What are the present, past, and past participle forms of 'shrink'?

What are the present, past, and past participle forms of 'shrink'?

• A. Shrink, Shrunk, Shrunk
• B. Shrink, Shrank, Shrunk
• C. Shrinks, Shrunk, Shrunk
• D. Shrink, Shrank, Shrinked

Answer: (B)

Irregular verb forms change in the past rather than just adding -ed, which is what this item tests. For shrink, the base present form is shrink (you shrink, we shrink, they shrink; for he/she/it you’d say shrinks). The simple past tense is shrank. The past participle, used with have/has/had or as an adjective, is shrunk. So the correct sequence for present, past, and past participle is shrink, shrank, shrunk. The other options mix up those forms or use a nonstandard form (shrinked), or use a present tense form (shrinks) that doesn’t fit the requested sequence.

Irregular verb forms change in the past rather than just adding -ed, which is what this item tests. For shrink, the base present form is shrink (you shrink, we shrink, they shrink; for he/she/it you’d say shrinks). The simple past tense is shrank. The past participle, used with have/has/had or as an adjective, is shrunk. So the correct sequence for present, past, and past participle is shrink, shrank, shrunk. The other options mix up those forms or use a nonstandard form (shrinked), or use a present tense form (shrinks) that doesn’t fit the requested sequence.