If you plan on doing business in the United States, it’s crucial that you learn the most common English business phrases and what they really mean. This information will make it possible for you to succeed in any field and form closer bonds with your coworkers! 

In this article, we’ll be discussing phrases you can use in a variety of work- and business-related situations. This includes, but isn’t limited to: 

• Job Interviews
• Business Meetings
• Business Phone Etiquette & Phrases

→ If you don’t have time to read through this article right now, we recommend that you check out our short vocabulary lists on Phrases for Doing Business Successfully and Words for the Workplace.

Table of Contents

1. Before We Begin…
2. Business Communication Phrases You Need
3. Final Thoughts

1. Before We Begin…

Before looking at our list of business English phrases, there are a couple of things you should be aware of.

A- A Note on Niceties

In the United States, one of the most important aspects of business communication is niceties. In this case, a nicety is basically a way of sounding polite when you speak with others in your office or workplace. For example, saying things like “Excuse me,” “Please,” and “Thank you,” are extremely important in day-to-day interactions. Watch for these types of words as you read through this article. 

In addition, you’ll find it helpful to note the differences between informal and formal speech for the workplace, though we won’t go too much into this. Oftentimes, when you speak to a boss, client, or coworker, it’s good to use longer phrases that contain “polite” words in them. For example:

Informal speech might look like this: “Can we talk later?”
Formal speech for the same sentence might look like this: “I would like to discuss ___ with you later, if you’re available.”

Note the additional words in the formal version, and how they create a sense of respect for the other person and their time. This is what you should aim for in most of your workplace interactions.

B- Idiomatic Business Phrases and What They Really Mean

There are many English business phrases you may hear in the office or during a meeting, and have no idea what they mean! Here are some of the most common business- and work-related idioms and what they mean. 

• Win-win situation. A win-win situation refers to a situation where both sides “win,” meaning that they each benefit from a decision. This term is often used in negotiations.

• Win-lose situation. In a win-lose situation, one side benefits from a decision, while the other side does not (or even loses something). This term is often used in negotiations.

• Running out of steam. When a person is “running out of steam,” it usually means that they’re tired or low on energy/creativity. When a thing or project is “running out of steam,” it usually means that it’s slowing down or not doing as well as it once was.

• Deadline. A deadline refers to a due date, or the last possible date at which something needs to be accomplished.

• Take a breather. When someone “takes a breather,” it means that they’re taking a break from something or taking time off from work or a project. 

• Off the ground. When you get something “off the ground,” it means that you’ve made it good enough that it can continue to do well in the future. For example, if you get a business “off the ground,” it means that you’ve helped that business do well for the long-term.

• Red tape. This refers to a hindrance, something that makes it difficult to complete a task or achieve a goal. 

• Get the ball rolling. When you “get the ball rolling” on a new project, etc., it means that you’ve started or initiated with the goal that it will quickly gain momentum (like how a ball continues to roll for a while after you’ve set it into motion). 

• Go the extra mile. To “go the extra mile” means to do more than what’s expected of you. There’s a story in the Bible of Jesus having told his disciples: “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” This is thought to be where the term originated from. You can read more about this idiom’s origins on Grammarist. 

• Cut corners. When you “cut corners,” you do things as simply and easily as you can, even at the expense of quality. This is usually considered a negative thing.

• Pitch in. When you “pitch in,” it means that you do your fair share of work in a team project. 

• Start from scratch. When you start something “from scratch,” it means that you start it from the very beginning. This can refer to starting a brand-new project, or undoing everything you’ve done on a project and starting over.

• Green light / Red light (something). When something is “green lighted,” this means that the thing has been given permission to start or continue. When something is “red lighted” it means the exact opposite. You may hear phrases like “It was given the green light,” when talking about permission.

• Behind / Ahead of / According to schedule. The phrase “behind schedule” means that something isn’t going to get done on time, usually by a set deadline. The phrase “ahead of schedule” means that you’ve actually gotten more done than you needed to. When something goes “according to schedule,” it means that the project or assignment will be done exactly on time.

