1. Qu'est-ce qui distingue un verbe régulier d'un verbe irrégulier ?
• Le prétérit et le participe passé des verbes réguliers se forment en ajoutant -ed à la base verbale. Les deux formes sont identiques.
Ex. : live (habiter) → lived (prétérit) → lived (participe passé).
I lived in Scotland. (J'habitais en Écosse.)
You have never lived in Ireland. (Tu n'as jamais habité en Irlande.)
Ex. : arrive (arriver) → arrived (prétérit) → arrived (participe passé).
Your sister arrived late last night. (Ta sœur est arrivée tard hier soir.)
We have arrived at my parents' place. (Nous sommes arrivés chez mes parents.)
Ex. : live (habiter) → lived (prétérit) → lived (participe passé).
I lived in Scotland. (J'habitais en Écosse.)
You have never lived in Ireland. (Tu n'as jamais habité en Irlande.)
Ex. : arrive (arriver) → arrived (prétérit) → arrived (participe passé).
Your sister arrived late last night. (Ta sœur est arrivée tard hier soir.)
We have arrived at my parents' place. (Nous sommes arrivés chez mes parents.)
• Mais il existe également des verbes irréguliers qui ne suivent pas cette règle ; il faut alors apprendre leurs formes par cœur.
Ex : know (connaître) → knew (prétérit) → known (participe passé).
She knew all the answers. (Elle connaissait toutes les réponses.)
You have known her since last month. (Tu la connais depuis le mois dernier.)
Ex. : steal (voler) → stole (prétérit) → stolen (participe passé).
He stole money from the drawer. (Il a volé de l'argent dans le tiroir.)
When Peter went back home, he found that his car had been stolen. (Quand Peter est revenu à la maison, il a découvert que sa voiture avait été volée.)
Ex : know (connaître) → knew (prétérit) → known (participe passé).
She knew all the answers. (Elle connaissait toutes les réponses.)
You have known her since last month. (Tu la connais depuis le mois dernier.)
Ex. : steal (voler) → stole (prétérit) → stolen (participe passé).
He stole money from the drawer. (Il a volé de l'argent dans le tiroir.)
When Peter went back home, he found that his car had been stolen. (Quand Peter est revenu à la maison, il a découvert que sa voiture avait été volée.)
2. Quels sont les emplois du participe passé ?
• Le participe passé sert à former certains temps du passé comme le present perfect et le past perfect (voir fiche Les temps du passé).
Ex. : He has done his homework. (Il a fait ses devoirs.) (present perfect).
Ex. : My father had lived in Liverpool for two years when he decided to move to Glasgow. (Mon père vivait à Liverpool depuis deux ans quand il décida de déménager à Glasgow.) (past perfect).
Ex. : He has done his homework. (Il a fait ses devoirs.) (present perfect).
Ex. : My father had lived in Liverpool for two years when he decided to move to Glasgow. (Mon père vivait à Liverpool depuis deux ans quand il décida de déménager à Glasgow.) (past perfect).
• Le participe passé permet également de former la voix passive (voir fiche La construction des verbes).
Ex. : This game is sold 15 dollars. (Ce jeu est vendu 15 dollars.)
Ex. : This game is sold 15 dollars. (Ce jeu est vendu 15 dollars.)
• Enfin, le participe passé peut aussi être utilisé comme adjectif.
Ex. : After the film, the frightened children refused to go to bed. (Après le film, les enfants effrayés refusèrent d'aller au lit.)
Ex. : After the film, the frightened children refused to go to bed. (Après le film, les enfants effrayés refusèrent d'aller au lit.)
