Verbs that are Easily Confused
Intermediate
In English, some verbs can be confusing because they have similar forms, meanings, or follow unusual patterns. These verbs often cause mistakes, even for native speakers.
Table of Contents
1.Confusing verbs
1.1fall / feel / fill
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| fall | fell | fallen | move downward, often suddenly and without control |
| feel | felt | felt | sense or perceive through touch or emotion |
| fill | filled | filled | make something full or occupy space within it - regular |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
fall - _____ - fallen
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
fall - fell - _____
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - fell - fallen
1.2find / found
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| find | found | found | get back something lost |
| found | founded | founded | start up an organisation or institution |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
find - _____ - found
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - found - found
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
find - found - _____
1.3flow / fly
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| flow | flowed | flowed | of a liquid = move |
| fly | flew | flown | move in the air |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
flow - _____ - flowed
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - flowed - flowed
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
flow - flowed - _____
1.4lay / lie / lie
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| lay | laid | laid | put down flat, carefully |
| lie | lay | lain | be down, become horizontal - irregular |
| lie | lied | lied | say things that are not true - regular |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
lay - laid - _____
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - laid - laid
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
lay - _____ - laid
1.5leave / live
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| leave | left | left | go away from a place or situation / allow something to remain in a particular state or place. |
| live | lived | lived | exist, be alive |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
leave - _____ - left
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - left - left
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - lived - lived
1.6raise / rise
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| raise | raised | raised | lift something to a higher position, increase an amount, bring up a topic |
| rise | rose | risen | move upward, increase, go / get up |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - raised - raised
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
raise - _____ - raised
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
rise - rose - _____
1.7strike / stroke
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| strike | struck | struck | hit, cause an impact |
| stroke | stroked | stroked | pass the hand gently over, often figurative |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
strike - struck - _____
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - struck - struck
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
strike - _____ - struck
1.8wind / wound
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| wind | wound | wound | tighten a spring, mechanism etc, move in a twisting or spiraling way |
| wound | wounded | wounded | injure |
Practice Examples
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
wound - _____ - wounded
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
wind - wound - _____
Write the missing form of the verb (Infinitive - Past Simple - Past Participle)
_____ - wound - wound
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