• Put into action. When you put something “into action,” it means that you’re executing based on an idea, concept, or plan; taking the first steps. You may hear phrases like “It’s time to put our plan into action,” or “You need to put your training into action.” 

• Tasked with. When you’re “tasked with” something, it means that you’ve been assigned with a responsibility. For example, if you’re “tasked with” writing a report, you’re expected to get that report done.

• Outsource a task. When you “outsource a task,” it means that you’re giving a task to someone else,  usually someone who’s not a part of your company. For example, your company may “outsource” its advertising to a more prominent advertising company to save time or money.

• Wrap up / Sign off. These two phrases are both used usually at the end of a meeting. When you “wrap (something) up,” it means that you’re in the process of ending it. When you “sign off” in the workplace, it can mean that you’re leaving a discussion or leaving work for the day, depending on the context.

• 24/7. When something happens “24/7,” it means that it happens all the time (twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week).

• Bottom line. This one can actually have two different meanings, depending on the context. Usually, the phrase “bottom line” is used during negotiations, and it refers to the least amount of something (money or another benefit) that a negotiator is willing to settle for. In other contexts, it can be a way of saying “in summary” or of showing that what the person is about to say is the most important aspect of their speech.

• Brainstorm. When you “brainstorm,” it means that you’re thinking of as many possibilities or ideas as possible in a short amount of time. You can imagine yourself working your brain so hard it’s almost like a storm is going on up there. 

• Network. In this case, “network” can have two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a group of different companies or organizations that work together toward a common goal. As a verb, it refers to the act of meeting new people in your field of work in order to advance by knowing people. 

Now you should be familiar with the most common business English expressions! To learn a few more idioms, study our vocabulary list on the Essential English Idioms That Will Make You Sounds Like a Native Speaker! 

2. Business Communication Phrases You Need 

A- Nailing a Job Interview

Before you can use the rest of the phrases in this article, you need to have a job! Here are some common business phrases in English that you can use during your job interview.

Greetings

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is ___.”

“I’m here to interview for the ___ position.”

Interview Questions	Interview Answers
“What can you bring to the table?” (How can you benefit the company?) “What is your greatest strength/weakness?”	“I’m a skilled ___.” “I’ve been (doing) ___ for ___.” “I earned my diploma in ___.” “I worked for ___ from ___ to ___, doing ___.” “My greatest accomplishment was ___.” “My greatest strength/weakness is ___.”

Asking Your Interviewer to Repeat a Question

“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.”

“I’m sorry, can you please repeat your question?”

Thanking Your Interviewer

“Thank you for your time and consideration.”

“Thank you for your time, it was nice meeting you.”

Here’s an example conversation using some of these phrases:

Greeting: Mr. Thomas: “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Mr. Thomas.” Kara: “It’s nice to meet you too. My name is Kara Smith.“ Interview: Mr. Thomas: “What can you bring to the table?” Kara: “I’m a skilled technician. I worked at Google from 2012 to 2016, doing tech work. “Mr. Thomas: “I see. What is your greatest weakness?” Kara: “I’m sorry, can you please repeat the question?” Mr. Thomas: “Of course. What is your greatest weakness? Kara: “My greatest weakness is that I sometimes give up too easily.” Thanking Your Interviewer: Mr. Thomas: “Thank you for coming down to complete the interview. I’ll call you soon to let you know what we decide.” Kara: “Thank you for your time and consideration. It was nice meeting you.”

→ Learn some more words related to workplace skills. They’ll be very useful for your job interview!

B- Interacting with Your Coworkers

In the workplace, you’ll most likely need to interact with your coworkers on a daily basis. In this section, we’ll cover some common English business phrases for different situations.

Introductions

“I would like to introduce myself.”

You can say this to begin introducing yourself to your new coworkers.

“I’m ___ [first and last], and I’ll be working with you.”	Next, you can say this. In the blank, you simply put your first and last name.
“I’m Mary Reynolds, and I’ll be working with you.”

“I would like to introduce ___.”	You can say this when you’re introducing your coworkers to another person. For example, a new coworker who you’re training for the job. In the blank, just put their first and last name.
“I would like to introduce Kyle Thomas.”

