Study Resource: English irregular verbs

In American English, got is used for receiving an object and gotten is used for other uses of got.

In British English got is always preferred.

the root is pronounced (transcribed heer)

the past simple and past participle are pronounced: (transcribed herd)

only the spelling is irregular ( paidnot payed)

In America, this is mostly a regular verb learn / learned / learned, but learnt is acceptable as a past participle.

In British English, the learnt form can be used in both the past simple and the past participle form.

The root is pronounced: (transcribed reed)

The past simple and past participle are pronounced: (transcribed red)

Proven is a bit more formal, but also more common

We usually use hung, since hanged is only for executions

For the past simple: dreamed is used in American English

Both forms are used in British English, but dreamed is still more common

For the past participle: both are used, but dreamt is more formal.

In American English we usually use fit for all forms.

In British English fitted can be used for both past simple and past participle.

The past participle fitted has a special meaning. It is used only when cloth is cut and sewn "to fit" something or someone.

For past simple: sped is more common, especially recently

For the past simple: burned is used in American English. Both are used in British English, but burned is more common

For the past participle: both are acceptable, burnt is more formal and used more as an adjective

For the past simple: leaned is used in American English, and both are used in British English

For the past participle: both are used, but leaned is more common

Bornis always used when discussing “giving birth,” as in the baby was born

Bornecan be used for carrying something, as in the crates were borne by a truck

Slid is much more common

For the past simple: smelled is used in American English; both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but smelt is quite formal.

Sweptis more common for both past simple and past participle.

This verb is only sometimes irregular in spelling, not pronunciation.

Stripped is much more common, but stript is more formal and more likely for the past participle.

You may hear ridded but this is generally considered wrong.

This is mostly a regular verb: dare / dared / dared, the irregular past simple form is only found in poetry.

This is mostly a regular verb. The word molten was the historical past participle, but now this only describes melted rock (e.g. molten lava)

Both broadcast and broadcasted are used for the past participle

Both leapt and leaped are used for past simple and past participle, but leapt is a little more common in British English and leaped is a little more common in American English

For the simple past: spilled is used in American English, and spilt is used in British English

For the past participle: both are used, but in American English, spilled is much more common, while in British English spilt is more common

In American English only spelled is used. In British English, both are used.

Both sneaked and snuck are standard, but sneaked is the better choice

For the simple past: forbad is preferred in America, forbade in Britain, but forbade and forbad should be pronounced the same way:
(transcribed for-bad)(though some Americans will mispronounce forbade as (transcribed for-bayed).)

In both cases, spat is generally better and more common, but both are used

Kneltis more common, and in British English, kneltis standard.

the root, past simple, and past participle each have their own unique irregular form

Look for these features:

(1) vowel change

(2) -n added to participle

Provenis a bit more formal, but also more common.

Bornis always used when discussing “giving birth,” as in: The baby was born.

Bornecan be used for carrying something, as in The crates were borne by a truck.

For the simple past: forbad is preferred in America, forbade in Britain, but forbade and forbad should be pronounced the same way: (transcribed for-bad)(though some Americans will mispronounce forbade as (transcribed for-bayed).)

In American English, gotten is used in most contexts.

In British English got is more common.

The root, past simple, and past participle all look the same

(in most cases)

Both broadcast and broadcasted are used for the past participle.

In American English, we usually use fit for all forms.

In British English, fitted can be used for both past simple and past participle.

The past participle fitted is also used only when cloth is cut and sewn “to fit” something or someone.

You may hear "ridded", but this is generally considered wrong.

The past simple and past participle are the same

Look for these features:

(1) a change in the written vowel

(2) a change in the pronunciation of the written vowel

the root is pronounced (transcribed heer)

the past simple and past participle are pronounced: (transcribed herd)

only the spelling is irregular (paid not payed)

The root is pronounced: (transcribed reed)

The past simple and past participle are pronounced: (transcribed red)

We usually use hung, hanged is only for executing people.

For past simple: sped is more common, especially recently.

Slidis much more common.

Sweptis much more common for both past simple and past participle.

Both leapt (transcribed lept) and leaped (transcribed leept) are used for past simple and past participle and are equally common (though leapt is a little more common in Britain and leaped is a little more common in America)

In both cases, spat is generally better and more common, but both are used.

Kneltis more common and, in British English, knelt is standard.

Only the participle is irregular

The participle matches the root form

These can be conjugated as regular verbs in American English, but they have irregular forms as well.

In America, this is mostly a regular verb learn / learned / learned, but learnt is acceptable as a past participle.

In British English, the learnt form can be used in both the past simple and the past participle form.

For the past simple: dreamed is used in American English. Both are used in British English, but dreamed is still more common.

For the past participle: both are used, dreamtis more formal.

For the past simple: burned is used in American English; both are used in British English, but burned is more common.

For the past participle: both are acceptable, but burnt is more formal and used more as an adjective.

For the past simple: leaned is used in American English, and both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but leaned is more common.

For the past simple: smelled is used in American English; both are used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but smelt is quite formal.

This verb is only sometimes irregular in spelling, not pronunciation. Stripped is much more common, but stript is more formal and more likely for the past participle.

This is mostly a regular verb: dare / dared / dared,the irregular past simple form is only found in poetry.

This is mostly a regular verb. The word molten was the historical past participle, but now this only describes melted rock (e.g. molten lava).

For the simple past: spilled is used in American English, but spilt is used in British English.

For the past participle: both are used, but in American English, spilled is much more common, while in British English spilt is more common.

In American English, only spelled is used. In British English, both are used.

Both sneaked and snuck are standard, but sneaked is the better choice.