Design Verb Primer

Q a f q a z U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s B a k u, 2 0 0 7

An Irregular Verb Primer

F. Alexander Magill

Q A F Q A Z U N I V E R S I T Y Department of Engl ish Language & Literature

An Irregular Verb Primer

F. Alexander Magill

verb[vыrb], noun (grammar) ‘A part of speech consisting of a word or group of words that

signify an action, experience, occurrence or state, in sentence analysis constituting or introducing the predicate’

[Latin verbum word]

Q a f q a z U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s No: 27 B a k u, 2 0 0 7

Qafqaz University

Department of English Language & Literature

An Irregular verb Primer

Written and produced by

F. Alexander Magill

Design by Sahib KAZIMOV

Is published as a Qafqaz University publication by the proposal of the Publishing Committee dated from 04.10.2006 (minute No. Ç-QU-250-300/021) and decision of the Senate

dated from 11.10.2006 (minute No. Ç-QU-105-400/23)

Book is printed “İLAY MMC” Printing-House.

Qafqaz University Press No: 27 Copyright © Qafqaz University

Baku - 2007

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Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................. 1

English Verbs ............................................................................ 3

Auxiliary And Modal Verbs ....................................................... 3

Regular Verbs............................................................................ 3

Irregular Verbs .......................................................................... 4

Irregular Verb Conjugation Patterns........................................... 4

Compound Verbs ...................................................................... 5

Verbs With Two Past Forms....................................................... 5

Present Participles..................................................................... 6

Verbs Ending In E’ ..................................................................... 6

Single Consonant Single Vowel Verbs ....................................... 6

Double Syllable Verbs............................................................... 6

Verb Inflection .......................................................................... 7

Learning The Conjugated Forms ................................................ 7

Verbs Groups .......................................................................... 15

Verb List.................................................................................. 16

Self Tests................................................................................. 21

Answer Keys ........................................................................... 27

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An Irregular Verb Prımer

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INTRODUCTION This book has been prepared to help students who are learning the English language and are starting to work with language functions and tenses, which use the past tense forms of irregular verbs.

Learners who can recognise regular verbs soon learn that the written past tense forms of these verbs end with ‘ed’, however there are other verbs whose past tenses are differently formed. Indeed there is a small group of verbs with no past tense forms.

A major group of verbs, whose past tense forms are irregularly formed, are generally known as ‘irregular verbs’. Every student of English has to learn the conjugations for these verbs. Accordingly, many English course books, learners’ dictionaries and grammar books have a list of irregular verbs and their past tense forms. However the lists of irregular verbs given in most books are in alphabetic order.

Learning the past tense forms of verbs from an alphabetic list of the conjugated forms is perhaps not the best learning order. The verb groupings shown in this book are based on the verb sound and conjugation patterns. The order of verbs given in the groups is more helpful to the learner who wants to commit the verbs to memory. Note I hasten to add that other equally suitable verb groupings may be possible.

There are standard irregular verb classes (class 1 to class 6) these are shown in some grammar books and the full list and much information is given in Randolph Quirk’s ‘Grammar of The English Language 1998’.

Students are probably more successful learners of a second language when they acquire the language through exposure to

Qafqaz University Department of English Language & Literature

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some form of comprehensible input in a communicative learning environment. However it is very difficult for a teacher to produce contexts and situations where a learner can ‘acquire’ the conjugation of nearly 200 different irregular verbs through contextual exposure in a communicative learning environment. Irregular verb conjugations are probably best learned by rote followed by exposure. This book and its verb groups are designed for rote learning.


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English Verbs

In the English language there are some different verb groups: -

1. The auxiliary / modal verbs 2. The Regular verbs 3. The irregular verbs

Auxiliary and modal verbs

In any normal English conversations it would be difficult to make a point, express an opinion about something or ask questions without using auxiliary or modal verbs. Modal and auxiliary verbs are sometimes called helping verbs or anomalous finites and are used to form tenses, and certain language functions. Modal verbs are used in language functions, which express ‘modality’, for example obligation, advice, necessity, prohibition, ability etc, hence the name ‘modal verb’.

Regular verbs

Regular and irregular verbs in their base and conjugated forms are used to express time distinctions through tenses. Changing the verb form from simple present to a past form is called ‘conjugation’. Both regular and irregular verbs have three forms: -

1. Simple present 2. Simple past 3. Past participle

These forms are often referred respectively to as verb 1 (V1), verb 2 (V2) and verb 3 (V3).

