Improve your English today with this essential list of verbs. Featuring over 600 commonly used verbs, this guide includes clear definitions, types, and example sentences to help you communicate with confidence. Don’t forget to check out our free printable infographics for quick study!
Verb Definition and Types of Verbs
A verb is a word that describes an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Every sentence in English requires a verb because it expresses what the subject does or what happens.
For example:
- She runs every morning.
- They built a new house.
- He is tired.
Verbs are also unique because they change their form to express tense (past, present, future) and grammatical aspects.
In English grammar, verbs can be classified in several ways. It is important to note that a single verb may belong to multiple categories at the same time. For example, the verb eat is:
- An action verb
- A transitive verb when it has an object
- An irregular verb in its past forms
Common types of verbs include:
- Action verbs
- Transitive verbs
- Intransitive verbs
- Auxiliary verbs
- Modal verbs
- Stative verbs
- Phrasal verbs
- Irregular verbs
- Regular verbs
Common List of Verbs
Action Verbs List
Action verbs describe physical or mental actions performed by a subject.
| Accelerate | Accommodate | Add |
| Accept | Achieve | Adjust |
| Act | Acquire | Administer |
| Adapt | Advise | Agree |
| Alert | Allocate | Allow |
| Analyze | Answer | Anticipate |
| Apologize | Appoint | Appraise |
| Approve | Arrange | Articulate |
| Ascertain | Assess | Assign |
| Assist | Assume | Attend |
| Audit | Authorize | Award |
| Balance | Bargain | Benefit |
| Blend | Boost | Brief |
| Build | Calculate | Call |
| Cancel | Capture | Care |
| Carry | Catalogue | Categorize |
| Change | Check | Choose |
| Classify | Clean | Clear |
| Close | Coach | Collaborate |
| Collect | Combine | Communicate |
| Compare | Compete | Complain |
| Comply | Compose | Compute |
| Concentrate | Conceptualize | Conclude |
| Conduct | Confer | Confirm |
| Connect | Conserve | Consider |
| Consolidate | Construct | Consult |
| Contribute | Control | Convert |
| Coordinate | Correct | Correspond |
| Counsel | Create | Critique |
| Cultivate | Cut | Deal |
| Debate | Decide | Dedicate |
| Define | Delegate | Deliver |
| Demonstrate | Depend | Design |
| Detail | Develop | Devise |
| Diagnose | Differentiate | Direct |
| Discover | Discuss | Display |
| Distribute | Document | Draft |
| Draw | Drive | Earn |
| Edit | Educate | Effect |
Transitive Verbs List
Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning.
Example:
- She read the book.
- They bought a car.
| eat | watch | love |
| drink | see | hate |
| write | hear | admire |
| read | smell | support |
| visit | touch | help |
| meet | taste | teach |
| call | entertain | learn |
| text | visit | invite |
| meet | deliver | |
| fax | call | ship |
| text | sell | |
| ship | buy | |
| lend | fax | borrow |
| give | take | |
| throw | ship | catch |
| open | lend | close |
| lock | give | unlock |
Intransitive Verbs List
Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object. The action stops with the subject.
Example:
- The baby cried.
- The sun rose.
| sleep | run | laugh |
| cry | swim | dance |
| sing | walk | jump |
| sit | stand | listen |
| talk | think | wonder |
| arrive | depart | appear |
| disappear | fall | rise |
| shine | glow | age |
| heal | live | die |
| exist | survive | succeed |
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs) help form tenses, voices, and questions in English.
| be | I am studying English. |
| have | She has finished her homework. |
| do | They do not understand the problem. |
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are a special group of auxiliary verbs used to express ability, permission, possibility, or obligation.
| can | She can play the piano. |
| could | Could you help me? |
| may | May I borrow your pen? |
| might | It might rain tomorrow. |
| will | I will call you later. |
| would | Would you like some tea? |
| shall | Shall we begin? |
| should | You should see a doctor. |
| must | You must finish this work. |
| ought to | You ought to apologize. |
Stative Verbs
Stative verbs describe states rather than actions. They often refer to emotions, thoughts, possession, or relationships.
