Verbs are the heartbeat of any conversation — you need them to share a story, ask a question, or just order your favorite coffee. This list rounds up around 1,000 common English verbs that you’ll actually hear and use every day. No dusty textbook filler, just action words that keep your sentences moving. Put these common verbs to work while reading Hansel and Gretel at A2 level.
Inside the interactive table, you’ll get US IPA for clear pronunciation, a plain-English meaning, and a real-world example sentence. There’s also a play button next to every word, so you can listen as you learn — your ears need practice too.
Ready to level up your everyday English without the yawns? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable common english verbs vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable common english verbs flashcards.
Verbs alone won’t make you fluent, though. You need chunks you can actually speak. Our free English lessons teach you practical phrases with audio and speaking practice — start at the intro page or jump straight into Lesson 1: First Greetings.
Quick Quiz
<p>Think you already know a bunch of these? Try the quick quiz below to test yourself, then use the table to plug any gaps.</p>
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Browse the Full List
| Word | IPA | Meaning | Example | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shake | /ʃeɪk/ | To move backwards and forwards or up and down in quick short movements | Shake the bottle before opening. | |
| Shall | /ʃæl/ | Used for suggestions | Shall we go? | |
| Share | /ʃɛr/ | To have or use something at the same time as someone else | We share a bedroom. | |
| Shave | /ʃeɪv/ | To remove hair from the body | He shaves every morning. | |
| shaved | /ʃeɪvd/ | removed hair with a razor | He shaved his beard before the interview. | |
| Shift | /ʃɪft/ | A period of time worked by a group of workers | He works the night shift. | |
| Shine | /ʃaɪn/ | To send out or reflect light | The sun is shining. | |
| ship | /ʃɪp/ | to send goods somewhere | We ship orders within two days. | |
| shipped | /ʃɪpt/ | sent goods to another place | The store shipped my order this morning. | |
| shipping | /ˈʃɪpɪŋ/ | sending goods to a destination | The company is shipping orders today. | |
| Shock | /ʃɑk/ | A sudden unexpected and usually unpleasant event or experience | The news was a great shock. | |
| Shoot | /ʃut/ | To fire a bullet or an arrow or to hit injure or kill a person or animal by firing a bullet or arrow at them | He learned how to shoot a bow. | |
| shopping | /ˈʃɑpɪŋ/ | buying things from stores or online | She is shopping for a new laptop today. | |
| Should | /ʃʊd/ | Used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do | You should see a doctor. | |
| Shout | /ʃaʊt/ | To speak with a very loud voice often as loud as possible | Don't shout at me! | |
| show | /ʃoʊ/ | to let someone see | Show me your picture. | |
| showed | /ʃoʊd/ | displayed or made something clear | She showed me how to use the coffee machine. | |
| shown | /ʃoʊn/ | displayed or made visible | The results are shown on the screen. | |
| shows | /ʃoʊz/ | displays or makes something clear | The chart shows our sales this month. | |
| Shut | /ʃʌt/ | To close something | Please shut the door. | |
| sign | /saɪn/ | to write your name on something | Please sign the form here. | |
| silver | /ˈsɪlvɚ/ | to coat with silver or make silver-colored | The artist silvered the frame by hand. | |
| sing | /sɪŋ/ | to make musical sounds with your voice | Sing a song. | |
| sit | /sɪt/ | to rest your weight on a chair | Sit down. | |
| Skate | /skeɪt/ | To move on skates | I like to skate in the park. |
Free Common English Verbs PDF and Flashcards to Download
Grab the purple vocab-list button to download the common english verbs vocabulary list, and use the teal flashcards button for the common english verbs flashcards. Both are 100% free with no signup required.
