Soar to New Heights with 50 Common English Verbs

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Do you know how to learn English verbs?
Study flashcards. Work hard. Travel to America, if you want.
Verbs are everywhere.
To be able to form a single sentence in the English language, you’ll probably need to
know at least one verb. Almost every sentence includes a verb.

So where do you begin? Which verbs should you learn first?

Here are 50 of the most common verbs you’ll use in any given situation.
First, you’ll learn a few that you’re likely to hear everywhere you go. Then we’ll cover verbs
that are specific to familiar situations, like traveling, and places, like your home, school or
business.

Ways to Practice English Verbs

1. Act out the verbs.
Sometimes transforming words into actions can help your brain memorize vocabulary.
Write verbs on individual slips of paper, and put each slip into a hat. Draw a piece of paper
out of the hat and act out the verb, then another, and another and so on.
You can easily do this activity by yourself. Or, if you have a couple of friends who are also
learning English, you can make a game out of it!
Play a form of Charades: While you act out a verb, your friends have to guess what the
verb on the piece of paper is.
 Watch videos to see verbs in action: Are you a visual learner? Watching videos to see
examples of each verb may help you memorize and understand words.

2. Make flashcards.
Write the English word on one side of the card, then the definition (in either English or
your native tongue, depending on your level) on the other side.
You may buy a set of physical flashcards and create a deck the old-fashioned way. Or,
download an app that allows you to create digital flashcard decks.

3. Write a story.
You’ve memorized the definitions. You can understand what others are saying when they
use the verbs in a sentence. Now you need to make sure you can use the verbs on your
own.
Try writing a short story, and challenge yourself to use 10 or 15 of the verbs you’re
studying in the story. If you have a friend who’s also an English student, swap (trade) and
proofread each other’s stories.
If you’re someone who remembers material by writing, this is a great exercise to put your
knowledge to the test.

The following sections will give you a lot of information about these 50 common
English verbs, but before you continue reading, have a look at this video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FZVNZJVbmo) to see these verbs in action with
real examples from movies.

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 The Most Common English Verbs

Simple Past
Verb Definition Example
past participle

- He is the only male cousin in his

be was - to exist family.
1 been
(am/is/are) were - to occur or take place - The conference will be next
Wednesday.

- I have two dogs.

- to own or hold
2 have had had - We had a good time at the restaurant
- to experience
last night.

- to say something to
- Did you ask the teacher when your
gain information
3 ask asked asked homework assignment is due?
- to request something
- Mom asked me to clean my room.
from someone

- A: What do you like to do on

weekends?
- to perform an action
B: I usually watch TV and play with my
4 do did done - to act in a certain
dogs.
way
- My favorite football team is doing
poorly.

- A: Has the letter I sent arrived yet?

- to receive
B: Yes, I got it.
5 get got got/gotten - to obtain or fetch
- Can you get my jacket from the closet
- to understand
for me?
 - A: Are you still studying for the
English test?
B: Yes. I just don’t get how to conjugate
verbs!
A: I know, conjugations are difficult to
understand.

- to move from one - Are you going to the concert next

6 go went gone place to another weekend?
- to leave - It’s already 11:00? I have to go !

- A: Did you hear that sound?

- to take in a sound B: Yeah, but don’t worry, I think it’s just
7 hear heard heard with your ears the wind.
- to be aware of - Did you hear about Taylor Swift’s new
cat?

- A: What did she say ?

- to utter words aloud
B: She said that she will think about it.
8 say said said - to convey
- The website says the museum will
information
open at 8:00.

- Did you know that Taylor Swift got a

- to be aware of
new cat?
9 know knew known - to have a relationship
- A: Do you know Sarah?
with someone
B: Yes, we used to work together.

A: Do you like the TV show

10 like liked liked to enjoy “Supernatural?”
B: Yes, but I like “Breaking Bad” more.
 - A: Do you like the movie “Ocean’s
- to like a lot 11?”
- to have deep B: Yes, I love that movie!
11 love loved loved
romantic or emotional - I know your mom is strict, but
feelings for remember that she loves you.
- I love Steve—I want to marry him!

12 need needed needed to require I need a pencil to take the test.

