How Do You Use Irregular Verbs? Rules, Examples, and Common Mistakes

Introduction

 The irregular verb is one of the first things in English grammar that can make you confused if you’re studying English.

Most verbs form the past tense by adding -ed (work → worked), but irregular verbs do not follow this pattern.

Because there is no single rule that works for every irregular verb, many learners try to memorize long lists without really understanding how to use them in real sentences. This guide explains what an irregular verb is, how to use irregular verbs correctly, and how to avoid typical mistakes—with simple examples and mini exercises.

What Is an Irregular Verb?

 An irregular verb is a verb whose past tense and/or past participle do not follow the regular “base + -ed” pattern.

Regular verb: work → worked → worked

Irregular verb: go → went → gone

In other words:

●  A regular verb adds -ed (or -d) in the past.

●  An irregular verb changes in a different way (or sometimes doesn’t change at all).

Basic Examples

These patterns are irregular because you cannot predict them just by looking at the base form.

Core Types of Irregular Verbs (Patterns You Can Notice)

There are many irregular verbs, but some fall into useful patterns. These are not strict “rules,” but they help you remember and use irregular verbs more easily.

1. No Change (Same in All Main Forms)

 Some irregular verbs do not change in the past simple or past participle.

2. Same Past and Past Participle

 Some irregular verbs have one change, and the past simple and past participle are the same.

3. Vowel Change Patterns

 Many irregular verbs change only the vowel inside the word.

Pattern: i → a → u (sing-sang-sung type)

Pattern: e → o → en (speak-spoke-spoken type)

4. Completely Unique Forms

 Some verbs are very irregular and must be memorized:

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs (Quick Comparison)

Understanding this difference is the first step in knowing how to use irregular verbs correctly in English sentences.

Structure Rules: How Irregular Verbs Work in Sentences

Even though forms are irregular, the way you use them in tenses is the same as with regular verbs.

1. Past Simple with Irregular Verbs

 Use the past simple form of the irregular verb for finished actions in the past.

Pattern: Subject + irregular past form

Examples

I went to the gym yesterday.

She bought a new phone last week.

They saw that movie on Friday.

2. Present Perfect with Irregular Verbs

 Use the past participle of the irregular verb with have/has.

Pattern: Subject + have/has + irregular past participle

Examples

 I have seen that film before.

She has eaten breakfast already.

We have gone to London many times.

3. Passive Voice with Irregular Verbs

 Use be + past participle.

●  The window was broken by the wind.

●  The email was sent yesterday.

●  The painting was sold for a high price.

4. Continuous Tenses (Base + -ing)

The -ing form is usually regular, even for an irregular verb.

●  I am going to school.

●  They were drinking coffee.

●  She is writing a report.

The irregularity appears only in the past simple and past participle, not in the -ing form.

How to Use Irregular Verbs: Rules + Examples

 Here are practical rules for learners who ask “how to use irregular verbs” and “when to use irregular verbs” in real contexts.

Rule 1: Use the Correct Form for the Tense

 Sentence:

Yesterday, I (go) to the bookstore.

❌ Yesterday, I go to the bookstore.

✅ Yesterday, I went to the bookstore. (past simple)

Sentence:

She (eat) sushi many times.

❌ She ate sushi many times. (this sounds like a finished past experience)

✅ She has eaten sushi many times. (present perfect, life experience till now)

Rule 2: Watch Subject–Verb Agreement in the Present

 In the present simple, irregular verbs behave like regular verbs for subject–verb agreement.

I go, you go, we go, they go

He/She/It goes

Examples:

✅ He goes to work by bus.

❌ He go to work by bus.

Rule 3: Use Past Participle After “Have/Has” and “Had”

Present perfect: have/has + past participle

 She has gone home.

They have written three reports.

Past perfect: had + past participle

 He had eaten before he arrived.

We had seen the results already.

Rule 4: Use Past Participle After “Be” in Passive

 The letter was written yesterday.

The door was broken by accident.

The tickets were sold quickly.

Common Mistakes with Irregular Verbs

 Here are errors many learners make with irregular verb forms.

1. Using -ed for an Irregular Verb

 ❌ He sended the message.

✅ He sent the message.

2. Confusing Past Simple and Past Participle

 ❌ I have went to Canada.

✅ I have gone to Canada.

❌ She has saw the results.

✅ She has seen the results.

3. Mixing Regular and Irregular Forms

 ❌ They have wrote the report.

✅ They have written the report.

4. Using Base Form Instead of Past Form

 ❌ Yesterday, we go to the park.

✅ Yesterday, we went to the park.

Line-by-Line Example Breakdown

Sentence:

She has written three emails today.

Breakdown:

●  She → subject (who?)

●  has → auxiliary verb (present perfect)

●  written → past participle of write (irregular verb)

●  three emails → object (what?)

●  today → time expression (when?)

Sentence:

They went to the museum last weekend.

Breakdown:

●  They → subject

●  went → past simple of go (irregular verb)

●  to the museum → prepositional phrase (where?)

●  last weekend → time expression (when?)

Practice: Mini Quiz on Irregular Verbs

Try these questions to check your understanding of irregular verbs.

1. Choose the correct past simple form

a) Yesterday, I ___ (go) to the dentist.

b) She ___ (buy) a new jacket last week.

c) They ___ (see) your message.

Options:

went / goed

bought / buyed

saw / seed

2. Choose the correct present perfect form

a) I have ___ (eat) lunch already.

b) He has ___ (write) three reports today.

c) We have ___ (go) to London twice.

Options:

ate / eaten

wrote / written

went / gone

3. Correct the mistakes

a) She has saw that movie.

b) They buyed a car yesterday.

c) He has went home.

Answers

1. Past simple

a) went

b) bought

c) saw

2. Present perfect

a) eaten

b) written

c) gone

3. Corrections

a) She has seen that movie.

b) They bought a car yesterday.

c) He has gone home.

FAQ About Irregular Verbs

1. What is an irregular verb in simple words?

 An irregular verb is a verb that does not form its past tense and past participle by just adding -ed. Examples: go – went – gone, see – saw – seen, eat – ate – eaten.

2. How can I learn irregular verbs more easily?

 Group irregular verbs by pattern (go/went/gone; speak/spoke/spoken; sing/sang/sung), make short sentence examples for each, and review them regularly. Don’t only memorize lists—use them in real writing and speaking.

3. Is “read” an irregular verb?

 Yes. Read is an irregular verb because the spelling stays the same, but the pronunciation changes:

Base: /riːd/ – I read books every day.

Past: /red/ – I read that book yesterday.

Past participle: /red/ – I have read that story before.

4. When should I use the irregular past participle form?

 Use the past participle of an irregular verb after have/has/had (perfect tenses) and after be in the passive voice:

She has gone home.

The cake was eaten quickly.

5. Are irregular verbs more important than regular verbs?

 Both are important, but irregular verbs are very common in everyday English (go, come, get, see, eat, drink, take, make, do). Because you use them so often, learning how to use irregular verbs correctly will quickly improve your speaking and writing.

Summary

 An irregular verb is a verb that does not follow the normal “-ed” rule in the past tense and past participle. Instead, its forms change in different ways (go → went → gone, write → wrote → written, put → put → put).

To use irregular verbs correctly, you must:

●  Know the three main forms (base, past simple, past participle)

●  Choose the right form for each tense (went vs. gone)

●  Avoid common mistakes like “have went” or “buyed”

●  Practice with real sentences, not only with lists

The more you read, listen, and write in English, the more natural irregular verb usage will feel. Mastering the irregular verb family makes your grammar more accurate and your English more confident and fluent.