Random Verb Generator With Past Tense, Meaning and Example

One press gives you five verbs, each with its past tense, a short meaning and a sentence that uses it.

Random Verb Generator With Past Tense, Meaning and Example

  1. linger
  2. convey
  3. pour
  4. connect
  5. implement
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Verb of the day

 

Next step Build a random sentenceDraw an adverb to say how

Random Verb Generator With Past Tense, Meaning and Example: how it works

This random verb generator draws five verbs per press from a list of 600. Each random verb shows its past tense, a meaning and a sentence set in the past. All were checked against the WordNet dictionary: 407 are regular, 162 irregular and 31 take two past forms, such as dreamed and dreamt.

How to read the Past line

One word after Past means the past tense and the past participle match: walked, bought, cut. Two words mean they differ, past tense first: went, gone. An or marks two accepted forms. American English leans toward learned and spelled, British toward learnt and spelt, and dove and snuck are chiefly American. Twenty-one verbs here never change, among them cut, put, hit and quit.

Action verbs for charades and drama class

The Action verbs chip turns the page into a random action generator: 241 verbs a player can act out, from juggle and tiptoe to oversleep and wring. Add Irregular and 63 remain, among them swim, dig and throw. Set the size to 1, press Hide all past tenses so the card shows the verb alone, and let the room guess. A link ending in #action opens the page with the chip on.

Tips

  • The -ed ending has three sounds. After t or d it adds a syllable: folded, saluted. After a voiceless sound such as k or p it is a t: walked, hopped. Otherwise it is a d: hummed, juggled.
  • Draw ten Irregular verbs, press Hide all past tenses and say the three parts before you tap a cover. Ring, rang, rung and sing, sang, sung rhyme, but bring breaks the pattern with brought.
  • Swap a plain verb and its adverb for one exact verb: walked slowly becomes wandered, limped or tiptoed.

Questions and answers

Can you just give me a random verb?

Set the size to 1 and press New verbs: one verb, its past tense, a meaning and a sentence. Every verb that passes your chips has the same chance, and the verb of the day above the tool is the same for everyone.

Why are the most common verbs irregular?

Heavy use keeps old forms alive. The dozen most used English verbs are all irregular, while rarer verbs drift toward -ed and new verbs nearly always take it. Went is a borrowed past tense: it first belonged to wend.

Who checked the past forms and set the levels?

On 18 September 2026 a script matched every irregular form with Wiktionary's appendix of English irregular verbs and confirmed all 600 as verbs in Princeton WordNet 3.1. The three level chips are our own grading of how early a learner meets a verb and follow no official list.

