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.

It is good to practice using the past participle form of the irregular verbs provided at
the end of this page.

Correct the underlined verbs in the following sentences:
(Check your answers with the correct answers below).

1. Robert wasn't hungry. He was glad he had ate a big breakfast.
2. If you had went with Allen, you could have helped him.
3. Ben should have drank all his water.
4. He could have swam five miles more, but his time ran out.
5. Larry suit was wrinkled. He had wore the suit four days in a row.

Answers and Explanations:

1. Robert was glad he had ate a big breakfast.
Correct : Robert was glad he had eaten a big breakfast.
Had is the indicator. It tells you to use the past participle form: had eaten.

2. If you had went with Allen, you could have helped him.
Correct : If you had gone with Allen, you could have helped him.
Went is the past tense. The past participle indicator is had, and it is followed by the past participle: gone.

3. Ben should have drank all his water.
Correct : Ben should have drunk all his water.
Drank is the simple past tense. The simple past tense never has with it a helping verb.
The helper verb have is correctly used with the past participle drunk.

4. He could have swam five miles more, but his time ran out.
Correct : He could have swum five miles more, but his time ran out.
Could have are helping verbs leading you to use the past participle form swum.

5. Larry had wore the suit four days in a row.
Correct : Larry had worn the same suit four days in a row.
The helping verb had, is used with the past participle.

A list of irregular verbs: