Irregular Verbs – English Grammar Exercises for A2
Read the story below where a person is handing a fragile object to a friend and warning them to be careful. Choose the best option (A, B, or C) to complete each sentence.
1 Please be careful with this glass vase. I ______ it in Italy last year.
(A) buyed
(B) bought
(C) buy
2 My grandmother ______ it to me as a very special birthday gift.
(A) gave
(B) gived
(C) give
3 I successfully ______ it all the way home in my suitcase.
(A) bringed
(B) brung
(C) brought
4 It ______ a lot of money, so it is extremely precious to me.
(A) cost
(B) costs
(C) costed
5 However, yesterday I carelessly ______ it near the edge of the table.
(A) putted
(B) put
(C) putting
6 Suddenly, my cat jumped up and the vase ______ off the table.
(A) falled
(B) fall
(C) fell
7 I tried to grab it quickly, but I only ______ empty air.
(A) catched
(B) caught
(C) catch
8 The vase hit the hard floor and I ______ a piece of it.
(A) broke
(B) breaked
(C) broken
9 I was so shocked that I just ______ there and cried.
(A) standed
(B) stand
(C) stood
10 I felt terrible because I had ______ such a beautiful thing get damaged.
(A) let
(B) letted
(C) let’s
11 Later that day, I carefully ______ the broken pieces back together with glue.
(A) sticked
(B) stuck
(C) stick
12 But the crack is still there. Have you ______ the small line on the side?
(A) seed
(B) saw
(C) seen
13 I have ______ everyone in my family to stay away from it.
(A) told
(B) telled
(C) tell
14 Now I am handing it to you. Please don’t say you have ______ my warning!
(A) forgot
(B) forgotten
(C) forgetted
15 Make sure your hands are completely dry. Once, my brother almost ______ it because his hands were wet.
(A) dropped
(B) droped
(C) drop
16 If it falls again, it will be completely ______ into tiny pieces.
(A) broken
(B) broke
(C) breaked
17 I have already ______ a safe spot for it on the top shelf.
(A) chose
(B) choosed
(C) chosen
18 When you carry it, you must hold it exactly how I have ______ you.
(A) taught
(B) teached
(C) teach
19 Have you ______ it tightly with both hands? Don’t let go yet!
(A) held
(B) holded
(C) hold
20 Good! Now I know you have fully ______ how to handle fragile things properly.
(A) understanded
(B) understand
(C) understood
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B)
Explanation: “bought” is the correct past simple (V2) of “buy”. (A) is a common mistake (applying the regular “-ed” rule to an irregular verb). (C) is a basic grammar error because it uses the present tense instead of the past tense required by “last year”.
2 (A)
Explanation: “gave” is the correct V2 of “give”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
3 (C)
Explanation: “brought” is the correct V2 of “bring”. (A) is a common mistake with “-ed”. (B) “brung” is grammatically incorrect in standard English.
4 (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.
5 (B)
Explanation: “put” is the correct V2 of “put” (spelled and pronounced the same). (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error because the “-ing” form cannot act as the main verb without the verb “to be”.
6 (C)
Explanation: “fell” is the correct V2 of “fall”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
7 (B)
Explanation: “caught” is the correct V2 of “catch”. (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
8 (A)
Explanation: “broke” is the correct V2 of “break”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) “broken” is a grammar error because it is the past participle (V3) and needs an auxiliary verb (like have/had or was/were).
9 (C)
Explanation: “stood” is the correct V2 of “stand”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
10 (A)
Explanation: “let” is the correct past participle (V3, same as V1 and V2) used after “had”. (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error (“let’s” means “let us”).
11 (B)
Explanation: “stuck” is the correct V2 of “stick”. (A) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
12 (C)
Explanation: “seen” is the correct V3 of “see”, required here for the Present Perfect tense (“Have you…”). (B) “saw” is a common mistake (using V2 instead of V3). (A) is a grammar error.
13 (A)
Explanation: “told” is the correct V3 of “tell” for the Present Perfect tense (“I have told”). (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
14 (B)
Explanation: “forgotten” is the correct V3 of “forget”. (A) “forgot” is a common mistake because many learners incorrectly use the V2 form after “have”. (C) is a grammar error.
15 (A)
Explanation: “dropped” is the correct V2 of “drop”. Because it is a one-syllable verb ending in a single vowel + consonant, you must double the consonant before adding “-ed”. (B) is a common spelling mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
16 (A)
Explanation: “broken” is the correct V3 of “break”, used here to form the passive voice (“will be broken”). (B) “broke” is a common mistake (using V2 instead of V3). (C) is a grammar error.
17 (C)
Explanation: “chosen” is the correct V3 of “choose” (Present Perfect: “have chosen”). (A) is a common mistake (using V2). (B) is a grammar error.
18 (A)
Explanation: “taught” is the correct V3 of “teach” (Present Perfect: “have taught”). (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
19 (A)
Explanation: “held” is the correct V3 of “hold” (Present Perfect: “Have you held”). (B) is a common mistake. (C) is a grammar error.
20 (C)
Explanation: “understood” is the correct V3 of “understand”. (A) is a common mistake. (B) is a grammar error.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Physical Movement Irregular Verbs: Many verbs related to movement or handling objects are irregular. You must memorize their Past Simple (V2) and Past Participle (V3) forms.
- Focus on “BREAK”:
- V1 (Base): break (Don’t break it!).
- V2 (Past Simple): broke (I broke it yesterday).
- V3 (Past Participle): broken (It is broken / I have broken it).
- Focus on “DROP” (Regular but tricky):
- “Drop” is a regular verb, but it follows a special spelling rule. Since it is a one-syllable word ending in a vowel + consonant (o + p), you must double the “p” before adding “-ed” -> dropped.
- Unchanging Verbs: Some verbs do not change at all in V2 and V3 Examples in this test: cost -> cost -> cost, put -> put -> put, let -> let -> let.
- The “-ed” Trap: The most common mistake at the A2 level is adding “-ed” to irregular verbs (e.g., buyed, breaked, falled). Always check if a verb is irregular before applying the “-ed” rule.
- V2 vs V3 Usage: Use V2 for finished actions in the past. Use V3 after “have/has” for Present Perfect tenses or after the verb “to be” for the Passive voice.