Find Out What Makes a Verb "Regular" or "Irregular" | Rules & Examples

Want to brush up on your English skills & polish grammar?

You’ve come to the right place.

Today, we are going to talk about verbs (action verbs that bring sentences to life).

Specifically, we’ll figure out what makes a verb “regular” or “irregular,” explore the rules, and look at some examples. By the end of this guide, you’ll feel like an expert at spotting the difference. Let’s get started!

What Are Verbs, and Why Do They Matter?

Let's get real about verbs.

Verbs are the action words of your sentences or phrases. Without them, sentences would not flow! 

When you say, “She runs fast,” runs is doing all the heavy lifting. It’s simple! But here's where it gets interesting: verbs come in two flavors: 1) Regular verbs, 2) Irregular verbs.

Whenever you want to describe an action, talk about something that happened, or explain what someone is doing, you need a verb.

Verbs change to show when something happens. Like walk becomes walked to show something happened in the past. But not all verbs follow the same rule. Some verbs play by their own rules.

Let’s look at some examples.

Imagine you're telling a story about your day:

• I play basketball. (present)

• I played basketball. (past)

• I will play basketball. (future)

See how that verb play shifts? 

Sometimes it's straightforward, sometimes it's tricky. That's the verb world for you!

Why should you care about verbs?

The answer is simple: Communication is key.

Read this sentence: “She swimmed yesterday.”

Doesn’t it sound weird?

Yes, it does.

That's because verbs have specific rules. Some follow a simple pattern; others don't. And knowing the difference can make your writing shine.

Take this example: Picture a dog. “The dog barks.” (present) becomes “The dog barked” (past). 

Super-easy!

But then “The dog eats” becomes “The dog ate” – no -ed in sight! That’s how verbs work.

What Are Regular Verbs?

Regular verbs always do what you expect.

The rule is simple: add -ed to show something happened in the past. That's it. No surprises, no complications.

Take jump. 

“I jump.” becomes “I jumped”. Same with play: “They play” turns into “They played.”

But wait, there's more! 

Not all regular verbs are created equal. We are sharing some tricks that will save you from committing grammar mistakes:

Ending in -e? Just add –d

• dance → danced

• smile → smiled

• hike → hiked

Ends in consonant + -y? Swap -y for –ied

• study → studied

• cry → cried

• hurry → hurried

Short verb with a consonant after a vowel? Double that last consonant

• stop → stopped

• plan → planned

• hop → hopped

Pro tip: These rules might seem complicated now, but you’ll master them with practice.

Imagine you're at a party. “I talk to friends” becomes “I talked to friends”. “They laugh” turns into “They laughed”. “We dance all night” shifts to “We danced all night”.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs don’t follow a set pattern. That’s why they are tricky for students. 

Get ready for some verb chaos:

• go → went

• drink → drank

• write → wrote

• eat → ate

• see → saw

No -ed in sight! Some verbs even stay the same:

• cut is cut in both the present and the past

• hit remains hit

• put doesn't change

Take a look at these examples:

• “She runs home” becomes “She ran home”

• “She sees a bird” turns into “She saw a bird”

• “She takes a photo” becomes “She took a photo”

About 200 irregular verbs exist in English. 

With practice, they'll stick in your brain.

Here are some common irregular verbs you'll want to memorize:

• be → was/were

• have → had

• make → made

• come → came

• do → did

Regular vs. Irregular—Rules, Examples, and Tips

Let's break this down fast.

Regular verbs: Add -ed

• paint → painted

• listen → listened

• talk → talked

Irregular verbs: No rules

• buy → bought

• swim → swam

• catch → caught

How do you tell them apart? 

Simple test: Try adding -ed. If it sounds normal, it's regular. If it sounds weird, it's irregular.

Quick Pro Tips to Level Up Your Verb Game

• Practice regular verbs with everyday actions: cook, clean, play

• Make a list of common irregular verbs: go, eat, come

• Use flashcards

• Mix them in your writing: "She jumped high and saw the stars"

Bonus Hack

Context is everything. The more you read and write, the more these verb patterns will become second nature. You've got this! Regular verbs are your steady friends, irregular verbs are the exciting rebels. Practice both, and your English will be improved.