Irregular Verbs: Handle with Care
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Irregular Verbs: Handle with Care
During a recent broadcast of America’s professional-basketball playoffs, a popular commentator said, “I wish he had did it” instead of had done it. A few days later, a longtime Washington insider with his own TV show said “if he had ran” instead of had run.
When those who should know better misuse irregular verbs, it is jarring and distracting. We use these verbs all the time. We might as well get them right. See how you do on the quiz that follows. The answers are directly below the test.
Irregular Verb Pop Quiz
1. She was gazing at a picture that her son had recently ___.
A) drawed
B) drew
C) drawn
2. You have finally ___ me a reason to trust them.
A) gave
B) given
C) give
D) gived
3. Have you ___ that thank-you note to your aunt yet?
A) write
B) wrote
C) written
D) writ
4. Just hearing that old song ___ back a lot of memories.
A) brang
B) brought
C) A and B are both correct
5. She still has not ___ him for the mistake he made.
A) forgiven
B) forgave
C) forgive
D) forgived
6. Lannie had his favorite shoes ___ in the back of the closet.
A) hid
B) hidden
C) A and B are both correct
7. A problem had suddenly ___ with our dinner reservations.
A) araised
B) arose
C) arised
D) arisen
8. The sweet smell of orchids ___ in the air.
A) clung
B) clinged
C) clang
9. My jacket ___ her perfectly.
A) fit
B) fitted
C) A and B are both correct
10. We had not even ___ two miles before we came to a fork in the road.
A) rode
B) ridden
C) ride
D) riden
ANSWERS
1: C) drawn
2: B) given
3: C) written
4: B) brought
5: A) forgiven
6: B) hidden
7: D) arisen
8: A) clung
9: C) A and B are both correct
10: B) ridden
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
I’m reluctant to question an “expert”, but are you sure that “fitted” is a correct answer to 9? Could this be UK usage versus US usage?
Both fit and fitted are the past tense of the verb. We would be fascinated to hear of any dictionary, old or new, that lists only fit as past tense.
Hey, guys, I have a question about “which” and what it describes in a particular sentence.
Here is the sentence.
“With police detectives weighing his claims, the victim gave them a roadmap to the defendant’s geography. which. he (the victim) said, includes distinctive “splotches” on his arms and one on his finger, “which is a light color similar to the color of his face.”
Now, my question is what is the “the light color similar to the color of his face” ? Is it the spot on the finger?
Or is it the finger itself or is it ambiguous?
Thank you for your time.
From what we can tell, given this unfortunate piece of writing, “which” refers to the spot on the finger.
“which” refers to “splotches,”
The first “which” appears to refer to “the defendant’s geography.” If the second “which” were to refer to “splotches,” the phrase following would need to be “which are a light color similar …” However, we are giving this “sentence” more attention than it deserves.