How to learn English irregular verbs easily. How to learn irregular verbs in English quickly and easily

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Remember when you first encountered irregular verbs back in school? Remember how the holidays were hopelessly ruined by the task "to learn the table of irregular verbs." Remember how you mechanically crammed endless columns from the very beginning of the list: begin - began - begun? ... And since that time you have a terrible dislike for irregular verbs.

So, before you again lies a huge list of words written in three columns. You have to learn them, and preferably as soon as possible. What are your actions? You take a list and teach again from the very beginning, stepping on the same rake.

Words are not remembered and confused, you get nervous and quit.

However, in English without irregular verbs - nowhere. Time past simple, the Perfect tense group, and many constructions require the second or third form of the verb. Therefore, you will have to learn verbs, but how to learn exactly - read on.

For effective learning a monotonous series of forms, memorizing words in alphabetical order is not the most best method, and most of you have already seen this. To make learning not only productive, but also enjoyable, one should look for other ways and patterns. Irregular verbs, like any other lexical material, must be grouped and structured. In this article, you will find a few ideas for memorizing irregular verbs, although, of course, there can be many more, and you can create your own. native method convenient for you personally.

All Irregular Verbs of English language we can conditionally divide into three main groups.

To the first group Let's take the verbs that have all three shapes are the same. This group is the smallest and these verbs are the easiest to remember. Examples of verbs of the first group:

Most irregular verbs fall into second group, where verbs are presented, in which two forms match. As a rule, this is the second and third form. But there are also those who have the same first and third (come - came - come). You only need to remember two forms, which makes your task much easier. Examples:

feel felt felt feel
meet met met meet, meet
read read read read
* the second and third forms are read /red/
win won won win, win
** the second and third form is read /wʌn/
run ran run run

Third group most difficult to remember, because we will include verbs in which all three forms are different. For example:

be was/were been to be
* the second form has two variants: was for the singular, were for the plural.
know knew known know
eat ate eaten eat, eat
drink drank drunk drink
take took taken take, take

Divide the verbs on your list into these three groups. Start learning from the first. When you remember them, you can move on to the second and after memorizing the verbs of the second group, the third will not be difficult for you.

If you look closely at the irregular verbs of the English language, many of them form the second and third form according to certain principles. I will highlight some of them:

1. Changing the vowel according to the principle: [ɪ] - [æ] - [ ʌ ]

drink drank drunk drink
begin started begun start off
ring rank rung call
sing sang sung sing
swim swam swum to swim

2. Vowel change in the second and third forms:

3. The second and third forms have the ending -ought or -aught, which is pronounced /ɔːt/:

4. Change (stunning) consonant:

build built built build
spend spent spent spend time, spend money
lend lent lent lend
bend bent bent to bend, bend

5. The second form ends in -ew, and the third -wn:

6. The second form contains O or OO, and the third form ends in -en:

take took taken take, take
break broke broken smash
shake shook shaken shake
speak spoke spoken speak

If, when studying a new irregular verb, you pay attention to the principle by which its forms are formed, then it will be much easier for you to remember it.

This method is great for both adults and children. Since many verbs are formed according to the same principles, they rhyme perfectly. Rhymes, as you know, are remembered much faster than a list. By making short rhymes with four verbs, you yourself will memorize them automatically and help your children learn them. I will give some examples:

begin started begun
do did done
make made made
pay paid paid
buy bought bought
bring brought brought
break broke broken
speak spoke spoken

I know from my own experience that this method is one of the most effective. Worth a try!

Many people find it easier to perceive a large amount of vocabulary if it is grouped into semantic categories. Irregular verbs can also be divided into thematic categories. For example:

1. Movements (movements):

go went gone go, walk
ride rode ridden ride
drive drove driven drive

2. Mental activities ( mental activity):

know knew known know
forget forgot forgotten forget
think thought thought think

3. Verbs connected to verbal activity (verbs associated with speech):

4. Verbs related to money (verbs related to the topic of money):

5. Education (Education):

teach taught taught teach
learn learned learned study
mistake mistook mistaken make mistakes

There are as many categories as you want and you can sort the verbs according to your own associations. This method is suitable for those students who already have a certain stock of irregular verbs and continue to expand their vocabulary. Create your own classification, write down the verbs that you are familiar with, and when you come across a new irregular verb, put it in one of the categories.

