List of be verbs

To be verbs completely explained

How to use

Are you confused by “to be” verbs? It’s okay. “To be” verbs change almost more than any other verb. In other words, they are very irregular. Let’s learn how to use “to be” verbs correctly.  Refer back to this lesson when you have questions about how to use them in the future. 

What are “to be” verbs? 

“To be” verbs are: are, am, is, was, were, been and being. They are used to describe or tell us the condition of people, things, places and ideas. For example, they could tell us the subject’s age, nationality, job or other traits. 

Forms of “

 There are many English tenses, but the main ones you will use are present, past, present progressive and present perfect

The correct “to be” verb to use depends on your subject and tense. This chart shows you proper subject verb agreement with “to be” verbs. 

Note: Contractions are short forms that will sound more like how people speak. 

Feel free to print this out for reference. 

These are examples of how you will see “to be” verbs most often. 

“To be” verbs in positive present tense sentences

I am American.

He is a teacher.

She is happy. 

They are at the movies. 

“To be” verbs in negative present tense sentences

I am not angry.

She is not at school.

It is not broken.

We are not students.

“To be” verbs in affirmative past tense sentences 

I was hungry. 

She was at the movies. 

You were there. 

It was great!.  

They were excited. 

“To be” verbs in negative past tense sentences

I was not there.

You were not here. 

He wasn’t a teacher.

We weren’t at the restaurant. 

Questions using “to be” verbs 

To make questions with be verbs, use this order: To be verb + subject + complement

Was I there?

Were you sad?

Was she at school?

Was it a good movie?

Were they late?

The previous section contained examples of what most beginners need to learn for using “to be” verbs correctly. In this section, we’ll be covering many other ways to use them. 

The

The present perfect form is used for describing experiences or events that have happened in the past when the exact time is not important.  

It uses this structure: subject + has/have + been + complement

Examples:

I have been there. 

You have been good. 

It has been difficult. 

He has been an electrician. 

We have been here all day. 

They have been well-behaved. 

Asking

Questions in the present perfect perform form use the structure: Has/have + subject + been + complement

Examples:

Have I been mean?

Have you been worried?

Has he been there? 

Have they been anxious? 

The

The present progressive form is for describing continuous or ongoing actions happening right now vs the simple present which describes habits or things which happen now and again.  

Use this structure for the present progressive tense for “to be” verbs: 

Subject + be verb + verb + ing 

Examples:

I am watching television. 

You are pushing the wrong button. 

He is looking at the window. 

She is studying. 

It is raining. 

We are traveling. 

They are thinking. 

You can add a question tag to the end of a statement to turn it into a question. To put question tags onto sentences using “to be” verbs, use this structure: 

statement + “to be” verb + pronoun. The “to be” verb used in the question tag must be the same one used in the statement.

Note: When adding question tags, if the “to be” verb in the statement is positive, then the one in the question tag must be negative. If the “to be” verb statement is negative, the one in the question tag, must be positive. 

Just think: 

Examples:

I wasn’t being rude, was I? (negative statement with positive question tag) 

It was good, wasn’t it? (positive statement with negative question tag)

You were there, weren’t you? (positive statement with negative question tag)

It wasn’t too bad, was it? (negative question tag with positive question tag)

They weren’t angry, were they? (negative statement with positive question tag) 

The

The linking “to be” verb describes the condition of the subject. Below are a few sentence structures using the linking “to be” verbs. 

In statements that describe, you’ll see this structure in which the sentences have a “to be” verb linking the subject to a subject complement or adjective complement: 

Subject + “to be” verb + complement

Examples:

I am excited.  

It is boring. 

She is the leader. 

They are at the bank. 

Sometimes when answering a question you can see just a subject and “to be” verb used as in this structure: 

subject + “to be” verb

Examples:

Q: Are you the doctor?

A: I am.

Q: Is she the teacher?

A: She is. 

