5 Tips to Learn Irregular Verbs

There are about 200 irregular verbs in English. They are called irregular because they don’t follow the pattern and there is not one rule you can learn for them. You probably have an alphabetical list of irregular verbs already. If you do and you have tried to memorize the verbs by studying such a list, you know how difficult it is. I have 5 tips for you that will make this task much easier, faster, and more effective.

1. Learn the 20 most common irregular verbs first.

Never memorize the alphabetical list. Not all irregular verbs are commonly used and you will be wasting your time. Start with the most common verbs instead and always memorize all the forms: present, past, and past participle

2. Group irregular verbs together.

Irregular verbs don’t follow any rules, but luckily some follow a similar pattern. I have created a few groups for you to help you memorize the verbs. You will notice that learning from the lists created by me is much faster and more effective than memorizing the alphabetical list you already have.

3. Make flashcards

Write the infinitive of the verb on one side, which means “to” plus the present tense. On the other side, write the past tense and the past participle of the word. Use the cards to quiz yourself.

4. Practice using irregular verbs in sentences.

Every day use 5 to 10 irregular verbs to write about what you did the previous day and what you plan to do the following day. You can write simple sentences on a sheet of paper or turn it into diary writing.

5. Download apps to learn irregular verbs and play online games.

It is a lot of fun to practice irregular verbs using apps that turn learning them into a game. Once the app is on your phone or tablet, play the game to start reinforcing your verbs.