Approach learning creatively and with a smile. With a positive attitude, you will succeed not only in learning irregular verbs

The problem of memorizing irregular verbs is certainly of interest to all those who study English. Working with a table of irregular verbs has always been not the easiest. Are there methods that make this process easier? In this article, we will look at the most effective ways to learn irregular verbs.

Irregular verbs in English

Verbs in English are divided into regular (regular verbs) and irregular (irregular verbs), depending on how they form the past tense and participle forms. Irregular verbs are so named because they form the past tense general rule. Linguistic scientists claim that in 70% of cases it is irregular verbs that are used in speech. Means, memorizing or memorization and correct use different forms of verbs is an important part of learning English.

Do I need to learn all 470 irregular verbs? In general, no, since only 180 of them are often used. Every second learner of English faces some difficulty in memorizing irregular verbs.

Irregular verbs with transcription and translation
be were been to be / to be
begin started begun start off)
can could could be able to physically
come came come come
do did done - to do do
find- found found find
get ["ɡet] got ["ɡɒt] got ["ɡɒt] get/become
give [ɡɪv] gave [ɡeɪv] given [ɡɪvn] give
go [ɡəʊ] went ["went] gone [ɡɒn] go / go
have had had to have / to possess
hear heard heard hear
keep kept kept keep / store
know knew known know
learn learned learned to learn / learn
leave left left leave / leave
let let let let / let
light lit lit light up / light up
make ["meɪk] made ["meɪd] made ["meɪd] do / force
May might might be able / have the right
put put put put
read red red read
saw sawed sawn to saw
say said said speak / say
see saw seen see
set set set put / place
shall [ʃæl] should [ʃud] should [ʃud] be to
show [ʃəu] showed [ʃəud] shown [ʃəun] show
take took taken ["teɪk(ə)n] take
tell told told to tell / inform
think [θɪŋk] thought [θɔ:t] thought [θɔ:t] think
will would would want to be
write wrote written ["rɪt(ə)n] write

We also offer to study the top 100 most popular irregular verbs in the English language.

One of the most common ways to learn irregular verbs is rote memorization. But as a result very soon most of learned words are forgotten. Therefore, it is often better to resort to the table of irregular verbs in case of necessary help.

But since all English learners still need to learn the forms of irregular verbs in any way, we have selected some of the most effective strategies for making the learning process effective, simple and, at the same time, fun.

Group verbs by way of formation

If you need to work with large amounts of information, then structuring comes to the rescue. Despite the fact that irregular verbs are not formed according to the rules, there are still some patterns, for example: the coincidence of all forms: cut -cut-cut, put-put-put or changing the root vowel: write-wrote-written, drive -drove-driven.

Be sure to learn verbs with translation

First you need to understand well the meaning of each verb and only then memorize its forms. In this case, a person will be able to use the verbs correctly both in speech and in writing with confidence. For example, come- come, blow- blow.

Learn verbs in songs and poems

Another way to learn irregular verbs is to memorize them with songs or poems that use their various forms. You can also make them yourself. Here's how, for example, here:

I am a brick throw - threw - thrown, (throw)
He is in the window fly - flew -flown, (fly)
me uncle catch - caught -caught, (catch)
To mom and dad bring - brought - brought. (drive)
So far I'm surprised
Fling -flung -flung where is he from? (leap out)
Cling - clung - clung by the collar, (to cling)
Oh, and the mischievous old man!
I, of course, say -said - said, (talk)
That the neighbor broke the window
He doesn't me hear - heard -heard, (hear)
How he leads me to execution.
I am danger feel - felt -felt(feel)
And I was ready kneel - knelt - knelt... (get on your knees)
Oh, and I hit hard -
cost - cost - cost a lot of glass! (cost)

Make up sentences or stories using irregular verbs

To easily remember a new verb (this also applies to other parts of speech), you need to try to use this verb in oral speech in lessons with a teacher and with friends and in writing. You can use this method anywhere and anytime. You can come up with different stories with irregular verbs on the way to work, or you can just try to describe yesterday: Yesterday I went for a walk and visited my friends…

Games using irregular verbs

This strategy is useful not only for children, but also for adults. One of the most common ways is to learn irregular verbs using flashcards. These can be either self-composed cards (word - transcription - translation) or electronic cards, where various technologies for memorizing words (audio voice acting and visual accompaniment). Crossword puzzles can be used for self-testing.

So, remembering irregular verbs is actually not so difficult. The main thing in this process is motivation: the desire to learn how to correctly use irregular verbs in your speech.

