Grammar Menu
Writing
Choosing Words Correctly
Quizzes


This page was composed by a credentialed teacher in California who loves Jesus. "The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 1:14

Irregular Verbs and Past Participles

Every sentence has a least one verb.
Some sentences have a verb which "helps" the main verb.
These helping verbs include words such as have, had, and has.
A helping verb comes before the main verb and sometimes changes the form of the main verb and is used to form the perfect verb tenses ("I have sung in a choir").

Below there are some quotes which incorporate the perfect verb tenses.

Examples and Explanations:

So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:13
Had is the indicator. It tells you to use the past participle form of the verb: had eaten.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone,
the new is here! 2 Cor. 5:17

Here, come is the past participle form of the verb. Come is the present tense form and also the past participle form of the verb. This happens with some verbs. The past participle indicator is has in both cases here (has come; has gone), and they are followed by the past participles: came and gone.

O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
Psalm 69:15

Did is the simple past tense.
The helper verb have is correctly used with the past participle done.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Mark 14:26
Had is the helping verb used here, and leads you to use the past participle form sung.

...and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now. John 2:10
The helping verb have, is used with the past participles: drunk and kept.

A list of irregular verbs:


(Note: The past participle form of the verb is used when a "helping" verb precedes it.)

It is good to practice using the past participle form of the irregular verbs below:

Present Past Past Participle
be was been
become became become
begin began begun
blow blew blown
brake broke broken
bring brought brought
build built built
burst burst burst
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
cut cut cut
deal dealt dealt
do did done
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feed fed fed
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
fly flew flown
forbid forbade forbidden
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
get got got or gotten
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
have had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hid or hidden
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
leave left left
let let let
lie lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
meet met met
pay paid paid
quit quit quit
read read read
ride rode rode or ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
seek sought sought
sell sold sold
send sent sent
shake shook shaken
shine shone shone
sing sang sung
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
spring sprang sprung
stand stood stood
steal stole stolen
swim swam swum
swing swung swung
take took taken
teach taught taught
tear tore torn
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
understand understood understood
wake woke or waked woken or waked
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written



Bible Verse of the Day

Back to Top | Home | Copyright 2007 The Bible Teaches.