Learn English Verbs: Types, Forms and How to Master Them
English has many kinds of verbs and many verb forms, and it is easy to mix them up. This guide sorts out the terminology, with clear examples for each type and form, plus a reference table of common irregular verbs and practical tips for learning them faster. Use it as a quick map whenever a grammar term trips you up.
Different kinds of English verbs
Verbs are grouped by how they behave. These four types cover most of what you will meet:
Regular verbs. These form the past tense by adding “-ed”, and the past participle (used in the present perfect) is the same as the past simple. For example: I like her. I liked her. I have liked her for a long time.
Irregular verbs. These do not follow the “-ed” pattern, so their past and past participle forms have to be learned individually. For example: I read books. I read a book yesterday. I have read three books. There are only a few hundred common ones, and the most frequent are listed in the table below.
Phrasal verbs. These combine a verb with a particle (a preposition or adverb) to create a meaning different from the words on their own, so they work like idioms. For example: I looked it up in the dictionary, where look + up = find information, is a phrasal verb. But in I looked up the stairs, look + up just means looking in an upward direction, so it is not a phrasal verb.
Auxiliary verbs. These are “helping” verbs that support the main verb in a sentence. They include the modals (can, should, would, and so on) and the verbs be, do and have when they help form questions, negatives and tenses. For example: Do you know? She is working. They have finished.
Common irregular verbs to know first
Irregular verbs are among the most frequent verbs in English, so learning their three forms early pays off quickly. Here are some of the most useful, with base form, past simple and past participle (V3):
| Base form | Past simple | Past participle (V3) |
|---|---|---|
| be | was / were | been |
| go | went | gone |
| do | did | done |
| have | had | had |
| say | said | said |
| make | made | made |
| take | took | taken |
| see | saw | seen |
| come | came | come |
| know | knew | known |
| get | got | got / gotten |
| give | gave | given |
| think | thought | thought |
| write | wrote | written |
| speak | spoke | spoken |
Different forms of English verbs
Beyond their type, verbs change form and behave differently in a sentence. These are the terms you will hear most:
Transitive and intransitive. A transitive verb takes an object: I like to eat oranges (eat takes the object oranges). An intransitive verb does not take an object: I like to sleep (sleep has no object). Some verbs can be both, depending on the sentence.
Active and passive. Active sentences put the subject first and make it the focus: I did the work. Passive sentences focus on the action rather than who did it: The work was done. The passive is formed with be + past participle.
The remaining terms describe the form of the verb itself. The summary table makes them easy to compare:
| Form | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Infinitive (base) form | The simple, unchanged form of the verb. | go, eat, speak |
| Present participle | The “-ing” form used to make the continuous tenses. | I am going. |
| Past participle (V3) | The form used for perfect tenses and the passive. | I have gone. It was eaten. |
| Gerund | The “-ing” form used as a noun (not a verb). | I like swimming. |
The present participle and the gerund look identical, but they do different jobs: in I am swimming, “swimming” is part of the verb; in I like swimming, “swimming” is a noun.
How to learn English verbs faster
- Learn the regular pattern first. Most English verbs are regular, so once “-ed” is automatic you already handle the majority of verbs.
- Memorise irregular verbs in threes. Always learn the base, past simple and past participle together (go, went, gone), not just the present form.
- Group phrasal verbs by the main verb. Learning get up, get on, get over together helps the patterns stick.
- Use new verbs in full sentences. Saying a verb in a real sentence out loud fixes the form far better than reading a list.
- Practise out loud with a teacher. Regular speaking is what turns rules you know into verbs you use without thinking.
Grammar lists get you started, but verbs only become automatic when you use them in real conversation. Practising with a native teacher who corrects you in the moment is the fastest way to make the forms feel natural.
Put your verbs into practice
Our online English lessons give you one-to-one practice with experienced native teachers who correct your verb forms as you speak, so the grammar finally sticks.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of English verbs?
What is the difference between a present participle and a gerund?
How do I know if a verb is transitive or intransitive?
What is the best way to learn irregular verbs?
How many irregular verbs are there in English?
Keep this page handy as a reference, and remember that the verbs you practise out loud are the ones you will actually remember when you speak.
