100+ Most Common Verbs in English [You Need to Know!]

VERB

MEANING

EXAMPLE SENTENCE

add

join (something) to something else so as to increase the size, number, or amount.

“I’ve started a petition so if you would like to add your name, email me”

allow

give (someone) permission to do something.

“the dissident was allowed to leave the country”

appear

come into sight; become visible or noticeable, typically without visible agent or apparent cause.

“smoke appeared on the horizon”

ask

say something in order to obtain an answer or some information.

“people are always asking questions”

be

exist; be present.

“I’m at home”

become

begin to be.

“it is becoming clear that we are in a totally new situation”

begin

start; perform or undergo the first part of (an action or activity).

“it was beginning to snow”

believe

accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of.

“the superintendent believed Lancaster’s story”

bring

take or go with (someone or something) to a place.

“she brought Luke home from the hospital”

build

construct (something) by putting parts or material together.

“the ironworks were built in 1736”

buy

obtain in exchange for payment.

“he bought me a new dress”

call

contact or attempt to contact (a person or number) by phone.

“could I call you back ?”

change

make (someone or something) different; alter or modify.

“both parties voted against proposals to change the law”

close

move or cause to move so as to cover an opening.

“she jumped into the train just as the doors were closing”

come

move or travel toward or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker.

“Jessica came into the kitchen”

consider

think carefully about (something), typically before making a decision.

“each application is considered on its merits”

continue

persist in an activity or process.

“he was unable to continue with his job”

cook

prepare (food, a dish, or a meal) by combining and heating the ingredients in various ways.

“shall I cook dinner tonight?”

create

bring (something) into existence.

“he created a thirty-acre lake”

cut

make an opening, incision, or wound in (something) with a sharp-edged tool or object.

“he cut his toe on a sharp stone”

decide

come to a resolution in the mind as a result of consideration.

“they decided to appoint someone else”

die

(of a person, animal, or plant) stop living.

“the king died a violent death”

do

perform (an action, the precise nature of which is often unspecified).

“very little work has been done in this field”

drink

take (a liquid) into the mouth and swallow.

“we sat by the fire, drinking our coffee”

drive

operate and control the direction and speed of a motor vehicle.

“he got into his car and drove off”

eat

put (food) into the mouth and chew and swallow it.

“he was eating a hot dog”

expect

regard (something) as likely to happen.

“we expect the best”

fall

move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control, from a higher to a lower level.

“five inches of snow fell through the night”

feel

be aware of (a person or object) through touching or being touched.

“she felt someone touch her shoulder”

find

discover or perceive by chance or unexpectedly.

“Lindsey looked up to find Neil watching her”

follow

go or come after (a person or thing proceeding ahead); move or travel behind.

“she went back into the house, and Ben followed her”

get

come to have or hold (something); receive.

“I got the impression that she wasn’t happy”

give

freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone); hand over to.

“the check given to the jeweler proved worthless”

go

move from one place to another; travel.

“he went out to the store”

grow

(of a living thing) undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically; progress to maturity.

“he would watch Nick grow to manhood”

happen

take place; occur.

“two hours had passed and still nothing had happened”

have

possess, own, or hold.

“he had a new car and a boat”

hear

perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something).

“behind her she could hear men’s voices”

help

make it easier for (someone) to do something by offering one’s services or resources.

“they helped her with domestic chores”

hold

grasp, carry, or support with one’s hands.

“she was holding a brown leather suitcase”

include

comprise or contain as part of a whole.

“the price includes dinner, bed, and breakfast”

keep

have or retain possession of.

“return one copy to me, keeping the other for your files”

kill

cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing).

“her father was killed in a car crash”

know

be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.

“most people know that CFCs can damage the ozone layer”

laugh

make the spontaneous sounds and movements of the face and body that are the instinctive expressions of lively amusement and sometimes also of contempt or derision.

“she couldn’t help laughing at his jokes”

lead

cause (a person or animal) to go with one by holding them by the hand, a halter, a rope, etc. while moving forward.

“she emerged leading a bay horse”

learn

gain or acquire knowledge of or skill in (something) by study, experience, or being taught.

“they’d started learning French”

leave

go away from.

“she left New York on June 6”

let

not prevent or forbid; allow.

“my boss let me leave early”

like

find agreeable, enjoyable, or satisfactory.

“people who don’t like reading books”

listen

give one’s attention to a sound.

“evidently he was not listening”

live

make one’s home in a particular place or with a particular person.

“I’ve lived in New England all my life”

look

direct one’s gaze toward someone or something or in a specified direction.

“people were looking at him”

lose

become unable to find (something or someone).

“I’ve lost the car keys”

love

feel deep affection for (someone).

“he loved his sister dearly”

make

form (something) by putting parts together or combining substances; construct; create.

“my grandmother made a dress for me”

mean

to express or represent something such as an idea, thought, or fact.

“what does this word mean?”

miss

feel regret or sadness at no longer being able to go to, do, or have.

“I still miss France and I wish I could go back”

move

go in a specified direction or manner; change position.

“she stood up and moved to the door”

offer

present or proffer (something) for (someone) to accept or reject as so desired.