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Show all 600 verbs

Regular 407

  • abolish Past: abolished. Regular. To end a law or a system. "The school abolished the old rule."
  • accelerate Past: accelerated. Regular. To speed up. "The car accelerated down the ramp."
  • accumulate Past: accumulated. Regular. To build up over time. "Dust accumulated on the shelves."
  • acknowledge Past: acknowledged. Regular. To admit or show you have noticed. "She acknowledged the mistake."
  • admire Past: admired. Regular. To look at with respect or pleasure. "We admired the view from the top."
  • admit Past: admitted. Regular. To say that something is true. "He admitted he was lost."
  • advise Past: advised. Regular. To tell someone what you think is wise. "She advised us to leave early."
  • advocate Past: advocated. Regular. To speak in favor of. "He advocated a shorter week."
  • afford Past: afforded. Regular. To have enough money for. "They afforded the trip by saving."
  • agree Past: agreed. Regular. To share the same opinion. "We agreed on pizza."
  • alleviate Past: alleviated. Regular. To make less severe. "The cream alleviated the itch."
  • allocate Past: allocated. Regular. To set aside for a purpose. "They allocated two rooms to storage."
  • announce Past: announced. Regular. To tell people officially. "The coach announced the team."
  • answer Past: answered. Regular. To reply to a question. "He answered on the first ring."
  • anticipate Past: anticipated. Regular. To expect and prepare for. "She anticipated the question."
  • apologize Past: apologized. Regular. To say sorry. "He apologized for the noise."
  • appear Past: appeared. Regular. To come into sight; to seem. "A rainbow appeared over the hill."
  • applaud Past: applauded. Regular. To clap to show approval. "The audience applauded the singer."
  • approve Past: approved. Regular. To say yes to; to think well of. "The council approved the plan."
  • argue Past: argued. Regular. To disagree out loud; to give reasons. "They argued about the map."
  • arrange Past: arranged. Regular. To put in order; to plan. "She arranged the books by color."
  • arrive Past: arrived. Regular. To reach a place. "The parcel arrived on Monday."
  • articulate Past: articulated. Regular. To put into clear words. "He articulated his worries well."
  • ask Past: asked. Regular. To put a question to someone. "She asked the way to the station."
  • assert Past: asserted. Regular. To state firmly. "She asserted her right to speak."
  • assess Past: assessed. Regular. To judge the value or state of. "The builder assessed the damage."
  • attach Past: attached. Regular. To fasten to something. "He attached a note to the door."
  • attempt Past: attempted. Regular. To try. "She attempted the hardest climb."
  • attribute Past: attributed. Regular. To say something is caused by. "He attributed the win to luck."
  • avoid Past: avoided. Regular. To keep away from. "We avoided the muddy path."
  • bake Past: baked. Regular. To cook in an oven. "We baked banana bread."
  • balance Past: balanced. Regular. To keep steady without falling. "He balanced a spoon on his nose."
  • belong Past: belonged. Regular. To be owned by; to fit in. "The red coat belonged to Sam."
  • blink Past: blinked. Regular. To shut and open both eyes fast. "I blinked in the bright light."
  • boil Past: boiled. Regular. To heat a liquid until it bubbles. "He boiled water for tea."
  • borrow Past: borrowed. Regular. To take and use for a while, then return. "I borrowed a pen."
  • bounce Past: bounced. Regular. To spring back after hitting a surface. "The ball bounced over the wall."
  • bow Past: bowed. Regular. To bend forward in respect. "The actors bowed twice."
  • bowl Past: bowled. Regular. To roll a ball at pins. "She bowled a strike."
  • brush Past: brushed. Regular. To clean or tidy with a brush. "He brushed his teeth."
  • button Past: buttoned. Regular. To fasten with buttons. "She buttoned her coat."
  • calculate Past: calculated. Regular. To work out with numbers. "He calculated the tip."
  • camp Past: camped. Regular. To sleep outdoors in a tent. "We camped by the river."
  • cancel Past: canceled (UK cancelled). Regular. To call off. "They canceled the match."
  • carry Past: carried. Regular. To hold and take somewhere. "He carried the shopping upstairs."
  • celebrate Past: celebrated. Regular. To mark a happy event. "We celebrated with cake."
  • cheer Past: cheered. Regular. To shout in support. "We cheered for the last runner."
  • chew Past: chewed. Regular. To crush food with the teeth. "The puppy chewed my slipper."
  • chop Past: chopped. Regular. To cut into pieces with sharp blows. "She chopped onions for the stew."
  • clap Past: clapped. Regular. To hit your hands together. "The crowd clapped for ages."
  • clean Past: cleaned. Regular. To remove dirt from. "We cleaned the garage."
  • climb Past: climbed. Regular. To go up using hands and feet. "They climbed the old oak."
  • close Past: closed. Regular. To shut. "He closed the book."
  • collaborate Past: collaborated. Regular. To work together. "The two classes collaborated on a mural."
  • collect Past: collected. Regular. To gather together. "He collected shells on the beach."
  • color Past: colored. Regular. To fill in with crayons or pens. "She colored the sky purple."
  • comb Past: combed. Regular. To tidy hair with a comb. "She combed the knots out."
  • combine Past: combined. Regular. To join into one. "She combined two recipes."
  • commemorate Past: commemorated. Regular. To honor the memory of. "The town commemorated its founders."
  • compare Past: compared. Regular. To look at how things are alike. "He compared the two prices."
  • compel Past: compelled. Regular. To force. "The storm compelled us to turn back."
  • compensate Past: compensated. Regular. To make up for. "He compensated for the late start."
  • compete Past: competed. Regular. To try to win against others. "She competed in three races."
  • complain Past: complained. Regular. To say you are unhappy about something. "He complained about the cold soup."
  • complete Past: completed. Regular. To finish all of. "She completed the form."
  • comprehend Past: comprehended. Regular. To understand fully. "She comprehended the risk at once."
  • concede Past: conceded. Regular. To admit, often unwillingly. "He conceded the point."
  • concentrate Past: concentrated. Regular. To give all your attention. "He concentrated on the last question."
  • condemn Past: condemned. Regular. To say something is very wrong. "The report condemned the delays."
  • conduct Past: conducted. Regular. To lead musicians; to carry out. "She conducted the school orchestra."
  • confront Past: confronted. Regular. To face up to. "She confronted her fear of water."
  • confuse Past: confused. Regular. To mix up; to puzzle. "The two signs confused the drivers."
  • connect Past: connected. Regular. To join together. "She connected the printer."
  • consider Past: considered. Regular. To think about with care. "He considered both offers."
  • contain Past: contained. Regular. To hold inside. "The box contained old letters."
  • contemplate Past: contemplated. Regular. To think about deeply. "He contemplated a move abroad."
  • continue Past: continued. Regular. To keep going. "The rain continued all week."
  • contradict Past: contradicted. Regular. To say the opposite of. "The second witness contradicted the first."
  • convey Past: conveyed. Regular. To carry; to make known. "Her letter conveyed real warmth."
  • convince Past: convinced. Regular. To make someone believe. "She convinced me to try it."
  • cook Past: cooked. Regular. To make food ready by heating it. "Dad cooked rice and beans."
  • cough Past: coughed. Regular. To push air from the lungs with a bark. "He coughed during the quiet scene."
  • count Past: counted. Regular. To say numbers in order; to add up. "She counted forty steps."
  • crawl Past: crawled. Regular. To move on hands and knees. "The baby crawled under the table."
  • create Past: created. Regular. To make something new. "He created a board game."
  • crouch Past: crouched. Regular. To bend low with knees bent. "He crouched behind the sofa."
  • cry Past: cried. Regular. To shed tears. "The baby cried for her bottle."
  • cultivate Past: cultivated. Regular. To grow or develop with care. "He cultivated a small herb garden."
  • damage Past: damaged. Regular. To harm or break partly. "Hail damaged the roof."
  • dance Past: danced. Regular. To move your body to music. "Everyone danced in the kitchen."
  • deceive Past: deceived. Regular. To make someone believe a falsehood. "The disguise deceived nobody."
  • decide Past: decided. Regular. To make up your mind. "He decided to walk."
  • deduce Past: deduced. Regular. To reach by reasoning. "She deduced the code from the clues."
  • deliver Past: delivered. Regular. To bring to a person or place. "She delivered the papers by bike."
  • demolish Past: demolished. Regular. To knock down. "Workers demolished the old cinema."
  • denounce Past: denounced. Regular. To criticize in public. "The paper denounced the scheme."
  • depend Past: depended. Regular. To rely on. "The plan depended on good weather."
  • depict Past: depicted. Regular. To show in a picture or in words. "The mural depicted a harvest."
  • describe Past: described. Regular. To say what something is like. "He described the missing dog."
  • deserve Past: deserved. Regular. To have earned. "She deserved the prize."
  • destroy Past: destroyed. Regular. To ruin completely. "The wave destroyed our sandcastle."
