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15 . Past Participle of Irregular Verbs in the Present…
15 . Past Participle of Irregular Verbs in the Present Perfect Tense
Most verbs that are irregular in the past tense are also irregular in the present perfect tense. Irregular verbs in the past tense form in unusual ways. For example, the present tense verb sing becomes sang in the past tense and becomes has/have sung in the present perfect tense.
Past Participles of Irregular Verbs
Simple Form Past Tense Present Perfect Tense
begin I began school today. I have begun school today.
do Jose did well in school. Jose has done well in school.
fall Joe and Juanita fell. Joe and Juanita have fallen.
Notice how each of the verbs forms the past perfect by adding have or has + the past participle. However, unlike regular verbs, these participles are not formed simply by adding -ed. Rather, you must remember the past participle in order to form the present perfect tense of irregular verbs.
Here is a list of common irregular verbs. If you are unsure of the past participle of a verb, look it up in the following chart.
Reference ChartIrregular Verbs: Present, Past, and Past Participle
Simple Form Past Tense Past Participle Simple Form Past Tense Past Participle
be was, were been lead led led
become became become leave left left
begin began begun let let let
blow blew blown lie lay lain
break broke broken lose lost lost
bring brought brought make made made
build built built mean meant meant
buy bought bought meet met met
catch caught caught pay paid paid
choose chose chosen quit quit quit
come came come read read read
cut cut cut ride rode ridden
deal dealt dealt rise rose risen
dig dug dug run ran run
dive dove dived say said said
do did done see saw seen
draw drew drawn seek sought sought
drink drank drunk sell sold sold
drive drove driven send sent sent
eat ate eaten shake shook shaken
fall fell fallen shine shone shone
feed fed fed sing sang sung
feel felt felt sit sat sat
fight fought fought sleep slept slept
find found found speak spoke spoken
fly flew flown spend spent spent
forbid forbade forbidden split split split
forget forgot forgotten spring sprang sprung
forgive forgave forgiven stand stood stood
freeze froze frozen steal stole stolen
get got gotten stink stank stunk
give gave given swim swam swum
go went gone take took taken
grow grew grown teach taught taught
have had had tear tore torn
hear heard heard tell told told
hide hid hidden think thought thought
hold held held throw threw thrown
hurt hurt hurt wake woke woken
keep kept kept wear wore worn
know knew known win won won
lay laid laid write wrote written
Directions: In each sentence in the following table, an irregular verb appears in bold. For each of these verbs, choose the correct helping verb “have” or “has” (depending on the number and person of its noun) plus its past participle from the dropdown menus to form the present perfect tense.
Sentence Helping Verb (has or have) Past Participle
Nicholas left his cell phone on top of his car. has/have left/leaved
I swam many times at the Rec Center pool. has/have swam/swum
My father and mother told me that their car is off-limits. has/have told/telled
Victoria and Marsha gave their old clothes away to charity. has/have gave/given
The dogs ran down the road. has/have ran/run
The room stank like moldy fruit for days. has/have stank/stunk
Applying Concepts: In the following paragraph about the Bracero Program, complete each sentence by selecting the blank line and choosing “have” or “has” plus the past participle of the verb in parentheses to form the present perfect tense. (Hint: Some verbs are regular and some are irregular.)
Remembering the Braceros
While many associate World War II with battles abroad, America was also fighting at home to keep the economy afloat. The United States faced an enormous labor shortage because many American men were serving abroad. In 1942, the U.S. and Mexican governments formed the Bracero Program to bring Mexicans into the United States to alleviate the shortage, especially in agribusiness. Recently, the braceros (come) forward to publicize their ill-treatment while working on farms in the United States. The National Museum of American History (collect) photographs and audio excerpts of the oral histories and experiences of many of the braceros in its Bittersweet Harvest/Cosecha Dulce exhibit. More than one bracero (say) that he lacked drinking water and latrines while working on American farms. Also, many braceros (feel) indignant about the Department of Agriculture personnel spraying them with DDT, the carcinogenic pesticide, before they could enter the United States. One former bracero (describe) himself as “looking like Santa Claus” from the amount of carcinogenic powder on him. In addition to the living and working conditions, the braceros (reveal) that they did not see their promised wages, or if they did, they had to spend almost all of it for food or tools to perform their jobs. The stories of the old braceros (call) attention to the complex and often sullied labor practices between Mexico and the United States, which still challenge both nations today.