1. Simple present (verb 1, V1) 2. Simple past (verb 2, V2) 3. Past participle (verb 3, V3)

There are a considerable number of regular verbs (sometimes called weak verbs) in the English language, these are so called because the past form conjugations end with ‘ed’, thus in table 1: -


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Base (V1) Simple past (V2) Past participle (V3) work worked worked try tried tried

Table 1

The conjugation of the base of some regular verbs may cause spelling changes but V2 and V3 are regularly formed. There are differences in the pronunciation of the past tense forms of regular verbs. Some examples are given in table 2.

Verb Pronunciation played /d/ arrived /d/ worked /t/

Dreamed / dreamt /md/ mt/ posted /Id/

Table 2

Irregular verbs There are approximately 200 or so irregular verbs (sometimes called strong verbs) in the English language (many more if the compound verbs are included in the count) There is no simple regularity for the formation of the simple past and past participle of irregular verbs.

Irregular verb Conjugation patterns The patterns for the derivation of V2 and V3, when the base of an irregular verb is conjugated are shown in table 3: -

conjugation pattern 1




V1 cut feel run eat V2 cut felt ran ate V3 cut felt run eaten

All the same V2, V3 the same V1, V3 the same All different

Table 3


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Compound verbs Adding a prefix to the verb base form can make compound regular and irregular verbs. The prefix may be a word or set of letters.

Prefix Base Compound verb

under undertake over overtake re retake

par

take

partake

Table 4

There are thousands of verbs formed in this way and they conjugate in the same way as the base form of the verb from which they have been derived. Common prefixes for verbs are: - over, up, in, un, out, and re. See Table 5.

Base Simple past Past participle

retake retook retaken take took taken

Table 5

Some times another word combines with the verb to form a compound verb, table 6 gives an example: -

Base Simple past Past participle out + run outrun outran outran

Table 6

Verbs with two past forms Some verbs have two past forms one irregular the other regular table 7 gives an example of one such verb: -

Base Simple past Past participle form

spilt spilt irregular spill

spilled spilled regular

Table 7


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Present participles Adding ‘ing’ to the end of verbs forms the present participle for the verb. There may be spelling changes when the participle is formed. ‘ing’ can be added to most verbs without a spelling change to the base form. Note that modal verbs do not take an ‘ing’ form. The following rules apply to spelling changes for present participle formation: -

Verbs ending in e’ Drop the ‘e’ and add ‘ing’

Base Present participle

write writing

Table 8

Single consonant single vowel verbs Double the final consonant

Base Present participle

hit hitting

Table 9

Double syllable verbs When the last syllable is stressed the final consonant is doubled: -

upset - upsetting When the final consonant is unstressed ‘ing’ is added to the base form.

Exceptions: - label … labelling quarrel … quarrelling signal … signalling travel … travelling


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Verb inflection An inflection occurs for the base of the 3rd. person singular.

Base 1st. & 2nd. person 3rd. person singular inflection cut Cut cuts fling Fling flings slay Slay slays try Try tries

Table 10

As you can see in table 10, an‘s’ is added to the verb base to form the 3rd person singular inflection. There may be spelling changes to the base verb to form the inflection. The inflection affects both regular and irregular verbs but not modals and auxiliary verbs.

Learning the conjugated forms

Unfortunately the irregular verbs V2 and V3 cannot be easily derived from V1 by applying rules, there are no easily remembered rules, but the verbs have to be learned. Past tenses, perfect tenses and passives cannot be properly formed, if the irregular verbs past tense forms are not known. Remembering the conjugated verb forms is perhaps more a question of learning than acquisition, the verb forms are probably best learned by rote and then their use subsequently acquired by exposure and usage.

This booklet attempts to help you learn the conjugated form more easily as the irregular verbs and their conjugated forms are placed into either sound groupings or past form patterns. Thus when committing the verbs to memory you can sing or say the groups like a poem. Perfect forms can be practiced by prefixing the past participle either with has, had or have.

There are a number of verbs, which cannot easily be placed in any given group. These have been placed in their own group [group 47] at the end of the group list.


