You come across irregular verbs just as you begin to feel like you have the hang of English grammar and the various tenses. Most English words adhere to these guidelines: like today I use, yesterday I used. Because there are no established norms for irregular verbs, they are challenging. You’re not doing it the right way. It is best if you keep these in mind. Be at ease, though you may identify irregular English verbs anywhere with the help of this guide.
Importance of Irregular English Verbs
Many of the standard verbs are irregular, so it’s essential to learn them. There are different words that we often use in conversation that are irregular. It can be necessary to inform someone that you have already started working on a new work-related project. You may say to your buddies, “I saw you in the park yesterday, but I didn’t say anything because I assumed you were busy,” if that’s what you want to say. Be attentive.
The list of irregular verbs is not that long when you think there are over a billion words in the English language. Learning can be complex if you don’t know where to start.
1. Group Common Irregular Verbs Together
Although irregular verbs don’t follow any rules, it is difficult to remember them. However, certain irregular verbs follow the same pattern. Try learning the verbs in groups of similar words rather than learning them in alphabetical order. In alphabetical order, you can learn by searching verbs that start with Y or can explore some other alphabet.
2. Ask People to Correct You
Nothing beats practice, but it’s also crucial to practice correctly! When speaking to someone who speaks English, always ask them to correct you if you make a mistake. This is beneficial for all your English speaking, not just irregular verbs.
3 Learn in Sentences
It may be easier to remember words if they are part of a phrase sentence. Learn while putting words into sentences and learn how to use them correctly. For example, to understand the word see, you could use a sentence like this:
“I’ve seen bees and snow, but I’ve never seen a bee in the snow!”
Get creative. Unfamiliar phrases are easier to remember. You can rhyme, shorten sentences, or use as many verbs as possible to create an entire story.
4. Memorize the 10 Most Common Irregular Verbs First
Not every irregular verb is used frequently. You might never use a word like broadcast, and the word abide is probably only ever used in the phrase “law-abiding citizen” (i.e., a person who maintains the law). Consider the most frequent words first rather than going through the list in alphabetical order.
5 Leave Lists Where You Can See Them
The easiest solution is sometimes memorizing. To simplify this process, sort the verbs into groups of 5–10 terms either by popularity or alphabetically.
You should write the verb down on paper and keep it apparent daily. Attach the list to your table, bathroom wall, or even the back of your coffee pot! Sometimes all it takes to remember is a quick look at this daily list. Continue to the following verb group after you believe you have the entire inventory.
6. Turn Memorizing Into A Game
If you’re having problems memorizing irregular verbs, play games instead of using flashcards. Verb memorization is enjoyable and straightforward due to a variety of online games. The MacMillan Dictionary offers Verbrad, the British Council provides a quiz-like game, and Quia offers a Jeopardy-style game.
Even better, you can design your own flashcard game.
On several index cards, write the verb and its past participle or past verbs (or both). Then lay out each card in front of your face up.
Conclusion
Nothing beats practice, but the quality practice is indeed crucial! If you use an irregular verb, seek a native English expert and ask them to educate you. They always give you feedback and push you to do better. You can quickly learn irregular verbs if you put all of these tips into practice.
