250 Essential Verbs in British English. 5 Tips for Learning 250 Verbs Effectively

250 essential verbs in British English, including their pronunciation and forms

Sr. No.

Verb

Pronunciation (IPA)

Past Simple

Past Participle

1

Accept

/əkˈsɛpt/

accepted

accepted

2

Achieve

/əˈtʃiːv/

achieved

achieved

3

Admire

/ədˈmaɪə/

admired

admired

4

Advise

/ədˈvaɪz/

advised

advised

5

Agree

/əˈɡriː/

agreed

agreed

6

Allow

/əˈlaʊ/

allowed

allowed

7

Announce

/əˈnaʊns/

announced

announced

8

Apologise

/əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/

apologised

apologised

9

Appear

/əˈpɪə/

appeared

appeared

10

Apply

/əˈplaɪ/

applied

applied

11

Argue

/ˈɑːɡjuː/

argued

argued

12

Arrive

/əˈraɪv/

arrived

arrived

13

Ask

/ɑːsk/

asked

asked

14

Assist

/əˈsɪst/

assisted

assisted

15

Assume

/əˈsjuːm/

assumed

assumed

16

Attack

/əˈtæk/

attacked

attacked

17

Attempt

/əˈtɛmpt/

attempted

attempted

18

Avoid

/əˈvɔɪd/

avoided

avoided

19

Bake

/beɪk/

baked

baked

20

Beg

/bɛɡ/

begged

begged

21

Behave

/bɪˈheɪv/

behaved

behaved

22

Believe

/bɪˈliːv/

believed

believed

23

Belong

/bɪˈlɒŋ/

belonged

belonged

24

Bite

/baɪt/

bit

bitten

25

Blame

/bleɪm/

blamed

blamed

26

Bleed

/bliːd/

bled

bled

27

Bless

/blɛs/

blessed

blessed

28

Blow

/bləʊ/

blew

blown

29

Boil

/bɔɪl/

boiled

boiled

30

Borrow

/ˈbɒrəʊ/

borrowed

borrowed

31

Break

/breɪk/

broke

broken

32

Breathe

/briːð/

breathed

breathed

33

Bring

/brɪŋ/

brought

brought

34

Build

/bɪld/

built

built

35

Burn

/bɜːn/

burnt/burned

burnt/burned

36

Buy

/baɪ/

bought

bought

37

Call

/kɔːl/

called

called

38

Calm

/kɑːm/

calmed

calmed

39

Carry

/ˈkæri/

carried

carried

40

Catch

/kætʃ/

caught

caught

41

Celebrate

/ˈsɛlɪbreɪt/

celebrated

celebrated

42

Change

/tʃeɪndʒ/

changed

changed

43

Choose

/tʃuːz/

chose

chosen

44

Climb

/klaɪm/

climbed

climbed

45

Close

/kləʊz/

closed

closed

46

Collect

/kəˈlɛkt/

collected

collected

47

Compare

/kəmˈpɛː/

compared

compared

48

Complain

/kəmˈpleɪn/

complained

complained

49

Complete

/kəmˈpliːt/

completed

completed

50

Cook

/kʊk/

cooked

cooked

51

Copy

/ˈkɒpi/

copied

copied

52

Correct

/kəˈrɛkt/

corrected

corrected

53

Count

/kaʊnt/

counted

counted

54

Cry

/kraɪ/

cried

cried

55

Dance

/dɑːns/

danced

danced

56

Decide

/dɪˈsaɪd/

decided

decided

57

Describe

/dɪsˈkraɪb/

described

described

58

Destroy

/dɪˈstrɔɪ/

destroyed

destroyed

59

Develop

/dɪˈvɛləp/

developed

developed

60

Die

/daɪ/

died

died

61

Dig

/dɪɡ/

dug

dug

62