Adding

Reminder: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives and other adverbs in order to tell us how, when, where, why, how often or to what extent

Structure: Subject + “to be” verb + adverb +complement or

Adverb, subject + “to be” verb + complement

Examples:

I am always on time. 

It is never boring. 

Sometimes, it is difficult.  

“

When describing possibilities you’ll typically use the following structure:

Subject + modal verb (could, should, would, might etc) + be + complement

Note: “be” stays in this base form directly after a modal verb. 

Examples:

He could be a superstar.

She might be late.

You should be nice to your parents. 

When giving suggestions, it is a little more complicated. 

Examples:

subject + modal verb (suggest)+ object + be + complement

subject + modal verb (advise)+ object + to be + complement

I suggest you be nice to your mother.  

I advise you to be cooperative.

When giving imperatives or commands, “to be” verbs stay in the base form of be and typically stay at the beginning of the sentence. In these sentences, the subject is implied so it doesn’t have to be written, that is why you only see the “to be” verb followed by the complement. 

Structure: “to be” verb + complement or

Do not + “to be” verb + complement

Examples:

Be a good student. 

Be nice to your teacher. 

Don’t be mean to him. 

When to use “

Infinitives are to plus a verb in order to make a noun. So you’ll see them in the subject or object of a sentence. They are used to describe the abstract, so they most often are used with a modal verb of desire.

I want to be a singer. 

He likes to be the best at what he does. 

They hope to be friends.

When making these negative, you’ll put do not or does not before the modal verb.

Examples:

Note: following don’t or doesn’t modal verbs such as like, want, need, or hope will stay in base form. 

I don’t want to be difficult. 

He does not like to be mean. 

She doesn’t want to be a musician. 

The

In sentences using the passive voice, the person or thing which is performing the action is either in the object of the sentence or even omitted. When written, the noun performing the action is normally found following a preposition such as “by”

The most common passive voice construction is this: 

Subject + “to be” verb + verb or

Subject + “to be” verb + verb + by + object 

In these constructions, the “to be” verb will follow the standard rules for subject verb agreement. The examples below have sentences using “to be” verbs in different tenses. 

Examples:

Present: The car is powered by electricity. 

Present progressive: The work is being done. 

Past: The building was demolished by the crew. 

Future: The meal will be prepared by the chef. 

Present perfect: The coffee had been made.  

We have covered many ways in which you can use “to be” verbs. Follow our blog for more lessons like this one. Also, if you would like to find out more about studying English online or in the United States, contact us here. FLS International offers live online classes, in-person classes, cultural tours and more!

Written by: Welkin Tang

Comprehensive list of verbs with examples

3.4

(1349)

Looking for a verbs list? Fret not. Here’s a quick guide on the list of verbs with illustrative examples. But before we get down to the list of verbs, let’s quickly brush through the definition of a verb. 

A verb in the simplest sense is a word that describes an action, an event or a state. It tells you what the subject of a sentence is doing. The verbs (like those in the verb list below) are usually the main words in a sentence and without them a sentence is incomplete. Having said that, how do you recognize a verb in a sentence?

Well, verbs (like those in the verbs list below) are typically used after a noun or a pronoun. The nouns or pronouns in such cases, are referred to as subjects. 

For example: 

• Anthony went to the market. 

In this case the action of Anthony physically having went to the market is the verb. 

In this guide, verbs are categorized into a few different lists: 

• action verbs list
• linking verbs list
• helping verbs list
• irregular verbs list

Except for the linking verb list, the other categories break down into different types. The next list of verbs can be physical or mental. The list of helping verbs can be auxiliary or modal. The list of irregular verbs shows verbs in different tenses. 

Learning the words in each verb list can help you develop your English-speaking skills. To make comprehension easier, example sentences have been provided in the verb list sections.

List of Action Verbs

In an action verbs list, each verb can be used to state a subject’s action in a sentence. There are two types of action words you’ll find in this list of action verbs.

