Most Common English Verbs

Here is a list of the most common verbs in English. The verbs are ordered from the most common to least common to help you prioritize learning or teaching them. However, bear in mind that all of these verbs are important.

Also, notice that the top 10 verbs are all irregular verbs! There are 48 irregular verbs in this top-100 list. Remember that an irregular verb is a verb that does not form its simple past tense or its past participle by adding "-ed" or "-d" to the base form.

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The top three verbs (to be, to have, and to do) deserve a special mention because they can be used as main verbs or auxiliary verbs.

Table of Contents

100 most common English verbs

Most Common Verbs with Meanings with Example Sentences

Full Conjugation of the Verbs

Click on any word to see where it fits in the full conjugation of the verb.
Base FormSimple PastPast Participle3rd Person SingularPresent Participle
bewerebeenisbeing
havehadhadhashaving
dodiddonedoesdoing
saysaidsaidsayssaying
gowentgonegoesgoing
getgotgot/gottengetsgetting
makemademademakesmaking
knowknewknownknowsknowing
thinkthoughtthoughtthinksthinking
taketooktakentakestaking
seesawseenseesseeing
comecamecomecomescoming
wantwantedwantedwantswanting
looklookedlookedlookslooking
useusedusedusesusing
findfoundfoundfindsfinding
givegavegivengivesgiving
telltoldtoldtellstelling
workworkedworkedworksworking
callcalledcalledcallscalling
trytriedtriedtriestrying
askaskedaskedasksasking
needneededneededneedsneeding
feelfeltfeltfeelsfeeling
becomebecamebecomebecomesbecoming
leaveleftleftleavesleaving
putputputputsputting
meanmeantmeantmeansmeaning
keepkeptkeptkeepskeeping
letletletletsletting
beginbeganbegunbeginsbeginning
seemseemedseemedseemsseeming
helphelpedhelpedhelpshelping
talktalkedtalkedtalkstalking
turnturnedturnedturnsturning
startstartedstartedstartsstarting
showshowedshownshowsshowing
hearheardheardhearshearing
playplayedplayedplaysplaying
runranrunrunsrunning
movemovedmovedmovesmoving
likelikedlikedlikesliking
livelivedlivedlivesliving
believebelievedbelievedbelievesbelieve
holdheldheldholdshold
bringbroughtbroughtbringsbring
happenhappenedhappenedhappenshappen
writewrotewrittenwriteswrite
provideprovidedprovidedprovidesprovide
sitsatsatsitssit
standstoodstoodstandsstand
loselostlostloseslose
paypaidpaidpayspay
meetmetmetmeetsmeet
includeincludedincludedincludesinclude
continuecontinuedcontinuedcontinuescontinue
setsetsetsetsset
learnlearnt/learnedlearnt/learnedlearnslearn
changechangedchangedchangeschange
leadledledleadsleading
understandunderstoodunderstoodunderstandsunderstanding
watchwatchedwatchedwatcheswatching
followfollowedfollowedfollowsfollowing
stopstoppedstoppedstopsstopping
createcreatedcreatedcreatescreating
speakspokespokenspeaksspeaking
readreadreadreadsreading
allowallowedallowedallowsallowing
addaddedaddedaddsadding
spendspentspentspendsspending
growgrewgrowngrowsgrowing
openopenedopenedopensopening
walkwalkedwalkedwalkswalking
winwonwonwinswining
offerofferedofferedoffersoffering
rememberrememberedrememberedremembersremembering
lovelovedlovedlovesloving
considerconsideredconsideredconsidersconsidering
appearappearedappearedappearsappearing
buyboughtboughtbuysbuying
waitwaitedwaitedwaitswaiting
serveservedservedservesserving
diedieddieddiesdying
sendsentsentsendssending
expectexpectedexpectedexpectsexpecting
buildbuiltbuiltbuildsbuilding
staystayedstayedstaysstaying
fallfellfallenfallsfalling
cutcutcutcutscutting
reachreachedreachedreachesreaching
killkilledkilledkillskilling
remainremainedremainedremainsremaining
suggestsuggestedsuggestedsuggestssuggesting
raiseraisedraisedraisesraising
passpassedpassedpassespassing
sellsoldsoldsellsselling
requirerequiredrequiredrequiresrequiring
reportreportedreportedreportsreporting
decidedecideddecideddecidesdeciding
pullpulledpulledpullspulling

Past Tenses

The simple past tense is for a completed activity that happened in the past.

The past progressive tense is for an ongoing activity in the past. Often, it is used to set the scene for another action.

The past perfect tense is for emphasizing that an action was completed before another took place. The past perfect progressive tense is for showing that an ongoing action in the past has ended.

Present Tenses

The simple present tense is mostly for a fact or a habit. The present progressive tense is for an ongoing action in the present.

The present perfect tense is for an action that began in the past. (Often, the action continues into the present.)

The present perfect progressive tense is for a continuous activity that began in the past and continues into the present (or finished very recently).

Future Tenses

The simple future tense is for an action that will occur in the future. The future progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will occur in the future. The future perfect tense is for an action that will have been completed at some point in the future.

The future perfect progressive tense is for an ongoing action that will be completed at some specified time in the future.

Learn with Hangman!

Hangman is a classic word game. In this version, the hidden word is a verb from the "top 100 verbs" list. (Choose your first letter to start.) Show Instructions

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A Video Summary

Here is a 9-minute video summarizing this lesson on the top 100 English verbs. video lesson

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer video to text? Here is a list of all our grammar videos.

This page was written by Craig Shrives.