| be | like | believe |
| have | love | know |
| seem | hate | understand |
| belong | prefer | recognize |
| contain | want | remember |
| possess | need | forget |
| equal | appreciate | weigh |
| matter | depend | wish |
| concern | suit | own |
| cost |
Phrasal Verbs List
| get up | I get up early every day. |
| put on | She put on her jacket. |
| take off | The plane will take off soon. |
| look for | I am looking for my keys. |
| give up | Never give up on your dreams. |
| go out | We are going out tonight. |
| come back | Please come back soon. |
| turn off | Turn off the lights. |
| turn on | Turn on the computer. |
| pick up | I will pick up some groceries. |
Irregular Verbs List
Irregular verbs change their forms in unpredictable ways when forming the past tense and past participle.
| be | was/were | been |
| become | became | become |
| begin | began | begun |
| break | broke | broken |
| bring | brought | brought |
| build | built | built |
| buy | bought | bought |
| catch | caught | caught |
| choose | chose | chosen |
| come | came | come |
Regular Verbs List
Regular verbs form their past tense and past participle by adding -ed.
| Accept | Change | Enjoy |
| Admire | Clean | Explain |
| Agree | Close | Fear |
| Answer | Collect | Finish |
| Arrive | Cook | Follow |
| Ask | Count | Hug |
| Believe | Dance | Imagine |
| Call | Decide | Joke |
| Carry | Deliver | Jump |
| Die | Discuss | Kiss |
Complete List of Verbs (A–Z)
Below is a curated alphabetical list of commonly used English verbs. The list removes non-verb entries and focuses only on real verbs used in modern English.
Verbs that Start with A
- Abate
- Abbreviate
- Abide
- Abort
- Abscond
- Absorb
- Abstain
- Abuse
- Accede
- Accelerate
- Accept
- Accommodate
- Accompany
- Accuse
- Ache
- Achieve
- Acknowledge
- Acquire
- Act
- Adapt
- Add
- Address
- Adjust
- Admire
- Admit
- Adore
- Advance
- Advertise
- Advise
- Advocate
- Affirm
- Agree
- Aid
- Aim
- Air
- Alert
- Align
- Allow
- Alter
- Amend
- Amuse
- Analyse
- Analyze
- Animate
- Announce
- Annoy
- Answer
- Anticipate
- Apologise
- Apologize
- Appeal
- Appear
- Apply
- Appraise
- Appreciate
- Approve
- Argue
- Arise
- Arrange
- Arrest
- Articulate
- Ascend
- Ascertain
- Ask
- Assert
- Assess
- Assign
- Assist
- Assume
- Assure
- Astonish
- Attach
- Attack
- Attempt
- Attend
- Audit
- Authorize
- Avoid
- Await
- Awaken
Verbs that Start with B
- Babble
- Backtrack
- Bake
- Balance
- Bang
- Banish
- Bark
- Bargain
- Beat
- Beautify
- Become
- Beg
- Begin
- Behave
- Believe
- Bend
- Bet
- Betray
- Bicker
- Bind
- Bite
- Blame
- Blend
- Bless
- Blink
- Blossom
- Blow
- Blush
- Boast
- Borrow
- Bounce
- Bow
- Box
- Brace
- Brag
- Break
- Breathe
- Breed
- Bring
- Browse
- Brush
- Build
- Burn
- Burst
- Bury
- Buy
- Buzz
Verbs that Start with C
- Calculate
- Call
- Calm
- Camp
- Cancel
- Care
- Carry
- Carve
- Catch
- Cause
- Celebrate
- Challenge
- Change
- Charge
- Chase
- Chat
- Check
- Cheer
- Choose
- Chop
- Claim
- Clap
- Clarify
- Clean
- Clear
- Click
- Climb
- Close
- Coach
- Collect
- Combine
- Come
- Complain
- Complete
- Concentrate
- Confirm
- Connect
- Consider
