Irregular Verbs Are Killing Your English

I hear this one constantly in presentations and interviews: “I didn’t knowed that” or “I have never think about it.” The correct forms are “I didn’t know that” and “I have never thought about it.”

These are irregular verbs. They don’t follow the “-ed” pattern. And they’re deadly in high-stakes moments because they sound careless.

The Fix

Memorize the three forms and say them out loud.

KNOW:

• I know

• I knew

• I have known

THINK:

• I think

• I thought

• I have thought

Practice Daily

Spend 3 minutes drilling these. Record yourself. Play it back. Much like building any productivity framework, consistency is what makes the difference.

25-30% of all spoken English mistakes come from just 10 irregular verbs like these. Master them and you eliminate a huge source of hesitation.

Why It Matters

This is the kind of thing that goes unnoticed until it doesn’t. When you’re in an important meeting or speaking at events, these small errors can undermine your credibility.

Your English is fine. Small fixes. Big impact.

Irregular verbs trip up even experienced speakers. The good news? A few minutes of daily practice can eliminate most of these common mistakes. Record yourself, listen back, and you’ll hear the improvement quickly.

Which irregular verb trips you up most?