This page focuses on A–B–B irregular verbs – verbs whose infinitive changes, while the simple past and past participle share the same form (e.g., bring – brought – brought). Use the table to spot spelling patterns (like -ought/-aught) and group similar verbs together to make them easier to memorize. As you study, practice with short sentences that contrast the infinitive and the repeated past forms to reinforce both meaning and form.
| Infinitive | Simple past | Past participle |
|---|---|---|
| behold | beheld | beheld |
| bend | bent | bent |
| bind | bound | bound |
| bleed | bled | bled |
| breed | bred | bred |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| burn | burnt (also burned) | burnt (also burned) |
| buy | bought | bought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| cling | clung | clung |
| clothe | clad (also clothed) | clad (also clothed) |
| creep | crept | crept |
| deal | dealt | dealt |
| dig | dug | dug |
| dream | dreamt (also dreamed) | dreamt (also dreamed) |
| dwell | dwelt (also dwelled) | dwelt (also dwelled) |
| feed | fed | fed |
| feel | felt | felt |
| fight | fought | fought |
| find | found | found |
| flee | fled | fled |
| fling | flung | flung |
| foretell | foretold | foretold |
| grind | ground | ground |
| hang (thing) | hung | hung |
| have | had | had |
| hear | heard | heard |
| hold | held | held |
| inlay | inlaid | inlaid |
| input | input (also inputted) | input (also inputted) |
| keep | kept | kept |
| kneel | knelt (also kneeled) | knelt (also kneeled) |
| knit | knit (also knitted) | knit (also knitted) |
| lay | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| lean | leant (also leaned) | leant (also leaned) |
| leap | leapt (also leaped) | leapt (also leaped) |
| learn | learnt (also learned) | learnt (also learned) |
| leave | left | left |
| lend | lent | lent |
| light | lit (also lighted) | lit (also lighted) |
| lose | lost | lost |
| make | made | made |
| mean | meant | meant |
| meet | met | met |
| mislead | misled | misled |
| misspell | misspelt (also misspelled) | misspelt (also misspelled) |
| misunderstand | misunderstood | misunderstood |
| outshine | outshone (also outshined) | outshone (also outshined) |
| overhear | overheard | overheard |
| pay | paid | paid |
| plead | pled (also pleaded) | pled (also pleaded) |
| rend | rent | rent |
| say | said | said |
| seek | sought | sought |
| sell | sold | sold |
| send | sent | sent |
| shine (intransitive) | shone | shone |
| shoe | shod | shod |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| sit | sat | sat |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| slide | slid | slid |
| sling | slung | slung |
| slink | slunk | slunk |
| smell | smelt (also smelled) | smelt (also smelled) |
| sneak | snuck (also sneaked) | snuck (also sneaked) |
| speed | sped (also speeded) | sped (also speeded) |
| spell | spelt (also spelled) | spelt (also spelled) |
| spend | spent | spent |
| spill | spilt (also spilled) | spilt (also spilled) |
| spin | spun | spun |
| spit | spat (also spit) | spat (also spit) |
| spoil | spoilt (also spoiled) | spoilt (also spoiled) |
| stand | stood | stood |
| stick | stuck | stuck |
| sting | stung | stung |
| string | strung | strung |
| sweep | swept | swept |
| swing | swung | swung |
| teach | taught | taught |
| tell | told | told |
| think | thought | thought |
| understand | understood | understood |
| uphold | upheld | upheld |
| weep | wept | wept |
| wet | wet (also wetted) | wet (also wetted) |
| win | won | won |
| wind | wound | wound |
| withhold | withheld | withheld |
| withstand | withstood | withstood |
| wring | wrung | wrung |
| hamstring | hamstrung | hamstrung |
| overthink | overthought | overthought |
| oversleep | overslept | overslept |
