10 of the Best Irregular Verbs Interactive Games (that Students Actually Want to Play)

As a teacher, I know how challenging it can be to get older ESL students excited about learning irregular verbs. These irregular verbs interactive games offer so much engagement for any ESL learner. The repetitive nature of memorizing and practicing these verbs often feels tedious, which can lead to disengagement. 

That’s why I’ve turned to creative tools like word walls, interactive games, and hands-on exercises to make learning irregular verbs more engaging and effective. Let me share some ideas and strategies that have worked wonders in my classroom.

As a teacher, I know how challenging it can be to get older ESL students excited about learning irregular verbs. The repetitive nature of memorizing and practicing these verbs often feels tedious, which can lead to disengagement. 

That’s why I’ve turned to creative tools like word walls, interactive games, and hands-on exercises to make learning irregular verbs more engaging and effective. Let me share some ideas and strategies that have worked wonders in my classroom.

Irregular Verbs Exercises

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that exercises need to go beyond worksheets. Older students respond better to tasks that feel purposeful. For example, I like to design activities where students complete sentences using irregular verbs worksheets or games in real-life scenarios.

Here’s an idea:

• Verb Sorting Challenge: Create cards with the base form, past tense, and past participle of irregular verbs. Students work in pairs to match them correctly, racing against the clock.

For added variety, I mix these exercises with speaking tasks. I might ask students to share a short story using a set list of irregular verbs, which not only reinforces their understanding but also boosts their confidence in speaking. If you're working on speaking, hand out these super fun past tense verbs role play cards. 

Irregular Verbs Games

Games have been a game-changer (pun intended!) in my ESL classroom. One of my favorites is a variation of charades:

• Write irregular verbs on slips of paper.
• Students act out a sentence using one of the verbs, and their classmates guess both the verb and its tense.

Another hit is Verb Bingo. Each student gets a bingo card with different verb forms, and I call out sentences like "She has [eaten] all the cookies!" They mark the correct form on their cards. These types of games bring energy and fun into the classroom while reinforcing learning.

I've also used these super cute irregular verbs puzzles which my students loved! Another irregular verbs board game which they ask for too.

Irregular Verbs Wordwall 3 Forms

Wordwalls are one of my secret weapons for teaching irregular verbs like with irregular verbs anchor charts, especially when focusing on their three forms (base form, past tense, past participle). I dedicate a section of my classroom wall to a colorful display of these verbs, organized in columns.

Each week, I introduce a few new verbs to the wall. Students can reference it during writing activities, and we often use it for quick review games. For instance:

• Matching Madness: I hand out cards with sentences missing a verb form, and students have to find the correct verb on the word wall to complete the sentence.

Here are some Wordwall favorites:

  

Have them work in pairs, spin the wheel and make past tense sentences! So fun, as an added bonus, I get them writing their sentences and I check them later. Great way to combine speaking, listening and writing! 

Using digital tools like Wordwall.net has also made a big difference. It allows me to create interactive activities where students drag and drop verb forms, complete timed quizzes, or even compete in leaderboard-style games. The platform keeps learning dynamic and gives my students instant feedback.

If you’re struggling to engage your older ESL students with irregular verbs, try mixing things up with exercises, games, and tools like word walls. Trust me, making these lessons interactive can transform how your students feel about learning grammar. Do you have any go-to strategies for teaching irregular verbs? I’d love to hear your ideas!