  • deteriorate Past: deteriorated. Regular. To get worse. "The road deteriorated over the winter."
  • develop Past: developed. Regular. To grow or build over time. "He developed a taste for olives."
  • deviate Past: deviated. Regular. To turn away from a path or a plan. "The pilot deviated from the route."
  • diminish Past: diminished. Regular. To make or become less. "The noise diminished after dark."
  • disagree Past: disagreed. Regular. To have a different opinion. "They disagreed about the ending."
  • disappear Past: disappeared. Regular. To go out of sight. "The coin disappeared up his sleeve."
  • discern Past: discerned. Regular. To make out with effort. "I discerned a shape in the fog."
  • disclose Past: disclosed. Regular. To make a secret known. "She disclosed the final cost."
  • discover Past: discovered. Regular. To find or learn for the first time. "She discovered a shortcut."
  • discuss Past: discussed. Regular. To talk over. "We discussed the book at lunch."
  • dispute Past: disputed. Regular. To argue against. "He disputed the referee's call."
  • distinguish Past: distinguished. Regular. To tell apart. "She distinguished the twins by their laughs."
  • divide Past: divided. Regular. To split into parts. "He divided the cards into four piles."
  • dodge Past: dodged. Regular. To move quickly out of the way. "She dodged the snowball."
  • dribble Past: dribbled. Regular. To move a ball with small touches. "She dribbled past two defenders."
  • drill Past: drilled. Regular. To make a hole with a turning tool. "She drilled two holes in the wall."
  • drop Past: dropped. Regular. To let fall. "I dropped my phone in the sand."
  • drum Past: drummed. Regular. To beat a rhythm. "She drummed on the desk."
  • dust Past: dusted. Regular. To clean dust off. "She dusted the shelves."
  • earn Past: earned. Regular. To get in return for work. "She earned enough for a new bike."
  • elaborate Past: elaborated. Regular. To add more detail. "He elaborated on his first answer."
  • eliminate Past: eliminated. Regular. To get rid of. "The new filter eliminated the smell."
  • embody Past: embodied. Regular. To be a clear example of. "The captain embodied calm."
  • emphasize Past: emphasized. Regular. To give special weight to. "She emphasized the last word."
  • encourage Past: encouraged. Regular. To give hope or courage to. "The coach encouraged every runner."
  • endure Past: endured. Regular. To bear; to last. "They endured a long, cold wait."
  • enforce Past: enforced. Regular. To make sure a rule is obeyed. "The lifeguard enforced the no-diving rule."
  • enhance Past: enhanced. Regular. To improve the quality of. "Fresh herbs enhanced the dish."
  • enjoy Past: enjoyed. Regular. To get pleasure from. "I enjoyed the long train ride."
  • erase Past: erased. Regular. To rub out. "He erased the wrong answer."
  • escape Past: escaped. Regular. To get free. "The hamster escaped from its cage."
  • evaluate Past: evaluated. Regular. To judge the worth of. "The panel evaluated each entry."
  • evoke Past: evoked. Regular. To bring a feeling or memory to mind. "The smell evoked summer."
  • exaggerate Past: exaggerated. Regular. To make seem bigger than it is. "He exaggerated the size of the fish."
  • examine Past: examined. Regular. To look at closely. "The vet examined the puppy."
  • exceed Past: exceeded. Regular. To go beyond. "The bill exceeded our budget."
  • exchange Past: exchanged. Regular. To give one thing and get another. "He exchanged the shirt for a bigger size."
  • exist Past: existed. Regular. To be real; to be found. "The village existed only on old maps."
  • expect Past: expected. Regular. To think something will happen. "She expected a longer wait."
  • explain Past: explained. Regular. To make clear. "He explained the rules again."
  • exploit Past: exploited. Regular. To use for gain, often unfairly. "The team exploited a gap in the defense."
  • explore Past: explored. Regular. To travel through to learn about. "We explored the old town on foot."
  • facilitate Past: facilitated. Regular. To make easier. "The ramp facilitated access."
  • faint Past: fainted. Regular. To pass out for a short time. "He fainted in the heat."
  • film Past: filmed. Regular. To record moving pictures. "She filmed the school play."
  • finish Past: finished. Regular. To reach the end of. "He finished the puzzle alone."
  • fish Past: fished. Regular. To try to catch fish. "We fished from the pier."
  • fix Past: fixed. Regular. To mend. "She fixed the squeaky door."
  • flap Past: flapped. Regular. To move wings up and down. "The hen flapped her wings."
  • float Past: floated. Regular. To rest on top of water or air. "A leaf floated down the stream."
  • floss Past: flossed. Regular. To clean between teeth with thread. "She flossed every night."
  • fluctuate Past: fluctuated. Regular. To rise and fall. "Prices fluctuated all month."
  • fold Past: folded. Regular. To bend one part over another. "She folded the letter in three."
  • follow Past: followed. Regular. To go after. "The ducklings followed their mother."
  • formulate Past: formulated. Regular. To work out and state with care. "She formulated a plan."
  • frown Past: frowned. Regular. To pull the eyebrows down. "He frowned at the puzzle."
  • fry Past: fried. Regular. To cook in hot oil. "She fried an egg."
  • gallop Past: galloped. Regular. To run like a horse at full speed. "The pony galloped across the field."
  • gargle Past: gargled. Regular. To bubble liquid in the throat. "He gargled with salt water."
  • gather Past: gathered. Regular. To bring or come together. "They gathered around the fire."
  • giggle Past: giggled. Regular. To laugh in a light, silly way. "They giggled at the back."
  • guess Past: guessed. Regular. To answer without being sure. "He guessed the number on his first try."
  • hammer Past: hammered. Regular. To hit with a hammer. "He hammered the nail in."
  • help Past: helped. Regular. To make a task easier for someone. "They helped us move the piano."
  • hesitate Past: hesitated. Regular. To pause before acting. "He hesitated at the door."
  • hike Past: hiked. Regular. To take a long walk in nature. "They hiked to the waterfall."
  • hitchhike Past: hitchhiked. Regular. To travel by asking drivers for rides. "They hitchhiked to the coast."
  • honk Past: honked. Regular. To sound a car horn. "The driver honked at the geese."
  • hop Past: hopped. Regular. To jump on one foot. "She hopped over the puddle."
  • hope Past: hoped. Regular. To want and expect. "We hoped for a sunny day."
  • hug Past: hugged. Regular. To hold close in the arms. "He hugged his grandmother."
  • hum Past: hummed. Regular. To sing with the lips closed. "She hummed while she worked."
  • illuminate Past: illuminated. Regular. To light up; to make clear. "Lanterns illuminated the path."
  • illustrate Past: illustrated. Regular. To explain with pictures or examples. "She illustrated the point with a story."
  • implement Past: implemented. Regular. To put into effect. "The school implemented a new timetable."
  • imply Past: implied. Regular. To suggest without saying directly. "His tone implied doubt."
  • improve Past: improved. Regular. To make or get better. "Her handwriting improved."
  • include Past: included. Regular. To have as one part. "The price included breakfast."
  • increase Past: increased. Regular. To make or become larger. "The shop increased its hours."
  • infer Past: inferred. Regular. To conclude from evidence. "She inferred the rest from his smile."
  • inflate Past: inflated. Regular. To fill with air. "She inflated the beach ball."
  • inform Past: informed. Regular. To give facts to. "She informed us of the delay."
  • inhibit Past: inhibited. Regular. To hold back. "Shade inhibited the plant's growth."
  • injure Past: injured. Regular. To hurt a part of the body. "He injured his ankle in the game."
  • inspect Past: inspected. Regular. To check with care. "She inspected every seam."
  • integrate Past: integrated. Regular. To combine into a whole. "He integrated the feedback into his draft."
  • interpret Past: interpreted. Regular. To explain the meaning of. "She interpreted the chart for us."
  • interrupt Past: interrupted. Regular. To break in while someone speaks. "He interrupted the story twice."
  • intervene Past: intervened. Regular. To step in to change the outcome. "A teacher intervened in the dispute."
  • introduce Past: introduced. Regular. To make known for the first time. "She introduced me to her aunt."
  • invent Past: invented. Regular. To think up something new. "He invented a game with two dice."
  • investigate Past: investigated. Regular. To look into to find the facts. "She investigated the odd noise."
  • invite Past: invited. Regular. To ask someone to come. "He invited the whole class."
  • iron Past: ironed. Regular. To press clothes flat with heat. "She ironed a shirt."
  • jog Past: jogged. Regular. To run at a slow steady pace. "She jogged around the lake."
  • juggle Past: juggled. Regular. To keep several things in the air. "The clown juggled five oranges."
  • jump Past: jumped. Regular. To push off the ground with both feet. "The cat jumped onto the shelf."
  • justify Past: justified. Regular. To give a good reason for. "He justified the extra cost."
  • kick Past: kicked. Regular. To hit with the foot. "She kicked the ball into the net."
  • knock Past: knocked. Regular. To hit a door with the knuckles. "Someone knocked twice."
