Irregular Verbs Games, ESL Activities and Worksheets

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Introduction to Irregular Verbs

ESL Irregular Verbs Worksheet - Grammar Exercises: Categorizing, Matching, Gap-fill, Writing Questions and Answers - Speaking Activity: Freer Practice - Pair Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

This productive irregular verbs worksheet helps students learn and practice ten common irregular verbs in the past and present tense. First, students sort irregular verbs into present and past tense forms and then match the corresponding forms of each verb. Students then complete sentences with the past and present tense irregular verbs. Next, students answer ten past simple questions using the irregular verbs, writing their answers in sentence form. Finally, students write three questions of their own using the irregular verbs from the worksheet and then ask and answer the questions with a partner.
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Irregular Verb Battleships

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice - Pair Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

Here is a fun irregular verbs game for students to play in class. First, students change ten present tense irregular verbs into their past tense form and write them in their battleships grid. In pairs, students then take turns finding their opponent's battleships (irregular verbs) by calling out coordinates for the grid at the bottom of their worksheet. If the square is empty, their opponent says 'miss' and the square is marked with an 'X'. If the square contains a letter, their opponent says 'hit'. The student then reveals the letter and the other student writes it in the square and has another turn. When a past tense irregular verb has been completely revealed, the student tries to sink their opponent's ship by using the irregular verb correctly in a past simple sentence. If the sentence is incorrect, the ship won't sink. Only one sentence attempt can be made each turn. When a student successfully makes a sentence, the ship sinks and the student writes their sentence in the space provided. The first student to find and sink all ten of their opponent's battleships wins.
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Irregular Verbs Matching Game

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Matching, Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice - Group Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 20 minutes

Here is an entertaining irregular verbs game to help students memorize past simple irregular verbs. Students take turns turning over one base form irregular verb and one past simple irregular verb card. The aim of the game is to find matching pairs of infinitive and past simple irregular verbs. If a student turns over two cards that match, e.g. awake and awoke, the student keeps the cards and scores a point. The student can then score an extra point by using the past simple irregular verb in a sentence. If the two cards don't match, the student turns the cards back over. The student with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.
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Past Tense Talk

ESL Irregular Verbs Activities - Grammar Game: Pelmanism - Speaking Activity: Asking and Answering Questions from Prompts, Freer Practice - Pair Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 40 minutes

In this excellent set of free irregular verb activities, students play a pelmanism game where they match infinitive and past simple irregular verbs together. Students then practice asking and answering past simple questions with the verbs. First, in pairs, students play the pelmanism game where they take turns turning over two irregular verb cards. If a student turns over a matching pair of infinitive and past simple irregular verbs, they keep the two cards and have another turn. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins. After that, students answer questions on a worksheet using the past simple irregular verbs from the first activity. Students write short answers in the squares on their worksheet in a random order. Students then work with a new partner. Students swap their answer sheets and take turns guessing why their partner has written the words or phrases in the squares. They do this by asking and answering past simple questions. When a student discovers what an answer relates to, they cross it off. Afterwards, students report back their findings to the class.
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Three in a row

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar: Matching - Group Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

Here is a memorable irregular verbs game to help students practice the three forms of the 20 most common irregular verbs in the English language. The aim of the game is to say and find three matching irregular verb cards in a row. One student begins by turning over an irregular verb card from the base form set, e.g. go. The student then says the past tense form of the irregular verb (e.g. went) and turns over a card from the past tense set. If the card matches, the student says the past participle form of the irregular verb, e.g. gone. The student then turns over a card from the past participle set. If the card matches, the student keeps all three cards and has another turn. If at any point, a student says the wrong form of the irregular verb they need or turns over a card that doesn't match, the cards are turned back over, keeping them in their original place. It's then the next student's turn to play and so on. The student with the most sets of irregular verb cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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What did you do yesterday?

ESL Irregular Verbs Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Guessing, Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled Practice - Pair Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 25 minutes

In this useful irregular verbs speaking activity, students guess what their partner did yesterday by making statements with past simple irregular verbs. First, students guess what their partner did yesterday by completing each sentence with a past simple irregular verb, adding in their idea, e.g. 'I think you ate a pizza at lunchtime'. Students then check to see whether their guesses are right or wrong. They do this by taking it in turns to read each statement to their partner. Their partner replies 'Yes, I did' or 'No, I didn’t. I...' Students score one point for each correct guess. The student with the highest score in each pair at the end of the activity wins.
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Irregular Verbs Bingo

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Vocabulary: Matching - Group Work - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes

In this free irregular verbs game, students play bingo by listening to the infinitive form of irregular verbs and matching them to past simple irregular verbs. Call out the infinitive form of irregular verbs from the caller's sheet in a random order. If students have the past simple form of the verb on their card, they cross it off. When a student has crossed off all nine verbs, they shout 'Bingo' and read out the nine irregular verbs, saying both the infinitive and past simple forms. If the verbs are correct, the student wins the round. Play several rounds with students receiving a different bingo card each time.
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Irregular Verbs Connect 4

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar and Speaking: Changing Word Forms, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Pair Work - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 20 minutes

In this engaging irregular verbs game, students write irregular verbs in their past tense or past participle form and make sentences with the verbs. Tell the students which irregular verb form they are going to practice, i.e. past simple (V2) or past participle (V3). Then, tell them which tense the sentences should be in, so either the past simple (V2) or present perfect, past perfect, etc. (V3). Next, students take it in turns to choose a base form irregular verb, write the past tense or past participle form of the irregular verb under the word, and make a sentence with the irregular verb in the chosen tense. The aim of the game is for students to get four squares in a row, while at the same time trying to stop their partner from getting four in a row. When a student gets four squares in a row, check their answers. If all the irregular verbs are spelt correctly and the sentences are appropriate, the student scores a point. If any of their answers are incorrect, the point is awarded to the other student. Students play several rounds. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
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Make a Sentence

