What would happen if we didn't have verbs? Not much at all. Verbs are perhaps the most important part of speech in the English language. You can't do or be anything unless a verb lets you. Verbs are everywhere, and it's about time you got to know them with this list of verbs of many types.
To go straight to expanded list of verbs, scroll down to the middle of the page for our “huge verbs list”.
Key Points
There are multiple verb tenses that your child will need to know.
Help your child by practicing their verbs with them at random times every day.
If your child is really struggling with their verbs, consider getting them a tutor.
Action verbs tell about something a person, animal, force of nature, or thing can do or be. Can you cry, march, rinse, or turn? Can the wind blow or a cup fall? Yes, those are all actions. Use this list to think of other action verbs.
Verbs also use special rules for telling when something happened – in the past, the present, or the future. Here is a list of examples for each verb tense using the verb break. Try putting other verbs in the place of break.
Present Perfect Tense – I/you/he/she/it/we/they have broken
Past Perfect Tense – I/you/he/she/it/we/they had broken
Future Perfect Tense – I/you/he/she/it/we/they will have broken
Being Verbs tell about something in a state of being. A noun or pronoun does not always take action. Sometime, it just is. For that purpose, you use a being verb. Here are the being verbs in all the past, present, and future tenses.
Being Verbs List
Present tense – I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, they are
Past Tense – I was, you were, he/she/it, was, we were, they were
Future Tense – I will be, you will be, he/she/it will be, we will be, they will be
Present Perfect Tense – I have been, you have been, he/she/it has been, we have been, they have been
Past Perfect Tense -I had been, you had been, he/she/it had been, we had been, they had been
Future Perfect Tense – I will have been, you will have been, he/she/it will have been, we will have been, they will have been
Helping verbs do not stand alone or express action. They are part of verb phrases that “help” the main verb. Helping verbs define the tense (past, present, future) or change the meaning of the main verb. Consider these examples:
Do you need a tissue? We are helping the third-grade class. Hank might have been driving the wrong way.
Helping Verbs List
may
being
is
does
would
will
might
been
was
did
have
can
must
am
were
should
had
shall
be
are
do
could
has
Linking verbs do not show action. Instead, they connect nouns and pronouns to other information in the sentence. Here are some examples:
My sister is smart. The picture appeared blurry. Your supper smells delicious.
The most common linking verbs are listed here:
Linking Verbs List
am
are
be
being
apear
remain
see
become
feel
get
grow
have
has been
is
lie
look
might be
might have been
prove
m
sit
smell
sound
stay
taste
turn
w
Irregular Verbs are verbs that don't follow the rules for changing tense. The best way to understand irregular verbs is to practice and memorize them.
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Here are some common examples shown in the present/past/past participle.
Irregular Verbs List
bite/bit/bitten
choose/chose/chosen
eat/ate/eaten
fall/fell/fallen
hurt/hurt/hurt
go/went/gone
lay/laid/laid
ring/rang/rung
send/sent/sent
teach/taught/taught
write/wrote/written
Examples of irregular verbs:
The dog wants to bite me. The dog bit me. The dog has bitten me.
My arm hurts. I hurt my arm yesterday. I have hurt my arm before.
Verbs do a lot of work in the English language. Some are busy action verbs; others are modest helping or linking verbs. No matter what kind they are, verbs keep the English language movin' and shakin'.
label lace lament land languish lap lash latch lather laud laugh launch lavish lay lead leaf lean leap leave lecture leer lend lengthen let level license lick lie lift light lighten like lilt limp linger lisp list listen live load loaf lob locate lock log loiter loll long look loom loop loosen lope lose lounge love lower lug lull lumber lunge lurch lure lurk
M
maintain make man manage maneuver mangle manhandle manipulate manoeuvre manufacture map march mark market marry marvel mash mask massage match mate matter maul maunder mean meander measure meddle mediate meditate meep meet melt memorize menace mend mention mentor meow mesh mew mewl migrate milk mime mimic mince mind mine mingle misdirect mishear misjudge mislead mispronounce miss misspell mistake misunderstand mix moan mock model modify moisten mold molest mollify mollycoddle monitor moo moor mope more morph mosey motion motivate mould mount mourn mouth move mow muffle mug mull multiply mumble munch murder murmur muse muss mutilate mutter
N
nag nail name nap narrate narrow navigate neaten need neglect negotiate neigh nest nestle never nibble nick nicker nip nod nominate normalize notch note notice notify nudge number nurse nuzzle
Some children come by verbs naturally and won't need a lot of extra help. Others struggle to grasp verbs. If your child is struggling to understand verbs and use them properly, we've got some advice to help you out.
In some cases, your child just needs to practice more. Quiz them on different verbs at random times of the day, and have them use the verbs they come up with in sentences. If they get one wrong, help them understand why. Remember to be patient and calm; if you snap at your child or get too frustrated with them, it will only make them feel worse. Struggling academically often leaves a child feeling anxious; by remaining calm and patient with them, you can help ease this anxiety.
If practice isn't making perfect, then the next step is to consider a tutor for your child. A tutor can help your child master a subject they're struggling with. Many tutors are teachers or otherwise experts in their field. A tutor can also help boost your child's confidence, so that they're able to beat whatever academic anxiety they may have.
If your child is still struggling after getting a tutor, you may need to consider if a learning disability could be the cause of their struggles. Consider speaking with your child's pediatrician about your concerns. Some learning disabilities are very apparent at an earlier age, while others take time to identify. Your child's pediatrician can help you identify if a learning disability is the cause for your child's struggles.
