How can I learn irregular verbs more easily?

 Tips and Tricks to Master One of the Toughest Parts of English Grammar

Irregular verbs are one of the trickiest parts of English for learners to master. Unlike regular verbs, which simply add -ed to form the past tense (like talk → talked or wash → washed), irregular verbs don’t follow a predictable pattern. Instead, they change in unique ways — or sometimes don’t change at all!

So how can you learn irregular verbs more easily? Don’t worry — you’re not alone, and with the right approach, irregular verbs can become much easier to remember. Let’s explore some simple, effective strategies.

1. Group Irregular Verbs by Pattern

While irregular verbs seem random, many of them actually follow small patterns. Learning them in groups can make them easier to remember. For example:

• Same in all forms
  cut – cut – cut, put – put – put, hit – hit – hit

• Same past and past participle
  buy – bought – bought, have – had – had, leave – left – left

• “i → a → u” pattern
  sing – sang – sung, drink – drank – drunk, begin – began – begun

Making small lists like this helps you create mental shortcuts and reduces the need to memorize each one individually.

2. Use Visual and Audio Tools

The brain remembers better with images and sound. Try:

• Flashcards with pictures and example sentences

• Apps that pronounce the verbs for you

• YouTube videos or songs that use common irregular verbs in lyrics

For example, hearing “He sang a song” in a music video helps you remember sing – sang – sung much more easily than just reading it.

3. Practice in Real Sentences

Memorizing a long list of verbs isn’t very helpful unless you use them. Instead, try to learn verbs in full sentences:

• ✅ I went to the store yesterday.

• ✅ She took the bus this morning.

• ✅ They have eaten already.

You can write your own sentences or find examples online. The more you see and use irregular verbs in context, the more natural they’ll feel.

4. Tell Stories Using Irregular Verbs

One fun way to practice is to create short stories using past tense verbs. For example:

“Yesterday, I woke up early. I drank some coffee, got dressed, and ran to catch the bus. I met my friend, and we spoke about our weekend plans.”

Try writing your own daily diary or journal entry in the past tense — it’s excellent practice!

5. Play Games and Quizzes

Turn learning into fun. Use online games, irregular verb quizzes, and mobile apps. Some popular options:

• Quizlet

• Memrise

• British Council's LearnEnglish games

• Kahoot (if you're in a class or group)

Games can help you remember through repetition without it feeling like hard work.

6. Focus on the Most Common Irregular Verbs First

You don’t need to learn all 200+ irregular verbs at once. Start with the most useful ones:

• be, go, do, have, get, say, make, take, see, come

These appear in everyday conversation all the time, so mastering them gives you the biggest benefit.

7. Be Patient and Review Often

Finally, don’t expect to memorize them all overnight. Review a few verbs every day. Spaced repetition — reviewing at different times — helps transfer the verbs from your short-term memory to long-term memory.

Final Thoughts

Irregular verbs may feel frustrating at first, but they’re a core part of everyday English. With practice, patterns, and a little creativity, you can master them. Try different techniques until you find what works best for you — and remember, even native speakers had to learn them once too!

Keep practicing, and soon you’ll use irregular verbs with confidence. Happy learning!