The complete guide to English verbs

Ever try having a conversation without verbs? It’s nearly impossible! That’s why understanding verbs is so important for English learners. From participles to infinitives, there’s a lot to know about the subject! 

Here’s a guide to help!

In this post:

• English verbs 101: overview of structures and verb types
• English verb forms and verb tenses
  • Simple present
  • Simple past
  • Future tenses
  • Infinitives
  • Past participles
  • Present progressive
• List of English verbs in present, past, and past participle

English verbs 101

In general, there are four forms of every verb. 

They are: base form, simple past form, past participle and present participle. These forms are used to form different tenses in English:

Most verbs in English are regular verbs and follow the pattern in the table above. However, English also has many irregular verbs, which don’t follow the typical pattern and need to be learned separately. This includes some of the most common verbs—the ones you’ll use the most!

Three of the most common irregular verbs in English are: to be, to do, and to make.

In addition to these basics, English often uses auxiliary verbs (like am, was, and have) and modal verbs (like should, could, and must). Both auxiliary and modal verbs are usually followed by another verb to form a sentence.

For example:

They are playing tennis.
We have already eaten.
You should brush your teeth.

Some English verbs, such as like, want and know, typically do not appear in the progressive tenses. These are called stative verbs because they describe a state of being. That’s why you’ll often find them in the simple present (Oscar loves art), but rarely in the present progressive (Oscar is loving art).

English verb forms and tenses

There are a number of topics you will want to study in order to feel confident using verbs in English. They include:

• Simple present. This form is crucial for beginners, but it’s not always used in the contexts that you’d expect! Mastering the present tense is key for learning the other English tenses.
• Simple past. The simple past is used to talk about events that started and ended in the past. When using the simple past, remember that the pronunciation of the -ed at the end of the verb changes depending on the last sound in the base verb!
• Future tenses. When talking about future events, English learners are often confused about whether to use will or going to. Luckily, there are guidelines to follow about when to use each!
• Infinitives. Infinitives in English are formed by adding to before the base form of the verb. Infinitives often follow certain verbs in English.
• Past participles. The English past participle is used to form the three perfect tenses, and it can also function as an adjective! How the past participle is formed depends on whether the verb is regular or irregular.
• Present progressive. This tense is used to talk about things happening at this very moment. In the present progressive, verbs appear in the present participle—a form created by adding -ing to the base verb.

130+ English verb forms

You’re becoming an English verb expert!

There’s a lot to learn about English verbs, but keep studying these guides, and you’ll be ready to talk about almost anything!