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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:


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

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

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