  • lasso Past: lassoed. Regular. To catch with a looped rope. "The rider lassoed the calf."
  • laugh Past: laughed. Regular. To make the sound of being amused. "We laughed until it hurt."
  • lick Past: licked. Regular. To pass the tongue over. "The dog licked my hand."
  • lift Past: lifted. Regular. To raise up. "She lifted the box onto the shelf."
  • limp Past: limped. Regular. To walk unevenly on a sore leg. "She limped off the field."
  • linger Past: lingered. Regular. To stay longer than needed. "The guests lingered over coffee."
  • listen Past: listened. Regular. To pay attention to sound. "We listened to the rain."
  • live Past: lived. Regular. To be alive; to have a home in. "They lived above a bookshop."
  • lock Past: locked. Regular. To fasten with a key. "I locked the shed."
  • love Past: loved. Regular. To care about very deeply. "He loved that old bike."
  • manage Past: managed. Regular. To be in charge of; to succeed in. "He managed to catch the train."
  • manipulate Past: manipulated. Regular. To handle with skill; to control unfairly. "She manipulated the clay with care."
  • march Past: marched. Regular. To walk in step like a soldier. "The band marched down the street."
  • measure Past: measured. Regular. To find the size or amount of. "She measured the window."
  • mediate Past: mediated. Regular. To help two sides reach agreement. "He mediated between the neighbors."
  • meditate Past: meditated. Regular. To sit quietly and focus the mind. "She meditated for ten minutes."
  • mention Past: mentioned. Regular. To speak of briefly. "She mentioned a new cafe."
  • milk Past: milked. Regular. To draw milk from an animal. "The farmer milked the goats."
  • miss Past: missed. Regular. To fail to hit or catch; to long for. "She missed the last bus."
  • mix Past: mixed. Regular. To blend things together. "We mixed flour and eggs."
  • mop Past: mopped. Regular. To wash a floor with a mop. "He mopped the hall."
  • negotiate Past: negotiated. Regular. To reach a deal by talking. "She negotiated a lower rent."
  • nod Past: nodded. Regular. To move the head up and down. "She nodded in agreement."
  • notice Past: noticed. Regular. To see or become aware of. "I noticed a crack in the cup."
  • nurture Past: nurtured. Regular. To care for and help grow. "He nurtured the seedlings indoors."
  • obscure Past: obscured. Regular. To hide from view. "Clouds obscured the summit."
  • observe Past: observed. Regular. To watch with care. "We observed the birds at the feeder."
  • obtain Past: obtained. Regular. To get. "He obtained a library card."
  • open Past: opened. Regular. To move so that a way in appears. "She opened the window."
  • organize Past: organized. Regular. To put in order; to set up. "She organized a street party."
  • pack Past: packed. Regular. To put things in a bag or box. "She packed for the trip."
  • paddle Past: paddled. Regular. To move a canoe with a paddle. "We paddled to the island."
  • paint Past: painted. Regular. To cover with color using a brush. "We painted the fence blue."
  • park Past: parked. Regular. To leave a vehicle in a spot. "He parked under a tree."
  • pat Past: patted. Regular. To tap gently with a flat hand. "He patted the horse."
  • pedal Past: pedaled (UK pedalled). Regular. To push the pedals of a bike. "He pedaled hard up the hill."
  • peek Past: peeked. Regular. To take a quick secret look. "He peeked through the curtains."
  • peel Past: peeled. Regular. To take the skin off. "I peeled six potatoes."
  • perform Past: performed. Regular. To act, sing or play for an audience. "The choir performed outdoors."
  • persevere Past: persevered. Regular. To keep going despite difficulty. "She persevered through the final mile."
  • persuade Past: persuaded. Regular. To talk someone into. "He persuaded us to take the stairs."
  • photograph Past: photographed. Regular. To take a picture of. "He photographed the old bridge."
  • pick Past: picked. Regular. To take with the fingers; to choose. "They picked blackberries."
  • plan Past: planned. Regular. To decide ahead how to do something. "They planned the route together."
  • plant Past: planted. Regular. To put in soil to grow. "We planted tulip bulbs."
  • play Past: played. Regular. To take part in a game; to make music. "We played cards until midnight."
  • pluck Past: plucked. Regular. To pull off or pull at quickly. "She plucked a guitar string."
  • point Past: pointed. Regular. To aim a finger at something. "He pointed at the moon."
  • poke Past: poked. Regular. To push with a finger or a stick. "She poked the fire."
  • polish Past: polished. Regular. To rub until it shines. "He polished his shoes."
  • ponder Past: pondered. Regular. To think over slowly. "He pondered the offer all night."
  • pour Past: poured. Regular. To make a liquid flow out. "She poured milk on her cereal."
  • precede Past: preceded. Regular. To come before. "A short talk preceded the film."
  • predict Past: predicted. Regular. To say what will happen. "She predicted the final score."
  • prepare Past: prepared. Regular. To get ready. "He prepared a picnic."
  • pretend Past: pretended. Regular. To act as if something were true. "She pretended to be a pirate."
  • prevail Past: prevailed. Regular. To win in the end. "Common sense prevailed."
  • prevent Past: prevented. Regular. To stop from happening. "The fence prevented the dog from leaving."
  • print Past: printed. Regular. To put words or pictures on paper. "He printed twenty posters."
  • procrastinate Past: procrastinated. Regular. To put off doing something. "I procrastinated until Sunday night."
  • prohibit Past: prohibited. Regular. To forbid by rule. "The park prohibited fires."
  • promise Past: promised. Regular. To say you will surely do something. "She promised to write."
  • protect Past: protected. Regular. To keep safe. "The hen protected her chicks."
  • provide Past: provided. Regular. To give what is needed. "The hotel provided towels."
  • provoke Past: provoked. Regular. To stir up a reaction. "The remark provoked laughter."
  • publish Past: published. Regular. To print and offer to the public. "She published a book of poems."
  • pull Past: pulled. Regular. To draw something toward you. "He pulled the sled through the snow."
  • push Past: pushed. Regular. To press so that something moves away. "We pushed the car up the hill."
  • rake Past: raked. Regular. To gather with a rake. "She raked the leaves into a pile."
  • realize Past: realized. Regular. To come to understand. "He realized he had the wrong key."
  • receive Past: received. Regular. To get something sent or given. "She received a parcel."
  • recognize Past: recognized. Regular. To know again. "I recognized his voice."
  • recommend Past: recommended. Regular. To suggest as good. "She recommended the soup."
  • reconcile Past: reconciled. Regular. To bring back to agreement. "The cousins reconciled at the wedding."
  • record Past: recorded. Regular. To store sound, pictures or facts. "He recorded the bird's song."
  • reduce Past: reduced. Regular. To make smaller. "The shop reduced its prices."
  • refuse Past: refused. Regular. To say no to. "The cat refused the new food."
  • refute Past: refuted. Regular. To prove wrong. "She refuted the claim with a receipt."
  • regret Past: regretted. Regular. To feel sorry about. "He regretted the haircut."
  • reinforce Past: reinforced. Regular. To make stronger. "He reinforced the shelf with brackets."
  • relax Past: relaxed. Regular. To rest and let go of tension. "We relaxed in the shade."
  • relinquish Past: relinquished. Regular. To give up. "She relinquished her seat."
  • remember Past: remembered. Regular. To keep or bring back in the mind. "I remembered her birthday."
  • remind Past: reminded. Regular. To make someone remember. "She reminded me to bring a coat."
  • remove Past: removed. Regular. To take away. "He removed the old wallpaper."
  • repair Past: repaired. Regular. To fix. "She repaired the puncture."
  • repeat Past: repeated. Regular. To say or do again. "He repeated the question."
  • replace Past: replaced. Regular. To put a new one in place of. "She replaced the battery."
  • replenish Past: replenished. Regular. To fill up again. "We replenished the water bottles."
  • reply Past: replied. Regular. To answer. "He replied within the hour."
  • report Past: reported. Regular. To give an account of. "She reported the broken light."
  • rescue Past: rescued. Regular. To save from danger. "The crew rescued two sailors."
  • resemble Past: resembled. Regular. To look or be like. "The cloud resembled a whale."
  • respect Past: respected. Regular. To think highly of; to treat with care. "He respected her decision."
  • reveal Past: revealed. Regular. To make known. "She revealed the winner."
  • review Past: reviewed. Regular. To look over again; to judge. "He reviewed his notes."
  • rinse Past: rinsed. Regular. To wash off with clean water. "She rinsed the cups."
  • row Past: rowed. Regular. To move a boat with oars. "He rowed across the lake."
  • rub Past: rubbed. Regular. To move a hand back and forth on. "She rubbed her cold hands."
  • sail Past: sailed. Regular. To travel on water by wind power. "They sailed around the bay."
  • salute Past: saluted. Regular. To raise a hand to the head in respect. "The cadets saluted the flag."
  • save Past: saved. Regular. To keep for later; to rescue. "He saved half his pocket money."
  • scratch Past: scratched. Regular. To rub with the nails. "He scratched his head."
  • scrub Past: scrubbed. Regular. To rub hard to clean. "He scrubbed the pan."