Vocabulary
regular verbs- regular verbs
irregular verbs- Irregular Verbs
memorizing- memorization
card- card
transcription- transcription
translation- translation

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

As you know, English verbs are divided into regular and irregular. In order to use the verb in different tenses without errors, it is necessary to master all its forms.

Many students do not know how to learn irregular verbs fast. First of all, you should imagine the amount of work ahead. The English language has 250 irregular verbs, and you can’t do without them, because, as a rule, the most important and frequently used words in speech fall into exceptions. But on initial stage try to remember the second and third forms of 50-70 verbs.

Textbooks provide complete or short alphabetical lists of irregular verbs. They are convenient for reference purposes, but not for memorization. For faster learning, you should use a different selection system. It is most convenient to break all irregular verbs into several groups.

The first group consists of short monosyllabic verbs, in which all three forms coincide:

cut-cut-cut - cut;

let-let-let - allow;

put-put-put - put;

cost-cost-cost - cost;

shut-shut-shut - close;

hit-hit-hit - hit.

This list can include another verb read (read, read), however, the second and third forms of this verb are pronounced the same as the word red.

Second group of verbs:

send (sent, sent) - send;

lend (lent, lent) - lend;

bend (bent, bent) - bend;

spend (spent, spent) - spend.

Third group:

lead (led, led) - lead;

feed (fed, fed) - feed;

bleed (bled, bled) - to bleed.

The fourth group of irregular verbs:

know (knew, known) - to know;

grow (grew, grown) - grow;

blow (blew, blown) - blow;

throw (threw, thrown) - throw.

The fifth group of irregular English verbs is characterized by vowel alternation:

sing (sang, sung) - to sing;

ring (rang, rung) - call;

drink (drank, drunk) - drink;

swim (swam, swum) - swim;

begin (began, begun) - to begin.

Sixth group:

feel (felt, felt) - feel;

sleep (slept, slept) - sleep;

keep (kept, kept) - keep; Keep;

weep (wept, wept) - cry;

sweep (swept, swept) - sweep.

Seventh group:

bear (bore, born) - endure; beget;

tear (tore, torn) - tear;

wear (wore, worn) - wear (clothes);

swear (swore, sworn) - to swear; swear.

In the eighth group, the verbs deviated slightly from the rule in writing:

lay (laid, laid) - put;

pay (paid, paid) - pay;

say (said, said) - to say.

The ninth group consists of verbs that are completely different from each other, the second and third forms of which are unusual for us.

bring (brought, brought) - bring;

think (thought, thought) - to think;

fight (fought, fought) - fight;

buy (bought, bought) - buy;

catch (caught, caught) - to catch;

teach (taught, taught) - to teach.

Now that these nine lists have been formed, the question “how to quickly learn irregular verbs” will no longer arise for those who study English. With a little patience, you will quickly get the job done.

In English quickly and easily? Sooner or later, all people who want to master a foreign language are forced to ask this question. As you know, the language used by the inhabitants of foggy Albion and many other countries contains over 500 irregular verbs. Fortunately, in Everyday life about 150-200 is enough. How to remember them, spending a minimum of time?

How to learn irregular verbs in English quickly: grouping

It's no secret that structuring information makes it easier to perceive and remember. How to learn irregular verbs in English quickly? Tables in which words are divided into groups will help in solving this problem. The principle of division may differ.

Some tables contain groups in which the verbs of communication, movement, stages, presence, quantity, and so on are given separately. Others involve separating verbs that have the same form from verbs with different forms. each student will be able to independently choose the appropriate tables for study.

How to learn irregular verbs in English quickly and easily? It is great if a person does not find the necessary tables on the Internet or textbooks, but composes them with his own hand, dividing the words into groups convenient for himself. This will help activate not only visual, but also motor memory.

Making a plan

Do you know how to learn irregular verbs in English quickly? The result of the student's efforts directly depends on the frequency of classes, their regularity. It is advisable to take up the study of new words daily (or at least every other day), mastering approximately 8-10 verbs per day.

For quick memorization, it is best to use not only visual, but also motor type of memory. Learned verbs should be immediately written down in English, their translation must be given next to them. Having made a mistake, you need to write the word again a few more times. Until all 10 verbs are written correctly, you should not take on the development of the next group.

Repetition is the mother of learning

How to quickly learn irregular verbs in English so that they stay in memory for a long time? To do this, it is enough to regularly repeat the memorized words. Experienced teachers recommend doing this every time before learning a new group of verbs, otherwise they will be quickly forgotten.