The physical verb list features action words. In other words, the words within a physical action verb list usually describe an action that someone or something physically does. In a nutshell, a particular motion made using one’s body or a tool to complete an action is referred to as an action verb. For example, let’s start with a short list of action verbs: 

• Walk
• Open
• Speak 

All of the words on this short action verb list describe physical actions. The verb list below is a much longer list of action verbs that are useful to know.

Hopefully you already recognized a few (or all) of the words on this action verbs list. They are all very useful! If you think you’ll need it, feel free to print this action verbs list for future reference.  

Before moving on from the physical action verb list and looking at the mental verbs list below, consider reading these resources explaining MLA format and APA format. They could help you understand how to format your next writing assignment. Or, if you’re ready, let’s move on to the next list of action verbs.

The second type of action verbs list is for mental action words. Mental action words describe intellectual processes that don’t happen physically, but rather take place in your mind. Examples of mental action words (that are part of the action verb list below) include think, feel, and want.

It’s important to understand that some mental action words on this action verbs list don’t refer to the literal use of the word. For instance, the mental list of verbs includes the words see, look, hear, and smell. These words could also be included on a list of action verbs describing physical motion. When you don’t use these words in the literal sense, they become mental action words. In other words, these words could be found on both a physical and mental action verbs list.  

Here are some examples showing the difference:

• Action: I can see Paul jumping up and down.

In this example , you can literally see Paul jumping around.

• Mental: Frank returned from Europe yesterday? I see.

However, in the above example you can’t literally see Frank returning from Europe. Instead, “I see” means to understand. Therefore, ‘see ’used in this context is a mental word.

• Action: These roses smell wonderful.

This example refers to the physical action of smelling flowers and comments on their scent.

• Mental: Something smells funny about this situation.

On the other hand, in this example, nothing literally smells funny. Instead, it means that there’s something strange and unusual about the situation.

To summarize, there are hundreds of words that could go on an action verbs list. The physical verbs list and the mental list of verbs only include a few basic words of each type. There are many more to learn and they’re all fun to use. In order to expand your vocabulary, it’s helpful to study another list of action verbs. For a PDF list of action verbs, visit this site. 

The next verbs list is a list of linking verbs. Even if you don’t know what they are yet, these words are very important! Pay close attention to the list of linking verbs below. You never know when a list of linking verbs might come in handy.

Linking Verbs List

There’s a list of verbs that do not describe any action. Instead, these words explain a state of being such as a condition or relationship. They are also commonly known as linking verbs, and they make up the linking verb list below. 

The words in the linking verbs list are words that connect the subject of a sentence to specific information about the subject. In other words, linking verbs connect the subject to a predicate noun or a predicate adjective. 

A list of linking verbs could also be called a ‘being verbs list.’ This is because the words within a linking verbs list show a state of being. You’ll notice that most verbs on the being verbs list are forms of ‘to be’. Other verbs like ‘become’ and ‘seem’ also belong on a being verbs list. 

These ‘being’ verbs (see the list of linking verbs/being verbs list below for examples) are used with subjects that are both in past and present tense. Being verbs like ‘was/were’ should be used instead of ’be’ in the past tense, and ‘is/am/are’ in the present tense. For instance: 

• Amy was being cynical.
• We are being noisy.
• Andrew was afraid of Luna.
• You appear to be scared.

The being/linking words in the sentences above are included in the being verbs list below. You can use words in the linking verbs list to connect the subject with other words in a sentence. There aren’t as many words on a linking verb list as there are on a verb list for mental and physical action words, but each word in the list of linking verbs is nonetheless important.

As you can see on the linking verbs list above, all forms of to be are important linking words. It would be difficult to have a conversation about yourself without using any of the words on this linking verbs list. Want to remember all of these? Feel free to print and save this linking verb list for reference. You could also look for another linking verb list and examples to study.

Now that you’re well-versed with action words, and the linking verb list, let’s move on to helping words.