“This is ___, and he/she will be working on this project now.”	In the blank, simply put the name of the new coworker you’re introducing.
“This is Charlotte Reyes, and she will be working on this project now.”

→ We have an entire article about How to Introduce Yourself as well as a vocabulary list of 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself. Take a look!

Asking for Help

“Excuse me, can you help me with something?”

The “excuse me” at the beginning is a polite way to get your coworker’s attention. Use this phrase to ask for help on a task.

“Hi Mr./Mrs. ___, I have a question about ___. Can you please help me?”	Usually, you use “Mr.” or “Mrs.” in front of a person’s last name if they are superior to you in the workplace, especially your boss or supervisor. Some workplaces are less formal, though, and you can use the person’s first name in this case.  In the first blank, put the person’s name or last name. In the second blank, say whatever it is you have a question about.
“Hi Mr. Washington, I have a question about the new computer software. Can you please help me?” OR “Hi Joseph, I have a question about this assignment. Can you please help me?”

“Hi ___, sorry to bother you. Can you please help me with ___?”	This is very similar to the phrase above, though the wording is a bit different. “Sorry to bother you,” is a polite phrase that shows respect for the other person’s time.  In the first blank, put the person’s name (or Mr./Mrs. with the last name). In the second blank, say whatever it is you need help with.
“Hi Elizabeth, sorry to bother you. Can you please help me with this phone call?”

Making Apologies

“I apologize for ___.”	“I apologize for,” is a formal and polite way of saying that you’re sorry for something. In this apology phrase, say the thing you’re sorry for in the blank. Additionally, you can add an explanation afterwards to let the person know why or how it happened.
“I apologize for not finishing this assignment on time.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience. It won’t happen again.”

When you “inconvenience” someone, it means that you did something that hindered progress or made life more difficult for the other person.  For example, if you forgot to mail out some important letters for your company, you could tell this to your boss when they ask you about it.  Saying that “it won’t happen again,” means that you’ll work harder in the future to do a better job.

“___. I’m so sorry.”	In this one, you simply state the thing that happened (or that you did), and then say that you’re sorry about it.
“I forgot the flash drive for the presentation. I’m so sorry.”

→ Learn more Common Ways to Say Sorry with EnglishClass101.com.

Giving Thanks

“Thank you for your help with ___.”	If a coworker has helped you with something, it’s important to thank them for it. In the blank, simply say whatever it is they helped you with.
“Thank you for your help with that presentation.”

“I appreciate your ___.”	In the United States, people love to hear that you appreciate them or something that they did. In this phrase, simply fill in the blank with what you appreciate your coworker for.
“I appreciate your patience while I learn the systems here.” OR “I appreciate your help earlier.”

“Thank you for doing thorough work. You’ve exceeded my expectations.”

This is something you might say to an employee who works under you or a new coworker. It lets them know that you recognize their hard work, and that you’re pleased with it.

→ Here are the most Common Ways to Say Thank You.

Making Complaints

You can really complain about anything, and there’s no specific format that’s used for complaints in the workplace. Here are a few examples of complaints you may hear from coworkers once you’ve gotten to know them more.

“I can’t believe we have to work overtime this week!” OR “I can’t believe I have to work on Christmas!”

Most employees don’t like being made to work overtime (or on weekends/holidays). Thus, many complaints you hear may have to do with this.  When someone says “I can’t believe ___,” when complaining, it usually means that they think it’s unrealistic or unfair.

“The meeting this morning was so boring.”

Business meetings are often considered boring, especially if nothing important was accomplished. This is a common complaint you’re likely to hear in the workplace.

“I just don’t have enough time to finish the project.”

Deadlines can be stressful for many people. Sometimes, employees or coworkers  may feel like they weren’t given enough time to finish something, so this is another complaint you’ll probably hear sometimes.

→ Learn how to complain like a native English-speaker with our Making Complaints vocabulary list.

Arranging Social Activities

In the United States, it’s not uncommon for coworkers to spend time with each other outside of work. Here are a few business English small talk phrases you can use if you want to build a relationship with a coworker (or coworkers) outside the workplace. 

“Are you doing anything after work today?”

