Lesson 22—Irregular verbs 1. Past participles Don’t use the past tense form of a verb where the past participle is called for. For instance, don’t say I have spoke when you mean I have spoken. The perfect tenses and some modifying phrases require the past participle of the verb, not the past tense form of the verb. For some verbs, like to golf, both forms look the same. We may say I golfed as well as I have golfed. But for many irregular verbs, the past participle differs from the past tense form. Make sure you know the irregular past participle forms of the following common verbs. It may help to put these on flash cards. 2. Common irregular verbs www.cracksat.net www.satpanda.com www.cracksat.net www.satpanda.com Past participle practice Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the verb: 1. We might have __________ (to ride) the bus as far as Los Angeles if we had had enough money. 2. Those issues have not yet __________ (to arise) in this discussion. 3. In the last two years, the Patriots have __________ (to beat) the Jets four times. 4. Peter told me that I should not have __________ (to drink) the water. 5. We should have __________ (to go) to the mall. 6. I could not have __________ (to get) such good grades this quarter if I had not changed my study habits. 7. The Donnellys have __________ (to run) their corner store for over twenty years. 8. Before last night, they had not even __________ (to speak) about the incident. 9. I can’t believe you put my wool sweater in the dryer and __________ (to shrink) it. 10. His batting average has really __________ (to sink) ever since his injury. 11. I wish that she had not __________ (to speak) for so long. 12. It seems as if the flowers have __________ (to spring) out of the ground overnight. 13. We should have __________ (to take) that shortcut to work. Circle the past participle(s) or past tense verb(s) in each sentence, and make any necessary corrections. 14. Elisha could never have went to the state finals if I had not convinced her to join the team in the first place. 15. In retrospect, it seems I might have took too much time on the essay portion of the test. 16. While we played video games, Danny lay on the couch all afternoon. 17. Most people find it amazing to consider that, millions of years ago, life sprung from a primordial swamp. 18. Carl would have tore his uniform if he had not stopped his slide at the last second. 19. The generals forsook their own troops to surrender and save their own lives. 20. When the temperature sunk below zero, the pipes bursted like water balloons. 21. The assets of the company were froze as soon as it declared bankruptcy. 22. When the cook rung the bell for dinner, the whole camp raced up the hill. 23. George needed his friends more than ever, but they had forsook him. 24. We sung just about every song we knew, then we went to bed. 25. The senator could have spoke a lot longer, but she yielded the floor to her colleague. www.cracksat.net 3. Tip for improving your essay Mistaking the past tense form for the past participle form is a type of diction error. As we discussed in Lesson 21, diction errors make your writing seem unpolished. If you are inclined to say things like we had spoke in-stead of we had spoken, use the list of irregular verbs in this lesson to make flash cards with the infinitive form on one side and the past participle form on the other, and study them. 4. Tip for the multiple-choice questions As we discussed in Lesson 18, any perfect-tense verbs, like had eaten, must relate logically to the other verbs in the sentence. You should also make sure that, whenever a perfect tense is called for, the correct past participle form is used. Also, do not use the past participle when the past tense is called for. www.satpanda.com In last week’s concert, that we was attended by many parents and since the beginning , we sung every song . Two verbs are underlined in this sentence: sung and had been taught. Since the teaching occurred over an extended time in the past and was completed before the concert began, it is properly in the past perfect tense, and the past participle taught is in the correct form. The verb sung, however, is in the incorrect form. The past tense of to sing is sang, and the past participle is sung. In this context, the past tense is called for, so choice (B) should be changed to sang. Answer Key Past participle practice 1. We might have ridden the bus… 2. Those issues have not yet arisen in this discussion. 3. In the last two years the Patriots have beaten… 4. Peter told me that I should not have drunk the water. 5. We should have gone to the mall. 6. I could not have gotten such good grades… 7. The Donnellys have run their corner store… 8. Before last night, they had not even spoken about… 9. I can’t believe you put my wool sweater in the dryer and shrank it. 10. His batting average has really sunk ever since his injury. 11. I wish she had not spoken for so long. 12. It seems as if the flowers have sprung out of… 13. We should have taken that shortcut to work. 14. Elisha could never have gone to the state finals… 15. In retrospect, it seems I might have taken too much… 16. While we played video games, Danny lay on the couch all afternoon. (The sentence is correct. Lay is the past tense of to lie.) 17. Most people find it amazing that, millions of years ago, life sprang from a primordial swamp. 18. Carl would have torn his uniform if he had not stopped his slide at the last second. 19. The generals forsook their own troops to surrender and save their own lives. (The sentence is correct. Forsook is the past tense of to forsake.) 20. When the temperature sank below zero, the pipes burst like water balloons. 21. The assets of the company were frozen as soon as it declared bankruptcy. 22. When the cook rang the bell for dinner, the whole camp raced up the hill. 23. George needed his friends more than ever, but they had forsaken him. 24. We sang just about every song we knew… 25. 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