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The verb groups in this book show the verbs in the form shown in table 11

1st. Column 2nd. Column 3rd. Column Base Simple past Past participle

Table 11

Verb Groups

GROUP - 1

be was/were been see saw seen go went gone

GROUP - 2

grow grew grown now knew known throw threw thrown fly flew flown sew sewed sewn strew strewed strewn

GROUP - 3

burst burst burst thrust thrust thrust hurt hurt hurt

GROUP - 4

put put put cut cut cut hurt hurt hurt shut shut shut


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GROUP - 5

drink drank drunk shrink shrank shrunk sink sank sunk stink stank stunk slink slunk slunk

GROUP - 6

ring rang rung sing sang sung spring sprang sprung

GROUP - 7

cling clung clung fling flung flung sling slung slung sting stung stung string strung strung swing swung swung wring wrung wrung hang hung hung

GROUP - 8

lean leant leant learn learnt learnt

GROUP - 9

meet met met leave left left

GROUP - 10

stick stuck stuck strike struck struck

GROUP - 11

bereave bereft bereft cleave cleft cleft


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GROUP - 12

lie lay lain slay slew slain

GROUP - 13

lay laid laid pay paid paid make made made say said said

GROUP - 14

rise rose risen strive strove striven give gave given

GROUP - 15

break broke broken awake awoke awoken choose chose chosen

GROUP - 16

smite smote smitten write wrote written bite bit bitten

GROUP - 17

shake shook shaken take took taken

GROUP - 18

fall fell fallen tread trod trodden stride strode stridden

GROUP - 19

drive drove driven ride rode ridden


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GROUP - 20

steal stole stolen swell swelled swollen

GROUP - 21

freeze froze frozen speak spoke spoken

GROUP - 22

win won won spin spun spun do did done

GROUP - 23

begin began begun swim swam swum

GROUP - 24

bring brought brought buy bought bought catch caught caught fight fought fought seek sought sought teach taught taught think thought thought shoot shot shot get got got

GROUP - 25

come came come run ran run

GROUP - 26

bind bound bound find found found grind ground ground wind wound wound


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GROUP - 27

bear bore borne/born wear wore worn tear tore torn shear sheared shorn

GROUP - 28

build built built deal dealt dealt dwell dwelt dwelt feel felt felt kneel knelt knelt smell smelt smelt

GROUP - 29

sit sat sat spit spat spat

GROUP - 30

sell sold sold tell told told

GROUP - 31

grave graved graven shave shaved shaven stave stove stove

GROUP - 32

rend rent rent send sent sent spend spent spent bend bent bent mean meant meant

GROUP - 33

spill spill spilt gild gilt gilt


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GROUP - 34 show showed shown sow sowed sown mow mowed mown draw drew drawn

GROUP - 35 hide hid hid slide slid slid

GROUP - 36

bid bid bid rid rid rid

GROUP - 37

wake woke woken weave wove woven

GROUP - 38 hit hit hit slit slit slit split split split

GROUP - 39 let let let set set set bet bet bet

GROUP - 40

hew hewed hewn saw sawed sawn swell swelled swollen

GROUP - 41

bleed bled bled breed bred bred read read read speed sped sped


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GROUP - 42 lead led led shed shed shed spread spread spread hear heard heard

GROUP - 43 cost cost cost lose lost lost

GROUP - 44

burn burnt burnt spoil spoilt spoilt

GROUP - 45 melt melted molten prove proved proven

GROUP - 46

sleep slept slept weep wept wept keep kept kept sweep swept swept creep crept crept

GROUP - 47 abide abode abode bless blest blest dream dreamt dreamt dig dug dug have had had heave hove hove hold held held knit knit knit light lit lit shine shone shone stand stood stood


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Some irregular verbs with regular conjugations

Group 2 sew sewn sewed strew strewn strewed

Group 7 hang hung hung

Group 8 lean leant leant learn learnt learnt

Group 20 swell swelled swollen

Group 26 wind wound wound

Group 31 stave stove stove

Group 33 spill spill spilt gild gilt gilt

Group 34 sow sowed sown

Group 36 rid rid rid

Group 39 bet bet bet

Group 45 melt melted molten prove proved proven

Group 48 light lit lit


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Verb List

Alphabetic list of verbs seen in this book be was/were been abide abode abode awake awoke awoken bear bore borne/born begin began begun bend bent bent bereave bereft bereft bet bet bet bid bid bid bind bound bound bite bit bitten bleed bled bled bless blest blest break broke broken breed bred bred bring brought brought build built built burn burnt burnt burst burst burst buy bought bought catch caught caught choose chose chosen cleave cleft cleft cling clung clung come came come cost cost cost creep crept crept cut cut cut deal dealt dealt dig dug dug do did done draw drew drawn


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dream dreamt dreamt drink drank drunk drive drove driven dwell dwelt dwelt fall fell fallen feel felt felt fight fought fought find found found fling flung flung fly flew flown freeze froze frozen get got got gild gild gilt give gave given go went gone grave graved graven grind ground ground grow grew grown hang hung hung have had had hear heard heard heave hove hove hew hewed hewn hide hid hid hit hit hit hold held held hurt hurt hurt keep kept kept kneel knelt knelt knit knit knit know knew known lay laid laid lead led led lean leant leant learn learn learnt leave left left


