English is a wonderfully unruly language, and nowhere more so than in its verbs. Most behave themselves and simply take an "ed" at the end, but a stubborn few refuse to follow the rules. We drink, drank, and have drunk. We lay a book down, but we lie down ourselves. Pictures are hung, yet criminals are hanged. These irregular verbs trip up even confident writers, and some of them hide surprising histories. In this quiz, we will put your knowledge of these troublesome verbs to the test.
Yesterday I ______ three glasses of water.
drink
drank
drunk
drinked
I ______ across the lake last summer.
swimmed
swum
swim
swam
Which is correct when speaking of an execution?
The criminal was hung at dawn.
The criminal was hunged at dawn.
The criminal was hanged at dawn.
The criminal was hanging at dawn.
"Lay" (meaning to place something) has which past participle?
Lain
Lied
Layed
Laid
"Lie" (meaning to recline) has which past participle?
Laid
Lain
Lied
Layed
Which is the standard past participle of "prove"?
Proven or proved
Proving
Proved only
Prove
The knight ______ the dragon in the old tale.
slayed
slew
slain
sleeped
Which sentence uses "bade" correctly?
He bade her farewell at the station.
He bade a new car last week.
He bade the highest price at the auction.
He bade very tired that evening.
The old stone path had been ______ by centuries of pilgrims.
treaded
trodden
treading
treaden
In the old tale, the hero ______ his enemy with a single blow.
smited
smote
smitten
smiten
"Wrought iron" preserves an old past tense of which everyday verb?
Wring
Work
Write
Wreak
He was left utterly ______ of hope.
bereaven
bereft
bereaved
bereavened
Which is the standard past tense in the phrase "the storm ______ havoc"?
wrought
wreaked
wreaken
wroke
The guests had all ______ of the feast before midnight.
partook
partaken
partaked
parten
She ______ her share of the profits so the others could be paid.
forgoed
forwent
forgone
forewone
Room to Grow
Well, it seems a few of these verbs got the better of you, and honestly, you are in very good company. Irregular verbs are the trickiest corner of English grammar, and even professional writers reach for a dictionary when the lay and lie family comes along. The good news is that these forms stick once they click. Why not review a few of the classic troublemakers, then come back and try again? You may surprise yourself next time. Thank you for playing along with us today!
Nicely done! You have a solid grasp of English verbs and a good ear for what sounds right. You know that pictures are hung while criminals are hanged, and you did not stumble over the usual traps. A few of the trickier forms slipped past you, but that is no shame at all, as some of these verbs have puzzled writers for centuries. With a little more practice, you would be unstoppable. A fine result to be proud of!
Outstanding! You are a true master of English verbs, and it shows. From borne and lain to trodden and wrought, not one of these stubborn old forms managed to catch you out. You clearly have both a sharp ear and a real love of language, and your knowledge does it full justice. Few people could navigate these verbs with such confidence. Take a well earned bow, because this was a performance worthy of the finest grammarians. Simply magnificent!
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Shai K.
7/19/2026
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