Helping Verbs List

Now that we’ve gone over the list of linking verbs let’s talk about helping verbs. A helping verb ‘helps’ or supports the main verb. There are two types of words within the helping verbs list: auxiliaries and modals. 

Both auxiliaries and modals add more meaning to the main action or the being word. They can also describe the period of a physical or mental action taking  place. They can also add emphasis to your sentences and indicate an event happening. 

Auxiliaries (like those in our helping verb list below) extend the main verb and help show time, tense or possibility.

Examples of auxiliary verbs:

• Matthew is going out for lunch. 
• I have finished my homework. 

Modals indicate possibility, ability or expectation. A list of helping verbs that are modal are further down this page, but let’s start with a few example sentences; they’ll help us understand how they’re used.

Examples of modals:

• Wilson may want to talk to you again. 
• Alexa must go to work today.

If you want to learn how to create complex sentences, then it’s important to study a helping verbs list. Here’s your first list of helping verbs.

So, how do you know  that the words in this auxiliary helping verbs list are actually ‘helpful’ or act as standalone words? Simply look for other verbs (action or being words) in the sentence. If you notice any form of ‘to be’, ‘to have’, or ‘to do’ before another action or being word, then you’re looking at a sentence with an auxiliary. 

Using the previous auxiliary helping verbs list, can you figure out which word is the auxiliary in the examples below?

• Charlie’s mother is cooking breakfast for us tomorrow.
• Tina hasn’t exercised today.

Both modals and auxiliaries can be found on a list of helping verbs. Modals are usually followed by the infinitive of another verb. Just like the list of linking verbs, the list of modals within the list of helping verbs is also small and therefore easy to remember. A verbs list with modal verbs is given below.

Here are some examples of how modals, from the above list of verbs, explain uncertainty, obligation, and possibility.  

• I must go to school today.

There’s an obligation to go to school.

• You could go to school today.

In this sentence, it’s possible that you will not go to school today.

• Jennifer’s not sick and should go to school today.

And in this sentence, it’s possible that Jennifer doesn’t go to school.

• If Tommy feels better tonight, he might go to school tomorrow.

Whereas in this sentence there’s a chance that Tommy may or may not go to school. 

Now that you are well versed with a linking verbs list, a list of verbs that are ‘helpful,’ and a verbs list for action words, let’s move on to the next section: a list of irregular verbs. 

Irregular Verbs List

The next verbs list you’ll look at is the list of action verbs that are irregular, thus they are part of the irregular verbs list. So what exactly are irregular verbs? Well, verbs that do not follow the normal rules for conjugation fall into the irregular verbs list.  

Basically, most ‘normal’ words in the past tense have an -ed at the end. Examples include jumped, skipped, and leaped. 

• jump → jumped
• skip → skipped
• leap → leaped
• walk → walked

This conjugation pattern applies to most words. However, irregular verbs — like those in the irregular verbs list below — don’t follow this normal pattern. For example:

• Draw → drew, drawn

These verbs shift tenses according to its own set of rules, and thus belong on our list of irregular verbs. 

The words in the list of irregular verbs below are shown with their past simple and past participle versions. You could say, that it is also an irregular past tense verbs list. 

An irregular past tense verbs list generally includes words like brought, were, became, etc. The irregular past tense verbs list below presents English past tense verbs.

Did you come across any new verbs in this irregular verbs list? There are many other words that could be added to this irregular past tense verbs list, but this list of verbs is a good start. Hopefully, this list of irregular verbs (or irregular past tense verbs list) will help you write your assignments with greater precision. Once you’re done studying the list of irregular verbs, visit this informative site for further learning.

Congratulations on reviewing many verb list types! Now that you have finished reading  a comprehensive linking verbs list and studied a helpful list of verbs along with an irregular verbs list, why not get some help on your next English assignment? The paper checker from Citation Machine Plus lets you make citations in APA format and more citation styles. Try it out today!

Published March 5, 2019. Updated April 16, 2020.

