Appendix:English irregular verbs

This is a list of irregular verbs in the English language. The citation form (the infinitive) comes first (with a link to the Wiktionary article on the verb), together with the present tense forms when they are different, then the preterite or simple past, and finally the past participle. The right hand column notes whether they are weak or strong and whether they belong to a subclass, and links to discussions elsewhere. Typical irregularities in weak verbs are the assimilation of dentals (bended → bent) and vowel reduction (*keeped → kept).

Many of these verbs are irregular in British or American English only; in many cases, such as spell (spelt vs. spelled), learn (learnt vs. learned), and spill (spilt vs. spilled), American English uses the regular form, while British English tends to favor the irregular. In other cases, the opposite is true (dived and sneaked in Britain, also dove and snuck in the U.S.). Australian English tends to follow British practice, while Canadian English often sides with American usage. In this table, the preferred or more common usage is generally listed first, though for some words usage is nearly equal for both choices.

This table includes selected archaic forms (marked *).

verb forms	verb class and notes
abide abided/abode abided/*abidden	Strong, class 1
arise arose arisen	Strong, class 1
awake awoke awoken	Strong, class 6
be † was/were been	Suppletive. See: Indo-European copula.
bear bore/bare born/borne forbear forbore forborne *misbear misbore misborne overbear overbore overborne underbear underbore underborne	Strong, class 4
beat beat beaten/beat browbeat browbeat browbeaten	Strong, class 7
become became become misbecome misbecame misbecome	Strong, class 4
befall befell befallen	Strong, class 7
beget begot/*begat begotten/begot misbeget misbegot misbegotten/misbegot	Strong, class 5
begin began begun	Strong, class 3
bend bent/bended bent/bended overbend overbent overbent unbend unbent unbent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
bereave bereaved/bereft bereaved/bereft	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
beseech besought/beseeched besought/beseeched	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
beset beset beset	Weak with assimilation of dentals
bet bet/betted bet/betted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
bid (in cards, auctions, etc.) bid bid outbid outbid outbid overbid overbid overbid underbid underbid underbid	Weak with assimilation of dentals
bid (meaning to request or say) bade/bid/bidded bidden/bid/bidded	Strong, class 5
bide bided/bode bided/bidden	Strong, class 1
bind bound bound/*bounden unbind unbound unbound underbind underbound underbound	Strong, class 3
bite bit bitten	Strong, class 1
bleed bled bled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
bless blessed/blest blessed/blest
blow blew blown overblow overblew overblown	Strong, class 7
break broke broken	Strong, class 4
breed bred bred inbreed inbred inbred interbreed interbred interbred overbreed overbred overbred	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
bring brought brought/*broughten	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
build built built overbuild overbuilt overbuilt rebuild rebuilt rebuilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
burn burned/burnt burnt/burned	Weak
burst burst/bursted/*brast burst/bursted/*bursten	Strong, class 3
buy bought bought/boughten overbuy overbought overbought underbuy underbought underbought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
can (aux. only) could *couth	Preterite-present
cast cast cast broadcast broadcast broadcast forecast forecast forecast miscast miscast miscast overcast overcast overcast podcast podcast podcast recast recast recast simulcast simulcast simulcast undercast undercast undercast webcast webcast webcast	Weak with assimilation of dentals
catch caught caught	Weak - a French loanword conjugated perhaps by analogy with teach-taught
choose chose chosen mischoose mischose mischosen	Strong, class 2
cleave (split apart) clove cloven/cleft	Strong, class 2
cleave (cling to) cleft/cleaved cleft/cleaved	Weak with vowel reduction
*clepe cleped/clept cleped/clept/yclept	Weak with assimilation of dentals
cling clang/clung clung	Strong, class 3
clothe clothed/clad clothed/clad unclothe unclothed/unclad unclothed/unclad	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
come came come overcome overcame overcome	Strong, class 4
cost cost cost	Weak with assimilation of dentals
creep crept crept/*cropen	Strong, class 2
cut cut cut crosscut crosscut crosscut intercut intercut intercut undercut undercut undercut	Weak with assimilation of dentals
deal dealt dealt misdeal misdealt misdealt	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
dig dug dug underdig underdug underdug
dive dived/dove dived	Strong, class 2
do † did done misdo misdid misdone outdo outdid outdone overdo overdid overdone redo redid redone undo undid undone underdo underdid underdone	Reduplication with past participle springing from OE "gedon"
drag drug/dragged drug/dragged	Strong, class 6
draw drew drawn overdraw overdrew overdrawn redraw redrew redrawn underdraw underdrew underdrawn	Strong, class 6
dream dreamed/dreamt dreamed/dreamt	Weak with vowel reduction assimilation of dentals
dress dressed/*drest dressed/drest overdress overdressed/overdrest overdressed/overdrest underdress underdressed/underdrest underdressed/underdrest undress undressed/undrest undressed/undrest
drink drank/drunk drank/drunk/drunken overdrink overdrank overdrunk	Strong, class 3
drive drove/*drave driven overdrive overdrove overdriven	Strong, class 1
dwell dwelt/dwelled dwelt/dwelled	Weak with assimilation of dentals
eat ate eaten overeat overate overeaten	Strong, class 5
fall fell fallen	Strong, class 7
feed fed fed misfeed misfed misfed overfeed overfed overfed underfeed underfed underfed	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
feel felt felt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
fight fought fought/foughten	Strong, class 3
find found found/*founden	Strong, class 3