  • scrutinize Past: scrutinized. Regular. To examine very closely. "He scrutinized the contract."
  • sculpt Past: sculpted. Regular. To shape clay, stone or wood into art. "She sculpted a fox from clay."
  • search Past: searched. Regular. To look carefully for. "We searched the beach for shells."
  • select Past: selected. Regular. To choose with care. "She selected three photos."
  • separate Past: separated. Regular. To set or move apart. "He separated the whites from the yolks."
  • share Past: shared. Regular. To let others have part of. "He shared his sandwich."
  • sharpen Past: sharpened. Regular. To make a point or an edge keener. "He sharpened his pencil."
  • shave Past: shaved. Regular. To cut hair off close to the skin. "He shaved before work."
  • shiver Past: shivered. Regular. To shake from cold or fear. "We shivered at the bus stop."
  • shout Past: shouted. Regular. To speak very loudly. "He shouted across the field."
  • shovel Past: shoveled (UK shovelled). Regular. To lift and move with a shovel. "We shoveled snow off the drive."
  • shrug Past: shrugged. Regular. To lift the shoulders to show doubt. "He shrugged and said nothing."
  • shuffle Past: shuffled. Regular. To mix cards; to drag the feet. "He shuffled the deck."
  • sip Past: sipped. Regular. To drink in small mouthfuls. "He sipped his cocoa."
  • skate Past: skated. Regular. To glide on skates. "We skated on the frozen pond."
  • skateboard Past: skateboarded. Regular. To ride on a skateboard. "He skateboarded to school."
  • sketch Past: sketched. Regular. To draw quickly and roughly. "He sketched the harbor."
  • ski Past: skied. Regular. To glide over snow on skis. "They skied down the easy slope."
  • skip Past: skipped. Regular. To move with a step and a hop. "He skipped all the way home."
  • slice Past: sliced. Regular. To cut into thin flat pieces. "He sliced the bread."
  • slip Past: slipped. Regular. To slide by accident. "She slipped on the ice."
  • smile Past: smiled. Regular. To turn up the corners of the mouth. "She smiled at the camera."
  • sneeze Past: sneezed. Regular. To blow air out of the nose in a burst. "I sneezed three times."
  • sniff Past: sniffed. Regular. To breathe in through the nose to smell. "The dog sniffed every lamp post."
  • snore Past: snored. Regular. To breathe noisily while asleep. "Grandpa snored in his chair."
  • solve Past: solved. Regular. To find the answer to. "She solved the riddle."
  • speculate Past: speculated. Regular. To guess without firm facts. "They speculated about the delay."
  • splash Past: splashed. Regular. To make water fly about. "The kids splashed in the pool."
  • sprint Past: sprinted. Regular. To run at top speed for a short way. "He sprinted the last hundred meters."
  • squeeze Past: squeezed. Regular. To press from both sides. "He squeezed the lemon."
  • stack Past: stacked. Regular. To pile one on top of another. "We stacked the chairs."
  • stagger Past: staggered. Regular. To walk unsteadily. "He staggered under the heavy box."
  • stare Past: stared. Regular. To look for a long time. "The cat stared at the fish tank."
  • steer Past: steered. Regular. To guide the direction of. "She steered the boat toward shore."
  • stimulate Past: stimulated. Regular. To make more active. "The puzzle stimulated a lively debate."
  • stir Past: stirred. Regular. To mix by moving a spoon around. "He stirred the soup slowly."
  • stomp Past: stomped. Regular. To walk with heavy steps. "He stomped up the stairs."
  • stop Past: stopped. Regular. To come to an end; to halt. "The bus stopped outside the library."
  • stretch Past: stretched. Regular. To reach out or pull longer. "The cat stretched in the sun."
  • strum Past: strummed. Regular. To brush the strings of a guitar. "He strummed a few chords."
  • study Past: studied. Regular. To spend time learning. "She studied the map before the hike."
  • stumble Past: stumbled. Regular. To trip and almost fall. "I stumbled over a root."
  • substitute Past: substituted. Regular. To use in place of another. "She substituted honey for sugar."
  • suggest Past: suggested. Regular. To offer as an idea. "He suggested a shorter route."
  • supply Past: supplied. Regular. To give what is needed. "The farm supplied eggs to the cafe."
  • support Past: supported. Regular. To hold up; to back. "Two beams supported the roof."
  • surf Past: surfed. Regular. To ride waves on a board. "She surfed until sunset."
  • surround Past: surrounded. Regular. To be all around. "Tall trees surrounded the cabin."
  • survive Past: survived. Regular. To stay alive through. "The cactus survived the winter."
  • suspect Past: suspected. Regular. To think likely without proof. "She suspected the cat."
  • sustain Past: sustained. Regular. To keep going. "One stove sustained the whole cabin."
  • swallow Past: swallowed. Regular. To make something go down the throat. "She swallowed the pill with water."
  • synthesize Past: synthesized. Regular. To combine parts into a whole. "He synthesized notes from four books."
  • taste Past: tasted. Regular. To try the flavor of. "I tasted the sauce."
  • thank Past: thanked. Regular. To tell someone you are grateful. "She thanked the driver."
  • tickle Past: tickled. Regular. To touch lightly so someone laughs. "She tickled her little brother."
  • tie Past: tied. Regular. To fasten with a knot. "She tied her laces."
  • tiptoe Past: tiptoed. Regular. To walk on the toes to stay quiet. "She tiptoed past the baby's room."
  • tolerate Past: tolerated. Regular. To put up with. "The plant tolerated the dry air."
  • toss Past: tossed. Regular. To throw lightly. "He tossed me the keys."
  • trade Past: traded. Regular. To swap one thing for another. "She traded a sticker for a marble."
  • transform Past: transformed. Regular. To change completely. "Paint transformed the dull hallway."
  • translate Past: translated. Regular. To put into another language. "He translated the menu for us."
  • transport Past: transported. Regular. To carry from place to place. "A barge transported the stone."
  • travel Past: traveled (UK travelled). Regular. To go from place to place. "We traveled by night train."
  • tremble Past: trembled. Regular. To shake slightly. "Her hands trembled before the speech."
  • trip Past: tripped. Regular. To catch a foot and fall. "He tripped on the rug."
  • trust Past: trusted. Regular. To believe in the honesty of. "She trusted her sister's advice."
  • tumble Past: tumbled. Regular. To fall and roll over. "The puppies tumbled down the slope."
  • twirl Past: twirled. Regular. To spin around lightly. "She twirled in her new dress."
  • type Past: typed. Regular. To write with a keyboard. "She typed the letter in ten minutes."
  • undermine Past: undermined. Regular. To weaken bit by bit. "The leak undermined the wall."
  • unlock Past: unlocked. Regular. To open with a key. "She unlocked the gate."
  • unwrap Past: unwrapped. Regular. To take the wrapping off. "He unwrapped the parcel."
  • vacuum Past: vacuumed. Regular. To clean with a vacuum cleaner. "I vacuumed the stairs."
  • validate Past: validated. Regular. To confirm as correct. "The clerk validated our tickets."
  • vanish Past: vanished. Regular. To disappear suddenly. "The fog vanished by noon."
  • verify Past: verified. Regular. To check that something is true. "She verified the address."
  • visit Past: visited. Regular. To go to see a person or place. "We visited the lighthouse."
  • volunteer Past: volunteered. Regular. To offer to do without being asked. "He volunteered to wash up."
  • wait Past: waited. Regular. To stay until something happens. "He waited for the rain to stop."
  • walk Past: walked. Regular. To move on foot at an easy pace. "We walked along the canal."
  • wander Past: wandered. Regular. To walk with no set goal. "We wandered through the market."
  • warn Past: warned. Regular. To tell of a danger ahead. "The sign warned of falling rocks."
  • wash Past: washed. Regular. To clean with water. "We washed the car."
  • watch Past: watched. Regular. To look at for a while. "We watched the ferry leave."
  • water Past: watered. Regular. To pour water on plants. "He watered the tomatoes."
  • wave Past: waved. Regular. To move a hand in greeting. "She waved from the train."
  • weigh Past: weighed. Regular. To find how heavy something is. "He weighed the flour."
  • whisper Past: whispered. Regular. To speak very softly. "She whispered the answer."
  • whistle Past: whistled. Regular. To make a high sound through the lips. "He whistled for the dog."
  • wink Past: winked. Regular. To close one eye for a moment. "Grandpa winked at me."
  • wipe Past: wiped. Regular. To rub clean or dry with a cloth. "He wiped the table."
  • wish Past: wished. Regular. To want something to be true. "She wished for snow."
  • wonder Past: wondered. Regular. To want to know; to be curious. "She wondered who had left the note."
  • work Past: worked. Regular. To do a job or a task. "She worked at the bakery all summer."
  • worry Past: worried. Regular. To feel anxious. "He worried about the test."
  • wrap Past: wrapped. Regular. To cover in paper or cloth. "He wrapped the gift in newspaper."
  • wrestle Past: wrestled. Regular. To struggle hand to hand. "The cubs wrestled in the grass."
  • yawn Past: yawned. Regular. To open the mouth wide when tired. "The whole class yawned."
  • yield Past: yielded. Regular. To give way; to produce. "The orchard yielded a heavy crop."
  • zip Past: zipped. Regular. To fasten with a zipper. "He zipped his jacket to the chin."

