20 Most Common English Verbs

Why Start with Common Verbs?

Verbs are the heart of every English sentence. Without a verb, you cannot make a sentence. The good news is that a small number of verbs appear again and again in everyday English. If you learn these 20 verbs well, you will understand a huge amount of daily conversation and be able to express many basic ideas.

Let us learn them one by one, with examples you can start using today.

The 20 Most Common Verbs

1. Be

The most important verb in English. It describes who or what something is.

• I am a student.
• She is happy.
• They are from Mexico.

2. Have

Used to talk about possession, meals, and experiences.

• I have a cat.
• She has two brothers.
• We have breakfast at 8 a.m.

3. Do

Used to perform actions and to make questions and negatives.

• I do my homework every evening.
• Do you like pizza?
• She does not (doesn't) speak French.

4. Say

Used to report words or express something.

• He says hello every morning.
• What did you say?
• She said she was tired.

5. Go

Used for movement from one place to another.

• I go to school by bus.
• We go shopping on Saturdays.
• Let's go home.

6. Get

One of the most versatile verbs. It can mean receive, obtain, become, or arrive.

• I get emails every day. (receive)
• She gets tired in the evening. (become)
• We get home at 6 p.m. (arrive)

7. Make

Used for creating or producing something.

• She makes breakfast for the family.
• I make my bed every morning.
• He makes mistakes sometimes. (That is okay!)

8. Know

Used for knowledge and familiarity.

• I know the answer.
• She knows a lot about science.
• Do you know Maria?

9. Think

Used for opinions and mental activity.

• I think this is a good idea.
• What do you think?
• She thinks about her family often.

10. Take

Used for many different situations: taking objects, taking time, taking transportation.

• Take a seat, please.
• It takes 30 minutes to get there.
• I take the bus to work.

11. Come

Used for movement toward the speaker or a specific place.

• Come here, please.
• She comes from Brazil.
• They are coming to the party tonight.

12. See

Used for vision and understanding.

• I can see the mountains from my window.
• See you tomorrow!
• I see what you mean. (I understand.)

13. Want

Used to express desires.

• I want a glass of water.
• She wants to learn English.
• Do you want to come with us?

14. Look

Used for directing your eyes at something deliberately.

• Look at this photo!
• She looks tired today.
• He is looking for his keys.

15. Give

Used for transferring something to another person.

• Can you give me that book?
• She gives great advice.
• He gave me a present for my birthday.

16. Use

Used for employing tools, words, or objects.

• I use a computer at work.
• She uses a dictionary when she reads.
• You can use my phone.

17. Find

Used for discovering or locating something.

• I cannot find my keys.
• She found a great restaurant downtown.
• Did you find the answer?

18. Tell

Used for giving information to someone.

• Tell me your name.
• She tells funny stories.
• He told me about his trip.

19. Work

Used for employment and for things that function.

• I work in an office.
• She works from Monday to Friday.
• This phone does not work.

20. Like

Used to express enjoyment or preference.

• I like chocolate.
• She likes reading books.
• Do you like this music?

Verb Conjugation in Present Simple

Most verbs follow a simple rule in the present tense:

Special cases:

• Verbs ending in -o, -s, -sh, -ch, -x: add -es (goes, does, watches)
• Verbs ending in consonant + y: change y to -ies (studies, tries)
• "Have" becomes "has" with he/she/it

Common Patterns with These Verbs

Go + place

• go to school / go to work / go home (no "to" before "home")
• go shopping / go swimming (go + verb-ing for activities)

Have + noun

• have breakfast / have lunch / have dinner
• have a shower / have a good time / have fun

Make vs. Do

This is tricky! Here is a simple guide:

Make = create something new

• make a cake, make a plan, make a decision, make a mistake

Do = perform an activity

• do homework, do the dishes, do exercise, do your best

Take + noun

• take a photo / take a break / take a shower
• take a taxi / take the bus / take your time

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank

Choose the correct verb from the list.

1. She _____ to school every day. (go/goes)
2. I _____ a big family. (have/has)
3. He _____ not like spicy food. (do/does)
4. They _____ English on Mondays. (study/studies)
5. We _____ breakfast at 7:30. (have/has)

Answers: 1. goes, 2. have, 3. does, 4. study, 5. have

Exercise 2: Make Sentences

Use each verb to write a sentence about your daily life:

1. go - Where do you go every day?
2. like - What food do you like?
3. have - What do you have in your bag?
4. work - Where do you work or study?
5. want - What do you want to learn?

Tips for Learning Verbs

1. Learn verbs in context. Do not memorize a list. Learn each verb inside a sentence that means something to you.
2. Practice with daily routines. Describe your day using these verbs: "I wake up. I have breakfast. I go to work."
3. Focus on the irregular forms later. For now, practice the present tense. You will learn past tense forms step by step.
4. Use them in conversation. Even simple sentences like "I like coffee" or "I want water" help you practice.

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Forgetting the -s with he/she/it

• Wrong: She go to school.
• Correct: She goes to school.

Mistake 2: Using "make" instead of "do" (or vice versa)

• Wrong: I make my homework.
• Correct: I do my homework.
• Wrong: She does a cake.
• Correct: She makes a cake.

Mistake 3: Saying "I am have" instead of "I have"

• Wrong: I am have a dog.
• Correct: I have a dog.

What is Next?

Now that you know these 20 verbs, try to use at least 5 of them every day. Write sentences about your life. Describe what you see around you. The more you use them, the faster they become natural.

In your next lesson, you can learn how to use these verbs in different tenses to talk about the past and the future.