IRREGULAR VERBS

Belinda Baardsen,

American Ex Pat,

TEFL Certified Instructor,

King Saud University,

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

WHAT IS A VERB?

A word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear,...

verb  /vərb/

WHAT IS A VERB?

What is a Verb?

The verb is perhaps the most important part of the sentence. A verb or compound verb asserts something about the subject

of the sentence and express actions, events, or states of being. The verb or compound verb is the critical element of

the predicate of a sentence.

DEFINING A REGULAR VERB

A regular verb, like "to walk" looks like

this:

•Present Simple: I walk to work every day.

•Present Progressive: I am walking to work today.

•Past Simple: I walked to work yesterday.

•Present Perfect: I've walked to work all week.

VERBS

Listen LiveTry

ReadForget

PayBe

MakeLoseUse

apply

Listen-edLiv-edTr-iedRead

ForgotPa-iedBe-

MadeLost

Use-dAppl-ied

Listen-ingLiv-ingTry-ing

Read-ingForget-ing

Pay-ingBe—

Mak-ingLos-ingUs-ing

Apply-ing

Listen-sLive-sTr-ies

Read-sForget-s

Pay-sBe—

Make-sLose-sUse-s

Applie-s

WHAT IS AN IRREGULAR VERB?

Defining an Irregular Verb

Irregular verbs live by their own set of rules; they are the mavericks of

the English language.

Most of the verbs in the English language are irregular verbs.

WHAT IS AN IRREGULAR VERB?

•To Drink: I drink coffee every morning. I drank six cups of coffee yesterday. I

have drunk 27 cups of coffee this week.

•To Swim: I swim in lake Eerie every summer. I swam through lots of garbage in July. I have

swum through toxic sludge a few times.

WHAT IS AN IRREGULAR VERB?

The most common English verbs, like "go" or "have" or

"be," are all irregular and take a bit of practice to

master.

WHAT IS AN IRREGULAR VERB?

Teachers, bosses, and English

majors cringe when someone says "I should

have drank" or "I should have

went."

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

The verb “To be” is said to be the most protean of the English

language, constantly changing form, sometimes without much of a

discernible pattern.

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Considering that we use it so often, it is really too bad that

the verb “To be” has to be the most

irregular, slippery verb in the language.

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Present Tense I am /We are You are /You

are He/She/It is -

They are

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Past Tense I was /We were

You were/ You were

He/She/It was -They were

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Perfect Form (past participle) I have been, etc.

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Progressive Form

(present participle)

I am being, etc.

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Present

am

is

is

is

are

are

are

I

He

She

It

You

They

We

The verb be takes on different forms in the present and past.

Contraction

'm

's

's

's

're

're

're

Past

was

was

was

was

were

were

were

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

The verb be indicates existence, temporary condition or permanent status.

It is really hot today.

Grady's not here right now.

Greg and Tim are engineers.

IRREGULAR VERB ~ “TO BE”

Arise Arose Arisen Arises Arising

Awake Awoke Awoken Awakes Awaking

Bear Bore Born/Borne

Bears Bearing