fit fit/fitted fit/fitted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
flee fled fled	Strong, class 2
fling flung flung	Strong, class 3
fly flew flown overfly overflew overflown	Strong, class 2
forbid forbad/forbade/forbid forbid/forbidden	Strong, class 5
forecast forecast forecast/forecasted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
forego forewent foregone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
forgo forwent forgone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
forget forgot forgotten	Strong, class 5
forgive forgave forgiven	Strong, class 5
forsake forsook forsaken	Strong, class 6
freeze froze/*frore frozen/*froren	Strong, class 2
get got gotten/got misget misgot misgotten underget undergot undergotten	Strong, class 5
gird girt/girded girt/girded undergird undergirt/undergirded undergirt/undergirded	Weak with assimilation of dentals
give gave given misgive misgave misgiven	Strong, class 5
go went gone undergo underwent undergone	Suppletive. See: go (verb).
grave grove/graved graven/graved	Strong, class 6
grind ground/grinded ground/*grounden	Strong, class 3
grow grew grown outgrow outgrew outgrown overgrow overgrew overgrown regrow regrew regrown undergrow undergrew undergrown	Strong, class 7
hang hung/hanged hung/hanged underhang underhung underhung	Strong, class 7 weak past tense and present influenced by OE causative "hangian"
have † had had	Weak pret. and past participle spring from O.E. haefd
hear heard heard mishear misheard misheard overhear overheard overheard	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
hew hew/hewed hewn/hewed underhew underhewed underhewn/underhewed	Strong, class 7
hide hid hid/hidden	Weak vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
hit hit hit mishit mishit mishit	Weak with assimilation of dentals
hold held held/*holden behold beheld beheld	Strong, class 7
hurt hurt hurt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
keep kept kept miskeep miskept miskept	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
ken kenned/kent kenned/kent misken miskenned/miskent miskenned/miskent	&nbsp
kneel knelt/kneeled knelt/kneeled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
knit knit/knitted knit/knitted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
know knew known foreknow foreknew foreknown misknow misknew misknown	Strong, class 7
lade laded laden/laded	Strong, class 6
lay laid laid forelay forelaid forelaid forlay forlaid forlaid inlay inlaid inlaid mislay mislaid mislaid overlay overlaid overlaid underlay underlaid underlaid waylay waylaid waylaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
lead led led mislead misled misled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
leap leaped/leapt/lope leaped/leapt/lopen	Strong, class 7
learn learned/learnt learned/learnt mislearn mislearned/mislearnt mislearned/mislearnt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
leave left left forleave forleft forleft/forlaft	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
lend lent lent *forlend forlent forlent	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
let (allow) let/*leet let/letten forlet forlet forlet sublet sublet sublet underlet underlet underlet	Strong, class 7
lie (but not talking untruthfully) lay lain forelie forlay forlain underlie underlay underlain	Strong, class 5
light lit/lighted lit/lighted	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
lose lost lost	Strong, class 2
make made made remake remade remade	Weak contraction of "maked"
may might	Preterite-present
mean meant meant	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
meet met met	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
melt melted/*molt melted/*molten	Strong, class 3
misshape misshaped misshaped/misshapen	Strong, class 6
misspell misspelled/misspelt misspelled/misspelt	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
mistake mistook mistaken	Strong, class 6
misunderstand misunderstood misunderstood	Strong, class 6
mow mowed mowed/mown	Strong, class 7
nim nam/nimmed nomen/nome/numb/nimmed benim benam/benimmed benomen/benome/benumb/benimmed	Strong, class 4
outbid outbid outbid	Weak with assimilation of dentals
outgrow outgrew outgrown	Strong, class 7
overhang overhung/overhanged overhung/overhanged	Preterite-present
overlie overlay overlain	Strong, class 5
override overrode overridden	Strong, class 1
pay paid paid overpay overpaid overpaid prepay prepaid prepaid repay repaid repaid underpay underpaid underpaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
plead pleaded/pled pleaded/pled	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
proofread proofread proofread	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
prove proved proved/proven	borrowed French verb
put put put input input input	Weak with assimilation of dentals
*queath or quethe quoth quoth/quethen	Strong, class 5
quit quit quit	Weak with assimilation of dentals
read read read lipread lipread lipread misread misread misread reread reread reread	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
*reave reft reft	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
rend rent rent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
relay relaid relaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
repay repaid repaid	Weak; irregular only in spelling
rethink rethought rethought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
rewind rewound rewound	Strong, class 3
rewrite rewrote rewritten	Strong, class 1
rid rid/ridded rid/ridden/ridded
ride rode ridden override overrode overridden	Strong, class 1
ring rang rung	Strong, class 3
rise rose risen	Strong, class 1
rive rived/rove rived/riven	Strong, class 1
run ran run forerun foreran forerun outrun outran outrun overrun overran overrun rerun reran rerun underrun underran underrun	Strong, class 3
*sake sook saken	Strong, class 6
saw sawed sawed/sawn
say † said said *forsay forsaid forsaid *gainsay gainsaid gainsaid missay missaid missaid *naysay naysaid naysaid *withsay withsaid withsaid	Weak
see saw seen *besee besaw beseen foresee foresaw foreseen oversee oversaw overseen	Strong, class 5
