Irregular Verbs | Definition, Examples & Worksheet

An irregular verb is a verb whose simple past and past participle do not follow specific conjugation rules.

In contrast to irregular verbs, regular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participles are formed by adding “-ed” to the end of the verb (e.g., “talk” becomes “talked”).

Examples: Irregular verbs
The old man sang a song.

Last week, Melanie accidentally broke her phone.

I have known Karl for years.

Someone has stolen my bike.

Continue reading: Irregular Verbs | Definition, Examples & Worksheet

Regular Verbs | Meaning, Examples & List

A regular verb is a verb whose simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (e.g., “walk” becomes “walked”).

In contrast to regular verbs, irregular verbs are verbs whose simple past and past participles are formed in some way other than by adding “-ed” to the infinitive of the verb.

Regular verb forms
Infinitive Simple past Past progressive
ask asked asked
look looked looked
start started started
talk talked talked
want wanted wanted

Continue reading: Regular Verbs | Meaning, Examples & List

The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet

The past tense is a verb tense used to talk about past actions, states of being, or events.

There are four past tense forms: the past simple (e.g., “you cooked”), the past progressive (e.g., “he was singing”), the past perfect (e.g., “I had arrived”), and the past perfect progressive (e.g., “They had been driving”).

Past tense forms
Past simple Past progressive Past perfect Past perfect progressive
I listened I was listening I had listened I had been listening
You listened You were listening You had listened You had been listening
He/she/it listened He/she/it was listening He/she/it had listened He/she/it had been listening
We listened We were listening We had listened We had been listening
You listened You were listening You had listened You had been listening
They listened They were listening They had listened They had been listening

Continue reading: The Past Tense l Explanation, Examples & Worksheet

Past Perfect Tense | Examples & Exercises

The past perfect tense is a verb form used to refer to a past action that occurred before another past action.

The past perfect is formed using “had” along with the past participle of the main verb (e.g., “I had run”). All verbs in the past perfect tense take this form regardless of the subject (e.g., “she had known,” ”we had known”).

Past perfect tense forms
Affirmative Negative Interrogative
I had eaten I hadn’t eaten Had I eaten?
You had eaten You hadn’t eaten Had you eaten?
He/she/it had eaten He/she/it hadn’t eaten Had he/she/it eaten?
We had eaten We hadn’t eaten Had we eaten?
You had eaten You hadn’t eaten Had you eaten?
They had eaten They hadn’t eaten Had they eaten?

Continue reading: Past Perfect Tense | Examples & Exercises

Past Progressive Tense | Uses, Examples & Worksheet

The past progressive tense is a verb form used to refer to an action that was ongoing at a time in the past.

The past progressive is formed using the past tense of the auxiliary verb “be” (i.e., “was/were”) along with the present participle (“ing” form) of a main verb (e.g., “I was thinking”).

Past Progressive Tense Forms

Continue reading: Past Progressive Tense | Uses, Examples & Worksheet

Simple Past Tense | Examples & Exercises

The simple past tense is a verb form used to refer to an action or series of actions that were completed in the past.

The simple past tense of regular verbs is formed by adding “-ed” to the infinitive form of the verb (e.g., “cook” becomes “cooked”). Most verbs in the simple past take the same form regardless of the subject (e.g., “He worked/we worked”).

Simple Past Tense Forms

Continue reading: Simple Past Tense | Examples & Exercises

Grawlix | Definition, Meaning, Use & Examples

Grawlix (also called “obscenicon” or “symbol swearing”) refers to the use of typographical symbols in place of an obscenity (e.g., “$%@!”).

Grawlix is frequently used in comic strips to indicate that a character is thinking or saying a swear word. It’s also used on social media platforms as a way to obscure inappropriate language. Grawlix can be used by itself or as part of a sentence.

Examples: Grawlix
#$@!

“Where the %@#! is my car? I parked it right here.”

“I hate this @&#$?&! song.”

Grawlix

Continue reading: Grawlix | Definition, Meaning, Use & Examples

What Is a Simile? | Meaning, Definition & Examples

What Is a Simile?

A simile is a rhetorical device used to compare two things using the words “like,” “as,” or “than.”

Similes can be used to create vivid imagery or to draw surprising connections between two unrelated things. They’re commonly used in literature, advertising, and everyday speech and are closely related to metaphors and analogies.

Examples: Similes
Anthony used to be as strong as an ox.

Her phone buzzed like a beehive.

The dancer was as graceful as a swan.

Your laughter is like music to my ears.

Continue reading: What Is a Simile? | Meaning, Definition & Examples

What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples

What Is a Metaphor?

A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., “that chef is a magician”).

Metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery, exaggerate a characteristic or action, or express a complex idea.

Metaphors are commonly used in literature, advertising, and everyday speech.

Examples: Metaphors
You’re a monster!

The exam was a piece of cake.

This town is a desert.

The king ruled with an iron fist.

Continue reading: What Is a Metaphor? | Definition & Examples

Tautology | Meaning, Definition & Examples

What Is a Tautology?

In rhetoric, a tautology is the unnecessary repetition of an idea using different words (e.g., “a free gift”).

Tautologies are often considered to be a stylistic fault that should be avoided. However, they can also be used effectively as a rhetorical device or figure of speech.

The term may also refer to a logical tautology: a statement that is true in all circumstances because it includes all possibilities (e.g., “it will snow tomorrow or it will not”).

Example: Rhetorical tautologies
Mark is an unmarried bachelor.

In my opinion, I think it’s a good book.

The party was an unexpected surprise.

The boat will depreciate in value.

Note
The term “tautology” is often used interchangeably with “pleonasm.”

Some sources try to make a distinction between the two: pleonasms repeat the inherent quality of a thing but may involve different parts of speech (e.g., “burning fire”), while tautologies involve synonyms (e.g., multiple adjectives with the same meaning: “a big, huge truck”). However, this distinction is rarely followed in practice.

Continue reading: Tautology | Meaning, Definition & Examples