This is an “opener” question. It’s something you ask a coworker before you suggest they do something with you. Usually, this would be asked near the end of the work day.

“What are your plans for this weekend?”

This is another opener question, used much the same way as the first one. However, this one indicates that you would like to do something over the weekend (not after work that day).

“I’m going to ___ this weekend. Would you like to join me?”	If your coworker doesn’t have any plans, you can ask them this question. In the blank, you can put an activity.
“I’m going to see a movie this weekend. Would you like to join me?”

“We’re going for drinks after work today. Do you want to come with us?”

A common after-work activity, especially on a Friday night, is to go get drinks (or food) somewhere as a group. You can use this phrase to ask someone if they would like to join the group that night.

C- Sounding Smart in a Meeting

Here’s a list of business English phrases for meetings to help you express your opinion, make a suggestion, or even give someone an assignment. 

Giving Opinions

Giving your opinion is a cornerstone of productive communication in meetings. 

“I think that ___.”	Saying “I think that ___,” is a polite way to begin stating your opinion on something.
“I think that we should follow through with the new budget proposal.”

“It seems to me ___.”	By saying “It seems to me ___,” you’re showing that you believe something to be true, but that you’re not assuming you’re correct. This is a polite way of stating your opinion without excluding the thoughts of others.
“It seems to me that we’re in agreement here.”

“This is only my opinion, but ___.”	This phrase is similar to the one above, but is a little bit more humble-sounding. The word “only” indicates that you don’t think too highly of your opinion, and that you respect the opinions of others as well.
“This is only my opinion, but I’m not comfortable with that idea.”

“Based on the information, I think ____.”	This is a good way to phrase your opinion in reference to what others have said already. It shows that you were paying attention to them, and that you’ve formed a conclusion with that info.
“Based on the information, I think we should increase production.”

→ For more information on this topic, sign in to your EnglishClass101.com account and listen to our lesson about Expressing Your Opinion in English!

Making Suggestions

If your supervisor or one of your coworkers wants to hear your suggestions on something, you can use one of these phrases. Don’t be afraid to speak up! 

“It might be a good idea to ___.”	Here, the phrase “it might be” makes your suggestion sound more humble.  The phrase “a good idea” refers to a course of action that you think would be beneficial.
“It might be a good idea to decrease the quota for next month.”

“I recommend that we ___.”	This phrase can be used the same way as the one above. However, this phrase also shows a greater degree of certainty and confidence.
“I recommend that we make the workspace more open.”

“Maybe we should ___.”	This is a good phrase to use if you want to introduce a new idea and add to the conversation, but you’re not very confident in your suggestion. It gives your boss and coworkers an idea to think about, and add onto.
“Maybe we should discuss this next Monday.”

“The company may benefit from ___.”	If you’re discussing how to improve a certain aspect of your company, this is a useful phrase to start with.
“The company may benefit from closing one of our locations.”

Agreeing or Disagreeing

It’s completely normal to sometimes disagree with someone during a meeting. To express your agreement or concern, you can use these phrases.

“I concur with ___.”	“Concur” is a more formal word for “agree.” In most business settings, you can use either word.  In the blank, you can either the name of the person you agree with, or the idea that you agree with.
“I concur with Olivia.” OR “I concur with that idea.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

This is a simple phrase you can use to show support for a coworker’s idea or proposal.

“You have a good point, but ___.”	This is a polite way of slightly disagreeing with someone. It shows that you approve of most of what they said, but you think they missed something or gave bad information somewhere.
Coworker: “The company may benefit from closing one of our locations.” You: “You have a good point, but I think that’s a bit extreme under the circumstances.”

“You have a good point. I completely agree.”

If you completely agree with what someone said, you can voice your support with this phrase.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t agree with you.”

If you really don’t agree with what someone said, you can use this phrase. Saying “I’m sorry, but,” at the beginning makes it sound a little more polite.

In a business meeting, it’s usually important to back up what you’re saying with more information, or to explain your reasoning. This is often done with the word “because.” Here’s an example:

“I think that’s a good idea, because it will help the team work more effectively.”

Making Negotiations

Negotiating can be a stressful procedure, but with these useful phrases, you can feel a lot more confident in your abilities! 