ESL Irregular Verb Game - Grammar and Speaking: Forming Sentences from Prompts - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes

In this creative past simple irregular verbs game, students change present simple irregular verbs into their past tense form and then make a past simple sentence with each verb. Students take turns picking up an irregular card. The student then changes the present simple irregular verb on the card into its past tense form and makes a past simple sentence with the verb. The other group members listen to the sentence and judge whether it's acceptable or not. If it is, the student writes their name on the card and puts the card into a separate pile. If the sentence is grammatically incorrect or doesn't make sense, the card is placed at the bottom of the pile. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Past Simple Irregular Verbs Practice

ESL Past Simple Irregular Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary and Reading Exercises: Unscrambling, Gap-fill, Scanning, Answering Questions - Speaking Activity - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes

In this comprehensive past simple irregular verbs worksheet, students practice common irregular verbs in their past simple form. Students start by unscrambling letters to make 16 past simple irregular verbs. Next, students use the irregular verbs to complete a set of sentences. Then, students read a story and underline all the past simple irregular verbs. After that, students answer comprehension questions about the story. In the last exercise, students answer questions and then use them to interview a partner.
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What’s next?

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar: Matching, Forming Sentences from Prompts, Freer Practice - Group Work - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes

In this enjoyable irregular verbs activity, students play a game where they practice making sentences with past tense irregular verbs. In groups, students take turns turning over a numbered card from the pile. The student looks at the number on the card and matches it with the numbered base form irregular verb on the worksheet. The student then makes a sentence with the irregular verb in its past tense form. The other students in the group listen and decide whether the sentence is grammatically correct and appropriate. If it is, the irregular verb is crossed out and the student writes their name in the square under the verb. If the sentence is wrong, the card is put at the bottom of the pile. The student with the highest number of squares at the end of the game is the winner.
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When was the last time...?

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar and Speaking: Answering Questions, Writing Sentences, Guessing, Completing Questions - Pair Work - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 25 minutes

Here is an interesting irregular verbs game for your students to play in class. In the activity, students practice past tense irregular verbs by playing a question and answer irregular verb game. First, students write answers to the questions in the first exercise on their worksheet without using the words in bold, e.g. 'When was the last time you went shopping?' 'It was last weekend. I was at the mall and I bought a pair of shoes'. Students then take turns reading their answers to their partner. Their partner listens and decides what the question was each time by completing the questions on their worksheet using the past tense irregular verbs and words from the box in their correct form. When both students have written the questions, they check their answers by reading them to their partner, who tells them if they are right or wrong. Students receive one point for each correct question. The student with the most points wins.
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Past Participle Irregular Verbs Crossword

ESL Irregular Verbs Activity - Grammar and Speaking: Writing and Reading Sentences, Gap-fill, Guessing - Group and Pair Work - Intermediate (B1) - 40 minutes

In this free irregular verbs activity, students write sentences containing past participle irregular verbs and then complete a crossword by guessing missing verbs from a partner's sentences. In two groups, students invent and write down a sentence for each past participle irregular verb shown on their crossword. The sentences can be in the present perfect, past perfect, future perfect, third conditional or passive voice. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking their partner for a clue to one of their missing irregular verbs. Their partner reads out the sentence for that past participle irregular verb using the word 'blank' where the irregular verb should go, e.g. 'The bank has 'blank' Olivia some money'. The other student then tries to guess the past participle irregular verb from the sentence. If the student guesses the verb successfully, they write it on their crossword. If not, their partner continues to give more clues until the student is able to guess the word. When the students have finished, they check their spelling by comparing crosswords.
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Three of a kind

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar: Matching, Asking Questions - Group Work - Intermediate (B1) - 25 minutes

In this challenging irregular verbs game, students identify and find the infinitive, past simple and past participle form of less common irregular verbs. The aim of the game is to be the first student to get rid of all their cards. To do this, students must collect three of a kind. This means the infinitive, past simple and past participle form of an irregular verb. One student begins by asking another student for a card they need to get three of a kind, e.g. if the student has cards that say 'ride' and 'rode', they ask: Sophia, have you got a card that says 'ridden'? If the other student has the card, they give it to the student. If the other student does not have the card, the student who asked the question must pick up an extra card from the pile. The turn then passes to the next student and so on. When a student gets the same verb in the infinitive, past simple and past participle form (three of a kind), they place the three cards face up on the desk. The other students then check that the three forms are correct. If there are no cards left in the pile, students continue taking it in turns to ask each other for cards until one student is asked to hand over their last card. That student wins the game.
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Irregular Verbs Pelmanism

ESL Irregular Verbs Game - Grammar: Pelmanism, Matching, Gap-fill - Group Work - Upper-intermediate (B2) - 25 minutes

Here is a handy irregular verbs pelmanism game to help students practice the infinitive, past simple and past participle forms of less common irregular verbs. In groups of three, students take turns turning over one irregular verb card and one sentence card from each set. If the irregular verb completes the two sentences on the card, the student reads the two sentences using the past simple form of the verb to complete one sentence and the past participle to complete the other. If the other students agree that the two cards match and the correct verb forms were used, the student writes in the verb forms on the sentence card and keeps the two cards. If the two cards don't match or the student uses the incorrect form of the verb, the student turns them back over. The student with the most pairs of cards at the end of the game wins.
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