Page 27 - Grammar_Programme

Irregular Verbs:

Most irregular verbs are only irregular for the past tense.

You now know that most verbs obey the rule of just adding ‘ed’ for the past tense
(REGULAR VERBS). However, for some verbs the word changes in other ways or
may even stay the same for the past tense. These are called IRREGULAR VERBS.

For example, the past tense of ‘I eat’ is not ‘I eated’ – it is ‘I ate’.

Some more examples of irregular verbs are given in the table below.

VERB PAST TENSE EXAMPLE OF PAST TENSE

To begin began I began to fall. (NOT: I beginned ...)
To build built They built the bridge. (NOT: I builded ...)
To choose chose The judge chose the winner. (NOT: The judge choosed...)

To do done Have you done your homework? (NOT: Have you doned...?)
To buy bought Fiona buys sweets. (NOT: Fiona buyed...)
To shut shut Did you shut the door? (NOT: Did you shutted ...)

SINGULAR AND PLURAL
 Singular refers to one person or thing.
 Plural refers to more than one person or thing.

The verb forms for ‘you’ are the same for both singular and plural for all of
the tenses. Examples:

Dean, you are playing in my team. Gina and Sally, you are playing in my team.
Dean, you played well yesterday. Gina and sally, you played well yesterday.

Dean, you will play in my team. Gina and Sally, you will play in my team.

The tricky verb ‘to be’

The trickiest irregular verb is the verb ‘to be’. It changes its form more than any
other verb. Let’s look at its form in each of the tenses.

Present tense:
I am ... you are ... (singular) he is/ she is /it is ...
we are ... you are ... (plural) they are...

Future tense:
I will be ... you will be ... (singular) he will be/ she will be /it will be...
we will be ... you will be ... (plural) they will be...
Past tense:
I was ... you were ... (singular) he was/ she was /it was...
we were ... you were ... (plural) they were

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