“If we can’t ___, then maybe we can ___ instead.”	This phrase is useful for suggesting a compromise or alternative.  In the first blank, put a certain course of action (that you can’t do). In the second blank, put a course of action that you can do instead.
“If we can’t increase the budget, then maybe we can lower costs instead.”

“If we ___, then they get ___ and we get ___.”	This phrase is useful for talking about what will happen if a certain course of action is taken.  In the first blank, put the course of action. In the second blank, put what the other party (such as another company) will get as a result. In the third blank, put what your company will get as a result.
“If we share our resources, then they get more manpower (employees) and we get more supplies.”

“It’s a win-win situation.”

As mentioned earlier, a win-win situation is where both parties can benefit from a decision. The last example we looked at is a great example of a win-win situation because both sides get something good.

“Can we talk about / explore alternatives?”

If the conversation doesn’t seem to be going your way, you can use this phrase. When you say this, it means that you want to talk with the other party about how you could do something differently, or make a better plan.

Giving Presentations

Have you been asked to present in front of your supervisor or clients? Here are a few useful business English phrases for presentations.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is ___, and I work for ___.”	When you’re giving a presentation, especially in front of people who don’t really know you, it’s standard to introduce yourself. This is a great phrase you can use to do so.
“Let me introduce myself. My name is Lily Godfrey, and I work for Super Great Company Name.”

“I would like to start by saying ___.”	Having a short intro line can help you ease into the rest of your presentation. This is one way you can do this.
“I would like to start by saying that I’m honored to be here.”

“The first point I would like to address is ___.”	When beginning your presentation, this is a handy phrase you can use.
“The first point I would like to address is the recent budget cuts.”

“Does anyone have a question or concern so far?”

After you’ve covered one or two points, you may want to ask your audience if they have questions or concerns. This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page.

“Thank you for your time, I would like to conclude here.”

At the end of a presentation, it’s polite to thank your audience for their time, and to let them know you’re done speaking.

Reporting to Supervisors

Sometimes, supervisors expect for you to give them updates on your progress during a meeting.

“I would like to update you on ___.”
“I would like to update you on our progress with the new marketing campaign.”

“I wanted to let you know about ___.”
“I wanted to let you know about a new software problem we’re facing.”

Giving Assignments

If you’re in a position to do so, you can give tasks and assignments to other people in the meeting. 

“___, can you please ___?”	You can use this phrase to ask a specific person to accomplish a specific task. Note the use of the word “please,” here.  In the first blank, say the person’s name. In the second blank, simply say the task you want that person to complete.
“Susan, can you please start on those reports?”

“I’ll leave you in charge of ___.”	This phrase is similar to the one above, but it’s a bit more firm. When someone is “in charge of” something, it means that they are responsible for getting that thing done.
“I’ll leave you in charge of sending out the emails.”

“Can you please have this done by ___?”	Use this phrase to give someone a deadline for a task.
“Can you please have this done by next Friday?”

D- Handling Business Phone Calls and Emails

In many workplaces, answering the phone, taking messages, and responding to emails is a regular part of day-to-day work. Here are some useful business phone etiquette phrases and a few phrases for work-related emails.

Answering a Work Phone

“Hello, you’re speaking with ___. How may I help you?”	When you answer the phone, it’s common to say “hello,” followed by information about who they’re talking to. Then, ask why they’re calling or how you can help them.  Depending on where you work, there may be different rules for how to answer the phone. Some companies prefer that you give the caller your first name, while others prefer that you call yourself a representative of the company.
“Hello, you’re speaking with Robert. How may I help you?” OR “Hello, you’re speaking with a [company name] representative. How may I help you?”

“Hello, this is ___ from ___. May I ask your reason for calling today?”	Another common way to answer the phone is by saying your name and the company you work for.
“Hello, this is Tiffany from [company name]. May I ask your reason for calling today?”

→ For more inspiration, look at our vocabulary list of Useful Phrases for a Phone Call!

Taking Messages

“I’m sorry, ___ isn’t here. Can I take a message?”	If the person the caller wants to speak with isn’t available, you can use this phrase.  When you “take a message,” it means that you relay  what the caller says to the unavailable person.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Locke isn’t here. Can I take a message?”