3. Quels sont les principaux verbes irréguliers ?
| Base verbale | Prétérit | Participe passé | Traduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | was, were | been | être |
| beat | beat | beaten | battre |
| become | became | become | devenir |
| break | broke | broken | casser |
| bring | brought | brought | apporter |
| build | built | built | construire |
| burst | burst | burst | éclater |
| buy | bought | bought | acheter |
| catch | caught | caught | attraper |
| choose | chose | chosen | choisir |
| come | came | come | venir |
| cost | cost | cost | coûter |
| cut | cut | cut | couper |
| do | did | done | faire |
| draw | drew | drawn | dessiner |
| dream | dreamed/ dreamt | dreamed/ dreamt | rêver |
| drink | drank | drunk | boire |
| drive | drove | driven | conduire |
| eat | ate | eaten | manger |
| fall | fell | fallen | tomber |
| feel | felt | felt | ressentir |
| fight | fought | fought | combattre |
| find | found | found | trouver |
| flee | fled | fled | fuir |
| fly | flew | flown | voler (avec des ailes) |
| forbid | forbade | forbidden | interdire |
| forecast | forecast | forecast | prévoir |
| freeze | froze | frozen | geler |
| get | got | got | obtenir |
| give | gave | given | donner |
| go | went | gone | aller |
| grow | grew | grown | pousser, faire pousser |
| have | had | had | avoir |
| hear | heard | heard | entendre |
| hide | hid | hidden | cacher |
| hit | hit | hit | frapper |
| hold | held | held | tenir |
| keep | kept | kept | garder |
| kneel | knelt | knelt | s'agenouiller |
| know | knew | known | connaître |
| learn | learned/ learnt | learned/ learnt | apprendre |
| leave | left | left | laisser, partir |
| make | made | made | faire, fabriquer |
| mean | meant | meant | signifier, vouloir dire |
| meet | met | met | rencontrer |
| pay | paid | paid | payer |
| put | put | put | mettre |
| read | read | read | lire |
| ring | rang | rung | sonner |
| run | ran | run | courir, diriger |
| say | said | said | dire |
| see | saw | seen | voir |
| send | sent | sent | envoyer |
| show | showed | shown | montrer |
| sleep | slept | slept | dormir |
| speak | spoke | spoken | parler |
| steal | stole | stolen | voler |
| take | took | taken | prendre |
| teach | taught | taught | enseigner |
| think | thought | thought | penser |
| understand | understood | understood | comprendre |
| wear | wore | worn | porter (un vêtement) |
| write | wrote | written | écrire |
Exercice n°1Exercice n°2Exercice n°3Exercice n°4Exercice n°5Exercice n°6Exercice n°7Exercice n°8
Exercice n°1
Quel est le temps du verbe dans cette phrase ?
"I read a very interesting book."
"I read a very interesting book."
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Le verbe read possède des formes identiques au présent, au prétérit et au participe passé.
Ici, il ne peut s'agir du présent simple, car l'action de lire un livre précis ne peut pas être une action habituelle. Le verbe est donc au prétérit dans cette phrase (J'ai lu un livre très intéressant).
Ici, il ne peut s'agir du présent simple, car l'action de lire un livre précis ne peut pas être une action habituelle. Le verbe est donc au prétérit dans cette phrase (J'ai lu un livre très intéressant).
Exercice n°2
Complétez le tableau suivant.
Écrivez les réponses dans les zones colorées.
| Base verbale | Prétérit | Participe passé | Traduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| beat | | beaten | |
| | bit | | mordre |
| | fell | | tomber |
| feel | | | (se) sentir, ressentir |
| | led | led | |
| let | | | laisser, permettre |
| | | lent | prêter |
| lie | | | se coucher |
| | | shot | tirer |
| shut | | | fermer |
Exercice n°3
Quel verbe complète correctement cette phrase ?
"We … from London to Dublin."
"We … from London to Dublin."
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Ne pas confondre le verbe steal, stole, stolen (« voler » dans le sens de « dérober ») et le verbe fly, flew, flown (« voler » dans les airs).
We flew from London to Dublin. = Nous sommes allés de Londres à Dublin en avion.
We flew from London to Dublin. = Nous sommes allés de Londres à Dublin en avion.
Exercice n°4
Quel verbe complète correctement cette phrase ?
"I … I had to say something."
"I … I had to say something."