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let let let lie lay lain light lit lit lose lost lost make made made mean meant meant meet met met melt melted molten mow mowed mown pay paid paid prove proved proven put put put read read read rend rent rent rid rid rid ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen run ran run saw sawed sawn say said said see saw seen seek sought sought sell sold sold send sent sent set set set sew sewed sewn shake shook shaken shave shaved shaven shear sheared shorn shed shed shed shine shone shone shoot shot shot shot shut shut show showed shown shrink shrank shrunk


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shut shut shut sing sang sung sink sank sunk sit sat sat slay slew slain sleep slept slept slide slid slid sling slung slung slink slunk slunk slit slit slit smell smelt smelt smite smote smitten sow sowed sown speak spoke spoken speed sped sped spend spent spent spill spill spilt spin spun spun spit spat spat split split split spoil spoilt spoilt spread spread spread spring sprang sprung stand stood stood stave stove stove steal stole stolen stick stuck stuck sting stung stung stink stank stunk strew strewed strewn stride strode stridden strike struck struck string strung strung strive strove striven sweep swept swept swell swelled swollen


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swim swam swum swing swung swung take took taken teach taught taught tear tore torn tell told told think thought thought throw threw thrown thrust thrust thrust tread trod trodden wake woke woken wear wore worn weave wove woven weep wept wept win won won wind wound wound wring wrung wrung write wrote written


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Self Tests

SELF TESTS The following self-tests will help you check your use and understanding of irregular verbs. The tests are mostly gap-fills. Some of the more difficult tests may have more than one possible answer.

Test 1

Fill the blank spaces with the correct form of the verb.

BASE SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE cut cut put put

shoot found

spit froze

grind

Test 2

Supply the appropriate form of the verb in brackets.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

John (go)[1] to school today. I (begin)[2] working when I was 18 years old. I’ll (fly)[3] at five o’clock tonight. Where does John (sit)[4]? He (sit)[5] near me. The lava was (melt)[6] when it erupted from the volcano. My neighbour (dig)[7] a hole in his garden to plant a new tree. I (let) [8] my little brother use my bicycle the other day. I (wake)[9] at six o’clock this morning and leave[10] home to go London. John (throw)[11] his ball at his friend. I (fly)[12] from New York yesterday. My mother (sew)[13] a button


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onto my jacket. I (drink)[14] a lot of milk when I was young. The lift (stick)[15] at the fifth floor of my apartment. I (take)[16] an English oral examination last week. Every morning I (wake)[17] when I (hear) 18] the alarm clock ring. My mother (make)[19] me breakfast before I (leave)[20] for school this morning.

Test 3

Find the correct form of the verb and place it into the correct place in the sentence.

a. flee b. tell c. catch d. steal e. weep

The boy is a thief! He often [1] from the local shops. He was [2] recently after he [3] from a supermarket. His mother [4] when the police [5] her about his behaviour.

Test 4

Put an appropriate irregular verb into the gap. I [1] … too much money for that old car I [2] … . A tyre [3] … and the brakes [4] … the first time I [5] … it. If I had[6] … the car was so bad I would have [7] … less money for it.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Test 5

Write the base forms for the underlined verbs into the appropriate boxes. I [1] thought you [2] knew the answer to that problem. I [3] came from Edinburgh yesterday. I [4] sent my little brother outside while I [5] hid my ball. I [6] wore my best suit to me friend’s party. When I [7] cut my finger it [8] bled for hours. I [9] lost my way as [10] drove through London. I [11] spilt the milk and [12] burnt my dinner when I was cooking, so I [13] spread some butter on bread and [14] ate it. I [15] read a funny book and [16] split my sides my sides with laughter. I [17] bit my tongue when I was chewing gum. I [18] meant to see him yesterday but I could not. The earthquake [19] shook the house. I [20] bought a new car last week.