Irregular 162

  • arise Past: arose, arisen. Irregular. To come up or begin. "A new problem arose overnight."
  • awake Past: awoke, awoken. Irregular. To stop sleeping. "She awoke before the alarm."
  • babysit Past: babysat. Irregular. To look after a child for a while. "I babysat my cousin on Friday."
  • be Past: was or were, been. Irregular. To exist; to have a quality. "We were late and the bus was early."
  • bear Past: bore, borne. Irregular. To carry; to put up with. "The old bridge bore the weight."
  • beat Past: beat, beaten. Irregular. To win against; to hit many times. "Our team beat last year's winners."
  • become Past: became, become. Irregular. To start to be. "The tadpole became a frog."
  • begin Past: began, begun. Irregular. To start. "The film began at seven."
  • behold Past: beheld. Irregular. To see something striking. "They beheld the valley at sunrise."
  • bend Past: bent. Irregular. To curve something, or your body. "He bent down to tie his shoe."
  • bet Past: bet. Irregular. To risk something on a guess. "I bet him a cookie that it would rain."
  • bind Past: bound. Irregular. To tie tightly together. "She bound the papers with string."
  • bite Past: bit, bitten. Irregular. To cut into with the teeth. "He bit into the apple."
  • bleed Past: bled. Irregular. To lose blood. "My knee bled after the fall."
  • blow Past: blew, blown. Irregular. To push air out; to move in the wind. "She blew out all the candles."
  • break Past: broke, broken. Irregular. To split into pieces; to stop working. "The plate broke on the floor."
  • breed Past: bred. Irregular. To raise animals for their young. "The farm bred sheepdogs."
  • bring Past: brought. Irregular. To carry along to a place. "He brought soup for everyone."
  • broadcast Past: broadcast. Irregular. To send out by radio or television. "The station broadcast the match live."
  • build Past: built. Irregular. To make by putting parts together. "We built a fort from boxes."
  • burst Past: burst. Irregular. To break open suddenly. "The balloon burst with a bang."
  • buy Past: bought. Irregular. To get by paying for it. "I bought two tickets."
  • cast Past: cast. Irregular. To throw; to give an actor a part. "The director cast her as the queen."
  • catch Past: caught. Irregular. To grab something that is moving. "She caught the ball with one hand."
  • choose Past: chose, chosen. Irregular. To pick from what is on offer. "He chose the window seat."
  • cling Past: clung. Irregular. To hold on tightly. "The kitten clung to the curtain."
  • come Past: came, come. Irregular. To move toward the speaker. "They came home late."
  • cost Past: cost. Irregular. To have as a price. "The ticket cost ten dollars."
  • creep Past: crept. Irregular. To move slowly and quietly. "We crept past the sleeping dog."
  • cut Past: cut. Irregular. To divide with a blade. "She cut the cake into eight slices."
  • deal Past: dealt. Irregular. To hand out cards; to handle. "He dealt five cards to each player."
  • dig Past: dug. Irregular. To make a hole in the ground. "The dog dug under the fence."
  • do Past: did, done. Irregular. To carry out an action. "I did my homework early."
  • draw Past: drew, drawn. Irregular. To make a picture with lines. "She drew a map of the island."
  • drink Past: drank, drunk. Irregular. To swallow a liquid. "He drank the whole glass."
  • drive Past: drove, driven. Irregular. To steer and control a vehicle. "She drove us to the station."
  • eat Past: ate, eaten. Irregular. To chew and swallow food. "We ate lunch on the steps."
  • fall Past: fell, fallen. Irregular. To drop down. "Snow fell all night."
  • feed Past: fed. Irregular. To give food to. "He fed the ducks some oats."
  • feel Past: felt. Irregular. To sense by touch or emotion. "I felt a drop of rain."
  • fight Past: fought. Irregular. To struggle against. "The crew fought the fire for hours."
  • find Past: found. Irregular. To come upon after looking. "She found her keys in the fridge."
  • flee Past: fled. Irregular. To run away from danger. "The deer fled into the trees."
  • fling Past: flung. Irregular. To throw with force. "He flung his coat on the chair."
  • fly Past: flew, flown. Irregular. To move through the air. "The geese flew over the lake."
  • forbid Past: forbade, forbidden. Irregular. To order someone not to. "The sign forbade swimming."
  • forecast Past: forecast. Irregular. To say what is likely to happen. "They forecast rain for the weekend."
  • foresee Past: foresaw, foreseen. Irregular. To expect before it happens. "Nobody foresaw the delay."
  • forget Past: forgot, forgotten. Irregular. To fail to remember. "I forgot my umbrella."
  • forgive Past: forgave, forgiven. Irregular. To stop blaming someone. "She forgave him for the broken cup."
  • forgo Past: forwent, forgone. Irregular. To go without by choice. "He forwent dessert."
  • forsake Past: forsook, forsaken. Irregular. To give up or leave for good. "She forsook the city for a farm."
  • freeze Past: froze, frozen. Irregular. To turn to ice; to stop still. "The pond froze in a single night."
  • get Past: got, gotten or got. Irregular. To receive; to become. "I got a letter this morning."
  • give Past: gave, given. Irregular. To hand over to someone. "He gave me his seat."
  • go Past: went, gone. Irregular. To move from one place to another. "We went to the beach."
  • grind Past: ground. Irregular. To crush into powder. "She ground the coffee beans."
  • grow Past: grew, grown. Irregular. To get bigger; to raise plants. "The sunflower grew taller than me."
  • hang Past: hung. Irregular. To fix something at the top so it stays up. "She hung her coat up."
  • have Past: had. Irregular. To own or hold. "We had a small boat."
  • hear Past: heard. Irregular. To take in sound with the ears. "I heard an owl outside."
  • hide Past: hid, hidden. Irregular. To put or stay out of sight. "The cat hid under the bed."
  • hit Past: hit. Irregular. To strike. "She hit the ball over the fence."
  • hold Past: held. Irregular. To keep in your hands or arms. "He held the ladder steady."
  • hurt Past: hurt. Irregular. To cause pain; to feel pain. "My feet hurt after the hike."
  • keep Past: kept. Irregular. To go on having; to store. "She kept every ticket stub."
  • know Past: knew, known. Irregular. To have in your mind as fact. "He knew the way home."
  • lay Past: laid. Irregular. To put something down flat. "She laid the map on the table."
  • lead Past: led. Irregular. To go first and show the way. "The guide led us through the cave."
  • leave Past: left. Irregular. To go away from. "They left before breakfast."
  • lend Past: lent. Irregular. To let someone use for a while. "I lent her my bike."
  • let Past: let. Irregular. To allow. "Dad let us stay up late."
  • lie Past: lay, lain. Irregular. To rest flat. Lie as in fib is regular: lied. "He lay on the grass all afternoon."
  • lose Past: lost. Irregular. To no longer have; to fail to win. "I lost a glove on the bus."
  • make Past: made. Irregular. To create or put together. "She made a kite from paper."
  • mean Past: meant. Irregular. To have as a sense or a purpose. "I meant to call you."
  • meet Past: met. Irregular. To come together with. "We met at the bus stop."
  • mislead Past: misled. Irregular. To give a wrong idea. "The old map misled us."
  • mistake Past: mistook, mistaken. Irregular. To get wrong; to confuse with another. "I mistook salt for sugar."
  • misunderstand Past: misunderstood. Irregular. To get the meaning wrong. "He misunderstood the rules."