I want a puppy, but I would adopt an

13 want wanted wanted to desire
older dog if I found the right one

- I don’t think the color red looks good

- to have an opinion or
on me. I think God is real.
belief
14 think thought thought - A: What are you thinking about?
- to direct your mind
B: I am thinking about what I want to
toward something
eat for lunch.

- to put food in your Do you want to eat pizza or chicken for

15 eat ate eaten
mouth and swallow it dinner?

- to put liquid in your Don’t forget to drink water before you

16 drink drank drunk
mouth and swallow it go to bed.

You can watch TV for 30 minutes when

17 watch watched watched to look at or observe
we get home.

I try to sleep for at least eight hours

18 sleep slept slept to be asleep
every night.

to prepare food or a Dad loves to cook healthy meals for the

19 cook cooked cooked
meal family.
 to make something Let’s clean the living room before we
20 clean cleaned cleaned
free of dirt or mess have guests over.

to move something so
Open the window so the fresh air can
21 open opened opened that there is a space for
get in.
access or view

to move as to cover an Close the refrigerator door so we don’t

22 close closed closed
opening waste electricity.

learned to gain knowledge of

23 learn learned I am learning a lot in my English class!
learnt or skill in something

to show or explain The professor will teach us how to read

24 teach taught taught
how to do something the data in tomorrow’s class.

to devote time to an I have to study for my communication

25 study studied studied
academic field class.

- to mark words on a - Can you write the rules on the

surface chalkboard?
26 write wrote written
- to compose a - I have to write a six-page paper by
document Monday morning.

to look at and Remember to read the first chapter of

27 read read read
understand written text your textbook by tomorrow.

to give a job or task to The teacher assigned us so much

28 assign assigned assigned
someone homework!

to pay attention to Did you listen to the teacher’s

29 listen listened listened
sound instructions?
 to be engaged in a
I’m an elementary school teacher. I
30 work worked worked practical activity,
work at the school down the street.
especially at one’s job

to present to someone I have to submit my report to the

31 submit submitted submitted
for judgment manager by 5:00.

A: Can you explain how to create this

to describe an idea to
document to me?
32 explain explained explained someone so that they
B: Sure! First, select a template in
understand it
Microsoft Word.

A: Have you contacted the manager

to communicate with yet?
33 contact contacted contacted
someone B: Yes, I called her cell phone this
morning.

to arrange for the

34 send sent sent I will send her an email tomorrow.
delivery of

to obtain in exchange We need to buy more uniforms for the

35 buy bought bought
for payment new employees.

to give in exchange for

36 sell sold sold I sold 12 boxes this week.
payment

to give currency in A: Where do I pay for this necklace?

37 pay paid paid exchange for an item B: You can pay at the cash register at the
or service front of the store.

to promote something A: What’s the best way to advertise the

38 advertise advertised advertised
in a public medium product?
 B: We could create a TV commercial.
C: If we’re going to do that, let’s write a
radio commercial, too.

A: When do you think you can finish

writing that speech?
39 finish finished finished to complete
B: I should finish it by the end of the
day on Tuesday.

My dad and I are traveling to Spain this

40 travel travelled travelled to make a journey
summer.

to go see someone or I want to visit my grandmother next

41 visit visited visited
something month.

to travel through a new Do you want to explore the

42 explore explored explored
place neighborhood before we go home?

to travel through a new Do you want to tour the neighborhood

43 tour toured toured
place, or to explore before we go home?

to move through the I am flying from Atlanta to New York at

44 fly flew flown
air 4:00.

The Eiffel Tower is too far away for us

45 ride rode riden to travel in a vehicle
to walk. Let’s ride the bus.

to stay in a tent or Let’s camp in the mountains this

46 camp camped camped
camper weekend.

to travel over snow on

47 ski skied skied My family and I go skiing every winter.
skis
 A: You’re going to Sydney? Where are
you going to stay?
48 stay stayed stayed to remain in one place
B: I am staying at a hotel just outside of
the city.

49 swim swam swum to move through water Let’s swim in the pool after lunch.

You need to relax! Hopefully, going on

50 relax relaxed relaxed to become less anxious
vacation will help.

Everywhere you go, everywhere you look, there’s a verb.

Once you’ve mastered these basic verbs, you can move on to more and more advanced ones.
There’s always more to learn!