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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Test 6

Supply an irregular verb to complete the sentence. Last night I [1] … my mother my school report card. I never [2] … this morning I feel so untidy. The school show [3] … at 10 o’clock. My brother [4] … a cassette player today. I [15] … my university exams but I [6] … too many mistakes and failed. A party … in the American Embassy was [8] … short because of a bomb threat. I [9] … my tee shirt when I was playing football. I [10] … my mother that I would like a new one. She [11] … that I could have a new one if I [12] … for it. I might [13] … one if they do not [14] too much. On holiday I [15] …so many interesting people. As I [16] … in the shade of an old oak tree a bee [17] … me. The film was so sad that I cried [18] … all the way through it. The car [19] … towards the winning post. I [20] when I walked through the snow yesterday.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Test 7

Supply the appropriate irregular verbs. I was [1] Paris and [2] up in London, but I [3] my wife in Berlin. I was [4] not top [5] with other children. The tree trunk was [6] when the woodsman [7] it with his axe. The cat [8] slowly ready to [9] on a bird in the garden. He cannot play basketball because


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he has [10] his thumb. He [11] it with a hammer. The sheep were [12] and the wool has been [13] to a mill to be [14] into cloth. How does the new teacher [15] up to our worst class? He has [16] how to [17] with students who [18] him contempt. He is [19] of all knowledge and cannot [20] anything.

Bereft Show Made Crept Given Fight Teach Broke Learnt Grew Struck Hit Born Met Shorn Split deal taught bear spring

Test 8

Replace the underlined word or phrase with an appropriate irregular verb synonym or near synonym. It [1] started raining at three o’clock today. The rude man [2] closed the door in my face. [3] Hand that book to me! I [4] posted the letter to my friend. I [5] cut my beard off this morning. It was so cold last night that the surface of the lake [6] iced over. My brother [7] injured himself when he played with my bicycle. The bank robber was [8] killed by the police when he tried to escape. I [9] got up at six o’clock this morning. Mercedes [10] produces very good cars. My mother [11] picked a nice birthday present for me. The expensive vase [12] came apart in my hands. I’ll [13] do my best to pass my exams. The bully [14] punched the smaller boy. I [15] walked softly and softly on the grass so that I could not be seen or heard. The grass was [16] cut yesterday. The artist [17] sketched the scene with his pencil. I [18] looked through a narrow crack in the wall. I [19] cried when I [20] watched the sad film.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20


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Test 9

Find the verb that fits the numbered blank and use its correct form.

a. see b. wake c. light d. find e. lost f. lay g. run h. swell i. keep j. wear k. fall l. begin m. burn n. light o. leave p. hurt q. feel r. hear

By the time we [1] our campfire had [2] out and we [3] cold. We decided to [4] our anoraks to [5] warm while we tried to [6] the fire. I [7] the camp and walked into the forest to [8] wood. Once in the forest I soon realized that I was [9]. I started to shout. Soon I [10] my friends reply and walked towards their voices. After a little time I [11] the smoke from the newly [12] campfire. I [13] to [14] towards my friends but I [15] and [16] my leg. I [17] in the forest floor in agony. My leg had [18] to twice its normal size. Put the correct form of the verb in the correct place in the box.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18


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Answer Keys

Test 1

BASE SIMPLE PAST PAST PARTICIPLE cut cut cut put put put

shoot shot shot Spit spat found

freeze froze frozen grind ground ground

Test 2

1 went 2 began 3 fly 4 sit 5 sits

6 melts 7 dug 8 let 9 woke 10 left

11 drew 12 flew 13 sewed 14 drank 15 stuck

16 took 17 woke 18 heard 19 made 20 left

Test 3

a. flee b. tell c. catch d. steal e. weep

Test 4

1 paid 2 bought 3 burst 4 stuck 5 drove 6 known 7 given

Test 5

1 think 2 know 3 come 4 send 5 hide

6 wear 7 cut 8 bleed 9 lose 10 drive

11 spill 12 burn 13 spoil 14 spread 15 read

16 split 17 bite 18 mean 19 shake 20 buy


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Test 6

1 showed 2 shaved 3 began 4 bought 5 sat

6 made 7 given 8 cut 9 tore 10 told

11 spill 12 burn 13 spoil 14 spread 15 read

16 split 17 bite 18 mean 19 shake 20 buy

Test 7

1 born 2 grew 3 met 4 taught 5 fight

6 split 7 struck 8 crept 9 spring 10 broke

11 hit 12 shorn 13 given 14 made 15 bear

16 learnt 17 deal 18 show 19 bereft 20 learn

Test 8

1 began 2 shut 3 give 4 sent 5 shaved

6 froze 7 hurt 8 slain 9 arose 10 makes

11 chose 12 broke 13 strive 14 hit 15 crept

16 mown 17 drew 18 saw 19 wept 20 saw

Test 9

1 woke 2 burnt 3 felt 4 wear 5 keep

6 light 7 left 8 find 9 lost 10 heard

11 saw 12 lit 13 began 14 run 15 fell

16 hurt 17 lay 18 swollen


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Test number Score 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Table 12

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