Past Simple (Irregular verbs)
Remember
In the past simple:
- regular verbs add -ed
- irregular verbs do NOT follow a rule
You need to learn irregular verbs individually because they do not follow a single rule.
1. What are irregular verbs?
Irregular verbs change form in the past.
Example:
- go → went
- eat → ate
There is no single rule for their past forms.
2. Common irregular verbs
Here are some common irregular verbs:
Very common:
- be → was / were
- have → had
- do → did
- go → went
- get → got
- make → made
- see → saw
- come → came
Common daily verbs:
- eat → ate
- drink → drank
- take → took
- give → gave
- find → found
- bring → brought
- buy → bought
- catch → caught
- choose → chose
- break → broke
- build → built
- feel → felt
- fall → fell
- hear → heard
- leave → left
- lose → lost
- meet → met
- pay → paid
- run → ran
- say → said
- sell → sold
- send → sent
- sit → sat
- sleep → slept
- tell → told
Note: Learn these a few at a time.
3. Positive sentences (irregular verbs)
Structure
Subject + past verb (irregular form)
Examples
- I went home.
- He/She/It went home.
- You/We/They went home.
- I ate lunch.
- He/She/It ate lunch.
- You/We/They ate lunch.
For most verbs, the irregular past form is the same for all subjects (I went, she went, they went).
4. Negative sentences (irregular verbs)
For most regular and irregular verbs, we use did not (didn’t) + base verb.
Structure
Most regular and irregular verbs:
Subject + did not + base verb
Important rule
❗ Even with irregular verbs, the verb goes back to the base form.
Correct: I did not go.
Incorrect: I did not went.
Examples
- I did not go out.
- He/She/It did not go out.
- You/We/They did not go out.
5. Yes/No questions (irregular verbs)
For most regular and irregular verbs: Did + subject + base verb? (Did you go?)
Examples (most verbs)
- Did you go to school?
- Did she eat breakfast?
- Did they see the teacher?
Short Answers
- Yes, I did.
- Yes, she did.
- No, they didn’t.
Wh- questions
Wh-word + did + subject + base verb?
Examples:
- Where did you go yesterday?
- What did she eat?
- When did they come home?
6. Time words for the past simple
These words often tell us that something happened in the past.
- yesterday
- last night
- last weekend
- two days ago
- in 2022
- when I was a child
Examples
- I went out last night.
- She saw him yesterday.
7. Easy way to remember
- Regular verbs: add -ed (walk → walked).
- Irregular verbs: the past form is different, so learn it (go → went, eat → ate).
Final reminder
Ask:
“Is it in the past (yesterday/last week/ago)? Is it finished?” → Use past simple.
Then ask:
“Is the verb regular or irregular?”
If it’s positive: use the past form (go → went).
If it’s negative/question: use did/didn’t + base verb (didn’t go / Did you go?).
Ready to practise?
Test what you've learned with interactive fill-in-the-blank exercises.
Vocabulary in this lesson
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Past simple – irregular verbs
A1Past Simple (Irregular verbs)
30 wordssaw
noun
A tool used for cutting, typically with a serrated blade.
I used a saw to cut the wood.
went
verb
To move from one place to another
I went to the store to buy some food.
had
verb
The past tense of 'have', used to indicate possession or experience.
I had a great time at the party last night.
made
verb
To create or construct something.
I will make a cake for your birthday.
said
verb
To express something in words; to speak
She said hello to everyone.
took
verb
To grab or receive something
I took my book to school.
came
verb
To move towards a place or person
I will come to your party.
gave
verb
To transfer something to someone
She gave me a gift for my birthday.
got
verb
The past tense of 'get', meaning to receive or obtain something.
I got a new book for my birthday.
knew
verb
To have information or understanding about something.
I know how to ride a bike.
felt
noun
A type of fabric made from fibers, often used for crafts.
I bought some felt to make a craft project.
did
verb
The past tense of 'do', used to indicate an action or to form questions and negatives.
I did my homework yesterday.
flew
verb
To move through the air using wings.
The bird can fly very high.
sang
verb
To make musical sounds with the voice.
I love to sing in the shower.
drank
verb
To consume a liquid.
I drank water after playing outside.
swam
verb
To move through water by using one's body.
I swim in the lake during the summer.
ran
verb
To move quickly on foot.
I like to run in the park.
met
verb
To come together with someone at a certain time and place.
I will meet you at the park.
drew
verb
To make a picture or design by marking a surface with a pencil, pen, or other tool.
She loves to draw pictures of animals.
stood
verb
To be in an upright position on one's feet.
She stood up to greet her friend.
put
verb
To place something in a specific position or location
Please put the book on the shelf.
heard
verb
Past tense of hear; to perceive sound through the ears.
I heard a strange noise last night.
spoke
verb
To talk or communicate with someone using words.
I like to speak to my friends every day.
found
verb
To establish or set up something, such as an organization or institution.
They founded a new school in the community.
chose
verb
The past tense of 'choose'; to have selected or picked someone or something.
She chose the blue dress for the party.
forgot
verb
To fail to remember something.
I forgot my keys at home.
bought
verb
The past tense of buy, meaning to acquire something by paying for it.
I bought a new book yesterday.
brought
verb
The past tense of 'bring', meaning to carry something to a place.
She brought her favorite book to the class.
thought
ate
verb
To consume food.
I eat breakfast every morning.
Last updated May 28, 2026