CEFR A1

    Basic Verbs

    Learn essential words that describe actions, daily activities, and routines. Practice how to use them in simple sentences and talk about what you do every day.

    What You'll Learn About Basic Verbs

    Understand what verbs are - action words that tell us what people do
    Master essential verb categories - daily routines, movement, communication, and feelings
    Learn verb patterns - how to use verbs with different subjects and objects
    Avoid common mistakes - learn the right way to use basic verbs in sentences

    What Are Verbs?

    BE describes states — who you are, what something is like, where something is.

    I am a teacher.She is happy.They are in Hanoi.It is cold today.

    Forms

    am (I), is (he/she/it), are (you/we/they). Negative: am not, isn't, aren't. Question: Am I? Is she? Are they?

    Verbs are action words that tell us what someone or something does. They are the most important words in English sentences because every sentence needs a verb.

    Physical Actions

    ✓ I eat breakfast

    ✓ She walks to work

    ✓ He runs every day

    Mental Actions

    ✓ I think about my family

    ✓ She knows the answer

    ✓ We understand English

    Key Rule to Remember

    Every complete sentence in English must have a verb. Without a verb, it's not a proper sentence.

    ✓ Correct: "I work every day." (has verb)

    ✗ Incorrect: "I every day." (no verb)

    A Day with Verbs

    Imagine you are describing your morning. Every action you do uses a verb.

    "I wake up at 7 AM."

    "I eat breakfast and drink coffee."

    "I walk to the bus stop."

    "I work in an office all day."

    Without verbs, you cannot describe any action. Verbs are the engine of every sentence - they make things happen!

    Essential Verb Categories

    Learning verbs in groups helps you remember them better. Here are the most important categories for beginners.

    Daily Routine Verbs

    Actions we do every day

    wake up - stop sleeping
    eat - have food
    work - do your job
    sleep - rest at night

    Movement Verbs

    Actions of moving from place to place

    go - move to a place
    come - move towards here
    walk - move on foot
    run - move fast

    Quick Practice

    Complete these sentences with the correct verb:

    1. "I __________ at 7 AM every morning." (stop sleeping)

    2. "She __________ to school every day." (move on foot)

    3. "We __________ dinner at 6 PM." (have food)

    Check your answers

    1. wake up

    2. walks

    3. eat

    Common Basic Verbs and Their Uses

    Here are the most essential verbs you need for everyday communication, organized by how we use them.

    Communication Verbs

    speak
    talk in a language
    say
    express in words
    tell
    give information
    ask
    request information
    Example: "I speak English and I ask questions in class."

    Feeling & Thinking Verbs

    like
    enjoy
    want
    desire
    need
    require
    think
    have an opinion
    Example: "I like coffee and I need to study."

    Location & Existence Verbs

    Location
    live - reside in a place
    work - have a job at
    study - learn at school
    Existence
    be - exist (am/is/are)
    have - possess
    exist - be real
    Example: "I live in London and I have a big family."

    Want to try a Basic Verbs quiz?

    Practice with multiple choice questions

    Using Verbs in Complete Sentences

    Learn how to put verbs together with other words to make complete, correct sentences.

    Basic Sentence Pattern

    Most English sentences follow this simple structure:

    Subject
    +
    Verb
    +
    Object

    I eat breakfast

    Subject + Verb + Object

    Good Examples
    She speaks English
    We like coffee
    They work in an office
    Common Mistakes
    ❌ She English speaks
    ❌ We coffee like
    ❌ They in office work

    Ready to test your Basic Verbs knowledge?

    Challenge yourself with fill-in-the-blank exercises

    Common Mistakes to Avoid

    Forgetting the verb in a sentence

    ❌ I every day to school.

    ✓ I go to school every day.

    Every sentence must have a verb

    Wrong word order with verbs

    ❌ I coffee like.

    ✓ I like coffee.

    Verb usually comes after the subject

    Using wrong verb form for he/she/it

    ❌ She work every day.

    ✓ She works every day.

    Add 's' to verbs for he/she/it

    Confusing similar verbs

    ❌ I say hello to my friend.

    ✓ I tell my friend hello.

    Use 'tell' with a person, 'say' with words

    Missing objects with certain verbs

    ❌ I want.

    ✓ I want coffee.

    Some verbs need an object to complete the meaning

    Master Basic Verbs sentence building!

    Drag and drop words to form correct sentences

    Tips for Learning Basic Verbs

    Learn in context - practice verbs in full sentences, not just as single words
    Use action verbs - describe what you're doing throughout the day
    Practice the 's' rule - make sentences with he/she/it regularly
    Group similar verbs - learn communication verbs together, movement verbs together
    Use time expressions - add words like every day, usually, always
    Listen for verbs - pay attention to verbs when native speakers talk

    Speaking Practice

    To practice your pronunciation, listen to the native speaker audio first. Then 'Record' yourself repeating what you heard, then use the 'Playback' button to compare your pronunciation with the native speaker. If you want to record yourself again, simply click 'Delete'!

    I eat breakfast every morning.

    She works in a big office.

    We like to watch movies on weekends.

    He lives near the city center.

    They speak English very well.

    The plane flies high in the sky.

    She walks to school with her friends.

    We visit our grandparents every weekend.

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