List of English irregular verbs
Introduction This is a list of irregular verbs in the English language.
Past tense irregular verbs For each verb listed, the citation form (the bare infinitive) is given first, with a link to the relevant Wiktionary entry. This is followed by the simple past tense (preterite), and then the past participle. If there are irregular present tense forms (see below), these are given in parentheses after the infinitive. (The present participle and gerund forms of verbs, ending in ''-ing'', are always regular. In English, these are used as verbs, adjectives, and nouns.) In the case of modal verbs the present and preterite forms are listed, since these are the only forms that exist with the present form identical for all persons.The right-hand column notes whether the verb is weak or strong and whether it belongs to a subclass, and links to descriptions elsewhere. Information about the development of these verbs generally can be found at English irregular verbs; details of the etymology and usage of specific verbs can be found by consulting Wiktionary.In some cases, there are two or more possibilities for a given form. In the table, the preferred or more common usage is generally listed first, though for some words the usage is nearly equal for the two choices. Sometimes the usage depends on the dialect. In many cases, such as ''spell'' (''spelt'' vs. ''spelled''), ''learn'' (''learnt'' vs. ''learned''), and ''spill'' (''spilt'' vs. ''spilled''), American English and Canadian English normally use the regular form, while British English, Australian English, New Zealand English and South African English tend to favour the irregular. In other cases, such as ''dive'' (''dived'' vs. ''dove'') and ''sneak'' (''sneaked'' vs. ''snuck''), the opposite is true. The irregular form tends to indicate duration, whereas the regular form often describes a short-term action (''The fire burned for weeks.'' vs. ''He burnt his finger. ''), and in American English, the regular form is associated with the literal sense of a verb, while the irregular form with a figurative one.The preterite and past participle forms of irregular verbs follow certain patterns. These include ending in ''-t'' (e.g. ''build'', ''bend'', ''send''), stem changes (whether it is a vowel, such as in ''sit'', ''win'' or ''hold'', or a consonant, such as in ''teach'' and ''seek'', that changes), or adding the ''n'' suffix to the past participle form (e.g. ''drive'', ''show'', ''rise''). English irregular verbs are now a closed group, which means that newly formed verbs are always regular and do not adopt any of the irregular patterns.This list only contains verb forms which are listed in the major dictionaries as being standard usage in modern English. There are also many thousands of archaic, non-standard and dialect variants. Modern English still has remnants of formerly irregular verbs in other parts of speech. Most obviously, adjectives like ''misshapen'', ''beholden'', or ''forlorn'' fossilize what are originally the past participles of the verbs ''shape'' and ''behold'', and Old English ''forleosan''. However, ''forleosan'' has fallen out of use and ''shape'' is now regular, so these verbs are not listed, and ''behold'', while still irregular, can no longer be listed this participle form. Verb forms  Verb class and notes ''be (am, is, are) – was, were – been'' Suppletive. See Indo-European copula. ''bear – bore – borne/born'':''forbear – forbore/forbare – forborne/forborn'':''overbear – overbore/overbare – overborne/overborn'':''underbear – underbore/underbare – underborne/underborn'' Strong, class 4.The spelling ''born'' is used in passive or adjectival contexts relating to birth. ''beat – beat – beaten/beat'':''browbeat – browbeat – browbeaten/browbeat'':''overbeat – overbeat – overbeaten/overbeat'' Strong, class 7''become – became – become'':''misbecome – misbecame – misbecome'' Strong, class 4''beget – begot/begat – begot/begotten'':''misbeget – misbegot/misbegat – misbegotten/misbegot'' Strong, class 5''begin – began – begun'' Strong, class 3''bend – bent – bent'':''overbend – overbent – overbent'':''unbend – unbent – unbent'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending''beseech – beseeched/besought – beseeched/besought'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut'' and Germanic spirant law (now regularized)''bet – bet/betted – bet/betted'':''underbet – underbet/underbetted – underbet/underbetted'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''beware – ''(no other forms) Defective; formed from ''be'' with predicate adjective, used as infinitive, imperative and subjunctive only. Inflected forms (''bewares'', ''bewared'', ''bewaring'') are considered obsolete. ''bid ''in auctions etc.'' – bid – bid'':''outbid – outbid – outbid'':''overbid – overbid – overbid'':''rebid – rebid – rebid'':''underbid – underbid – underbid'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''bid ''meaning to request or say'' – bid/bade – bid/bidden'' Strong, class 5''bide – bided/bode – bided/bidden'' Strong, class 1''bind – bound – bound'':''unbind – unbound – unbound'' Strong, class 3''bite – bit – bitten''Strong, class 1''bleed – bled – bled'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''blend – blent/blended – blent/blended'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''bless – blessed/blest – blessed/blest'' Weak, regular with alternative (archaic) spelling''blow – blew – blown'':''overblow – overblew – overblown'' Strong, class 7''break – broke – broken'':''outbreak – outbroke – outbroken'':''rebreak – rebroke – rebroken'' Strong, class 4''breed – bred – bred'':''inbreed – inbred – inbred'':''interbreed – interbred – interbred'':''overbreed – overbred – overbred'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''bring – brought – brought'' Weak, class 1, subclass (i), with Rückumlaut and Germanic spirant law. ''build – built – built'':''overbuild – overbuilt – overbuilt'':''rebuild – rebuilt – rebuilt'':''underbuild – underbuilt – underbuilt'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending''burn – burned/burnt – burned/burnt'':''sunburn – sunburned/sunburnt – sunburned/sunburnt'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''burst – burst – burst'' Strong, class 3''bust – busted/bust – busted/bust'' Strong, class 3 (or regular)''buy – bought – bought'':''overbuy – overbought – overbought'':''underbuy – underbought – underbought'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut'' and Germanic spirant law''can ''auxiliary verb'' – could – ''(none) Preterite-present, defective. See English modal verbs''cast – cast – cast'':''broadcast – broadcast – broadcast'':''downcast – downcast – downcast'':''forecast – forecast – forecast'':''miscast – miscast – miscast'':''overcast – overcast – overcast'':''podcast – podcast – podcast'':''precast – precast – precast'':''recast – recast – recast'':''simulcast – simulcast – simulcast'':''telecast – telecast – telecast'':''typecast – typecast – typecast'':''undercast – undercast – undercast'':''upcast – upcast – upcast'':''webcast – webcast – webcast'' Weak Norse loanword with coalescence of dentals. Many of the prefixed forms can also take ''-ed''. ''catch – caught – caught'' Weak, French loanword conjugated perhaps by analogy with ''teach–taught''; regular forms are now dialectal. ''chide – chode/chid/chided – chidden/chid/chided'' Strong, class 1 (or regular)''choose – chose – chosen'':''mischoose – mischose – mischosen'' Strong, class 2''clad – clad – clad''Developed from ''clad'', the past form of ''clothe'' (see below). ''cleave ''meaning to split'' – cleft/clove/cleaved – cleft/cloven/cleaved'' Strong, class 2, sometimes switching to weak with vowel shortening. When meaning "adhere" the verb is regular. ''cling – clung – clung'' Strong, class 3''clothe – clad/clothed – clad/clothed'':''overclothe – overclad/overclothed – overclad/overclothed'':''unclothe – unclad/unclothed – unclad/unclothed'':''underclothe – underclad/underclothed – underclad/underclothed'' Weak; the regular ''clothed'' is from OE ''claþian'', while ''clad'' (weak with coalescence of dentals) is from OE ''clæþan'' (both OE verbs having similar meaning). ''comb – combed – combed/kempt''''come – came – come'':''forthcome – forthcame – forthcome'':''overcome – overcame – overcome'':(see also under ''become'') Strong, class 4''cost ''intransitive sense'' – cost/costed – cost/costed'' Weak French loanword with coalescence of dentals. Regular when meaning "calculate the cost of". ''creep – crept/creeped – crept/creeped'' Originally strong, class 2; switched to weak with vowel shortening (or regular)''cut – cut – cut'':''clearcut – clearcut – clearcut'':''crosscut – crosscut – crosscut'':''intercut – intercut – intercut'':''recut – recut – recut'':''undercut – undercut – undercut'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''dare'' (''dares/dare'') – ''dared/durst/dare'' – ''dared/durst'' Preterite-present, now most often regular except in the use of ''dare'' in place of ''dares'' in some contexts. See English modal verbs''deal – dealt – dealt'':''misdeal – misdealt – misdealt'':''redeal – redealt – redealt'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and devoiced ending''dig – dug – dug'':''underdig – underdug – underdug'' Originally weak; past form ''dug'' developed by analogy with ''stick–stuck''''dive – dived/dove – dived/dove'' Weak, the alternative ''dove'' (found mainly in American usage) arising by analogy with strong verbs''do (does '''') – did – done'':''bedo (bedoes) – bedid – bedone'':''misdo (misdoes) – misdid – misdone'':''outdo (outdoes) – outdid – outdone'':''overdo (overdoes) – overdid – overdone'':''redo (redoes) – redid – redone'':''underdo (underdoes) – underdid – underdone'':''undo (undoes) – undid – undone'' Irregular since Proto-Germanic: past tense formed by reduplication. Past participle from Old English ''gedon''. Related to ''deed''. ''dow – dowed/dought – dowed/dought'' Related to ''doughty''. ''draw – drew – drawn'':''bedraw – bedrew – bedrawn'':''downdraw – downdrew – downdrawn'':''outdraw – outdrew – outdrawn'':''overdraw – overdrew – overdrawn'':''redraw – redrew – redrawn'':''underdraw – underdrew – underdrawn'':''updraw – updrew – updrawn'':''withdraw – withdrew – withdrawn'' Strong, class 6; related to ''draft/draught''''dream – dreamed/dreamt – dreamed/dreamt'':''bedream – bedreamed/bedreamt – bedreamed/bedreamt'' Weak with vowel shortening and devoiced ending (or regular)''dress – dressed/drest – dressed/drest'' Weak with alternative (archaic) spelling''drink – drank – drunk'' Strong, class 3; related to ''drench''''drive – drove – driven'':''bedrive – bedrove – bedriven'':''overdrive – overdrove – overdriven'':''test-drive – test-drove – test-driven'':''underdrive – underdrove – underdriven'' Strong, class 1; related to ''drift''''dwell – dwelt/dwelled – dwelt/dwelled'':''bedwell – bedwelt/bedwelled – bedwelt/bedwelled'':''outdwell – outdwelt/outdwelled – outdwelt/outdwelled'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''earn – earned/earnt – earned/earnt'' Weak, class 2 with devoiced ending (or regular)''eat – ate – eaten'':''forfret – forfretted – forfretted/forfretten'':''fret – fretted/frate – fretted/fretten'':''outeat – outate – outeaten'':''overeat – overate – overeaten'':''undereat – underate – undereaten'' Strong, class 5.Past tense usually , sometimes  in British English. ''fall – fell – fallen'':''befall – befell – befallen'' Strong, class 7''feed – fed – fed'':''bottle-feed – bottle-fed – bottle-fed'':''breastfeed – breastfed – breastfed'':''force-feed – force-fed – force-fed'':''hand-feed – hand-fed – hand-fed'':''misfeed – misfed – misfed'':''overfeed – overfed – overfed'':''self-feed – self-fed – self-fed'':''spoon-feed – spoon-fed – spoon-fed'':''underfeed – underfed – underfed'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''feel – felt – felt'':''forefeel – forefelt – forefelt'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and devoiced ending''fight – fought – fought'':''befight – befought – befought'':''outfight – outfought – outfought'' Strong, class 3''find – found – found'':''refind – refound – refound'' Strong, class 3''fit – fitted/fit – fitted/fit'':''misfit – misfitted/misfit – misfitted/misfit'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''flee – fled – fled'' Originally strong, class 2, switched to weak with vowel shortening  ''fling – flung – flung'' By analogy with strong, class 3''fly – flew – flown'':''outfly – outflew – outflown'':''overfly – overflew – overflown'':''test-fly – test-flew – test-flown'' Strong, class 2.Regular when used for hitting a fly ball in baseball. ''forbid – forbid/forbade/forbad – forbidden'' Strong, class 5''forget – forgot – forgotten'' Strong, class 5''forsake – forsook – forsaken'' Strong, class 6''freeze – froze – frozen'':''quick-freeze – quick-froze – quick-frozen'':''refreeze – refroze – refrozen'':''unfreeze – unfroze – unfrozen'' Strong, class 2''get – got – got/gotten'':''beget – begot/begat – begot/begotten'':''forget – forgot – forgotten'' Strong, class 5.Past participle is ''got'' in British usage (except in fossilized phrases such as "ill-gotten"), and ''gotten'' in American (but see ''have got''). ''gild – gilded/gilt – gilded/gilt'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending (or regular)''give – gave – given'':''forgive – forgave – forgiven'':''misgive – misgave – misgiven'':''overgive – overgave – overgiven'' Strong, class 5''glide – glided/glid – glided/glid/glidden'' Originally Strong, class 1, but now often regular. ''go – went – gone'':''forego – forewent – foregone'':''forgo – forwent – forgone'':''undergo – underwent – undergone'' Suppletive. See article on the verb ''go''. ''grind – ground – ground'' Strong, class 3''grow – grew – grown'':''outgrow – outgrew – outgrown'':''overgrow – overgrew – overgrown'':''regrow – regrew – regrown'' Strong, class 7''hang – hung/hanged – hung/hanged'':''overhang – overhung – overhung'' Strong, class 7.Regularized alternative ''hanged'' was influenced by OE causative ''hangian'', and is used chiefly for hanging as a means of execution. ''have (has) – had – had '' Weak; ''had'' results from contraction, from OE ''hæfde''. Third person present ''has'' also a result of contraction. ''hear – heard – heard'':''behear – beheard – beheard'':''forehear – foreheard – foreheard'':''mishear – misheard – misheard'':''outhear – outheard – outheard'':''overhear – overheard – overheard'':''rehear – reheard – reheard'':''unhear – unheard – unheard'' Weak, class 1, originally with vowel shortening (the modern pronunciation of ''heard'' in RP has the long vowel )''help – helped/holp – helped/holpen'' Originally strong, class 3, but now regular. ''hew – hewed – hewed/hewn'' Strong, class 7 (or regular)''hide – hid – hidden'' Weak with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals, influenced by strong verbs''hit – hit – hit'':''mishit – mishit – mishit'':''overhit – overhit – overhit'':''underhit – underhit – underhit'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''hoist – hoisted/hoist – hoisted/hoist'' Weak, ''hoist'' was originally the past form of the now archaic verb ''hoise''''hold – held – held'':''behold – beheld – beheld'':''uphold – upheld – upheld'':''withhold – withheld – withheld'' Strong, class 7''hurt – hurt – hurt'' Weak French loanword with coalescence of dentals''keep – kept – kept'':''miskeep – miskept – miskept'':''overkeep – overkept – overkept'':''underkeep – underkept – underkept'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening''ken – kenned/kent – kenned/kent'':''beken – bekenned/bekent – bekenned/bekent'':''foreken – forekenned/forekent – forekenned/forekent'':''misken – miskenned/miskent – miskenned/miskent'':''outken – outkenned/outkent – outkenned/outkent'' Northern and Scottish dialect word. Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''kneel – knelt/kneeled – knelt/kneeled '' Weak with vowel shortening and devoiced ending (or regular)''knit – knit/knitted – knit/knitted'':''beknit – beknit/beknitted – beknit/beknitted'':''hand-knit – hand-knit/hand-knitted – hand-knit/hand-knitted'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals (or regular); related to ''knot''''know – knew – known'' Strong, class 7''lade – laded – laden/laded'':''overlade – overladed – overladen/overladed'' Strong, class 6, often regularized (past participle ''laden'' is common adjectivally)''lay – laid – laid'':''belay – belaid – belaid'':''inlay – inlaid – inlaid'':''mislay – mislaid – mislaid'':''overlay – overlaid – overlaid'':''waylay – waylaid – waylaid'' Weak, irregular in spelling only''lead – led – led'':''mislead – misled – misled'':''offlead – offled – offled'':''onlead – onled – onled'':''outlead – outled – outled'':''overlead – overled – overled'':''underlead – underled – underled'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''lean – leaned/leant – leaned/leant'' Weak with vowel shortening and devoiced ending (or regular)''leap – leaped/leapt – leaped/leapt'' Originally strong, class 7, now weak with vowel shortening (or regular)''learn – learned/learnt – learned/learnt'':''mislearn – mislearned/mislearnt – mislearned/mislearnt'':''overlearn – overlearned/overlearnt – overlearned/overlearnt'':''relearn – relearned/relearnt – relearned/relearnt'':''unlearn – unlearned/unlearnt – unlearned/unlearnt'' Weak, class 2, with devoiced ending (or regular)''leave – left – left'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and devoiced ending''lend – lent – lent'' Weak with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending''let – let – let'':''sublet – sublet – sublet'':''underlet – underlet – underlet'' Strong, class 