seek sought sought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
sell sold sold outsell outsold outsold oversell oversold oversold resell resold resold	Weak with Rückumlaut
send sent sent missend missent missent resend resent resent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
set set set beset beset beset inset inset inset misset misset misset overset overset overset preset preset preset reset reset reset upset upset upset *withset withset withset	Weak
sew sewed sewed/sewn oversew oversewed oversewed/oversewn
shake shook shaken overshake overshook overshaken	Strong, class 6
shall should (none)	Preterite-present; defective; see also Shall and will
shape shaped/*shope shapen/shaped misshape misshaped misshapen/misshaped
shave shove/shaved shaven/shaved	Strong, class 6
shear shore/sheared shorn/sheared	Strong, class 4
shed shed/shedded shed/shedded	Strong, class 7
shine shined/shone shined/shone *beshine beshone beshone outshine outshined/outshone outshined/outshone overshine overshined/overshone overshined/overshone	Strong, class 1
shit shit/shat/shitted shit/shat/shitted/shitten	Strong, class 1;
shite shit/shat shit/shat/shitten	Strong, class 1
shoe shoed/shod shoed/shod/shodden	Weak with vowel reduction
shoot shot shot/shotten overshoot overshot overshot reshoot reshot reshot undershoot undershot undershot	Strong, class 2
show showed/shew shown/showed	Weak, with participle shown perhaps by analogy with sow, sown
shrink shrank/shrunk shrunk/shrunken	Strong, class 3
shrive shrove shriven	Strong, class 1
shut shut shut	Weak
sing sang sung outsing outsang outsung	Strong, class 3
sink sank/sunk sunk/sunken	Strong, class 3
sit sat sat	Strong, class 5
slay slew/slayed slain/slayed	Strong, class 6
sleep slept slept oversleep overslept overslept	Strong, class 7
slide slid slid/slidden overslide overslid overslid/overslidden	Strong, class 1
sling slang/slung slung	Strong, class 3
slink slunk slunk	Strong, class 3
slip slipped/*slipt slipped/*slipt overslip overslipped/overslipt overslipped/overslipt
slit slit slit/slitten	Strong, class 1
smell smelled/smelt smelled/smelt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
smite smote/smit smitten	Strong, class 1
sneak sneaked/snuck sneaked/snuck	Weak with naturally developing strong form
sow sowed/sew sowed/sown	Strong, class 7
speak spoke/*spake spoken *bespeak bespoke bespoken *forspeak forspoke forspoken misspeak misspoke misspoken	Strong, class 5
speed sped/speeded sped/speeded	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
spell spelled/spelt spelled/spelt misspell misspelled/misspelt misspelled/misspelt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spend spent spent *forspend forspent forspent misspend misspent misspent outspend outspent outspent	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spill spilled/spilt spilled/spilt overspill overspilled/overspilt overspilled/overspilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spin span/spun spun	strong, class 3
spit spit/spat spit
split split split	Weak with assimilatin of dentals
spoil spoiled/spoilt spoiled/spoilt	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spread spread spread *bespread bespread bespread	Weak with assimilation of dentals
spring sprang/sprung sprung	Strong, class 3
stand stood stood/*standen understand understood understood withstand withstood withstood	Strong, class 6
stay stayed/staid stayed/staid
steal stole stolen	Strong, class 4
stick stuck stuck
sting stung/stang stung	Strong, class 3
stink stank/stunk stunk	Strong, class 3
strew strew/strewed strewn/strewed
stride strode/strided stridden/strided/strid overstride overstrode overstridden	Strong, class 1
strike struck stricken/struck	Strong, class 1
string strang/strung strung	Weak with naturally developing strong form
strive strove/strived striven/strived	Strong, class 1
swear swore sworn forswear forswore forsworn outswear outswore outsworn	Strong, class 6
sweat sweat/sweated sweat/sweated
sweep swept swept	Weak with vowel reduction and assimilation of dentals
swell swelled/swoll swelled/swollen	Strong, class 3
*swelt swolt/swelted swolten/swelted	Strong, class 3
swim swam swum	Strong, class 3
swing swang/swung swung/*swungen overswing overswung overswung	Strong, class 3
take took taken overtake overtook overtaken partake partook partaken retake retook retaken undertake undertook undertaken	Strong, class 6
teach taught taught	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
tear tore torn	Strong, class 4
tell told told foretell foretold foretold retell retold retold outtell outtold outtold	Weak with Rückumlaut
think thought thought outthink outthought outthought rethink rethought rethought	Weak with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law
thrive thrived/throve thrived/thriven	Strong, class 1
throw threw thrown outthrow outthrew outthrown	Strong, class 7
thrust thrust/thrusted thrust/thrusted outthrust outthrust outthrust
tread trod trodden/trod retread retrod retrodden/retrod	Strong, class 5
unwind unwound unwound	Strong, class 3
uphold upheld upheld/*upholden	Strong, class 7
wake woke woken	Strong, class 6
wax waxed waxed/waxen	Strong, class 7
wear wore worn	Weak with strong form based on "bear"
weave weaved/wove woven interweave interwove interwoven	Strong, class 7
wed wed/wedded wed/wedded	Weak with assimilation of dentals
weep wept wept	Strong, class 7
wend wended/went wended/went	weak with assimilation of dentals
wet wet/wetted wet/wetted	Weak with assimilation of dentals
will would/willed willed	Irregular; see also Shall and will
win won won	Strong, class 3
wind wound wound	Strong, class 3
withdraw withdrew withdrawn	Strong, class 6
withhold withheld withheld/withholden	Strong, class 7
work worked/*wrought worked/*wrought overwork overworked overworked/overwrought	Weak with Rückumlaut and metathesis of r and o
*worth worth worth/worthen	Strong, class 3
wreak wreaked/*wroke wreaked/wreaken/*wroken
wring wrang/wrung wrung	Strong, class 3
write wrote/*writ written miswrite miswrote miswritten overwrite overwrote overwritten underwrite underwrote underwritten	Strong, class 1
writhe writhed/*wrothe writhed/*writhen	Strong, class 1

