(17) REGULAR and IRREGULAR VERBS

There are two groups of verbs, termed regular or irregular, and are identified by how their simple past and past participle are formed.

     Regular verbs – in this group of verbs, the simple past tense and past participle end in –d or –ed.

Example: simple past – touched; killed; passed.

past participle – touched; killed; passed.

Irregular verbs – a verb that does not follow the usual pattern of grammar. If a verb is irregular, the simple past tense and past participle do not end in –d or –ed. They vary as follow:

• Where all three forms of a irregular verb are the     same.

 Example: present simple – cost; hurt; put; read; shut.

past simple – cost; hurt; put; read; shut.

past participle – cost; hurt; put; read; shut.

• Where only the simple past tense and past participle are the same.

 Example: present simple – carry; die; fit; jump.

    past simple – carried; died; fitted; jumped.

past participle – carried; died; fitted; jumped.

• Where all three forms are different.

 Example: present simple – begin; choose; do; go.

past simple – began; chose; did; went.

past participle – begun; chosen; done; gone.

 
There are verbs which can be regular or irregular as follow:

Ø     present tense – burn; dream; spell.

Ø     past simple – burned/burnt; dreamed/dreamt; spelled/spelt.

Ø     past participle – burned/burnt; dreamed/dreamt; spelled/spelt.