Discover

/dɪsˈkʌvə/

discovered

discovered

63

Discuss

/dɪsˈkʌs/

discussed

discussed

64

Disturb

/dɪˈstɜːb/

disturbed

disturbed

65

Dream

/driːm/

dreamt/dreamed

dreamt/dreamed

66

Drink

/drɪŋk/

drank

drunk

67

Drive

/draɪv/

drove

driven

68

Drop

/drɒp/

dropped

dropped

69

Dry

/draɪ/

dried

dried

70

Earn

/ɜːn/

earned

earned

71

Eat

/iːt/

ate

eaten

72

Encourage

/ɪnˈkʌrɪdʒ/

encouraged

encouraged

73

Enjoy

/ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/

enjoyed

enjoyed

74

Examine

/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/

examined

examined

75

Explain

/ɪkˈspleɪn/

explained

explained

76

Fall

/fɔːl/

fell

fallen

77

Feed

/fiːd/

fed

fed

78

Feel

/fiːl/

felt

felt

79

Fight

/faɪt/

fought

fought

80

Find

/faɪnd/

found

found

81

Finish

/ˈfɪnɪʃ/

finished

finished

82

Fix

/fɪks/

fixed

fixed

83

Fly

/flaɪ/

flew

flown

84

Follow

/ˈfɒləʊ/

followed

followed

85

Forget

/fəˈɡɛt/

forgot

forgotten

86

Forgive

/fəˈɡɪv/

forgave

forgiven

87

Freeze

/friːz/

froze

frozen

88

Fry

/fraɪ/

fried

fried

89

Get

/ɡɛt/

got

got/gotten

90

Give

/ɡɪv/

gave

given

91

Go

/ɡəʊ/

went

gone

92

Grow

/ɡrəʊ/

grew

grown

93

Guess

/ɡɛs/

guessed

guessed

94

Handle

/ˈhændl/

handled

handled

95

Happen

/ˈhæpən/

happened

happened

96

Hate

/heɪt/

hated

hated

97

Have

/hæv/

had

had

98

Hear

/hɪə/

heard

heard

99

Help

/hɛlp/

helped

helped

100

Hide

/haɪd/

hid

Hidden

Sr. No.

Verb

Pronunciation (IPA)

Past Simple

Past Participle

101

Hit

/hɪt/

hit

hit

102

Hold

/həʊld/

held

held

103

Hope

/həʊp/

hoped

hoped

104

Hug

/hʌɡ/

hugged

hugged

105

Hurry

/ˈhʌri/

hurried

hurried

106

Identify

/aɪˈdɛntɪfaɪ/

identified

identified

107

Ignore

/ɪɡˈnɔː/

ignored

ignored

108

Imagine

/ɪˈmædʒɪn/

imagined

imagined

109

Improve

/ɪmˈpruːv/

improved

improved

110

Include

/ɪnˈkluːd/

included

included

111

Increase

/ɪnˈkriːs/

increased

increased

112

Inform

/ɪnˈfɔːm/

informed

informed

113

Introduce

/ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/

introduced

introduced

114

Invite

/ɪnˈvaɪt/

invited

invited

115

Jump

/dʒʌmp/

jumped

jumped

116

Keep

/kiːp/

kept

kept

117

Kick

/kɪk/

kicked

kicked

118

Kill

/kɪl/

killed

killed

119

Kiss

/kɪs/

kissed

kissed

120

Knock

/nɒk/

knocked

knocked

121

Know

/nəʊ/

knew

known

122

Laugh

/lɑːf/

laughed

laughed

123

Learn

/lɜːn/

learnt/learned

learnt/learned

124

Leave

/liːv/

left

left

125

Lend

/lɛnd/

lent

lent

126

Lie (to rest)

/laɪ/

lay

lain

127

Lie (not tell the truth)