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Ne pas confondre le verbe fall, fell, fallen (tomber) avec le verbe feel, felt, felt (sentir, ressentir).
I felt I had to say something. = Je sentis qu'il fallait que je dise quelque chose.
I felt I had to say something. = Je sentis qu'il fallait que je dise quelque chose.
Exercice n°5
Quel verbe complète correctement cette phrase ?
"Has Johnson … the world record ?"
"Has Johnson … the world record ?"
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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La présence de l'auxiliaire have au présent indique que le verbe est au present perfect. La forme qui convient est donc le participe passé (Johnson a-t-il battu le record du monde ?).
Exercice n°6
Quel verbe complète correctement cette phrase ?
"It will soon be … to smoke in shopping centres."
"It will soon be … to smoke in shopping centres."
Cochez la bonne réponse.
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Il s'agit d'une phrase à la voix passive : le verbe est donc au participe passé (Il sera bientôt interdit de fumer dans les lieux publics).
Exercice n°7
Complétez les phrases à l'aide des verbes suivants conjugués au prétérit : beat – break – fall – feel – know – leave – sing – spoil – teach – think – wear.
Écrivez les réponses dans les zones colorées.
1. During the Physical Education class, Betty sick so she had to go home.
2. During the Physical Education class, Glenn and his leg.
3. Elvis Presley rock'n roll.
4. I you would be glad to see us.
5. We at 6:30 this morning, and arrived at 7:15 pm.
6. Manchester United Liverpool 2 to 1 last night.
7. I used to teach Spanish in a local high school, and my wife Physics.
8. I once a man who could speak 8 languages.
9. When my mother was at school, pupils a uniform.
10. Some artists their health by drinking heavily or taking drugs.
2. During the Physical Education class, Glenn and his leg.
3. Elvis Presley rock'n roll.
4. I you would be glad to see us.
5. We at 6:30 this morning, and arrived at 7:15 pm.
6. Manchester United Liverpool 2 to 1 last night.
7. I used to teach Spanish in a local high school, and my wife Physics.
8. I once a man who could speak 8 languages.
9. When my mother was at school, pupils a uniform.
10. Some artists their health by drinking heavily or taking drugs.
Exercice n°8
Traduisez les verbes mis en valeur d'après leur sens dans le contexte.
Écrivez les réponses dans les zones colorées.
Edgar Alan Poe was born () in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Both his parents were () actors, but his father left ()before he was born and he lost ()his mother when he was (avait) only 3. So he was taken () to the home of John Allan, a successful tobacco merchant in Richmond, Virginia, where he was baptized Edgar Allan Poe.
The Allan family then went () to England and Edgar attended a boarding school in London. He moved back to Richmond in 1820 and registered at the university of Virginia.
In 1835, Poe began () editing the Southern Literary Messenger for Thomas W. White, in Richmond. He held (garda) this position until 1837.
In 1839 he became () assistant editor of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and published a large number of articles and stories.
But he really gained fame in 1845 when publishing a dozen of stories as well as The Raven and other stories. Then started a short period of calm during which he became a writer and a respected critic.
In 1847, his wife died, and Edgar Alan Poe's life began to unravel. He moved about from town to town, gave () lectures, and wrote () a little. He also drank () heavily and started courting several older women. He was found () dead in a tavern in Baltimore in 1849. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery.
The Allan family then went () to England and Edgar attended a boarding school in London. He moved back to Richmond in 1820 and registered at the university of Virginia.
In 1835, Poe began () editing the Southern Literary Messenger for Thomas W. White, in Richmond. He held (garda) this position until 1837.
In 1839 he became () assistant editor of Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and published a large number of articles and stories.
But he really gained fame in 1845 when publishing a dozen of stories as well as The Raven and other stories. Then started a short period of calm during which he became a writer and a respected critic.
In 1847, his wife died, and Edgar Alan Poe's life began to unravel. He moved about from town to town, gave () lectures, and wrote () a little. He also drank () heavily and started courting several older women. He was found () dead in a tavern in Baltimore in 1849. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery.
