Irregular Verbs – English Grammar Exercises for A2
You are at the mall with a friend who is about to buy a very expensive designer watch. Read your conversation and choose the best option (A, B, or C) to complete each sentence.
1 I know you love that watch, but please listen to me. Last month, I ______ to this exact same store.
(A) go
(B) went
(C) goed
2 I was very excited and I ______ a lot of money on a designer jacket.
(A) spend
(B) spended
(C) spent
3 It ______ me almost my entire monthly salary!
(A) cost
(B) costs
(C) costed
4 At that moment, I ______ that I would look amazing in it.
(A) thought
(B) think
(C) thinked
5 I ______ for the jacket using my credit card without thinking twice.
(A) pay
(B) payed
(C) paid
6 But after a few days, I ______ a much cheaper one online.
(A) finded
(B) found
(C) find
7 I quickly realized I ______ my money on something completely useless.
(A) spent
(B) spend
(C) spended
8 The next morning, I ______ the jacket back to the store to return it.
(A) bringed
(B) bring
(C) brought
9 The cashier ______ me that they do not accept returns on sale items.
(A) tell
(B) told
(C) telled
10 I was so upset and angry that I ______ the store in tears.
(A) leaved
(B) leave
(C) left
11 Because of that stupid jacket, I ______ all my savings for the month.
(A) lost
(B) losed
(C) lose
12 I had no cash left for food, so my parents ______ me some money to survive.
(A) lend
(B) lended
(C) lent
13 Since that terrible day, I have ______ to be much more careful with my finances.
(A) chose
(B) choosed
(C) chosen
14 So, have you really ______ about this expensive purchase?
(A) thought
(B) thinked
(C) think
15 Look at the price tag! That is more money than you have ______ in a whole month.
(A) maked
(B) made
(C) make
16 I have ______ you my honest advice as a good friend.
(A) gived
(B) give
(C) given
17 You will deeply regret it after you have ______ all your money today.
(A) spent
(B) spended
(C) spend
18 I have finally ______ that impulse shopping is a dangerous habit.
(A) understand
(B) understood
(C) understanded
19 Have you ______ the cheaper options in the other store yet?
(A) saw
(B) seen
(C) seed
20 Put your wallet away! I have already ______ enough time watching you make bad choices!
(A) spend
(B) spent
(C) spended
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B)
Explanation: “went” is the correct past simple (V2) of “go”. (C) is a common mistake (applying the regular “-ed” rule). (A) is a grammar error because it uses the present tense instead of the past tense required by “Last month”.
2 (C)
Explanation: “spent” is the correct V2 of “spend”. (B) is a common mistake (many learners add “-ed” incorrectly). (A) is a grammar error due to using the present tense.
3 (A)
Explanation: “cost” is the correct V2 (it remains unchanged from V1). (C) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error because the story is told in the past tense.
4 (A)
Explanation: “thought” is the correct V2 of “think”. (C) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
5 (C)
Explanation: “paid” is the correct V2 of “pay”. (B) is a common spelling mistake. (A) is a grammar error.
6 (B)
Explanation: “found” is the correct V2 of “find”. (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
7 (A)
Explanation: “spent” is the correct V2 of “spend” to describe the past action. (C) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
8 (C)
Explanation: “brought” is the correct V2 of “bring”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
9 (B)
Explanation: “told” is the correct V2 of “tell”. (C) is a common mistake. (A) is a grammar error.
10 (C)
Explanation: “left” is the correct V2 of “leave”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
11 (A)
Explanation: “lost” is the correct V2 of “lose”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
12 (C)
Explanation: “lent” is the correct V2 of “lend” (to give money temporarily). (B) is a common mistake. (A) is a grammar error.
13 (C)
Explanation: “chosen” is the correct past participle (V3) of “choose”, required here for the Present Perfect tense (“I have chosen”). (A) is a common mistake (using V2 instead of V3). (B) is a grammar error.
14 (A)
Explanation: “thought” is the correct V3 of “think” (Present Perfect: “have you thought”). (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
15 (B)
Explanation: “made” is the correct V3 of “make” (to make money). (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
16 (C)
Explanation: “given” is the correct V3 of “give” (Present Perfect: “I have given”). (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
17 (A)
Explanation: “spent” is the correct V3 of “spend” (Present Perfect: “have spent”). (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
18 (B)
Explanation: “understood” is the correct V3 of “understand”. (C) is a common mistake. (A) is a grammar error.
19 (B)
Explanation: “seen” is the correct V3 of “see”. (A) is a common mistake (using V2 “saw” after “have”). (C) is a grammar error.
20 (B)
Explanation: “spent” is the correct V3 of “spend” (Present Perfect: “I have spent”). (C) is a common mistake. (A) is a grammar error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- The “D” to “T” Rule: A very common pattern for irregular verbs is changing the final “d” in the base form to a “t” in the Past Simple (V2) and Past Participle (V3).
- spend -> spent -> spent (I spend $10 today / I spent $10 yesterday / I have spent all my money).
- lend -> lent -> lent (Can you lend me money? / He lent me $50).
- send -> sent -> sent (I send emails / I sent a message).
- build -> built -> built (They build houses / They built a wall).
- Focus on “SPEND”: The biggest mistake learners make is writing “spended” or “spend” in the past tense. Always remember that money and time are spent, not spended.
- Money Vocabulary: Many verbs related to money are irregular:
- buy -> bought -> bought
- pay -> paid -> paid
- cost -> cost -> cost (It never changes!)
- lose -> lost -> lost
- V2 vs V3 Usage: * Use V2 for finished stories in the past (e.g., Last month, I spent a lot of money).
- Use V3 with “have/has” to talk about life experiences or past actions that affect the present (e.g., I have spent all my cash, so now I am broke!).