“Thank you. ___ will contact you shortly.”	You can say this phrase after the caller has given you a message for the unavailable person (in this case, Mr. Locke).
“Thank you. Mr. Locke will contact you shortly.”

“Could you please repeat that / speak more slowly?”

It can be difficult to understand people over the phone. If you need the caller to repeat something, you can use this phrase.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t catch that, could you please repeat?”

You can use this phrase exactly the same way as the one above.

Putting Someone on Hold

Depending on where you work, it may be common practice to put people on hold for short periods of time while you gather info for them. Here are some useful phrases:

“I’m sorry, but may I put you on hold for just a second?”

You can use this phrase before putting someone on hold. Make sure that the other person is okay with being put on hold, first, though (otherwise, you may seem rude).

“I’m going to put you on hold for a minute. I’ll get back to you quickly.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above, but is more of a statement than a question.

“Hello, I’m back. Are you still there?”

When you take the person off hold, you can use this phrase to make sure they didn’t hang up.

Ending Conversations

Depending on the type of phone call, there are a few different ways you can politely end the discussion.

“Thank you for your time. Have a nice afternoon.”

This is a fairly generic phrase that you can use to end most phone conversations.

“Thank you for reaching out. We will see you then.”

This one is used mainly after someone has made an appointment (such as a dentist appointment or an appointment to have their car repaired).

“Thank you for your call. We hope we answered your questions.”

You can end a call with this phrase if the caller asked you questions about something, and you were able to help them.”

Addressing / Greeting in Emails

As time goes on, emails are becoming more and more important in the workplace. Here are some examples of how you can address a business-related email:

“Mr./Mrs. ___,”	Using “Mr.” or “Mrs.” followed by the person’s last name is a formal and polite way of beginning a business email.
“Mr. Harrison,”

“___,”	In slightly less formal instances, you can simply use the person’s first name followed by a comma.
“Carol,”

“Hi ___,”	If you’re sending an email to a coworker you’re familiar with, or if your company has a more laid-back policy for emails, you can say “Hi,” followed by the person’s name.
“Hi Rene,”

“This email is for ___.”	If you’re sending a formal email, especially if it contains important or sensitive information, you can say “This email is for,” followed by the person’s first and last name. In some situations, you can also put a more generic term in the blank, like in the second example (if you’re sending a mass email).
“This email is for Loletta Roberts.” OR “This email is for the new IT crew members at [company name].”

Wrapping Up an Email

“Thank you for your time.”

If you sent a long email, it may be a good idea to thank the reader for their time.

“You can contact me (or ___) with any questions.”

It’s common to include a line like this one near the end of your email. It lets the reader know that they can contact you if something wasn’t clear. You can also opt to include your email address or phone number here.

“Best / Sincerely ___.”	At the very end of your email, you sign off. Two of the most common signing off words are “Best” and “Sincerely.” Put a comma after the word you choose, hit the enter key once, and then put your first and last name.
“Sincerely,Timothy Gourd“

→ Learn more about writing business emails with our lesson 10 Expressions for Business Emails.

E- Going on a Business Trip

Business trips can be great fun, but they also require a new set of vocabulary and phrases in some cases. Be prepared with the phrases below.

Booking a Hotel or Buying Tickets

“I have a reservation.”

When you arrive at your hotel, you can tell the person at the check-in desk that you have a reservation. (If the check-in person asks you if you have one, you can simply add “Yes” to the beginning of this phrase.)

“I would like a room.”

If you haven’t made a reservation, you can tell the hotel staff that you would like a room.

“A return ticket to ___, please.”	If you need to buy a ticket for travel, it’s best to ask for a “return ticket.” This means that your ticket will allow you to go to your destination and return. In the blank, just say the place you want to go.
“A return ticket to Chicago, please.”

→ To prepare for your hotel stay, study our vocabulary list At a Hotel.

Sharing Itinerary with Coworkers

An “itinerary,” is basically an outline or summary of what to expect during your trip. The actual content can vary, but it will usually contain information about the business side itself, as well as non-work activities the group may participate in.