  • outgrow Past: outgrew, outgrown. Irregular. To get too big or too old for. "She outgrew her boots by spring."
  • outrun Past: outran, outrun. Irregular. To run faster than. "The hare outran the hounds."
  • overcome Past: overcame, overcome. Irregular. To beat a difficulty. "He overcame his fear of heights."
  • overhear Past: overheard. Irregular. To hear by accident. "I overheard the surprise plan."
  • oversleep Past: overslept. Irregular. To sleep later than planned. "She overslept and missed the bus."
  • overtake Past: overtook, overtaken. Irregular. To catch up with and pass. "The cyclist overtook the tractor."
  • overthrow Past: overthrew, overthrown. Irregular. To remove from power by force. "The rebels overthrew the king."
  • pay Past: paid. Irregular. To give money for. "He paid for the pizza."
  • proofread Past: proofread. Irregular. To check writing for mistakes. "She proofread the essay twice."
  • put Past: put. Irregular. To place somewhere. "I put the milk in the fridge."
  • quit Past: quit. Irregular. To stop doing; to leave a job. "He quit the team in May."
  • read Past: read. Irregular. To look at words and understand them. "She read the letter aloud."
  • rebuild Past: rebuilt. Irregular. To build again. "They rebuilt the barn after the storm."
  • redo Past: redid, redone. Irregular. To do over again. "I redid the first page."
  • repay Past: repaid. Irregular. To pay back. "She repaid the loan early."
  • retell Past: retold. Irregular. To tell a story again. "Grandpa retold the fishing story."
  • rewind Past: rewound. Irregular. To wind back to an earlier point. "He rewound the tape to the start."
  • rewrite Past: rewrote, rewritten. Irregular. To write again in a better way. "She rewrote the ending."
  • ride Past: rode, ridden. Irregular. To sit on and travel along. "He rode his bike to the park."
  • ring Past: rang, rung. Irregular. To make a bell sound. "The phone rang twice."
  • rise Past: rose, risen. Irregular. To go up. "The sun rose behind the hills."
  • run Past: ran, run. Irregular. To move fast on foot. "She ran for the train."
  • say Past: said. Irregular. To speak words. "He said hello to everyone."
  • see Past: saw, seen. Irregular. To notice with the eyes. "We saw a fox in the garden."
  • seek Past: sought. Irregular. To look for; to try to get. "They sought shelter from the rain."
  • sell Past: sold. Irregular. To give in return for money. "She sold lemonade on the corner."
  • send Past: sent. Irregular. To make something go somewhere. "I sent a postcard from the coast."
  • set Past: set. Irregular. To put in place; to get ready. "He set the table for six."
  • shake Past: shook, shaken. Irregular. To move quickly back and forth. "The dog shook water everywhere."
  • shed Past: shed. Irregular. To lose or drop naturally. "The snake shed its skin."
  • shoot Past: shot. Irregular. To send a ball or an arrow flying. "She shot the ball through the hoop."
  • shrink Past: shrank, shrunk. Irregular. To get smaller. "My sweater shrank in the wash."
  • shut Past: shut. Irregular. To close. "He shut the window."
  • sing Past: sang, sung. Irregular. To make music with the voice. "They sang in the car."
  • sink Past: sank, sunk. Irregular. To go down below the surface. "The toy boat sank in the bath."
  • sit Past: sat. Irregular. To rest on a seat. "We sat by the fire."
  • sleep Past: slept. Irregular. To rest with eyes closed and mind at rest. "The baby slept through the storm."
  • slide Past: slid. Irregular. To move smoothly over a surface. "The plate slid off the tray."
  • sling Past: slung. Irregular. To throw or hang loosely. "She slung her bag over one shoulder."
  • speak Past: spoke, spoken. Irregular. To say words; to talk. "He spoke to the whole class."
  • spend Past: spent. Irregular. To use up money or time. "I spent an hour in the bookshop."
  • spin Past: spun. Irregular. To turn around fast. "The dancer spun on one foot."
  • split Past: split. Irregular. To divide into parts. "We split the bill three ways."
  • spread Past: spread. Irregular. To open out; to smear in a layer. "He spread jam on the toast."
  • spring Past: sprang, sprung. Irregular. To jump up suddenly. "The cat sprang onto the wall."
  • stand Past: stood. Irregular. To be upright on your feet. "We stood in line for an hour."
  • steal Past: stole, stolen. Irregular. To take what is not yours. "A magpie stole the ring."
  • stick Past: stuck. Irregular. To fix or stay fixed in place. "The stamp stuck to my thumb."
  • sting Past: stung. Irregular. To prick with a sharp point. "A wasp stung my arm."
  • stink Past: stank, stunk. Irregular. To smell very bad. "The bins stank in the heat."
  • stride Past: strode, stridden. Irregular. To walk with long steps. "She strode across the stage."
  • strike Past: struck. Irregular. To hit; to stop work in protest. "Lightning struck the old oak."
  • string Past: strung. Irregular. To thread on a cord. "He strung lights along the fence."
  • swear Past: swore, sworn. Irregular. To make a solemn promise. "She swore to keep the secret."
  • sweep Past: swept. Irregular. To clean with a broom. "He swept the porch."
  • swim Past: swam, swum. Irregular. To move through water. "We swam to the raft."
  • swing Past: swung. Irregular. To move back and forth. "The gate swung in the wind."
  • take Past: took, taken. Irregular. To get hold of; to carry away. "She took the last slice."
  • teach Past: taught. Irregular. To help someone learn. "He taught me to whistle."
  • tear Past: tore, torn. Irregular. To pull apart. "I tore my sleeve on a nail."
  • tell Past: told. Irregular. To give information in words. "She told us a ghost story."
  • think Past: thought. Irregular. To use the mind. "I thought about it all day."
  • throw Past: threw, thrown. Irregular. To send through the air by hand. "He threw the frisbee too far."
  • thrust Past: thrust. Irregular. To push hard and suddenly. "She thrust the letter into my hand."
  • tread Past: trod, trodden. Irregular. To step on. "He trod on a snail by accident."
  • undergo Past: underwent, undergone. Irregular. To go through an experience. "The bridge underwent repairs."
  • understand Past: understood. Irregular. To know what something means. "She understood every word."
  • undertake Past: undertook, undertaken. Irregular. To agree to take on. "They undertook a long journey."
  • undo Past: undid, undone. Irregular. To open or reverse. "He undid the knot."
  • unwind Past: unwound. Irregular. To relax; to uncoil. "She unwound with a book."
  • uphold Past: upheld. Irregular. To support or defend. "The court upheld the ruling."
  • upset Past: upset. Irregular. To make unhappy; to knock over. "The news upset him."
  • wake Past: woke, woken. Irregular. To stop sleeping. "I woke at dawn."
  • wear Past: wore, worn. Irregular. To have on the body. "She wore odd socks."
  • weep Past: wept. Irregular. To cry. "He wept at the end of the film."
  • win Past: won. Irregular. To come first; to gain by effort. "Our dog won a ribbon."
  • wind Past: wound. Irregular. To turn or wrap around. "She wound the scarf twice."
  • withdraw Past: withdrew, withdrawn. Irregular. To pull back or take out. "He withdrew his name from the list."
  • withhold Past: withheld. Irregular. To keep back. "She withheld her opinion."
  • withstand Past: withstood. Irregular. To hold out against. "The tent withstood the gale."
  • wring Past: wrung. Irregular. To twist and squeeze. "He wrung out the wet towel."
  • write Past: wrote, written. Irregular. To put words on a page. "She wrote her name in the sand."

