100 Most Commonly Used Verbs in English with Examples

Ever noticed how English conversations just flow? The secret is verbs—they’re the heartbeat of every sentence. Without them, you can’t describe what you do, what you want, or how you feel. In this article, we’ll explore the 100 most commonly used verbs in English with examples, so you can build stronger sentences, speak naturally, and write more confidently.

What is a Verb in English?

A verb is a word that shows an action, state, or occurrence. Without verbs, sentences feel incomplete.

Examples:

• She runs every morning. (action)
• They are happy. (state of being)
• The concert starts at 8. (occurrence)

Classification of Verbs in English Grammar

Verbs come in many forms. Here are the main categories:

• Action Verbs → express activity (run, eat, swim)
• Linking Verbs → connect subject and information (be, seem, become)
• Auxiliary Verbs → help main verbs (do, have, will)
• Modal Verbs → show ability, possibility, or necessity (can, must, may)
• Transitive Verbs → need an object (read a book, write a letter)
• Intransitive Verbs → don’t need an object (sleep, arrive)
• Phrasal Verbs → verb + particle (give up, take off)
• Irregular Verbs → don’t follow usual tense rules (go → went, buy → bought)

List of 100 Most Common Verbs

Here’s the first set of 100 verbs with meanings and examples:

1. To Be – To exist; describe a state
   Example: She is my friend.
2. To Have – To own or possess
   Example: They have a car.
3. To Do – To perform an action
   Example: I do my homework daily.
4. To Say – To express words
   Example: He said it was fine.
5. To Make – To create or produce
   Example: She made a cake.
6. To Go – To move or travel
   Example: We go to school every morning.
7. To Take – To accept or carry something
   Example: Please take this gift.
8. To See – To notice with the eyes
   Example: I can see the stars.
9. To Come – To arrive or move toward
   Example: She comes home at 6.
10. To Think – To form an opinion
    Example: I think you’re right.
11. To Look – To direct your eyes
    Example: He looked at the map.
12. To Want – To desire something
    Example: I want a new phone.
13. To Give – To offer something
    Example: She gave me a gift.
14. To Use – To put into action
    Example: He uses a laptop.
15. To Find – To discover or locate
    Example: They found the keys.
16. To Tell – To inform someone
    Example: Please tell me the truth.
17. To Ask – To request information
    Example: She asked for help.
18. To Work – To perform a job
    Example: He works in an office.
19. To Feel – To sense or experience
    Example: I feel happy today.
20. To Try – To attempt something
    Example: She tried to open the jar.
21. To Leave – To go away
    Example: They left early.
22. To Call – To name or phone someone
    Example: He called me yesterday.
23. To Put – To place something somewhere
    Example: She put the book on the table.
24. To Keep – To hold or retain
    Example: Please keep the change.
25. To Begin – To start something
    Example: The show began at 7.

