Grammar · Past & Perfect Tenses
Irregular Verbs List
Some verbs do not take -ed in the past. Learn the most common ones with the film The Jungle Book.
Grammar › Past & Perfect Tenses › Irregular Verbs List
The rule in one sentenceMost verbs add -ed in the past — walk → walked — but some common verbs change in their own way — go → went — so you learn them one by one.
About the film
The Jungle Book is a Disney film from 1967. A black panther called Bagheera found a baby boy, Mowgli, in the jungle, and a family of wolves looked after him. Years later, Bagheera took Mowgli on a trip to the man village, and on the way the boy met Baloo, a happy bear.
What does it do?
To talk about the past, we usually add -ed to a verb. Walk becomes walked. Play becomes played. These verbs are easy.
But some verbs do not take -ed. They change in a different way. Go becomes went. See becomes saw. Many of the most common verbs are like this, so it is good to learn them early.
Look at the tiles. “Looked” and “played” end in -ed. “Found” and “met” do not. You cannot guess them. You need to learn them.
Common irregular verbs: the list
Here are 36 verbs you will use every day. The first word is the verb. The blue word is the past. The last word is for later, with have: I have seen it.
Mowgli lived with the wolves for ten years. Then Bagheera took him away from the pack.
“Live” takes -d. “Take” changes to “took”. Both sentences are about the past.
Visual guide
Teacher Teddy’s illustrated guide to this rule is being drawn — the full swipe-through infographic will appear here soon.
How to make it
Regular — add -ed
Baloo danced in the jungle.
Verbs that end in -e just add -d.Mowgli didn’t want to leave.
didn’t + verb (no -ed)Did the wolves love him?
Did + verb (no -ed)Irregular — a new past word
Baloo sang a happy song.
sing → sangMowgli didn’t go back to the wolves.
didn’t + go (not “went”)Where did Bagheera find the baby?
did + find (not “found”)When to use each one
Regular — most verbs
Irregular — common verbs
Words that help: is it the past?
These words tell you the story is in the past. Look for them, then choose the past word.
Common mistakes
❌ Bagheera finded a baby in the jungle.
✅ Bagheera found a baby in the jungle.
“Find” is irregular. The past is “found”.
❌ Mowgli goed with Bagheera.
✅ Mowgli went with Bagheera.
“Goed” is not a word. The past of “go” is “went”.
❌ Baloo singed a song.
✅ Baloo sang a song.
sing → sang. No -ed.
❌ Did Mowgli met Baloo?
✅ Did Mowgli meet Baloo?
After “did”, use the verb with no change.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
The third word in the list is for “have”. We use it to talk about life up to now. It is often different from the past.
✅ I saw The Jungle Book last week. (past: see → saw)
✅ I have seen it three times. (have + seen)
❌ I have saw it. — after “have”, use the third word.
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose one answer. You get the answer, and why.
1. Bagheera ___ a baby in the jungle.
find → found.
2. The wolves ___ after Mowgli.
It is the past, so add -ed → looked.
3. Mowgli ___ Baloo the bear.
meet → met.
4. Baloo ___ a happy song.
sing → sang.
5. Bagheera ___ Mowgli to the man village.
take → took.
6. Did Mowgli ___ with Baloo?
After “did”, use the verb with no change → go.
7. Yesterday I ___ The Jungle Book with my son.
“Yesterday” tells you it is the past → watched.
8. Have you ever ___ this film?
After “have”, use the third word → seen.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
Keep going
More lessons
Practise listening at your level
Hear this grammar used for real — Beginner English listening practice. Full movie reviews in slow, clear English, levelled for Beginner learners. One new episode every week, free, with a transcript. BeginnerFree playlistWatch on YouTube