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Irregular Rules 01
Irregular Rules 01
Irregular Rules 01
Infinitive
In contrast, the simple past and past participle of irregular verbs can end in a variety of ways, with absolutely no consistent pattern. Here are some examples: Infinitive Simple Present drive(s) feel(s) put(s) swim(s) Simple Past drove felt put swam Past Participle driven felt put swum Present Participle driving feeling putting swimming
Writers make two frequent errors with irregular verbs. They either add an incorrect ed to the end of an irregular verb or accidentally interchange the simple past and past participle. Read this sentence: Olivia feeled like exercising yesterday, so she putted on her bathing suit and drived to the YMCA, where she swum so far that only an extra large pepperoni pizza would satisfy her hunger. What are the problems with this sentence? First, feeled should be felt. Next, putted needs to be put. The correct past tense of drive is drove. And we must change swum to swam.
to arise to awake
to be to bear
being bearing
beat(s) become(s)
beat became
beating becoming
Infinitive
to bid [to command] to bind to bite to blow to break to bring to build to burst to buy to cast to catch to choose to cling to come to cost to creep to cut
bind(s) bite(s) blow(s) break(s) bring(s) build(s) burst(s) buy(s) cast(s) catch(es) choose(s)
bound bit blew broke brought built burst bought cast caught chose
bound bitten or bit blown broken brought built burst bought cast caught chosen
binding biting blowing breaking bringing building bursting buying casting catching choosing
Infinitive
Simple Past dealt dug dived or dove did drew dreamed or dreamt drank drove ate fell fed felt fought found fled flung flew
to do to draw to dream
done drawn dreamed or dreamt drunk driven eaten fallen fed felt fought found fled flung flown
to drink to drive to eat to fall to feed to feel to fight to find to flee to fling to fly
drink(s) drive(s) eat(s) fall(s) feed(s) feel(s) fight(s) find(s) flee(s) fling(s) flies, fly
drinking driving eating falling feeding feeling fighting finding fleeing flinging flying
Infinitive
to forbid
to forget
forget(s)
forgetting
forgive(s)
forgave
forgiving
forsake(s)
forsook
forsaken
forsaking
freeze(s) get(s)
froze got
freezing getting
to give to go to grow
to hang [to suspend]
Infinitive
Simple Past kept knew laid led leaped or leapt left lent let lay
Past Participle kept known laid led leaped or leapt left lent let lain
light(s)
lighted or lit
lighting
to quit
quit(s)
quit
quitting
Infinitive
Simple Present read(s) rid(s) ride(s) ring(s) rise(s) run(s) say(s) see(s) seek(s) send(s) set(s) shake(s) shine(s)
Simple Past read rid rode rang rose ran said saw sought sent set shook shone
Past Participle read rid ridden rung risen run said seen sought sent set shaken shone
Present Participle reading ridding riding ringing rising running saying seeing seeking sending setting shaking shining
to read to rid to ride to ring to rise to run to say to see to seek to send to set to shake to shine [to glow] to shoot to show
shoot(s) show(s)
shot showed
shooting showing
to shrink to sing
shrink(s) sing(s)
shrank sang
shrinking singing
Infinitive
Simple Past sank or sunk sat slew slept slung sneaked or snuck spoke spent spun sprang or sprung stood stole stung stank or stunk strode struck
to sink
sat slain slept slung sneaked or snuck spoken spent spun sprung
to stride to strike
stride(s) strike(s)
stridden struck
striding striking
Infinitive
Simple Present strive(s) swear(s) sweep(s) swim(s) swing(s) take(s) teach(es) tear(s) tell(s) think(s) throw(s)
Simple Past strove swore swept swam swung took taught tore told thought threw
Past Participle striven sworn swept swum swung taken taught torn told thought thrown
Present Participle striving swearing sweeping swimming swinging taking teaching tearing telling thinking throwing
to strive to swear to sweep to swim to swing to take to teach to tear to tell to think to throw
to understand
understand(s)
understood
understood
understanding
to wake
wake(s)
waking
to wear to weave
wear(s) weave(s)
wearing weaving
to weep to wring
weep(s) wring(s)
weeping wringing
Infinitive
to write
In addition to learning the chart above, you must also understand the difference between the simple past and past participle. A simple past tense verb always has just one part. You need no auxiliary verb to form this tense. Look at these examples: Because dinner time was near, my dog Oreo bit the spine of Moby-Dick and pulled the novel off my lap. Since Denise had ignored bills for so long, she wrote out checks for an hour straight. Despite the noise, jolts, and jerks, Alex slept so soundly on the city bus that he missed his stop.
Many multipart verbs, however, require the past participle after one or more auxiliary verbs. Read these sentences: Raymond had bitten into the muffin before Charise mentioned that it was her infamous chocolate-broccoli variety. had = auxiliary verb; bitten = past participle Once Woody has written his essay for Mr. Stover, he plans to reward himself with a packet of Twinkies. has = auxiliary verb; written = past participle Cynthia might have slept better if she hadn't watched The Nightmare on Elm Street marathon on HBO. might, have = auxiliary verbs; slept = past participle
For regular verbs, knowing the distinction between the simple past and past participle is unnecessary because both are identical. Check out these two sentences: Diane giggled as her beagle Reliable pushed his cold wet nose into her stomach, searching for cookie crumbs. giggled = simple past
Until the disapproving Mrs. Whitman elbowed Latoya in the ribs, the young girl had giggled without stop at the toilet paper streamer attached to Principal Clemens's shoe. had = auxiliary verb; giggled = past participle
When you choose an irregular verb for a sentence, however, the simple past and past participle are often different, so you must know the distinction. Here are two examples: Essie drove so cautiously that traffic piled up behind her, causing angry drivers to honk their horns and shout obscenities. drove = simple past Essie might have driven faster if she hadn't forgotten her glasses and saw more than big colored blurs through the windshield. might, have = auxiliary verbs; driven = past participle
In addition, past participles can function as adjectives in sentences, describing other words. When you use a past participle in this manner, you must choose the correct form. Read these sentences: The calculus exams given by Dr. Ribley are so difficult that his students believe their brains will burst. Delores discovered the stolen bologna under the sofa, guarded fiercely by Max, her Chihuahua. The written reprimand so shamed poor Pablo that he promised his boss never again to throw a scoop of ice cream at a customer.
Remember that you can always consult a dictionary when you have a question about the correct form of an irregular verb.