Many English learners try to memorize irregular verbs one by one, as if each verb were a completely unique case. There is a smarter approach: most irregular verbs belong to small families that share the same vowel change pattern. Once you learn the pattern, you unlock an entire group at once.
English has around 200 irregular verbs, but linguists call this vowel-shifting process ablaut, a system inherited from ancient Germanic languages. The good news: the vowel shifts cluster into just a handful of predictable families.
Pattern 1: The i-a-u Family
These verbs follow the classic three-step vowel shift: /ɪ/ in the present, /æ/ in the simple past, and /ʌ/ in the past participle. This is the largest and most reliable pattern.
The past participles for this group all use the /ʌ/ vowel: sung, rung, drunk, swum, begun. Notice that "sung" /sʌŋ/ and "sang" /sæŋ/ differ only in the vowel.
Pattern 2: The Long Vowel to Short Vowel Family
These verbs have a long vowel in the present that shortens in the past (and past participle). Many also add a consonant such as /t/ or /d/ at the end.
Note that "read" /riːd/ becomes "read" /rɛd/ and "lead" /liːd/ becomes "led" /lɛd/. The spelling does not always change, but the pronunciation always does.
Pattern 3: The aɪ - oʊ - ɪ Family
These verbs show a three-way vowel journey: /aɪ/ in the present, /oʊ/ in the simple past, and /ɪ/ in the past participle. They also typically gain an "-en" or "-n" ending in the past participle.
The past participles for this group use /ɪ/: driven /ˈdrɪvən/, ridden /ˈrɪdən/, written /ˈrɪtən/, risen /ˈrɪzən/. The /aɪ/ sound compresses all the way down to the short /ɪ/ in the participle.
Pattern 4: The oʊ - uː Family
These verbs shift from the /oʊ/ vowel in the present to a long /uː/ in the simple past, then back to /oʊ/ for the past participle (with an added "-n").
The past participles return to /oʊ/ with an added "-n": known /noʊn/, grown /ɡroʊn/, blown /bloʊn/, thrown /θroʊn/.
Pattern 5: No Vowel Change (Consonant Shift Only)
These verbs keep the same vowel throughout all three forms. The only change is a consonant swap at the end: /d/ or a vowel sound becomes /t/. Many learners mispronounce these by adding an extra syllable ("-ed") as if they were regular verbs.
Quick Reference Table
| Pattern | Present | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| i-a-u | sing /ɪ/ | sang /æ/ | sung /ʌ/ |
| i-a-u | drink /ɪ/ | drank /æ/ | drunk /ʌ/ |
| i-a-u | swim /ɪ/ | swam /æ/ | swum /ʌ/ |
| Long-Short | meet /iː/ | met /ɛ/ | met /ɛ/ |
| Long-Short | keep /iː/ | kept /ɛ/ | kept /ɛ/ |
| Long-Short | feel /iː/ | felt /ɛ/ | felt /ɛ/ |
| aɪ-oʊ-ɪ | drive /aɪ/ | drove /oʊ/ | driven /ɪ/ |
| aɪ-oʊ-ɪ | write /aɪ/ | wrote /oʊ/ | written /ɪ/ |
| oʊ-uː-oʊ | know /oʊ/ | knew /uː/ | known /oʊ/ |
| oʊ-uː-oʊ | blow /oʊ/ | blew /uː/ | blown /oʊ/ |
| Consonant-Only | send /ɛnd/ | sent /ɛnt/ | sent /ɛnt/ |
| Consonant-Only | build /ɪld/ | built /ɪlt/ | built /ɪlt/ |
Practice Sentences
Read these sentences aloud, paying attention to the vowel shifts in the bold verbs:
- She used to sing in a choir, but last year she sang at a stadium. Now she has sung on three continents.
- I drink water all day. Yesterday I drank two liters. I have never drunk soda at work.
- He wanted to drive, but she drove instead. They have both driven this route many times.
- I know the answer. I knew it yesterday too. I have always known it.
- We spend Friday nights together. Last Friday we spent three hours at the museum.
Tips: How to Learn These Patterns
- Group by pattern, not alphabetically. Standard vocabulary lists put "begin, began, begun" next to "be, was, been" even though they belong to completely different families. Instead, study all the i-a-u verbs together: sing/sang/sung, ring/rang/rung, drink/drank/drunk.
- Say the trio aloud as a unit. "Sing, sang, sung" said in rhythm trains your ear to expect the vowel sequence. Your mouth begins to anticipate the next sound.
- Focus on the past participle separately. Many learners confuse simple past and past participle. For Pattern 3, the participle uses a completely different vowel (/ɪ/ instead of /oʊ/), so it deserves extra attention.
- Use minimal-pair awareness. "Sang" /sæŋ/ versus "sung" /sʌŋ/ differ by a single vowel feature. Practicing them side by side sharpens your ear and your production.
- Watch for spelling traps. "Read" is spelled the same in present and past, but pronounced differently: /riːd/ versus /rɛd/. When you see this word, context and pronunciation are your only guides.