| play | played | We played cricket yesterday. | play-ed (2 syllables) |
| clean | cleaned | She cleaned her room. | clean-d (1 syllable) |
| talk | talked | He talked to his teacher. | talk-t (sounds like "t") |
| want | wanted | I wanted an ice cream. | want-id (extra syllable) |
| help | helped | They helped their friends. | help-t (sounds like "t") |
Regular Verb Rule: Just add -ed! No exceptions for regular verbs.
Examples: look → looked, jump → jumped, ask → asked, work → worked
3. Irregular Verbs - Special Forms
Irregular verbs don't follow the -ed rule. They change in different ways.
| Present | Past | Past Participle | Example Sentence (Past) | Change Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone | She went to school. | Completely different |
| eat | ate | eaten | He ate an apple. | Vowel change |
| write | wrote | written | I wrote a letter. | Vowel + consonant |
| run | ran | run | They ran fast. | Vowel change only |
| put | put | put | She put the book down. | No change |
4. Common Irregular Verbs (Grouped for Easy Learning)
| Group | Rule | Examples (Present → Past) | More Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| No Change | Same in past | put → put, cut → cut, hit → hit | shut, let, set, cost |
| Vowel Change | Change middle vowel | sing → sang, drink → drank, swim → swam | begin → began, ring → rang |
| -ought/-aught | Ends with -ought/-aught | buy → bought, catch → caught, teach → taught | bring → brought, think → thought |
| Completely Different | Totally new word | go → went, am/is/are → was/were | do → did, have → had |
| -ew / -own | Special patterns | know → knew, blow → blew, grow → grew | throw → threw, fly → flew |
5. Regular vs Irregular - Side by Side
| Aspect | Regular Verbs | Irregular Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Past Tense Form | Add -ed (walked) | Various changes (went, ate, wrote) |
| Rule | One simple rule | No single rule |
| Learning | Easy - just remember the rule | Hard - must memorize each one |
| Number | Thousands of verbs | About 200 common ones |
| Examples | play, clean, talk, want, help | go, eat, see, come, do, have |
6. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Right ✅ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| I goed to school. | I went to school. | "Go" is irregular → went |
| She eated an apple. | She ate an apple. | "Eat" is irregular → ate |
| They runned fast. | They ran fast. | "Run" is irregular → ran |
| He teached the class. | He taught the class. | "Teach" is irregular → taught |
| We buyed a new book. | We bought a new book. | "Buy" is irregular → bought |
🎮 Irregular Verb Match Game
Match the present tense with its past tense:
go
ate
Correct matches: go-went, eat-ate, see-saw, write-wrote
8. Memory Aids & Tips
The -ED Test:
If you can add -ed to make past tense → Regular verb
If adding -ed sounds wrong → Irregular verb
Example: "walk" + ed = walked (✓ Regular)
"go" + ed = goed (✗ Irregular)
Common Irregular Groups:
1. No change: put, cut, hit, shut
2. Vowel change: sing→sang, drink→drank
3. -ought/-aught: buy→bought, catch→caught
4. Completely new: go→went, am→was
Top 10 Irregular Verbs to Memorize:
be (was/were), have (had), do (did), say (said), go (went)
get (got), make (made), know (knew), see (saw), come (came)
Exam Tip: When in doubt, check:
1. Is it a common verb? (go, eat, see = probably irregular)
2. Does -ed sound right?
3. Remember the groups (no change, vowel change, etc.)
4. Regular verbs are ALWAYS safe with -ed!
📝 Practice Regular & Irregular Verbs
Test with our 20-question worksheet!
Download Verbs WorksheetIncludes answer key • Printable PDF • Common irregular verb list
