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Irregular past tense verbs worksheets

A free five-page pack: learn the rule with pictures, then sort words, find them in sentences and use them in writing, with an answer key.

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Watch it solved

45 sec · with voice and captions

A pencil works one example of each activity, so you can see how the worksheet goes before you print it. Tap a step to jump to it. The rest of the sheet is left for your child to finish.

Read what the video says
  1. 0:00 Let's practice irregular past tense verbs, step by step.
  2. 0:04 Most verbs add -ed to tell about the past (walk, walked). Irregular verbs change in a special way (eat, ate; go, went). For example: Yesterday we went to the park and ate lunch.
  3. 0:17 Look and say: ate, swam, flew.
  4. 0:21 Read each word, and write it in the right box. Took goes in the irregular box.
  5. 0:27 Read each sentence. Circle the irregular past tense verb. We went to the zoo.
  6. 0:33 Today it happens. Yesterday it already happened. Today I go. Yesterday I went.
  7. 0:39 Great job! Now print the free worksheet, and finish the rest on your own.

The rule

Most verbs add -ed to tell about the past (walk, walked). Irregular verbs change in a special way (eat, ate; go, went).

Yesterday we went to the park and ate lunch.

Look and say

  • ateI ate an apple.
  • swamThe fish swam.
  • flewThe bird flew away.
  • drankI drank my milk.
  • wroteI wrote a note.
  • rodeWe rode our bikes.
  • madeDad made a cake.
  • sleptThe baby slept.

Try some

We went to the zoo.Show answer
Omar ate a sandwich.Show answer
The bird flew to its nest.Show answer
I saw a rainbow.Show answer
Zara wrote a letter.Show answer
The kids rode the bus.Show answer
Dad made pancakes.Show answer
The fish swam fast.Show answer

Find the words in each sentence, then tap to check.

What the worksheets look like

Irregular past tense verbs worksheet, page 1
Page 1: learn the rule
Irregular past tense verbs worksheet, page 2
Page 2: sort the words

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Common questions

What are irregular past tense verbs?

Most verbs add -ed to tell about the past (walk, walked). Irregular verbs change in a special way (eat, ate; go, went).

How do I teach irregular past tense verbs?

Irregular verbs are learned by hearing and using them. Read aloud often, and play "Today I..., yesterday I..." with a ball toss: one child says the verb, the next says the past tense.

What mistake should I watch for?

Adding -ed to irregular verbs, as in "goed" or "eated". Repeat the sentence back correctly ("Oh, you went to the store?") rather than marking it wrong when children speak.

What grade learns irregular past tense verbs?

Usually 3rd grade. In the Common Core it is part of L.3.1d.