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55 English verbs you need to know to "survive"

This collection will be extremely useful for everyone who starts learning English on their own, and for those whose level of knowledge of the language is somewhere at the initial step. I tried to choose the most necessary English verbs. Of course, this list can and should be expanded, but that's a completely different story. Everything has its time.

My task was to prepare for you a list of English verbs for "survival" - ie. to help you understand basic English.

If you are just starting to learn English, this list will be more than ever helpful. All verbs are given in their initial form - the infinitive. Many verbs have more than one meaning, so I give only the very first one, you can look up the rest of the meanings in the dictionary if you are interested.

Fundamental English verbs

• Be – be
• Have - have
• Do - do
• Make - make
• Get - get
• Take - take
• Try - try
• Know - know
• Think - think
• Feel - feel
• See
• Give - give
• Bring - bring
• Buy - Buy
• Cost - cost (about the price)
• Break - destroy
• Put
• Eat - eat (eat)
• Sleep - sleep
• Drink - drink
• Understand
• Write - write
• Read
• Speak
• Tell - tell
• Meet - meet
• Teach - teach
• Learn
• Send – send

Article in the topic:
How to say "I like" or "I don't like" in English in different ways

• Forget - forget
• Dream - dream
• Pay - pay
• Sell - sell
• Call - call
• Play – Play
• Drive - drive a car
• Travel - travel
• Start - start
• Stop - stop
• Need
• Use - use
• Can - to be able (to be able)
• Clean - clean
• Help - help
• Run - run
• Cook - cook food
• Open - open
• Close
• Move – move
• Sing - sing
• Swim - swim
• Dance - dance
• Work - work

Having learned these English verbs and set phrases, you will be able to understand everyday English in an elementary way, that is, you will need these basic knowledge at first. Further it is worth deepening knowledge and learning more English verbs.

Article in the topic:
How to learn to write in a foreign language and learn the alphabet on your own: useful tips

Necessary stable phrases

There are times when self-study of a language comes to a standstill, you simply cannot force yourself to sit down and open a book, or some material remains incomprehensible.

Get more tips to Grow your vocabulary

Improve your vocabulary with a full range of videos, articles and live lessons!

Explore resources

In this case, I advise you to contact tutors who know how to help you learn a new language, give you the right direction, explain complex material.

Learning never exhausted the mind.

Leonardo Da Vinci

By the way, if you have a question about English, feel free to write to me and I will be happy to give you an answer.

Good luck!

140 regular verbs in English

April 3, 2019

2 min. read

254348

Hey, what's up? Verbs in English are divided into two groups: regular and irregular. Irregular have a special second and third form of the past tense. This list just needs to be learned, and a huge number of selections and tables can be found on the Internet. We also had an article about them .

Contents of the article:

• Rules for adding endings
• List of regular verbs

And today we'll talk about the correct ones, those to which is added in the past tense ending ed .

In all cases, the ending ed is added. But this is not always enough. There are several options.

1. The simplest case - the ending is simply added at the end after the consonant. Brush — brush ed . Consider - consider ed .

2. If there is already an "e" at the end (or even two), we just add d. Arrive-arrive d . Agree - agree d .

3. In verbs that end in "y", this letter is changed to "i". Study - stud ied . Cry - cr ied . But if there is a vowel before "y" in the infinitive, then the substitution is cancelled. Play - pla yed .

4. If the verb ends with one hard consonant preceded by one vowel, then the consonant is doubled if the last syllable is stressed. Drop - drop ped . refer - refer red . The rule may seem complicated, but over time you will begin to feel it intuitively.

5. If the last letter is "l", then in British English it is always doubled, but in American it is only doubled when the last syllable is stressed. Cancel - led /cance lled .

6. And if the last "x" is not doubled anywhere and never. Fix - fix ed .

There are many rules, but they are very important, and it is imperative to remember them.

Read also

What is the difference between Have, Has and Had?

Of course, not all verbs are in this list. We have only selected a few of the main examples.

That's all.

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