The main difference between regular and irregular verbs is the different endings they have for the past tense and past participle. REGULAR verbs always end in –ed for both past tense and past participle endings.
Here are some examples:
REGULAR VERB – Past tense – Past participle
- Look – Looked – Looked
- Dance – Danced – Danced
- Play – Played – Played
- Clean – Cleaned – Cleaned
- Study – Studied – Studied
- Hurry – Hurried – Hurried
- Pull – Pulled – Pulled
IRREGULAR verbs end in many different ways. Unfortunately, there is no rule to help you remember them. You just have to practise remembering them off by heart over time! The more you practice the easier it will get.
Here are some examples:
IRREGULAR VERB – Past tense – Past Participle
- See – Saw – Seen
- Drink – Drank – Drunk
- Run – Ran – Run
- Sleep – Slept – Slept
- Become – Became – Become
- Teach – Taught – Taught
- Do – Did – Done
An easy way of remembering the irregular verbs would be to remember the ‘order of change’. For example, ‘drink, drank, drunk’. If you remember these three words in that order, then you will know that the first is the base form of the verb, the second is past tense, and the third is the past participle!
Good Luck!
_______________________________________________
More for you:
202 Most Common Irregular Verbs + Gerund
Action Verb vs Linking Verb vs Helping Verbs vs Irregular Verb vs …
List of Verbs Followed by Both Gerunds and Infinitives!
4 Past Tenses in English with Examples