Another effective tool for consolidating new words in memory is a daily mini-dictation. Write down the meanings of the verbs different groups without referring to the source table. To conduct a “dictation”, the help of other people is not required, it is enough just to close the column with verbs, and leave only their translation visible.

Another useful exercise is the use of learned words in sentences that are composed independently. This will help to fix in memory not only verbs, but also the rules for their use, connection with tenses.

We use posters

There is another way to learn quickly. Educational posters created using landscape sheets and felt-tip pens will help achieve this goal. Some people print out such colorful tutorials from the Internet, but it is much more useful to prepare them yourself.

Do not write too many verbs on one poster, it is better to use more paper. To write words, multi-colored felt-tip pens are used, this helps them not to “merge” with each other. Finished posters are hung on the wall, which stands desk. You can choose any other place where a person studying a foreign language spends a lot of time. It is desirable to reread the column with words as often as possible.

creative solution

On the Internet, you can find many poems that are written specifically for people who are trying to fix irregular verbs in their memory. Such verses are easy to remember, evoke positive emotions. For example: "I'm in the cafeteria buy-bought-bought an excellent sandwich." It's great if a person can compose such sentences on their own.

Poems are one of the most effective tools you can use to "fight" English irregular verbs. Many people who have tested the method in action have been able to memorize up to 50 words daily. The main thing is to pay attention not only to the pronunciation of verbs while memorizing the chain, but also to how to write them correctly.

association method

Associative memory is an effective "weapon" that should not be overlooked either. How to quickly learn irregular verbs in English using this method? For example, a person needs to remember once and for all the verb "ring" (ring) and its existing forms. You can write down the ring-rang-rung chain on a piece of paper and then stick it near where the phone is. Similarly, you can do with the rest of the verbs, the memorization of which is necessary for the student.

Of course, there are those verbs that are extremely difficult to remember. In this case, the student will also come to the aid of associative memory. For example, the verb knit (“knit”) can be associated with threads, and the word steal (“steal”) with the domestic “steal”. You should not limit your imagination, because the more colorful the images are, the easier it will be for them to be deposited in memory.

Storytelling

How to quickly learn irregular verbs in English with translation? There is a method similar to that in which poems appear. The student can make up his own story, which will use maximum amount words kept in memory. It is advisable to use when writing a story different forms verbs rather than focusing on one of them.

To write such a story, it is not at all necessary to have a solid vocabulary, it is enough just to navigate the grammar. Sentences can be as simple as possible, the main thing is to include memorized verbs in them.

It is great if a person not only writes down his stories, but also tells them to friends and relatives. It is also useful to conduct dialogues in a foreign language, using various forms irregular verbs. If no one in the student’s environment speaks English, he can easily find a native speaker after studying thematic and linguistic forums.

Common Mistakes

How to quickly learn irregular verbs in English (in 5 minutes)? Unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve such a result, even with a trained memory. It is wiser to set realistic goals for yourself - this approach is more effective, as it helps to avoid disappointment. Approximately 8-10 words per day is the best, according to the opinion of experienced teachers, an option for long-term memorization. Of course, this statement is true if the student studies every day and does not forget about the need to return to the material covered daily.

There is another mistake often made by people studying English irregular verbs. Students fix in memory the forms of words, forgetting to ask about their translation. Realizing this, they are forced to actually start learning anew. It is also wrong to learn only the spelling or pronunciation of the verb, it is better to memorize everything at once.

Finally, do not get carried away with traditional “cramming”, abandoning creative methods such as playing associations, writing poems and stories, using posters and reminder sheets.

Greetings, my dear readers.

AT modern world everyone wants to do everything quickly. Get a high position at work, instantly fly from one end of the world to another, quickly master new language. But only the laws of nature cannot be deceived. Although you can try.

Today I will touch on perhaps the most important and painful topic for any lover of the English language: how to remember irregular English verbs. More precisely, how to do it as much as possible in short terms and preferably forever.

Faced with such a problem?

I'm sure yes. That's why I prepared for you 7 simple and effective ways how to remember these nasty "irregular" verbs as quickly as possible.

Biggest Mistake

But I want to start a little with something else - with the most important mistake that many learners of English make. And it consists in the fact that the majority trying to cover all 170 words in 1 day. How long did it take you to learn how to walk?

Our brain is designed in such a way that what you have learned today will go into long-term memory only after a day, or even a couple. Of course, if you have a test tomorrow, and you need to learn the words, then you can do it overnight, but the day after tomorrow you will simply forget most of them.

