Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[inyen]

I am looking for regularities in the English irregular verbs.
Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Airth]

There are many regularities you can find if you look hard enough.
Actually, it is a good idea to break them down into patterns and learn a little at a time.

Why don't you try these ones to get you started? They all follow the I-A-U pattern:

Begin Began Begun
Drink Drank Drunk
Ring Rang Rung
Swim Swam Swum
Sink Sank Sunk
Shrink Shrank Shrunk
Sing Sang Sung
Spring Sprang Sprung
Sting Stang Stung
Stink Stank Stunk

Run is nearly the same but doesn't start with an I:

Run Ran Run

The key to pronunciation is to go up on the A and down on the U. Just remember the A points up and the U down.

If you need more help just shout!