English Paradigms: What They Are + Complete Table

In English, a paradigm refers to a model or scheme that illustrates the conjugation of a verb, based on its tense and conjugation pattern. It's a kind of guide that helps you identify the same verb in different forms, so you can better understand how it behaves and how to conjugate it correctly.

The English verb paradigm , in particular, features three different forms of a verb:

1. basic form, that is, the infinitive verb without the "to";
2. simple past ,
3. past participle , useful for forming all compound tenses

Paradigms are useful for understanding and correctly applying the rules of conjugation or inflection of words in English and for understanding how they vary in different grammatical situations.

This, of course, is very useful for verbs that do not follow grammatical rules perfectly, that is, so-called irregular verbs .

While the paradigm of regular verbs will always be the same, the English paradigms of irregular verbs differ from each other based on the verb and its irregularity, which does not necessarily follow a common form with other verbs.
For example:

drink → drank → drunk (drink)

cut → cut → cut (cut)

write → wrote → written (to write)

As you can see, these English paradigms have nothing in common with each other, and that's why it's so important to learn them by heart so you can recognize them and use them when needed.

By now, you'll have realized that with English paradigms, whether PDFs are available or not, it will be a huge memorization effort to study and remember them all, each with its own characteristics and endings. Having a list of irregular verbs in English is certainly the first method to help you learn these verbs effectively: having a table to consult at all times will allow you not only to recognize irregularities when you encounter them, but also to memorize every step of these English paradigms.

Another useful method for studying the English paradigms of irregular verbs is to divide them into groups and study them one at a time. You can simply sort them alphabetically, or divide them by similarities: you may have noticed, for example, that some irregularities are repeated, or that some verbs derive directly from others. The verb "take" and the verb "mistake," for example, are essentially the same verb, which, in the latter case, has a prefix that modifies its meaning. Grammatically, however, they behave the same way.

take → took → taken

mis take → mis took → mis taken

Depending on how it can be most effective for your study style, you can then choose different methods to study paradigms in English.

There are also other tips you can follow to make your job easier, such as:

• Repeat the paradigm aloud : It may seem boring and repetitive, sure, but it's a really effective exercise. Especially if you read aloud: hearing your own voice will help you memorize what you're saying.
• Write irregular verbs on a piece of paper: another memory exercise is writing them. An effective method for learning English paradigms is to write them by hand on a piece of paper. For further memorization practice, you can choose to write them out of order, not following the alphabetical order of the table, so as not to risk remembering them only if they're in that exact order. From here, you can also "play" by covering a column and trying to complete it from memory, to practice in the meantime.
• Embark on a language study trip with Sprachcaffe : what better way to learn a language than by living in a place where everyone speaks it and interacting with the locals? This is our most effective tip for learning irregular verbs in English, but also for making them your own and putting them into context without even thinking about it: this is what happens when you study a language abroad. You manage to master it and speak it with complete ease, just like a native. You grasp its most complex nuances, begin to think in that language and formulate constructions, taking full advantage of every tool you've acquired through study.

Join us on a language study trip to Canada, England, or Malta to learn English once and for all, including those much-hated and feared irregular verbs! You'll see, it will be a truly unforgettable experience, as well as an educational one.