Therefore, be prepared for the fact that it will take you at least 1 week to memorize the necessary vocabulary.

I will not forget to remind you of the cool Lingualeo course, designed specifically for memorizing English irregular verbs . All of them are available when you purchase a Premium account in this service. If this is the first time you hear about Lingvaleo, then you can read about it. There she tells “what and how and for what”!

Well, now, perhaps, let's move on to the methods themselves.

Ideas

  • Grouped tables.

Most English words are similar in their forms. And in fact, if you group the words correctly, then all 170 can be quickly learned in a week. I have prepared for you examples of such groups that will help you significantly reduce your time on. Here is one such group:

See other groups of verbs with pronunciation.

Take yourself one group of words or several small groups to master them in a day. On the way to work, during lunch or breakfast, spend 10-15 minutes on these words and you will not notice how by the evening you can easily remember their forms without the help of cheat sheets.

  • Poems and songs .

Forward and with a song, gentlemen!

Songs and a wide variety of videos are great helpers in learning the language. Many have probably seen a rap video where in 3 minutes you can have fun and easily learn the right words. If you haven't experienced this before, I'm giving you this chance. Combine useful and interesting.


Little children remember a lot with the help of songs and poems, as on their own. mother tongue, as well as in English. Take an example from them. Poems help to quickly learn vocabulary, putting everything in the closest corners of long-term memory.

Today, there are dozens of poems on the Internet, where, if not in 5 minutes, then in a couple of days of active repetition, you can learn the most commonly used groups of words.

  • Exercise, exercise and more exercise.

I once had a lazy student. Well, lazy. She was very diligent, always did homework and all additional exercises. But getting her to sit down and learn a table of irregular verbs or related prepositions was absolutely impossible.

And then we found a simple solution: we started doing more exercises! Where are these nasty words found the most? Of course, in . We worked through, it seems, more than a couple of hundred texts, until all the most widespread verbs were brought to automatism.

To be honest, this method is not the most optimal in terms of timing. But in 2 weeks of constant study, you can master the verbs perfectly.

  • Reading.

When you read any text - emphasize the forms of the verbs you need. More often than not, we don't even notice how many of them we miss while reading. Once you start paying attention to them, every time you see them, you will remember them.

Take simple texts- best of all, or fairy tales, where most of the text is written in the past tense - and analyze. At the very least, your subconscious will be satisfied that it still meets what you teach in practice.

  • Tale about yourself.

Vocabulary is best remembered in - and this applies not only to children, but also to adults. One of the most simple games is to come up with stories about yourself. Make up stories as often as possible, as incredible and interesting as possible. For example,

Once upon a time there was a king, who saw a beautiful princess and fell in love with her…

And so come up with the most incredible stories about yourself, your friends and acquaintances. The more incredible and memorable the story, the easier it will be for you to learn the irregular verbs used in it.

  • Cards.

An old as the world way to quickly learn not only irregular verbs, but also any foreign vocabulary. Use cards. On one side write the explanation of the word, and on the other its form. And in general, you can come up with any kind of card that you feel comfortable using.

If you regularly work with a large amount of information that you need to remember, or you just need to develop your memory to the maximum, use advice from Stanislav Matveev memory record holder. This man proved that everyone is capable of more than he thinks.

Just 20 words a day. Only 1.5 weeks of daily study, and your vocabulary will increase by 170 words.

  • Online simulators.

If a computer or tablet has become an integral part of your life, and you are nowhere without them, combine business with pleasure. Now you can find several games online that help you learn vocabulary in the shortest possible time.

For example, in a game, you need to enter as soon as possible irregular shapes verbs to save the dog. On the wave of excitement and adrenaline, you can even remember what you didn’t know.

You can use universal online simulators for the development of memory and thinking! One of these is Brain Fitness . I talked about it in detail in. Here I will say briefly - start practicing immediately! In a month you will see results not only in memorization English words but also in many other ways!

Well, my dears, are your hands already itching to start learning new words faster? I agree, when you have at least 7 ways to do it as quickly as possible in your arsenal, you don’t want to waste a minute.

So I'm sending you to wonderful world irregular verbs, but before that I will say: if you are someone who wants to master all the subtleties as quickly as possible and know all the most interesting things from the world of the English language - welcome to my mailing list. My subscribers are the first to receive useful information. Stay up to date as well.

And for today I say to you "Goodbye!".

See you soon!

If you, dear friend, are interested in learning how to memorize texts in English faster, then I ask

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