Collins Cobuild English Grammar

The past forms of these constructions in American English are never had got. Instead, they use the past form of have.

Did you have change for the parking meter?

She said I had to start paying more attention to deadlines.

Note that some verbs appear in both the above lists as they have a different past form and -ed participle form, each of which has more than one form.

base form past form -ed participle base form past form -ed participle arise arose arisen catch caught caught awake awoke awoken choose chose chosen bear bore borne cling clung clung beat beat beaten come came come become became become cost cost cost begin began begun creep crept crept bend bent bent cut cut cut bet bet bet deal dealt dealt bind bound bound dig dug dug bite bit bitten dive dove (Am) dived bleed bled bled draw drew drawn blow blew blown drink drank drunk break broke broken drive drove driven breed bred bred eat ate eaten bring brought brought fall fell fallen build built built feed fed fed burst burst burst feel felt felt buy bought bought fight fought fought cast cast cast find found found fit fit (Am) fit (Am) ride rode ridden flee fled fled ring rang rung fling flung flung rise rose risen fly flew flown run ran run forbear forbore forborne saw sawed sawn forbid forbade forbidden say said said forget forgot forgotten see saw seen forgive forgave forgiven seek sought sought forsake forsook forsaken sell sold sold forswear forswore forsworn send sent sent freeze froze frozen set set set get got got sew sewed sewn give gave given shake shook shaken go went gone shed shed shed grind ground ground shine shone shone grow grew grown shoe shod shod hear heard heard shoot shot shot hide hid hidden show showed shown hit hit hit shrink shrank shrunk hold held held shut shut shut hurt hurt hurt sing sang sung keep kept kept sink sank sunk know knew known sit sat sat lay laid laid slay slew slain lead led led sleep slept slept leave left left slide slid slid lend lent lent sling slung slung let let let slink slunk slunk lose lost lost sow sowed sown make made made speak spoke spoken mean meant meant spend spent spent meet met met spin spun spun pay paid paid spread spread spread put put put spring sprang sprung quit quit quit stand stood stood read read read steal stole stolen rend rent rent stick stuck stuck sting stung stung tear tore torn stink stank stunk tell told told strew strewed strewn think thought thought stride strode stridden throw threw thrown strike struck struck thrust thrust thrust string strung strung tread trod trodden strive strove striven understand understood understood swear swore sworn wear wore worn sweep swept swept weep wept wept swim swam swum win won won swing swung swung wind wound wound take took taken wring wrung wrung teach taught taught write wrote written

R76    In some cases, different past forms or -ed participle forms relate to different meanings or uses of the verb. For example, the past form and the -ed participle of the verb hang is normally hung. However, hanged can also be used but with a different meaning. Check the different meanings in a Cobuild dictionary.

An Iron Cross hung from a ribbon around the man’s neck.

He had been found guilty of murder hanged.

They had bid down the chemical company’s stock.

He had bidden her to buy the best.

R77    Some verbs consist of more than one word, for example browbeat and typeset, and some consist of a prefix plus a verb, for example undo and disconnect.

His teachers underestimate his ability.

We are always trying to outdo our competitors.

The figures show that the government has mismanaged the economy.

R78    Verbs that consist of more than one word or of a prefix plus a verb usually inflect in the same way as the verbs that form their final part. For example, the past form of foresee is foresaw and the -ed participle is foreseen, and the past form and past -ed of misunderstand is misunderstood.

I underestimated him.

He had outdone himself.

I had misunderstood and mismanaged everything.

She had disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a flashlight.

R79    With many verbs of this type, the fact that they consist of two parts does not make any difference to their forms. They follow the normal spelling rules.

Here is a list of verbs whose second part is an irregular verb:

browbeat

broadcast

forecast

miscast

recast

typecast

overcome

undercut

outdo

overdo

undo

withdraw

overeat

befall

forego

undergo

outgrow

overheat

mishear

behold

uphold

withhold

mislay

waylay

mislead

remake

repay

misread

override

outrun

overrun

re-run

foresee

oversee

outsell

resell

beset

reset

typeset

outshine

overshoot

oversleep

misspell

withstand

hamstring

mistake

overtake

retake

undertake

foretell

retell

rethink

overthrow

misunderstand

rewind

unwind

rewrite

underwrite

Note the past forms and -ed participle of the verbs shown below, whose second part is a verb with alternative past forms and -ed participle.

refit refitted refitted overhang overhung overhung floodlight floodlit floodlit

Here is a list of compound verbs whose second part is an irregular verb:

bottle-feed

breast-feed

force-feed

spoon-feed

baby-sit

lip-read

proof-read

sight-read

ghost-write

R80    The different forms of the auxiliaries be, have, and do are summarized in the table below.

R81    The present forms of be can usually be contracted and added to the end of the subject of the verb, whether it is a noun or a pronoun. This is often done in spoken English or in informal written English.

I’m interested in the role of women all over the world. You’re late.

We’re making some progress. It’s a delightful country.

My car’s just across the street.