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100 Most Common English Verbs

Updated: Mar 2

accept

to say yes or agree to something (1)


to believe that an idea, statement, or fact is true or valid (2)


to agree to or allow a plan or intended action to happen (2)


to get used to or recognise that an unpleasant fact/situation is necessary or cannot be changed


[a person, company, organisation] recognises that something, such as a document, is genuine / correct / satisfactory and agree to consider or handle it (2)


[a person, organisation] allows someone to join their organisation or use the services they offer (2)


if a person accepts you, they begin to be friendly towards you and are happy with who you are or what you do (2)


to accept the responsibility or blame for something, is to recognise that you are responsible for it (2)


if you accept someone's advice or suggestion, agree to do what they say (1)


if a body accepts a transplanted organ, the organ becomes part of the body and starts to function normally (2)


if a machine accepts a particular kind of thing, it is designed to take it and deal with it or process it

B1 / B2

act

to do something for a particular purpose (2)


to behave in a particular way


to pretend to be something that they are not


to have a part and perform in a production or film (b1)



phrasal:


act on : if a force or substance acts on something, it has a certain effect on them


act for you /act on your behalf : when professionals such as lawyers, act for you, or act on


your behalf, they are employed by you to deal with a particular matter


acts as : if someone or something acts as a particular thing, they have that role or function (2)


act on : if you act on advice or information, you do what has been advised or suggested (2)

B1 / B2

add

to join, unite or combine one thing to another, usually to increase the number, quantity, size or importance of something (A2)


to say something more when speaking (B1)


phrasal:


add together / add up : to calculate the numerical total of something (A2)


adds to : if one thing adds to another, it makes the other thing greater in degree or amount (A2)


add (smth) to : to add a particular quality to something means to cause it to have that quality (A2)

A2 / B1

admit

to acknowledge or confess that something is true, particularly when reluctant to do so (B1)


[can often be used with 'to' when not talking in first person]



phrasal:


admitted to : they are taken into hospital for treatment and kept there until well enough to leave


admitted to : allowed to join an organisation or group


admit someone to : allow them to enter a place

B1

affect

to influence a person or a thing, or cause them to change in some way


(of a disease) to cause someone to become ill


to make someone or something feel a strong emotion, especially sadness or pity


to pretend that a particular characteristic or way of behaving is genuine or natural for you

B2

agree

to have the same opinion about something as someone else (a2)


to say yes to something, accept something (b2)


phrasal:


agree with : to approve of an action or suggestion (b2)


does not agree with : to make you feel ill


agree with : to make you feel healthy and happy


agree with (grammar) : to have a form that is appropriate to the number of gender of the noun or pronoun


allow

to let someone have or do something


to give the necessary time or opportunity for something

B2

appear

to come into view / emerge


phrasal:


appear to be : to give the impression of having a particular quality or characteristic

B1

apply

to put to use for a particular purpose


argue

to provide reasons for evidence in support of an idea, action or theory


to speak angrily with someone


ask

to say something in order to get an answer or information


to say to someone that you want them to do something


avoid

to stay away from something, or to stop yourself from doing something


be

to exist


to happen


to have a certain characteristic


become

to begin to be something, to develop into something


begin

to do the first part of a task, to start something


believe

to accept that something is a true


to hold an opinion


belong (to)

to be the property of someone or something


to be a part of a group or organisation


break

to cause something to stop working, or separate into pieces


bring

to take something or go with someone to a place


to cause something


build

to construct something by putting parts together


buy

to receive something in exchange for money


call

to give someone/something a specific name


to shout out to someone


to contact someone by phone call


can

to be able to do something


to be allowed to do something


carry

to transport something using your arms


to have something, e.g a disease, a gene


catch

to grab hold of something which has fell, been thrown, etc.


to become tangled or trapped


to catch a cold, disease, flu, etc.


change

to make something different, modify something


to replace something with something else, e.g change clothes


charge

to demand an amount of something (e.g money) in exchange for goods or a service


to be legally accused of a crime


to run at something


choose

to pick something, to decide you want (to do) something


clean

to remove dirt, stains etc. from something


clear

to remove an obstruction or unwanted item from something


close

to shut something, so that nothing can exit or enter (e.g a door, a gate)


come

to go closer to something that is currently nearby


to reach something (e.g come to a decision)


consider

to think about something


continue

to persist in an activity or process


cook

to prepare food using heat


cover

to put something on top of something else, to hide or protect it


to go over or discuss something


create

to make something


cut

to make a slice in something using a sharp tool


decide (to)

to make a choice


die

to stop being alive


do

to act


draw

to make an image using a pen, pencil, stick, or other tool


drink

to consume liquid


drive

to make a car move


to make someone do something (e.g he drove me to madness)


eat

to consume food


enjoy

to have fun with something


expect

to think surely that something will happen


explain

to give the reasons or logic for something


fall

to drop from something


fear

to be scared of or worried about something


feel

to touch something with your hands


to notice something, either real (I felt him touch my shoulder) or internal (I felt sad)


fill

to make something full or more full


to be an overwhelming presence in somewhere/something


find

to locate something that was lost or forgotten


finish

to end or complete a task


fix

to repair something that was broken


fly

to move through the air using wings


follow

to pursue or keep up with something/someone


forget

to lose memory of something


get

to receive something


to become something


give

to hand something to someone or something else


phrasal:


to give up - to stop trying


go

to move


grow

to develop into something larger


happen

to occur


to coincidentally do something


have

to possess something, to own something


hear

to perceive something through sound


help

to give aid/assistance to someone or something


hit

to forcefully and quickly bring an object or one's body into something/someone


hold

to carry or grasp something in one's hands/arms


hope

to expect and desire for something


hurt

to cause pain or injury


imagine

to form a mental image or concept of something


improve

to make better


include

to contain something as part of a whole


increase

to make or do more of something


keep

to have and retain possession of something


kill

to take someone's life


know

to be aware of something


laugh

to make sounds and motions with the mouth due to finding something funny


lead

to make someone follow you somewhere


learn

to find out about new information


leave

to exit a place


let

to allow


lie

to tell information that is not correct


like

to enjoy something


listen

to continue hearing something by choice


live

to be alive


to have a certain type of life (e.g he lives a sad life)


look (at)

to see something


lose

to misplace something so that you don't know where it is


to fail in a competition


love

to strongly enjoy something or to strongly like someone romantically


make

to create something


to force someone to do something


manage

to be in charge of something


to do something in spite of difficult conditions


mean

to intend to refer to something


to have a result


meet

to be in the same place as someone else and see or talk to them


move

to physically do something with your body


to change locations or plans


need

to require something


offer

to present something to someone so they can choose to accept or reject it


open

to allow access to somewhere through a previously closed space


order

to tell someone they must do something


to request something, often food or shopping items


pay

to give money to someone


play

to engage in an activity for fun


to take part in a sport



Here is the accompanying list of the '100 Most Common Verbs' with their basic definitions from our YouTube video of the same name! Click on the link below to access the video to hear the correct pronunciation of all these words! We hope you find this list and video helpful to your English learning journey!



Links to Translators:



 
 
 

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