Present tense irregular verbs

(†) Though the list of verbs irregular in the preterite or perfect tenses is long, the list of irregular present tense verbs is very short. Excepting modal verbs like "shall", "will", and "can" that do not inflect at all in the present tense, there are only four, two of which are only irregular in pronunciation (say and do):

• Be: I am, you are, he is, we are, they are; in addition, the preterite forms are irregular: I was, you were, he was, we were, they were. Its subjunctive mood is also irregular: the past form is always were, and the present form is always be.
• Do (and compounds such as "undo" and "redo"): I do, you do, he does, we do, they do where "does" is pronounced dəz in contrast to du, the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms.
• Have: I have, you have, he has, we have, they have.
• Say: I say, you say, he says, we say, they say where "says" is pronounced sɛz or sɛs in contrast to seɪ, the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms. Unlike compound forms ending in "-do", other verbs ending in "-say", such as "gainsay" and "naysay" are usually pronounced -seɪz.

Additional note

These verbs from the list above are spelled the same in the simple past as in the present tense (excluding compounds such as set, beset, inset, upset etc.): beat, bet, burst, cast, cost, cut, hit, hurt, let, put, quit, read, rid, set, shed, shut, slit, split, spread. (Note that of all the preceding, only "read" is pronounced differently in the past tense from the present tense.)

External links

• Mind Our English: Strong and weak by Ralph Berry
• Verbs in English Grammar, wikibook
• English Irregular Verb List A comprehensive list of English irregular verbs, including their base form, past simple, past participle, 3rd person singular, and the present participle / gerund.
• TheIrregularVerbs All the irregular verbs of the English language. Conjugation, pronunciation, translation and examples.
• verbbusters Searchable reference of English irregular verbs and cognates, with audio.
• conjugation.com English Verb Conjugation. 15 000 English verbs conjugated in all 3 forms, affirmative, interrogative, and negative, in all tenses and persons. [1]