/laɪ/

lied

lied

128

Like

/laɪk/

liked

liked

129

Listen

/ˈlɪsən/

listened

listened

130

Lose

/luːz/

lost

lost

131

Love

/lʌv/

loved

loved

132

Make

/meɪk/

made

made

133

Manage

/ˈmænɪdʒ/

managed

managed

134

Marry

/ˈmæri/

married

married

135

Mean

/miːn/

meant

meant

136

Meet

/miːt/

met

met

137

Miss

/mɪs/

missed

missed

138

Mix

/mɪks/

mixed

mixed

139

Move

/muːv/

moved

moved

140

Need

/niːd/

needed

needed

141

Notice

/ˈnəʊtɪs/

noticed

noticed

142

Offer

/ˈɒfə/

offered

offered

143

Open

/ˈəʊpən/

opened

opened

144

Order

/ˈɔːdə/

ordered

ordered

145

Organise

/ˈɔːɡənaɪz/

organised

organised

146

Own

/əʊn/

owned

owned

147

Paint

/peɪnt/

painted

painted

148

Park

/pɑːk/

parked

parked

149

Pay

/peɪ/

paid

paid

150

Perform

/pəˈfɔːm/

performed

performed

151

Pick

/pɪk/

picked

picked

152

Plan

/plæn/

planned

planned

153

Play

/pleɪ/

played

played

154

Point

/pɔɪnt/

pointed

pointed

155

Prefer

/prɪˈfɜː/

preferred

preferred

156

Prepare

/prɪˈpeə/

prepared

prepared

157

Press

/prɛs/

pressed

pressed

158

Prevent

/prɪˈvɛnt/

prevented

prevented

159

Print

/prɪnt/

printed

printed

160

Protect

/prəˈtɛkt/

protected

protected

161

Prove

/pruːv/

proved

proved/proven

162

Pull

/pʊl/

pulled

pulled

163

Push

/pʊʃ/

pushed

pushed

164

Put

/pʊt/

put

put

165

Rain

/reɪn/

rained

rained

166

Read

/riːd/

read

read

167

Realise

/ˈrɪəlaɪz/

realised

realised

168

Receive

/rɪˈsiːv/

received

received

169

Recognise

/ˈrɛkəɡnaɪz/

recognised

recognised

170

Recommend

/ˌrɛkəˈmɛnd/

recommended

recommended

171

Remember

/rɪˈmɛmbə/

remembered

remembered

172

Repeat

/rɪˈpiːt/

repeated

repeated

173

Replace

/rɪˈpleɪs/

replaced

replaced

174

Reply

/rɪˈplaɪ/

replied

replied

175

Request

/rɪˈkwɛst/

requested

requested

176

Rescue

/ˈrɛskjuː/

rescued

rescued

177

Respect

/rɪˈspɛkt/

respected

respected

178

Rest

/rɛst/

rested

rested

179

Return

/rɪˈtɜːn/

returned

returned

180

Ride

/raɪd/

rode

ridden

181

Ring

/rɪŋ/

rang

rung

182

Run

/rʌn/

ran

run

183

Save

/seɪv/

saved

saved

184

Say

/seɪ/

said

said

185

See

/siː/

saw

seen

186

Sell

/sɛl/

sold

sold

187

Send

/sɛnd/

sent

sent

188

Show

/ʃəʊ/

showed

shown

189

Sing

/sɪŋ/

sang

sung

190

Sit

/sɪt/

sat

sat

191

Sleep

/sliːp/

slept

slept

192

Smell

/smɛl/

smelt/smelled

smelt/smelled

193

Smile

/smaɪl/

smiled

smiled

194

Solve

/sɒlv/

solved

solved

195

Speak

/spiːk/

spoke

spoken

196

Spell

/spɛl/

spelt/spelled

spelt/spelled

197

Spend

/spɛnd/

spent

spent

198

Spill

/spɪl/

spilt/spilled

spilt/spilled

199

Spoil

/spɔɪl/

spoilt/spoiled

spoilt/spoiled

200

Stand

/stænd/

stood

stood

Sr. No.

Verb

Pronunciation (IPA)

Past Simple

Past Participle

201

Start

/stɑːt/

started

started

202

Stay

/steɪ/

stayed

stayed

203

Steal

/stiːl/

stole

stolen

204

Stick

/stɪk/

stuck

stuck

205

Stop

/stɒp/

stopped

stopped

206

Study

/ˈstʌdi/

studied

studied

207

Succeed

/səkˈsiːd/

succeeded

succeeded

208

Suffer

/ˈsʌfə/

suffered

suffered

209

Suggest

/səˈdʒɛst/

suggested

suggested

210

Support

/səˈpɔːt/

supported

supported

211

Suppose

/səˈpəʊz/

supposed

supposed

212

Surprise

/səˈpraɪz/

surprised

surprised

213

Swim

/swɪm/

swam

swum

214

Take

/teɪk/

took

taken

215

Talk

/tɔːk/

talked

talked

216

Taste

/teɪst/

tasted

tasted

217

Teach

/tiːtʃ/

taught

taught

218

Tell

/tɛl/

told

told

219

Thank

/θæŋk/

thanked

thanked

220

Think

/θɪŋk/

thought

thought

221

Throw

/θrəʊ/

threw

thrown

222

Touch

/tʌtʃ/

touched

touched

223

Train

/treɪn/

trained

trained

224

Travel

/ˈtrævəl/

travelled

travelled

225

Try

/traɪ/

tried

tried

226

Turn

/tɜːn/

turned

turned

227

Understand

/ˌʌndəˈstænd/

understood

understood

228

Use

/juːz/

used

used

229

Visit

/ˈvɪzɪt/

visited

visited

230

Wait

/weɪt/

waited

waited

231

Wake

/weɪk/

woke

woken

232

Walk

/wɔːk/

walked

walked

233

Want

/wɒnt/

wanted

wanted

234

Warn

/wɔːn/

warned

warned

235

Wash

/wɒʃ/

washed

washed

236

Watch

/wɒtʃ/

watched

watched

237

Wear

/wɛə/

wore

worn

238

Win

/wɪn/

won

won

239

Work

/wɜːk/

worked

worked

240

Worry

/ˈwʌri/

worried

worried

241

Write

/raɪt/

wrote

written

242

Xerox (photocopy)

/ˈzɪərɒks/

xeroxed

xeroxed

243

X-ray

/ˈɛks reɪ/

X-rayed

X-rayed

244

Yawn

/jɔːn/

yawned

yawned

245

Yell

/jɛl/

yelled

yelled

246

Yoke (join together)

/jəʊk/

yoked

yoked

247

Yearn (long for)

/jɜːn/

yearned

yearned

248

Zap

/zæp/

zapped

zapped

249

Zoom

/zuːm/

zoomed

zoomed

250

Zigzag

/ˈzɪɡzæɡ/

zigzagged

zigzagged