7''lie – lay – lain'':''overlie – overlay – overlain'':''underlie – underlay – underlain'' Strong, class 5.Regular in the meaning "tell an untruth". ''light – lit/lighted – lit/lighted'':''alight – alit/alighted – alit/alighted'':''backlight – backlit/backlighted – backlit/backlighted'':''green-light – green-lit/green-lighted – green-lit/green-lighted'':''relight – relit/relighted – relit/relighted'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals (or regular)''lose – lost – lost'' Originally strong, class 2, now weak with vowel shortening and devoiced ending''make – made – made'':''remake – remade – remade'':''unmake – unmade – unmade'' Weak; ''made'' formed by contraction from "maked"''may – might – ''(none) Preterite-present, defective. See English modal verbs''mean – meant – meant'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and devoiced ending''meet – met – met'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''melt – melted – melted/molten'' Strong, class 3.Now regularized, but ''molten'' survives in adjectival uses. ''mix – mixed/mixt – mixed/mixt'' Weak, regular, with alternative (mostly archaic) spelling''mow – mowed – mowed/mown'' Strong, class 7.Now regularized in past tense and sometimes in past participle. ''must – ''(no other forms) Defective; originally a preterite. See English modal verbs''need'' (''needs/need'') – ''needed'' – ''needed'' Weak, regular except in the use of ''need'' in place of ''needs'' in some contexts, by analogy with ''can'', ''must'', etc. See English modal verbs''ought – ''(no other forms) Defective; originally a preterite. See English modal verbs''pay – paid – paid'':''overpay – overpaid – overpaid'':''prepay – prepaid – prepaid'':''repay – repaid – repaid'':''underpay – underpaid – underpaid'' Weak, irregular in spelling only. ''pen – penned/pent – penned/pent'' Weak with devoiced ending, but usually regular; ''pent'' is sometimes used when the verb has the meaning "to enclose", and mainly adjectivally''plead – pled/pleaded – pled/pleaded'' Weak French loanword with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals. In North America, this verb is usually irregular. ''prove – proved – proved/proven'':''reprove – reproved – reproved/reproven'' Weak French loanword with the alternative past participle ''proven'' by analogy with some strong verbs''put – put – put'':''input – input – input'':''output – output – output'' Weak with coalescence of dentals. ''bequeath – bequeathed/bequethed/bequoth/bequod – bequeathed/bequethed/bequoth/bequethen'' Strong, class 5.Past tense ''quoth'' is literary or archaic; other parts of that verb are obsolete. ''Bequeath'' is normally regularized in ''-ed''. ''quit – quit/quitted – quit/quitted'' Weak French loanword with coalescence of dentals (or regular)''read''  – ''read''  – ''read'' :''lipread – lipread – lipread'':''misread – misread – misread'':''proofread – proofread – proofread'':''reread – reread – reread'':''sight-read – sight-read – sight-read'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals''reave – reaved/reft – reaved/reft'':''bereave – bereaved/bereft – bereaved/bereft'' Weak, class 2, with vowel shortening and devoiced ending. The verb ''bereave'' is usually regular, but ''bereft'' survives as past participle, with distinct meanings. ''rend – rent – rent'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending''rid – rid/ridded – rid/ridden/ridded'' Weak with coalescence of dentals, or regular; ''ridden'' by analogy with strong verbs. ''ride – rode – ridden'':''outride – outrode – outridden'':''override – overrode – overridden'' Strong, class 1''ring – rang – rung'' By analogy with strong, class 3.Regular when meaning "surround", etc. ''rise – rose – risen'':''arise – arose – arisen'':''uprise – uprose – uprisen'' Strong, class 1''rive – rived/rove – rived/riven''From Old Norse, originally followed pattern of strong class 1, later regularized. Now rarely used. ''run – ran – run'':''outrun – outran – outrun'':''overrun – overran – overrun'':''rerun – reran – rerun'':''underrun – underran – underrun'' Strong, class 3''saw – sawed – sawed/sawn'' Weak; ''sawn'' by analogy with strong verbs''say (says '''') – said – said'':''missay – missaid – missaid'':''soothsay – soothsaid – soothsaid'' Weak, with vowel shortening in ''said''  and in the third person present ''says'' ''see – saw – seen'':''foresee – foresaw – foreseen'':''missee – missaw – misseen'':''oversee – oversaw – overseen'':''sightsee – sightsaw – sightseen'':''undersee – undersaw – underseen'' Strong, class 5''seek – sought – sought'':''beseek – besought – besought'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut'' and Germanic spirant law''sell – sold – sold'':''outsell – outsold – outsold'':''oversell – oversold – oversold'':''resell – resold – resold'':''undersell – undersold – undersold'':''upsell – upsold – upsold'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut''; related to ''sale''''send – sent – sent'':''missend – missent – missent'':''resend – resent – resent'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals''set – set – set'':''beset – beset – beset'':''offset – offset – offset'':''preset – preset – preset'':''reset – reset – reset'':''upset – upset – upset'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals''sew – sewed – sewn/sewed'':''handsew – handsewed – handsewn/handsewed'':''oversew – oversewed – oversewn/oversewed'' Weak; ''sewn'' by analogy with strong verbs''shake – shook – shaken'':''overshake – overshook – overshaken'' Strong, class 6''shall – should'' – (none) Preterite-present; defective. See English modal verbs, and ''shall'' and ''will''''shear – sheared/shore – shorn/sheared '' Strong, class 4 (or regular)''shed – shed – shed'' Strong, class 7''shine – shone/shined – shone/shined'' Strong, class 1''shit – shit/shitted/shat – shit/shitted/shat'':''shite – shited/shit – shited/shit'' Strong, class 1.The form ''shite'' is chiefly Scottish and Irish. ''shoe – shod/shoed – shodden/shod/shoed'':''reshoe – reshod/reshoed – reshodden/reshod/reshoed'' Weak with vowel shortening (or regular); ''shodden'' by analogy with strong verbs''shoot – shot – shot'':''misshoot – misshot – misshot'':''overshoot – overshot – overshot'':''reshoot – reshot – reshot'':''undershoot – undershot – undershot'' Strong, class 2''show – showed – shown/showed'':''reshow – reshowed – reshown'' Weak, with participle ''shown'' perhaps by analogy with ''sown'' (from ''sow'')''shrink – shrank/shrunk – shrunk/shrunken'':''overshrink – overshrank/overshrunk – overshrunk/overshrunken'' Strong, class 3; ''shrunken'' is mostly used adjectivally''shut – shut – shut'':''reshut – reshut – reshut'' Weak, class 1, with coalescence of dentals''shave – shaved – shaved/shaven'' Originally Strong, class 6, but now often regularized in past tense and sometimes in past participle. ''sing – sang – sung'':''resing – resang – resung'' Strong, class 3''sink – sank/sunk – sunk/sunken'' Strong, class 3.The form ''sunken'' appears in some adjectival uses. ''sit – sat – sat'':''babysit – babysat – babysat'':''housesit – housesat – housesat'':''resit – resat – resat'' Strong, class 5''slay – slew/slayed – slain/slayed'' Strong, class 6 (or regular)''sleep – slept – slept'':''oversleep – overslept – overslept'':''undersleep – underslept – underslept'' Originally strong, class 7, now weak with vowel shortening''slide – slid – slid/slidden'':''backslide – backslid – backslid/backslidden'':''overslide – overslid – overslid/overslidden'' Strong, class 1''sling – slung – slung'' Strong, class 3''slink – slunk/slinked/slank – slunk/slinked/slank''Strong, class 3''slit – slit – slit/slitten'' Strong, class 1''smell – smelled/smelt – smelled/smelt'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''smite – smote/smit – smitten/smitted'' Strong, class 1.Largely archaic; ''smitten'' is quite commonly used adjectivally. ''sneak – sneaked/snuck – sneaked/snuck'' Weak, alternative form ''snuck'' (chiefly American) by analogy with strong verbs''sow – sowed – sown/sowed'' Strong, class 7, with weak past tense ''sowed''''speak – spoke – spoken'':''bespeak – bespoke – bespoken'':''*forespeak – forespoke – forespoken'':''*forspeak – forspoke – forspoken'':''misspeak – misspoke – misspoken'' Strong, class 5''speed – sped/speeded – sped/speeded'' Weak, class 1, with vowel shortening and coalescence of dentals (or regular)''spell – spelled/spelt – spelled/spelt'':''misspell – misspelled/misspelt – misspelled/misspelt'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''spend – spent – spent'':''misspend – misspent – misspent'':''outspend – outspent – outspent'':''overspend – overspent – overspent'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''spill – spilled/spilt – spilled/spilt'':''overspill – overspilled/overspilt – overspilled/overspilt'' Weak with devoiced ending (or regular)''spin – spun – spun'':''outspin – outspun – outspun'' Strong, class 3''spit – spat/spit – spat/spit'' Weak with coalescence of dentals (for past form ''spit'', which is common in America), or ''spat'' by analogy with strong verbs. (In the meaning of roast on a spit, the verb is regular. )''split – split – split'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''spoil – spoiled/spoilt – spoiled/spoilt'' Weak French loanword with devoiced ending (or regular)''spread – spread – spread'':''outspread – outspread – outspread'':''overspread – overspread – overspread'':''underspread – underspread – underspread'' Weak with coalescence of dentals''spring – sprang/sprung – sprung/*sprang'':''handspring – handsprang/handsprung – handsprung/*handsprang'' Strong, class 3''stand – stood – stood'':''forstand – forstood – forstood'':''misunderstand – misunderstood – misunderstood'':''overstand – overstood – overstood'':''understand – understood – understood'':''upstand – upstood – upstood'':''withstand – withstood – withstood'' Strong, class 6''stave – stove/staved – stove/staved/stoven'' Originally weak; irregular forms developed by analogy with strong verbs. ''steal – stole – stolen'' Strong, class 4''stick – stuck – stuck'' Originally weak, irregular forms by analogy with strong verb class 3''sting – stang/stung – stung'' Strong, class 3''stink – stank/stunk – stunk'' Strong, class 3''strew – strewed – strewn/strewed'':''bestrew – bestrewed – bestrewn/bestrewed'':''overstrew – overstrewed – overstrewn/overstrewed'' Originally weak, irregular forms by analogy with strong verbs''stride – strode – stridden'':''bestride – bestrode – bestridden'':''outstride – outstrode – outstridden'':''overstride – overstrode – overstridden'' Strong, class 1''strike – struck – struck/stricken'':''overstrike – overstruck – overstruck/overstricken'' Strong, class 1.The form ''stricken'' is limited to certain adjectival and specialist uses. ''string – strung/*stringed – strung/*stringed'':''hamstring – hamstrung/*hamstringed – hamstrung/*hamstringed'':''overstring – overstrung/*overstringed – overstrung/*overstringed'' Originally weak, irregular forms developed by analogy with strong verbs''strip – stripped/stript – stripped/stript''''strive – strove/strived – striven/strived'':''outstrive – outstrove – outstriven'':''overstrive – overstrove – overstriven'' Strong, class 1 (or regularized)''swear – swore – sworn'':''forswear – forswore – forsworn'':''outswear – outswore – outsworn'' Strong, class 6''sweat – sweated/sweat – sweated/sweat'' Weak, usually regular, possible past form ''sweat'' with coalescence of dentals''sweep – swept – swept'':''upsweep – upswept – upswept'' Weak with vowel shortening. Replaced OE strong class 7 verb ''swápan'', with the same meaning, but the form is not a regular development from it. ''swell – swelled/swole – swollen/swelled'' Strong, class 3, with regularized forms''swim – swam/*swum – swum'':''outswim – outswam/*outswum – outswum'' Strong, class 3''swing – swang/swung – swung'':''overswing – overswang/overswung – overswung'' Strong, class 3''take – took – taken'':''betake – betook – betaken'':''mistake – mistook – mistaken'':''overtake – overtook – overtaken'':''partake – partook – partaken'':''retake – retook – retaken'':''undertake – undertook – undertaken'':''*uptake – uptook – uptaken'':''*withtake – withtook – withtaken'' Strong, class 6''teach – taught – taught'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut'' and Germanic spirant law''tear – tore – torn'':''uptear – uptore – uptorn'' Strong, class 4 ''*tee – teed/tow – teed/town'': ''betee – beteed/betow – beteed/betown'': ''fortee – forteed/fortow – forteed/fortown'' ''tell – told – told'':''foretell – foretold – foretold'':''forthtell – forthtold – forthtold'':''mistell – mistold – mistold'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut''; related to ''tale''''think – thought – thought'':''outthink – outthought – outthought'':''rethink – rethought – rethought'' Weak, class 1, subclass (ii), with ''Rückumlaut'' and Germanic spirant law''thrive – throve/thrived/*thrave – thriven/thrived'' Of Old Norse origin; followed strong class 1 (now archaic) or weak (regular) pattern''throw – threw – thrown'':''outthrow – outthrew – outthrown'':''overthrow – overthrew – overthrown'':''underthrow – underthrew – underthrown'':''upthrow – upthrew – upthrown'' Strong, class 7''thrust – thrust/*thrusted – thrust/*thrusted'':''outthrust – outthrust – outthrust'' Weak, with coalescence of dentals (or regular)''tread – trod – trodden/trod'':''retread – retrod/*retread/*retreaded/*retrodden – retrodden/retrod/*retread/*retreaded'' Strong, class 5 (or regularized)''vex – vexed/vext – vexed/vext'' Regular, with alternative (archaic) spelling''wake – woke/waked – woken/waked'':''awake – awoke – awoken'' Strong, class 6''wear – weared/wore – weared/worn'':''outwear – outweared/outwore – outweared/outworn'':''overwear – overweared/overwore – overweared/overworn'' Originally weak, fell into a strong pattern by analogy with ''bear''''weave – wove – woven'':''interweave – interwove – interwoven'' Strong, class 7''wed – wed/wedded – wed/wedded'':''miswed – miswed/miswedded – miswed/miswedded'':''rewed – rewed/rewedded – rewed/rewedded'' Weak, class 2, with coalescence of dentals (or regular)''weep – wept/weeped – wept/weeped'' Originally strong, class 7, now weak with vowel shortening (or regular)''wend – wended/went – wended/went'' Weak, class 1, once with coalescence of dentals and devoiced ending, but now regular; ''went'' is used as the past of ''go''''wet – wet/wetted – wet/wetted'':''overwet – overwet/overwetted – overwet/overwetted'' Weak with coalescence of dentals (or regular)''will – would – ''(none) Preterite-present, defective. See English modal verbs, and ''shall'' and ''will''. (In non-auxiliary uses the verb is regular. )''win – won – won'' Strong, class 3''wind – wound – wound'':''rewind – rewound – rewound'':''unwind – unwound – unwound'' Strong, class 3. (The identically spelt verb ''wind'' , with meanings connected with air flow and breathlessness, is regular. )''work – worked/wrought – worked/wrought'' Weak, now regular, formerly with ''Rückumlaut'' and metathesis of ''r'' and ''o''''wreak – wreaked/wrought – wreaked/wrought''Weak, usually regular; ''wrought'' (which is in fact from ''work'') has come sometimes to be identified with this verb (perhaps by analogy with ''seek–sought''). ''wring – wrang/wrung – wrung'' Strong, class 3''write – wrote – written'':''cowrite – cowrote – cowritten'':''ghostwrite – ghostwrote – ghostwritten'':''handwrite – handwrote – handwritten'':''miswrite – miswrote – miswritten'':''overwrite – overwrote – overwritten'':''rewrite – rewrote – rewritten'':''underwrite – underwrote – underwritten''Strong, class 1''writhe – writhed/wrothe – writhed/writhen'' Strong, class 1, now regularized''zinc – zinced/zinked/zincked – zinced/zinked/zincked'' Regular, with spelling complications because of the final letter C
Present tense irregular verbs Though the list of verbs irregular in the preterite or past participle 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 of them (only two if pronunciation is ignored), not counting compounds including them:*be: ''I '''am''', thou '''art''', you '''are''', he '''is''', we '''are''', they '''are'''''. The contracted/reduced forms, used in unstressed positions and in particular as auxiliary verbs, are as follows: ''I'''’m''', you'''’re''', he'''’s''', we'''’re''', they'''’re'''''. *do (and compounds such as "undo" and "redo"): ''I do, you do, he '''does''', we do, they do'' where "does" is pronounced  (instead of ) in contrast to , the pronunciation of the infinitive and the other present tense forms. The reduced forms of the verb ''do'' are pronounced /du/, /də/, /d/, or /dəz/, /dz/ for ''does'' and usually appear only in questions. The contracted forms of ''do'' are used only in the negative: ''I do not = I '''don't''', you do not = you '''don't''', he does not = he '''doesn't''', we do not = we '''don't''', they do not = they '''don't'''''. *have: ''I have, you have, he '''has''', we have, they have''. If used as an auxiliary verb in the present perfect, past perfect and future perfect, its contracted forms can be used: ''I'''’ve''', you'''’ve''', he'''’s''', we'''’ve''', they'''’ve'''''. *say (and compounds such as "gainsay" and "naysay"): ''I say, you say, he '''says''', we say, they say'' where "says" has the standard pronunciation  (instead of ) in contrast to the  used for the infinitive and other present tense forms.
References
External links * Wiktionary's category of English irregular verbs*  Complete List of 638 English Irregular Verbs with their forms in different tenses. *  Mind Our English: Strong and weak by Ralph Berry*  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. * Database of all irregular verbs with complete conjugation and audio.