1. Irregular Verbs
This presentation is brought to you by Grammar Bytes!, ©2011 by Robin L. Simmons.
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2. Verb Forms I know you can say hook , hooked . . .
But can you say took, tooked?

3. This presentation covers the use of regular and irregular verb forms.
A question on an objective test might look like this . . .

4. Sample Item Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as A
he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of B
the car and drived into a ditch. C
sung
chosing
drove
No change is necessary.
Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as A
he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of B
the car and drove into a ditch. C
sung
chosing
drove
No change is necessary.
Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as
he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of
the car and drived into a ditch.
sung
chosing
drove
No change is necessary.
sung
was chosing
drove
No change is necessary.
Is sang, choosing, or drived a badly formed verb?
Drived is incorrect, which option C fixes.

5. Regular verbs have reliable forms.
Infinitive
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
Present Participle
to laugh
laugh(s)
laughed
laughing
to start
start(s)
started
starting
to travel
travel(s)
traveled
traveling
Or to fish, fish(es), fished, fished, fishing!

6. Irregular verbs, however, have no consistent patterns.
Infinitive
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
Present Participle
to drive
drive(s)
drove
driven
driving
to think
think(s)
thought
thinking
to drink
drink(s)
drank
drunk
drinking
to swim
swim(s)
swam
swum
swimming
For example, to catch, catch(es), caught, caught, catching!

7. On many objective exams, you cannot use a dictionary to look up the correct form!

8. When in doubt, rely on “gut” feelings.
Your eyes have seen in print — and your brain has registered — all of the possible verb forms that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer, go with the one that feels right.
Hey, I’ve seen that verb before!

9. Quick Test
Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.”
Show me what you know.

10. Item 1 We knew that Charley had hidden the cookies in A B
his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in C
all the dresser drawers.
knowed
hidden
stealed
No change is necessary.
We knew that Charley had hid the cookies in
his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in
all the dresser drawers.
knowed
hidden
stealed
No change is necessary.
We knew that Charley had hid the cookies in
A B
his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in C
all the dresser drawers.
knowed
hidden
stealed
No change is necessary.

11. Item 2
Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.
chosen
choosen
chose
No change is necessary.
Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.
chosen
choosen
chose
No change is necessary.
Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.
chosen
choosen
chose
No change is necessary.

12. Item 3 James brought roses and begged forgiveness, but A
when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved B
his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his C
face.
brought
seen
shutted
No change is necessary.
James brung roses and begged forgiveness, but
when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved
his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his
face.
brought
seen
shutted
No change is necessary.
James brung roses and begged forgiveness, but A
when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved B
his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his C
face.
brought
seen
shutted
No change is necessary.

13. Item 4
If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.
took
tooked
taken
No change is necessary.
If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.
took
tooked
taken
No change is necessary.
If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.
took
tooked
taken
No change is necessary.

14. Item 5 Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor A
Cook’s desk; he had written the last sentence at B
2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to C
deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.
layed
written
run
No change is necessary.
Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor A
Cook’s desk; he had wrote the last sentence at B
2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to C
deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.
layed
written
run
No change is necessary.
Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor
Cook’s desk; he had wrote the last sentence at
2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to
deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.
layed
written
run
No change is necessary.
brought
seen
shutted
No change is necessary.

15. Item 6
We would have knowed that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.
of knowen
have known
have knew
No change is necessary.
We would have knowen that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.
of knowen
have known
have knew
No change is necessary.
We would have knowen that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.
of knowen
have known
have knew
No change is necessary.

16. Item 7 Margaret broke the cookie and gave half to A B
the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they
told stories to pass the time as mechanics C
worked on the hydraulics.
broke
gived
telled
No change is necessary.
Margaret breaked the cookie and gave half to
the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they
told stories to pass the time as mechanics
worked on the hydraulics.
broke
gived
telled
No change is necessary.
Margaret breaked the cookie and gave half to
A B
the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they
told stories to pass the time as mechanics C
worked on the hydraulics.
broke
gived
telled
No change is necessary.

17. Item 8
Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.
of went
have gone
have goed
No change is necessary.
Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.
of went
have gone
have goed
No change is necessary.
Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.
of went
have gone
have goed
No change is necessary.

18. Grammar Bytes! provides additional handouts and exercises on irregular verb forms. Go to chompchomp.com!
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19. Don’t let the right verb form get away!
The End.
Don’t let the right verb form get away!