26. To Seem – To appear a certain way
    Example: She seems happy today.

27. To Help – To assist someone
    Example: Can you help me with this?

28. To Talk – To speak
    Example: They talk on the phone daily.

29. To Turn – To move around or change direction
    Example: She turned the page.

30. To Start – To begin an action
    Example: The movie starts at 8.

31. To Show – To display or present
    Example: He showed me his photos.

32. To Hear – To perceive sound
    Example: I can hear birds singing.

33. To Play – To engage in a game or activity
    Example: The kids play football.

34. To Run – To move quickly on foot
    Example: She runs every morning.

35. To Move – To change position
    Example: He moved to New York.

36. To Like – To enjoy something
    Example: I like chocolate.

37. To Live – To exist or reside somewhere
    Example: They live in Paris.

38. To Believe – To accept as true
    Example: She believes in miracles.

39. To Hold – To grasp something
    Example: Please hold my bag.

40. To Bring – To carry toward
    Example: He brought flowers for her.

41. To Happen – To take place
    Example: What happened yesterday?

42. To Write – To form letters or words
    Example: She writes poems.

43. To Provide – To supply or give
    Example: The hotel provides free Wi-Fi.

44. To Sit – To rest on a chair
    Example: Please sit down.

45. To Stand – To be upright
    Example: He stood by the door.

46. To Lose – To misplace or fail
    Example: She lost her wallet.

47. To Pay – To give money in exchange
    Example: I paid the bill.

48. To Meet – To come together
    Example: They met at the park.

49. To Include – To contain or involve
    Example: The package includes a charger.

50. To Continue – To keep going
    Example: She continued her studies.

76. To Set – To put something in place
    Example: She set the table for dinner.
77. To Learn – To acquire knowledge
    Example: He is learning English quickly.
78. To Change – To make something different
    Example: She changed her hairstyle.
79. To Lead – To guide or direct
    Example: He led the team to victory.
80. To Understand – To grasp the meaning
    Example: I understand your concern.
81. To Watch – To observe attentively
    Example: They watch TV every evening.
82. To Follow – To go after or obey
    Example: Please follow the rules.
83. To Stop – To bring to an end
    Example: He stopped the car suddenly.
84. To Create – To bring into existence
    Example: She created a beautiful painting.
85. To Speak – To talk verbally
    Example: He speaks three languages.
86. To Read – To look at and understand written words
    Example: She reads novels at night.
87. To Allow – To permit
    Example: They don’t allow smoking here.
88. To Add – To join or increase
    Example: Please add sugar to the tea.
89. To Spend – To use money or time
    Example: She spent all her savings.
90. To Grow – To increase in size
    Example: Plants grow with sunlight.
91. To Open – To make accessible
    Example: Please open the window.
92. To Walk – To move on foot
    Example: He walks to work daily.
93. To Win – To succeed in a competition
    Example: She won the prize.
94. To Offer – To propose or give
    Example: He offered me help.
95. To Remember – To recall
    Example: I remember her birthday.
96. To Love – To feel deep affection
    Example: They love their family.
97. To Consider – To think about carefully
    Example: She considered moving abroad.
98. To Appear – To become visible or seem
    Example: A rainbow appeared after the rain.
99. To Buy – To obtain in exchange for money
    Example: He bought a new phone.
100. To Wait – To stay until something happens
     Example: Please wait here.
101. To Die – To stop living
     Example: The plant died without water.
102. To Send – To cause to go or be taken
     Example: She sent an email.
103. To Expect – To think something will happen
     Example: I expect rain tomorrow.
104. To Build – To construct
     Example: They built a bridge.
105. To Stay – To remain in a place
     Example: Please stay here.
106. To Fall – To drop down
     Example: The leaves fell from the tree.
107. To Cut – To divide with a sharp tool
     Example: She cut the paper.
108. To Reach – To arrive at a place
     Example: We reached the station.
109. To Kill – To cause death
     Example: He killed a mosquito.
110. To Remain – To continue to exist
     Example: Only a few seats remained.
111. To Suggest – To propose an idea
     Example: She suggested a new plan.
112. To Raise – To lift or increase
     Example: He raised his hand.
113. To Pass – To move by or succeed in
     Example: She passed the exam.
114. To Sell – To give in exchange for money
     Example: He sells cars.
115. To Require – To need something
     Example: This job requires experience.
116. To Decide – To choose something
     Example: They decided to travel.
117. To Return – To go back
     Example: She returned home late.
118. To Explain – To make clear
     Example: He explained the rules.
119. To Hope – To wish for something
     Example: I hope you succeed.
120. To Develop – To grow or improve
     Example: She developed new skills.
121. To Carry – To hold and transport
     Example: He carried the box.
122. To Break – To damage or separate
     Example: She broke the glass.
123. To Receive – To get something
     Example: I received your letter.
124. To Agree – To share the same opinion
     Example: We agree on this point.
125. To Choose – To select from options
     Example: She chose the red dress.

Different Types of Verb Lists with Examples

Table 1 – Auxiliary Verbs

Table 2 – Transitive Verbs

Table 3 – Phrasal Verbs

Table 4 – Irregular Verbs

Table 5 – Infinitives (To + Verb)

Table 6 – Modal Verbs

Table 7 – Linking Verbs

Table 8 – Action Verbs

FAQs about Most Commonly Used Verbs in English with Examples

Q1. What is the most commonly used verb?

The verb “to be” is the most frequently used verb in English. You’ll find it in almost every type of sentence.

Q2. What are the most powerful English verbs?

Power verbs like achieve, create, inspire, build, and lead are often considered powerful because they add impact to writing and speaking.

Q3. What are the 23 main verbs?

The “23 helping verbs” include forms of be, have, do, and modal verbs such as can, may, must, shall, will, etc.

Conclusion

Learning the most commonly used verbs in English with examples is like finding the master key to fluency. Once these verbs become familiar, building clear, natural sentences feels effortless.

So, what’s the next step? Keep practicing daily. Try making your own example sentences, or challenge yourself to write a short story using at least 30 verbs from this list—you’ll be surprised at how quickly your confidence grows.

👉 Want to take your English to the next level? Save this guide, share it with friends, and revisit it often until these verbs become second nature in your everyday conversations.