Verbs in English Grammar
In the English language or any language for that matter, verbs happen to be a very essential part of speech, without which, it would be impossible to indicate what the subject is doing. It refers to all actions, including those related to feelings and emotions. Verbs come in different types and forms so that they can perform differently to provide complete meaning. Before we look into the types of verbs and the verb forms, let us look at how various dictionaries define the term โverbโ.
What is a verb?
Verbs are doing or action words because they describe what the subject (noun or pronoun) of a sentence is doing. As well as describing a physical action, verbs can also describe a concept, mental state, or state of being. Some typical action verbs include run, dance, jump, sing, write, read, etc. Some typical stative verbs include be, belief, hate, have, know, love, think, etc.
- Example:
- We ran to the train station. (action verb)
- I am happy. (stative verb)
Verbs take different forms depending on how or where they appear in a sentence. Let’s take a closer look at the different types and forms of verbs in English grammar.
Irregular Verbs for Beginners
Below is a list of the most common irregular verbs in English for the Beginner level organized by type.
Type 1
The infinitive, past simple and past participle, are all the same (same โ same โ same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
put | put | put |
read | read* | read* |
Type 2
The past simple and past participle forms are the same, but different from the infinitive (different – same – same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
can | could | (no participle) |
feel | felt | felt |
find | found | found |
get | got | got, gotten (US English) |
have | had | had |
hear | heard | heard |
learn | learnt, learned | learnt, learned |
leave | left | left |
make | made | made |
Type 3
The infinitive, the past simple, and the past participle are all different (different – different – different)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
be | was/were | been |
come | came | come |
do | did | done |
draw | drew | drawn |
drink | drank | drunk |
drive | drove | driven |
eat | ate | eaten |
fly | flew | flown |
forget | forgot | forgotten |
give | gave | given |
go | went | gone |
know | knew | known |
run | ran | run |
Irregular Verbs for Pre-Intermediate
Below is a list of the most common irregular verbs in English that are new at the Pre-Intermediate level organized by type. Go to the list above to see which irregular verbs you should already know.
Type 1
The infinitive, past simple and past participle, are all the same (same โ same โ same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
cost | cost | cost |
cut | cut | cut |
hit | hit | hit |
hurt | hurt | hurt |
let | let | let |
shut | shut | shut |
Type 2
The past simple and past participle forms are the same, but different from the infinitive (different – same – same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
bring | brought | brought |
build | built | built |
catch | caught | caught |
hold | held | held |
keep | kept | kept |
lose | lost | lost |
Type 3
The infinitive, the past simple, and the past participle are all different (different – different – different)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
become | became | become |
begin | began | begun |
break | broke | broken |
choose | chose | chosen |
ride | rode | ridden |
steal | stole | stolen |
throw | threw | thrown |
Irregular Verbs for Intermediate
Below is a list of the most common irregular verbs in English that are new at the Intermediate level organized by type. Go to the lists above to see which irregular verbs you should already know.
Type 1
The infinitive, past simple and past participle, are all the same (same โ same โ same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
quit | quit | quit |
split up | split up | split up |
wet | wet | wet |
Type 2
The past simple and past participle forms are the same, but different from the infinitive (different โ same โ same)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
bleed | bled | bled |
burn | burnt, burned | burnt, burned |
deal | dealt | dealt |
dig | dug | dug |
dream | dreamt, dreamed | dreamt, dreamed |
feed | fed | fed |
fight | fought | fought |
hang | hung | hung |
Type 3
The infinitive, the past simple and the past participle are all different (different โ different โ different)
Infinitive | Past Simple | Past Participle |
---|---|---|
beat | beat | beaten |
bite | bit | bitten |
blow | blew | blown |
fall | fell | fallen |
grow | grew | grown |
hide | hid | hidden |
prove | proved | proven, proved |
ring | rang | rung |
sew | sewed | sewn |