Collins Cobuild English Grammar

ban

bar

bat

beg

blot

blur

bob

brag

brim

bug

cap

chat

chip

chop

clap

clog

clot

cram

crib

crop

cup

dab

dam

dim

din

dip

dot

drag

drop

drug

drum

dub

fan

fit

flag

flap

flip

flop

fog

fret

gas

gel

glut

grab

grin

grip

grit

grub

gun

gut

hem

hop

hug

hum

jam

jet

jig

jog

jot

knit

knot

lag

lap

log

lop

man

mar

mob

mop

mug

nag

net

nip

nod

pad

pat

peg

pen

pet

pin

pit

plan

plod

plug

pop

prod

prop

rib

rig

rip

rob

rot

rub

sag

scan

scar

scrap

scrub

ship

shop

shred

shrug

shun

sin

sip

skid

skim

skin

skip

slam

slap

slim

slip

slop

slot

slum

slur

snag

snap

snip

snub

sob

spot

squat

stab

star

stem

step

stir

stop

strap

strip

strut

stun

sun

swab

swap

swat

swig

swot

tag

tan

tap

thin

throb

tip

top

trap

trek

trim

trip

trot

vet

wag

wrap

~

abet

abhor

acquit

admit

allot

commit

compel

confer

control

defer

deter

distil

embed

emit

enrol

enthral

equip

excel

expel

incur

instil

occur

omit

outwit

patrol

propel

rebel

rebut

recap

recur

refer

regret

remit

repel

submit

transfer

transmit

~

handicap

Note that verbs such as re-equip and unclog, which consist of a prefix and one of the above verbs, also have their final consonant letter doubled.

R69    Here is a list of verbs whose final consonant letter is doubled before ing and ed in British English but not always in American English:

bedevil

cancel

channel

chisel

dial

duel

enamel

enrol

enthral

equal

fuel

funnel

gambol

grovel

hiccup

initial

kidnap

label

level

libel

marshal

marvel

model

panel

pedal

pencil

program

pummel

quarrel

refuel

revel

rival

shovel

shrivel

snivel

spiral

stencil

swivel

total

travel

tunnel

unravel

worship

yodel

R70    With verbs ending in c, king and ked are usually added instead of ing and ed.

mimic mimicking mimicked panic panicking panicked

R71    A large number of verbs have irregular forms, which are not formed by adding ed to the base form.

With regular verbs, the -ed participle is the same as the past form. However, with some irregular verbs, the two forms are different.

R72    The table opposite gives a list of irregular verbs and their forms.

Note that the past form and -ed participle of read appear the same as the base form but are pronounced differently. The base form is pronounced /rid/ and the past form and -ed participle /red/. See a Cobuild dictionary for the pronunciation of irregular forms of verbs.

R73    Some verbs have more than one past form or -ed participle form. For example, the past form and -ed participle of spell can be either spelled or spelt, and the -ed participle of prove can be either proved or proven.

He burned several letters.

He burnt all his papers.

His foot had swelled to three times normal size.

His wrist had swollen up and become huge.

R74    Some verbs have two forms that can be used as the past form and the -ed participle. Here is a list of these verbs. The regular form is given first, although it may not be the more common one.

     All of the irregular forms ending in t are far more common in British English than in American English, which generally uses the regular form for these verbs.

burn burned, burnt bust busted, bust dream dreamed, dreamt dwell dwelled, dwelt fit fitted, fit hang hanged, hung kneel kneeled, knelt lean leaned, leant leap leaped, leapt light lighted, lit smell smelled, smelt speed speeded, sped spell spelled, spelt spill spilled, spilt spoil spoiled, spoilt wet wetted, wet

R75    Here is a list of verbs with two past forms:

bid bid, bade wake waked, woke weave weaved, wove

Here is a list of verbs with two -ed participle forms:

bid bid, bidden mow mowed, mown prove proved, proven swell swelled, swollen wake waked, woken weave weaved, woven

     In American English, gotten is usually used instead of got as the -ed participle of get. However, American English always uses got rather than gotten in two common constructions: have got (meaning own or possess), and have got to meaning must).

Have you got change for the parking meter?

You have got to start paying more attention to deadlines.