VerbsA1
Past simple: irregular verbs
The core irregular set (went, had, said, got, made, saw...) and was/were as the past of be
Learning Goal
I can use the core irregular pasts and was/were fluently in stories and questions.
Exam Skills:A2 Key ListeningA2 Key Speaking
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
We went to Edinburgh, saw the castle and ate too much shortbread.
We went to Edinburgh, saw the castle and ate too much shortbread.
Where were you? I was at home — I had a cold.
Where were you? I was at home — I had a cold.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
The 20 most useful irregular pasts:
| go→went | have→had | say→said | get→got |
| make→made | see→saw | come→came | take→took |
| know→knew | give→gave | find→found | think→thought |
| tell→told | buy→bought | eat→ate | drink→drank |
| write→wrote | read→read [red] | do→did | be→was/were |
Negatives and questions still use did + base form: I didn't go. Did she see it? Only be works alone: I wasn't there. Were you?
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice Exercises
- *goed, *taked → went, took
- *didn't went → didn't go
- *Did you was...? → Were you...?
Common Error Patterns
-ed on irregular verbs
went, took, made — learn the top 20 as chunks
was/were mixed
I/he/she/it was; you/we/they were
We went to Edinburgh, saw the castle and ate too much shortbread.
We went to Edinburgh, saw the castle and ate too much shortbread.
Three irregular pasts in one trip.
Where were you? I was at home — I had a cold.
Where were you? I was at home — I had a cold.
was/were question and answer without did.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Put it into practice
Try a free exercise from the courseFrequently asked questions
- When is Past simple: irregular verbs used?
- Negatives and questions still use did + base form: I didn't go. Did she see it? Only be works alone: I wasn't there. Were you?
- What are common mistakes with Past simple: irregular verbs?
- *goed, *taked → went, took *didn't went → didn't go *Did you was...? → Were you...?