Welcome to our guide on the top 30 verbs in American English. Verbs are the core of any sentence, telling us what's happening or what state something is in. They're essential because they help us communicate clearly and effectively. By learning and using these top verbs, you gain the ability to express yourself better, understand others more easily, and enhance your overall communication skills. Whether you're speaking or writing, knowing these verbs can make a big difference in how you share ideas and information. Let's dive into the world of verbs and see how they can improve your English skills.

Action Verbs

Action verbs are words that express physical or mental actions. They tell us what the subject of a sentence is doing, ranging from visible actions like "run," "jump," and "write," to mental actions such as "think," "believe," and "consider."

• Do (do, does, did, doing)

  • “I do my work before noon.”

• Go (go, goes, went, going, gone)

  • "We go to the gym every morning."

• Make (make, makes, made, making)

  • "She makes a great coffee."

• Say (say, says, said, saying)

  • "He says hello every time he sees me."

• Take (take, takes, took, taking, taken)

  • "They take the bus to work."

• Come (come, comes, came, coming)

  • "Come to the meeting at 5 PM."

• Use (use, uses, used, using)

  • "I use a pen to write notes."

• Find (find, finds, found, finding)

  • "She finds interesting books in the library."

• Give (give, gives, gave, giving, given)

  • "He gives his time to help others."

• Tell (tell, tells, told, telling)

  • "Tell me about your day."

• Work (work, works, worked, working)

  • "We work together on projects."

• Call (call, calls, called, calling)

  • "Call me when you arrive."

• Try (try, tries, tried, trying)

  • "Try the new restaurant downtown."

• Ask (ask, asks, asked, asking)

  • "I ask for feedback to improve."

• Leave (leave, leaves, left, leaving)

  • "Leave the keys on the table."

• Put (put, puts, putting)

  • "Put the groceries in the kitchen."

• Begin (begin, begins, began, beginning)

  • "Begin the presentation, please."

Linking verbs are a type of verb that connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which is usually a noun or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. They do not show action. Instead, they serve as a bridge between the subject and additional information about the subject. Common linking verbs include forms of the verb "to be" like "am," "is," "are," "was," and "were," as well as verbs like "seem," "become," "appear," and "feel." Linking verbs are used when you want to express a state of being or condition, rather than an action. They are important in sentences that describe or add details about the subject, helping you convey subtleties regarding identity, feelings, and senses.

• Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been)

  • "I am happy."

• Have (have, has, had, having)

  • "They have been friends for years."

• Know (know, knows, knew, knowing, known)

  • "She knows the answer."

• Think (think, thinks, thought, thinking)

  • "I think he is the right person for the job."

• See (see, sees, saw, seeing, seen)

  • "They see the issue clearly now."

• Want (want, wants, wanted, wanting)

  • "He wants a new car."

• Need (need, needs, needed, needing)

  • "We need a break."

• Feel (feel, feels, felt, feeling)

  • "I feel tired."

• Become (become, becomes, became, becoming)

  • "She became a teacher."

• Mean (mean, means, meant, meaning)

  • "This means a lot to me."

• Keep (keep, keeps, kept, keeping)

  • "Keep the door closed."

• Let (let, lets, letting)

  • "He is let go from his job."

Auxiliary verbs are support verbs that work with the main verb to adjust tense, form questions, or create negatives. They provide extra meaning or function.

• Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been) - Also functions as a linking verb.

  • "They are running late."

• Have (have, has, had, having) - Used in perfect tenses.

  • "I have finished my work."

• Do (do, does, did, doing) - Used in questions, negatives, and emphases.

  • "Do you want tea?"