When looking to become more proficient with using the most common English verbs, it certainly helps to understand their usage. Let’s look at the most common verbs and the different types of verbs in the English language that can inject clarity and precision into your short story, essay, poem, and article and improve your vocabulary knowledge.
Action Verbs / Dynamic Verbs List
If you want to describe an action, occurrence, or state of being, you’ll need action verbs. Dynamic verbs are also action verbs, which, as its name implies, express action. Remember that you should use these most-used verbs to convey an ongoing activity. These verbs are ideal when writing in immersive or persuasive tones. For example, “Crossing the finish line, Mary blew a kiss to the crowd.”
- Walk
- Run
- Play
- Climb
- Write
Stative Verbs List
Instead of actions, stative verbs describe a state of being or condition. These verbs describe permanent or long-term situations, not dynamic actions. You must understand that stative verbs are typically not used in the continuous form. “I always know what to do.”
Modal Verbs List
You can use auxiliary verbs to express modality, such as possibility, necessity, mood, or ability. When you need to convey specific attitudes or perspectives, modal verbs let you indicate nuances such as an obligation. Modal verbs are often followed by the base form of the main verb. For example, “I should study harder for my mid-terms.”
- Will
- Would
- Shall
- Should
- May
- Might
- Can
- Could
- Have to
- Has to
Irregular Verbs List
Unlike regular verbs, you can’t conjugate irregular verbs with standard “-ed” endings in the past tense or past participle. For example, “I had to go first, but you already went, and now they are all gone.”
Here are some of the most common irregular verbs:
- Eat – Ate – Eaten
- Fall – Fell – Fallen
- Forget – Forgot – Forgotten
- Do – Did – Done
- Fly – Flew – Flown
- Have – Had – Had
- Run – Ran – Run
- Take – Took – Taken
Linking Verbs List
In essence, you want to use linking verbs to “link” the subject of a sentence to complements such as nouns, pronouns, or adjectives. Linking verbs do not describe actions, do not take objects, and generally describe a state of being. For example, “She appeared tired after a long day at the salt mines.”
- Be
- Am
- Are
- Was
- Were
- Is
Helping Verbs / Auxiliary Verbs List
In order to create verb phrases, you will need a main verb and helping verbs. With proper usage of auxiliary verbs, your written communications can convey greater clarity and sophistication. You can compose verb phrases with other words, such as adverbs or direct objects. For example, “I have been studying common verbs for more than an hour.”
- Should
- Would
- Do
- Have
- Must
- Could
Intransitive Verbs List
The use of intransitive verbs can help you write more concise and elegant sentences. The easiest way to understand how these verbs work is to remember that they do not take a direct object. When properly used, intransitive verbs can express complete thoughts on their own.
Intransitive verbs can be followed by adverbs or prepositional phrases, but not by direct objects: “Birds sing sweetly at dawn.”
- Yawn
- Bleed
- Cough
- Cry
- Dream
- Fall
- Fly
Transitive Verbs List
Want to craft sentences that your readers will find clear and precise? Transitive verbs take direct objects and express actions that apply to beings or objects. In general, the direct object should either be a noun or pronoun that answers the question “what?” or “whom?”
For example, “She wrote an entire essay filled with transitive verbs yesterday.”
- Accept
- Choose
- Kick
- Grab
- Make
- Need
- Call
- Take
- Use
Phrasal Verbs List
Common English verbs also include phrasal verbs. They are a combination of verbs and particles, but you want to ensure they are distinct from verb phrases. When selecting phrasal verbs to write, you must clearly understand the meaning of the base verb and particles.
It is vital to use phrasal verbs correctly and to clarify their meaning as needed to avoid ambiguity.
For instance, “I really need to figure out how to turn down the volume on my smartphone.”
- Add up
- Drop off
- Dress over
- End up
- Figure out
- Get along
Verb Tenses
Another common English verbs you’ll come across are verb tenses. Your choice of verb tense can affect the meaning of a sentence and help clarify the time frame of the action. There are three major verb tenses – present, past, and future.
For instance:
Past: I walked to the parking.
Present: I walk to the parking.
Future: I will walk to the parking.
A-Z Complete Common Verbs List
Verbs That Start With A
Here are some A verbs:
- Attempt
- Assume
- Attach
- Attend
- Apply
Verbs That Start With B
Here are some verbs that start with B:
- Blast
- Boost
- Boycott
- Blame
- Bake
Verbs That Start With C
These verbs that start with C are also a great addition to your essays:
- Cheat
- Cheer
- Chop
- Confine
- Crawl
Verbs That Start With D
Here are some common D verbs:
- Drunk
- Drive
- Desire
- Determine
- Demand
Verbs That Start With E
- Earn
- Eat
- Emphasize
- Enjoy
- Ensure
Verbs That Start With F
Here are some verbs beginning with the letter F.
- Fail
- Fall
- Feed
- Find
- Fit
Verbs That Start With G
Here are some verbs starting with G:
- Grasp
- Gather
- Grow
- Give
- Grab
Verbs That Start With H
These H verbs are great to add to your vocabulary:
- Hold
- Hope
- Hide
- Hear
- Hurt
Verbs That Start With I
Here are some I verbs:
- Itch
- Imprint
- Interrupt
- Input
- Inventory
Verbs That Start With J
Here are some verbs that start with the letter J:
- Jog
- Jab
- Joke
- Jump
- Juggle
Verbs That Start With K
Here are some K verbs:
- Knock
- Kiss
- Kickstart
- Kneel
- Kid
Verbs That Start With L
Here is a list of L verbs
- Lick
- Load
- Lies
- Lease
- Loves
Verbs That Start With M
Here are some M verbs that you can use:
- Mask
- Massage
- Mend
- Moan
- Murmur
Verbs That Start With N
Here are some N verbs:
- Nurture
- Nourish
- Notify
- Nationalize
- Negotiate
Verbs That Start With O
Verbs That Start With P
Here are some P verbs that you can use:
- Promise
- Pee
- Permit
- Pour
- Pet
Verbs That Start With Q
Here are some verbs beginning with the letter Q.
- Quest
- Quit
- Qualify
Verbs That Start With R
Here are some R verbs:
- Recall
- Relax
- Regret
- Replace
- Repair
Verbs That Start With S
Here are some S verbs:
- Secrets
- Steal
- Shame
- Steal
- Smile
Verbs That Start With T
Here are useful T verbs that you can use in your essays:
- Tastes
- Trace
- Tackle
- Think
- Talk
Verbs That Start With U
Here are some U verbs:
- Understand
- Upset
- Upgrade
- Urge
Verbs That Start With V
Here are some V verbs:
- View
- Verify
- Visit
- Visualize
- Volunteer
Verbs That Start With W
Here are some W verbs:
- Wake
- Want
- Warn
- Weep
- Wear
Verbs That Start With X
Here are some X verbs:
- Xerox
- X-ray
Verbs That Start With Y
Here are some Y verbs
- Yell
- Yap
Verbs That Start With Z
Here are some Z verbs:
- Zero
- Zoom
- Zap