Two past forms 31

  • burn Past: burned or burnt. Two forms. To be on fire; to damage with heat. "I burned the toast again."
  • dive Past: dived or dove, dived. Two forms. To jump head first into water. "She dove off the high board."
  • dream Past: dreamed or dreamt. Two forms. To see stories in your sleep. "She dreamt of a flying bus."
  • dwell Past: dwelt or dwelled. Two forms. To live in a place; to keep thinking about. "He dwelt on the mistake."
  • fit Past: fit or fitted. Two forms. To be the right size. "The shoes fit last year."
  • kneel Past: knelt or kneeled. Two forms. To go down on your knees. "He knelt to pat the dog."
  • knit Past: knitted or knit. Two forms. To make fabric with yarn and needles. "Gran knitted me a hat."
  • lean Past: leaned or leant. Two forms. To tilt; to rest against. "She leaned on the fence."
  • leap Past: leaped or leapt. Two forms. To jump a long way. "The frog leapt off the log."
  • learn Past: learned or learnt. Two forms. To gain a skill or knowledge. "We learned to juggle."
  • light Past: lit or lighted. Two forms. To set burning; to make bright. "He lit the campfire."
  • misspell Past: misspelled or misspelt. Two forms. To spell wrongly. "I misspelled her name."
  • mow Past: mowed, mown or mowed. Two forms. To cut grass. "She mowed the lawn on Sunday."
  • plead Past: pleaded or pled. Two forms. To beg; to answer a charge in court. "She pleaded for more time."
  • prove Past: proved, proved or proven. Two forms. To show that something is true. "The photo proved him right."
  • saw Past: sawed, sawn or sawed. Two forms. To cut with a saw. "He sawed the plank in half."
  • sew Past: sewed, sewn or sewed. Two forms. To join with needle and thread. "I sewed the button back on."
  • shine Past: shone or shined. Two forms. To give off light; to polish. "The moon shone on the lake."
  • show Past: showed, shown or showed. Two forms. To let someone see. "He showed me his drawing."
  • smell Past: smelled or smelt. Two forms. To sense with the nose. "I smelled fresh bread."
  • sneak Past: sneaked or snuck. Two forms. To move without being noticed. "We snuck in through the back."
  • sow Past: sowed, sown or sowed. Two forms. To plant seeds. "We sowed carrots in rows."
  • speed Past: sped or speeded. Two forms. To move fast. "The train sped past."
  • spell Past: spelled or spelt. Two forms. To name the letters of a word. "He spelled rhythm right."
  • spill Past: spilled or spilt. Two forms. To let liquid fall out. "I spilled tea on the map."
  • spoil Past: spoiled or spoilt. Two forms. To ruin; to go bad. "Rain spoiled the picnic."
  • strive Past: strove or strived, striven or strived. Two forms. To try very hard. "He strove to be fair."
  • swell Past: swelled, swollen or swelled. Two forms. To grow larger and rounder. "My ankle swelled up."
  • weave Past: wove or weaved, woven. Two forms. To make cloth by crossing threads. "She wove a basket from reeds."
  • wed Past: wed or wedded. Two forms. To marry. "They wed in June."
  • wet Past: wet or wetted. Two forms. To make damp. "He wet the brush first."

How this list was compiled: Chosen, defined and given an example sentence for this site. Every one of the 600 verbs was checked by script as a verb in Princeton WordNet 3.1 (https://wordnet.princeton.edu/, file index.verb, database files checked 2026-09-18). Every past tense and past participle printed for the 162 irregular verbs and the 31 verbs with two past forms was matched by script against https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:English_irregular_verbs (fetched 2026-09-18), leaving out the forms that table marks as archaic; all but babysat were also found in WordNet's verb exception list (verb.exc). Regular past forms were built by the spelling rules described at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_verbs (checked 2026-09-18): add -ed, add -d after e, change consonant plus y to -ied, and double the final consonant where WordNet's exception list names the doubled form. Three verbs the appendix lists only for an archaic or dialect variant (slip, shave, work) are treated as regular. Spelling is American; traveled, canceled, shoveled and pedaled also show the British double-l form, which WordNet lists. Hang is printed with hung alone: the appendix also lists hanged, which https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_irregular_verbs (checked 2026-09-18) keeps for the sense of execution, and that sense is left off a list that children use. Each meaning is our own short wording of one common sense, not every sense; each example sentence is ours and shows the verb in the past. The Action verbs chip and the three school levels are our own editorial grading, not an official word list. The grammar facts in the page text were checked on 2026-09-18 against the pages named above: the three sounds of -ed against the English verbs article; that the dozen most used verbs are irregular, that rarer and new verbs take -ed and that went comes from wend against the English irregular verbs article; and the American and British preferences (learned or learnt, dove, snuck) against the Wiktionary appendix. First review 2026-09-18 by the list's writer. Second dated pass, 2026-09-19: the site's two content reviewers checked every past form against WordNet's exception list and the regular rule and read the list for safety, and the words family fixer changed the hang card. Licence: own work