“may I offer you a drink?”

open

move or adjust (a door or window) so as to leave a space allowing access and view.

“she opened the door and went in”

park

bring (a vehicle that one is driving) to a halt and leave it temporarily, typically in a parking lot or by the side of the road.

“he parked his car outside her house”

pass

move or cause to move in a specified direction.

“he passed through towns and villages”

pay

give (someone) money that is due for work done, goods received, or a debt incurred.

“he paid the locals to pick his coffee beans”

play

engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.

“the children were playing outside”

provide

make available for use; supply.

“these clubs provide a much appreciated service for this area”

pull

exert force on (someone or something) so as to cause movement toward oneself.

“he pulled them down onto the couch”

push

exert force on (someone or something), typically with one’s hand, in order to move them away from oneself or the origin of the force.

“she pushed her glass toward him”

put

move to or place in a particular position.

“I put my hand out toward her”

raise

lift or move to a higher position or level.

“she raised both arms above her head”

reach

stretch out an arm in a specified direction in order to touch or grasp something.

“he reached over and turned off his bedside light”

read

look at and comprehend the meaning of (written or printed matter) by mentally interpreting the characters or symbols of which it is composed.

“it’s the best novel I’ve ever read”

remain

continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist.

“a cloister is all that remains of the monastery”

remember

have in or be able to bring to one’s mind an awareness of (someone or something that one has seen, known, or experienced in the past).

“I remember the screech of the horn as the car came toward me”

report

give a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated.

“the representative reported a decline in milk and meat production”

require

need for a particular purpose.

“three patients required operations”

ride

sit on and control the movement of (an animal, especially a horse), typically as a recreation or sport.

“I haven’t ridden much since the accident”

rise

move from a lower position to a higher one; come or go up.

“the tiny aircraft rose from the ground”

run

move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both or all the feet on the ground at the same time.

“the dog ran across the road”

say

utter words so as to convey information, an opinion, a feeling or intention, or an instruction.

““Thank you,” he said”

see

perceive with the eyes; discern visually.

“in the distance she could see the blue sea”

seem

give the impression or sensation of being something or having a particular quality.

“Dawn seemed annoyed”

sell

give or hand over (something) in exchange for money.

“they had sold the car”

send

cause to go or be taken to a particular destination; arrange for the delivery of, especially by mail.

“we sent a reminder letter but received no reply”

serve

present (food or drink) to someone.

“they serve wine instead of beer”

set

put, lay, or stand (something) in a specified place or position.

“Dana set the mug of tea down”

show

allow or cause (something) to be visible.

“a white blouse will show the blood”

sit

adopt or be in a position in which one’s weight is supported by one’s buttocks rather than one’s feet and one’s back is upright.

“I sat next to him at dinner”

sleep

be in a state of sleep; be asleep.

“she slept for half an hour”

speak

say something in order to convey information, an opinion, or a feeling.

“in his agitation he was unable to speak”

stand

have or maintain an upright position, supported by one’s feet.

“Lionel stood in the doorway”

start

begin or be reckoned from a particular point in time or space.

“the season starts in September”

stay

remain in the same place.

“you stay here and I’ll be back soon”

stop

(of an event, action, or process) come to an end; cease to happen.

“his laughter stopped as quickly as it had begun”

study

devote time and attention to acquiring knowledge on (an academic subject), especially by means of books.

“she studied biology and botany”

suggest

put forward for consideration.

“I suggest that we wait a day or two”

swim

propel the body through water by using the limbs, or (in the case of a fish or other aquatic animal) by using fins, tail, or other bodily movement.

“they swam ashore”

take

lay hold of (something) with one’s hands; reach for and hold.

“he leaned forward to take her hand”

tell

communicate information, facts, or news to someone in spoken or written words.

“I told her you were coming”

think

have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something.

“she thought that nothing would be the same again”

travel

go from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length.

“the vessel had been traveling from Libya to Ireland”

try

make an attempt or effort to do something.

“he tried to regain his breath”

turn

move in a circular direction wholly or partly around an axis or point.

“the big wheel was turning”

turn off

stop the operation or flow of something by means of a valve, switch, or button.

“remember to turn off the gas”

turn on

start the flow or operation of something by means of a valve, switch, or button.

“she turned on the TV”

understand

perceive the intended meaning of (words, a language, or a speaker).

“he didn’t understand a word I said”

use

take, hold, or deploy (something) as a means of accomplishing a purpose or achieving a result; employ.

“she used her key to open the front door”

visit

go to see and spend time with (someone) socially.

“I came to visit my grandmother”

wait

stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or until something else happens.

“I rang the bell and waited”

walk

move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn, never having both feet off the ground at once.

“I walked across the lawn”

want

have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.

“I want an apple”

watch

look at or observe attentively over a period of time.

“Lucy watched him go”

wear

have on one’s body or a part of one’s body as clothing, decoration, protection, or for some other purpose.

“he was wearing a dark suit”

win

be successful or victorious in (a contest or conflict).

“the Mets have won four games in a row”

work

be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work.

“she has been working so hard”

write

mark (letters, words, or other symbols) on a surface, typically paper, with a pen, pencil, or similar implement.

“he wrote his name on the paper”