- Continue
- Control
- Cook
- Copy
- Correct
- Count
- Create
- Cross
- Cry
- Cut
Verbs that Start with D
- Dance
- Dare
- Deal
- Decide
- Declare
- Decorate
- Delay
- Deliver
- Depend
- Describe
- Design
- Destroy
- Develop
- Devise
- Die
- Dig
- Direct
- Disappear
- Discover
- Discuss
- Display
- Divide
- Do
- Double
- Draft
- Drag
- Draw
- Dream
- Dress
- Drink
- Drive
- Drop
Verbs that Start with E
- Earn
- Eat
- Edit
- Educate
- Effect
- Encourage
- End
- Enjoy
- Enter
- Escape
- Establish
- Examine
- Exceed
- Exchange
- Excuse
- Exercise
- Exist
- Expand
- Expect
- Explain
- Explore
- Express
- Extend
Verbs that Start with F
- Face
- Fail
- Fall
- Fasten
- Fear
- Feed
- Feel
- Fight
- Figure
- Fill
- Find
- Finish
- Fix
- Fly
- Follow
- Force
- Forget
- Forgive
- Form
- Frame
- Free
- Freeze
Verbs that Start with G
- Gain
- Gather
- Get
- Give
- Go
- Grab
- Greet
- Grin
- Grow
- Guess
- Guide
Verbs that Start with H
- Handle
- Hang
- Happen
- Hate
- Have
- Hear
- Help
- Hide
- Hit
- Hold
- Hope
- Hug
- Hunt
- Hurry
Verbs that Start with I
- Identify
- Ignore
- Imagine
- Improve
- Include
- Increase
- Influence
- Inform
- Insist
- Introduce
- Invite
- Involve
- Issue
Verbs that Start with J
- Joke
- Join
- Judge
- Jump
- Justify
Verbs that Start with K
- Keep
- Kick
- Kill
- Kiss
- Knock
- Know
Verbs that Start with L
- Label
- Land
- Last
- Laugh
- Lay
- Lead
- Learn
- Leave
- Lend
- Let
- Lie
- Lift
- Like
- Limit
- Link
- Listen
- Live
- Load
- Lock
- Look
- Lose
- Love
Verbs that Start with M
- Maintain
- Make
- Manage
- Mark
- Marry
- Match
- Matter
- Mean
- Measure
- Meet
- Mention
- Mind
- Miss
- Mix
- Move
- Multiply
Verbs that Start with N
- Name
- Need
- Neglect
- Notice
- Notify
- Number
Verbs that Start with O
- Obey
- Object
- Observe
- Obtain
- Occur
- Offer
- Open
- Operate
- Order
- Organize
- Overcome
- Owe
- Own
Verbs that Start with P
- Pack
- Paint
- Park
- Pass
- Pay
- Perform
- Pick
- Plan
- Play
- Point
- Possess
- Post
- Practice
- Prefer
- Prepare
- Present
- Press
- Pretend
- Prevent
- Produce
- Protect
- Prove
- Provide
- Pull
- Push
- Put
Verbs that Start with Q
- Qualify
- Question
- Quit
- Quote
Verbs that Start with R
- Race
- Rain
- Raise
- Reach
- Read
- Realize
- Receive
- Recognize
- Record
- Reduce
- Refer
- Refuse
- Relax
- Remember
- Remove
- Repeat
- Replace
- Reply
- Report
- Require
- Resist
- Rest
- Return
- Reveal
- Review
- Rise
- Run
Verbs that Start with S
- Say
- Save
- See
- Seek
- Seem
- Sell
- Send
- Serve
- Set
- Share
- Shift
- Ship
- Show
- Shut
- Sing
- Sit
- Sleep
- Smile
- Speak
- Spend
- Stand
- Start
- Stay
- Stop
- Study
- Succeed
- Suggest
- Support
- Survive
- Swim
Verbs that Start with T
- Take
- Talk
- Taste
- Teach
- Tell
- Text
- Thank
- Think
- Throw
- Touch
- Train
- Travel
- Try
- Turn
Verbs that Start with U
- Understand
- Unlock
- Use
- Utilize
Verbs that Start with V
- Value
- Vary
- Visit
- Vote
Verbs that Start with W
- Wait
- Wake
- Walk
- Want
- Watch
- Wear
- Win
- Wish
- Wonder
- Work
- Worry
- Write
Verbs that Start with X
- X-ray
Verbs that Start with Y
- Yawn
- Yell
- Yield
Verbs that Start with Z
- Zap
- Zoom