Irregular verb
The verb to read
read → read → read
A2Meaning: to look at words and understand them · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they read(/riːd/) ·he/she/it reads - Past Simple:
read(same spelling, but pronounced /red/!) - Past participle:
read(same spelling, pronounced /red/) - -ing form:
reading
Conjugation of the verb to read
Present Simple
| I | read /riːd/ |
| You | read /riːd/ |
| He / She / It | reads /riːdz/ |
| We | read /riːd/ |
| You (pl.) | read /riːd/ |
| They | read /riːd/ |
Past Simple
| I | read /red/ |
| You | read /red/ |
| He / She / It | read /red/ |
| We | read /red/ |
| You (pl.) | read /red/ |
| They | read /red/ |
All the forms of the verb to read
Present Simple
Full pageread / reads
“I read every night.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are reading
“I am reading a book right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pageread /red/
“I read a book yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were reading
“I was reading a book when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has read
“I have already read a book.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad read
“She had already read a book when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill read
“I will read a book tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to read
“I'm going to read a book this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould read
“I would read a book if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to read
1. Reading a book or a text
- I read every night.
- She read three books last month.
2. Reading out loud
Read out loud or read aloud = to read so that other people can hear you.
- Read the story out loud.
3. Understanding a hidden meaning
Read between the lines = to understand what someone means but does not say.
- You have to read between the lines.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I love read ❌
Say I love reading (or I love to read), not I love read. Here reading works like a noun, the activity: Reading is fun.
2. Read is also an adjective
A well-read person has read a lot of books. Here, read is pronounced /red/.
Going further
Conjugating to read is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYYou can conjugate to read. Now say it out loud.
This page explained everything. On PLAY, you practise this verb out loud in 3 minutes, until it comes naturally.
Practise to read on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersReady-made activities to practise to read in class
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Related pages: read
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of read?+
The Past Simple of read is read: the spelling does not change! But the sound changes: /riːd/ in the present, /red/ in the past. This is very rare in English.
How do you pronounce read in the past?+
In the past, read is pronounced /red/, like the colour red or the word bed. In the present, it is /riːd/, like need. Same spelling, different sound.
How do you know if read is present or past?+
Look at the time words (yesterday, last week, every day) or the helping verb (have read is the Present Perfect). I read the news every day (present). I read the news yesterday (past).
What does well-read mean?+
Well-read describes a person who has read a lot and knows many things. A well-read person has read many books. Here, read is pronounced /red/. It is a common adjective.
Is it read or readed?+
Read is irregular. Its past form is still read (pronounced /red/), never readed. It is a special case: the spelling does not change.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/read
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.