be, do, have and irregular verbs in the Simple Past
How to use special verbs in the Simple Past
Many frequently used verbs are irregular. You find these words in the appendix of a dictionary or in your English book. You must learn these words by heart.
Have a look at the following lists which can be downloaded and printed. (*.pdf files)
Most common irregular verbs
Irregular verbs – complete list
How to learn irregular verbs effectively
1. be as a main verb
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative sentences | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I, he, she, it | I was in Rome. | I was not in Rome. | Was I in Rome? |
we, you, they | They were in Rome. | They were not in Rome. | Were they in Rome? |
2. do as a main verb
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative sentences | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I, he, she, it, we, you, they | I did exercises. | I did not do exercises. | Did I do exercises? |
3. have as a main verb
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative sentences | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I, he, she, it, we, you, they | I had a book. | I did not have books. | Did I have books? |
We often use short/contracted forms with these verbs.