Irregular verbs can be challenging for English as a Second Language (ESL) students due to their unpredictable conjugations. However, there are effective ways to teach these verbs, making the learning process engaging and fun. In this blog post, we will explore what irregular verbs are, how to teach them, and various irregular verbs games, past tense speaking activities and printable resources for ESL students to practice and reinforce their understanding.
We've also listed a big number of the best irregular verbs worksheets here which I have found to be the most engaging over the years.
What are Irregular Verbs?
Irregular verbs are verbs that don't follow the typical pattern of conjugation in English. Unlike regular verbs, they don't form their past tense and past participle by simply adding "ed" to the base form. Instead, irregular verbs have unique and often irregularly changing forms.
How do we Teach Irregular Verbs?
Teaching irregular verbs can be made enjoyable and effective
by incorporating various methods.
One approach is through visual aids like charts and posters,
which help students visualize the irregular verb forms. Using mnemonic devices
or memory tricks can also assist in memorizing these challenging verb forms.
Frequent practice and exposure to irregular verbs in
different contexts will reinforce learning. Games for ESL Students to Practice
Irregular Verbs. Games make learning more engaging and interactive for ESL
students. Here are some fun games to practice irregular verbs:
- Verb Charades: Students act out the actions represented by
irregular verbs, while others guess the verb.
- Verb Bingo: Create bingo cards with irregular verbs in
their base form. Call out the past tense or past participle, and students mark
the correct verb on their cards.
- Verb board game: this one is super simple, this themed irregular verbs board game is perfect for reluctant or quite ESL students.
- Verb Race: Divide students into teams and give them sets
of irregular verb flashcards. The first team to match all the verb forms
correctly wins the race.
Students respond really well to irregular
verbs anchor charts too, it tends to be imprinted in their minds a lot more
easily when remembering the verbs.
Irregular Verbs List of the Most Common Verbs
Provide a list of the most frequently used irregular verbs.
Include the base form, past tense, and past participle for each verb. Students
can use this list as a reference while practicing.
You could also check out this fun list of irregular
verbs Wordwall list of activities you can incorporate in your lessons.
If your kids are younger, have them create an action
verbs craft which I found to be so fun even with my older students. Printables
for Teaching Irregular Verbs. Share printable resources, such as a colorful
poster with the irregular verbs chart, flashcards, and worksheets.
The poster can double as a file folder game, allowing
students to match the base form with the correct past tense or past participle. We worked online on some irregular verbs interactive games here too!
Mastering irregular verbs is an essential aspect of learning English. Download your free list of printables below after signing up on the locker! *You may need to refresh the page to see that the image has unlocked after sign up.
Be sure to check out the list of the most common
regular verbs here too!
By incorporating engaging teaching methods and fun games, ESL students can strengthen their grasp of these verbs.
The printable poster and resources provided in this blog post will serve as valuable tools for educators to
make the learning experience enjoyable and effective for their students. Happy learning and practicing!
Don't forget to check out the irregular verbs self correcting puzzles here too for even more fun!
Irregular Verbs Made Simple
Let’s be real—irregular verbs can feel like the unruly kids in class. They don’t follow the rules, they’re all over the place, and sometimes they leave you scratching your head. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back! If you're teaching ESL students or even kids some irregular verbs, I promise you, this list will be your best friend, otherwise, if you're wanting to learn more and are a student, read on...
I’ve put together a super handy PDF featuring 100 of the most common irregular verbs in English. This bad boy includes a neat table with the infinitive form, past simple, and past participle for each verb. Think of it as your secret weapon for tackling tricky verbs like “go-went-gone” or “eat-ate-eaten.”
But wait—there’s more! The second part of the PDF is all about you. It’s an interactive activity where some verbs are missing from the table.
Your job? Fill in the blanks! Trust me, it’s way more fun than it sounds, and it’s perfect for practicing and memorizing these rule-breaker verbs.
Don’t let irregular verbs stress you out. Download this PDF, ace those verbs, and laugh in the face of irregularity. (Okay, maybe don’t laugh out loud)
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Go ahead—sign in, grab the file, and get your grammar game on!