“Have you all checked your itinerary?”

You can use this phrase to ask if the group has checked their itinerary. An “itinerary” is basically a schedule or overall plan of what will be achieved during the business trip (usually printed out).

“On ___, we’re going to ___.”	You can use this phrase to discuss certain details about the itinerary.
“On Tuesday, we’re going to meet with our new clients.”

“We all need to be back here by ___.”	This is a useful phrase if you’re on a tight schedule. It lets the other group members know what time you need to be back together (usually referring to the hotel or another important place).
“We all need to be back here by nine-thirty.”

“Tonight, we’ll eat at ___.”	If your business trip is very schedule-oriented, your group may end up eating at specific places for the duration of the trip. This is a phrase you can use to talk about meal plans.
“Tonight, we’ll eat at the Chinese restaurant across the street.”

Meeting Partners or Clients

“It’s good to finally meet with you.”

It’s considered polite and respectful to let the other person (or people) know that you’re glad to be meeting them.

“I’m so glad you could make it here safely.”

Using this phrase shows that you care about the other person’s safety, and is a sign of respect.

“I hope you had pleasant / safe travels.”

This phrase is similar to the one above, but is generally used only if you know the other person traveled a long distance or in hazardous conditions.

Checking In or Out of Hotel

“I’m almost ready to check out.”

If it’s your final day at the hotel, you can let the person at the desk know that you’re almost ready to check out. This isn’t mandatory, but is considered polite.

“I’m ready to check out now.”

Once you’re packed and ready to leave, you can say this to the person at the desk to let them know.

“Thank you for the room. Here is my key.”

When checking out of a hotel, it’s a good idea to let the person know that your room was nice and you enjoyed your stay.

Thanking Partners or Clients

“Thank you for meeting with me/us.”

It’s polite to let your partners or clients know that you appreciate their effort to meet with you.

“Thank you for your time.”

Further, you can use this phrase to let them know you value their time, and appreciate that they spent it with you and your team.

“It was a pleasure meeting with you.”

This is a good parting phrase, and it shows that you enjoyed meeting and talking with them.

3. Final Thoughts

We covered a lot of material in this article, but trust us when we say your career in the United States will be better for it. Once you cut through the red tape of language barriers, you’ll be glad you went the extra mile in your English studies. 

→ To learn more about how to work in the United States, you can read our article on How to Find a Job in the USA!

If you’re running out of steam and need some inspiration, EnglishClass101.com has you covered:

• Top 10 Inspirational Quotes
• How Do You Motivate Yourself When Learning a Language?
• Why Your Worst Days are the Best Days to Study English

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about English business phrases now. Are you ready to put them into action? Are there any phrases or situations we missed? We look forward to hearing from you, and will do our best to help you out. 

Happy English learning!

It’s important to learn how to say goodbye in English because this is a crucial conversational skill to have as a new learner. In any language, saying goodbye at the end of a conversation or when leaving a group is polite. It lets the other party know that you respect them, and it makes your leave less abrupt.

In this article, we’ll go over a number of ways to say goodbye in English. We cover the most common words and phrases for a variety of situations, so you’ll never have to leave awkwardly again! 

→ Before you continue, we recommend that you read our articles on How to Say Hello in English and How to Confidently Introduce Yourself.

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English
2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation
3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture
4. Final Thoughts

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in English

In the United States, there are two goodbye words you’re going to hear often. These are:

“Goodbye“	This one is more formal, but it’s still casual enough to use with friends and family.
“Bye“	This means the exact same thing as “goodbye,” but is shorter and a little bit less formal.

If you only learn a couple ways to say goodbye in English today, it should be these. 

2. Goodbye Expressions in English for Any Situation

Now, let’s move on to more specific English phrases for goodbye. In the following sections, I’ll give you words and phrases to say goodbye based on the situation or context. I’ll also provide examples for each one, so you can see how to use them.

A- Formal

Here are some formal ways to say goodbye in English. These are fairly versatile, and you can use them in most situations that call for formal language.

“Thank you for your time.”

You can use this phrase in formal situations, after someone has offered you their time or helped you with something. This is also common after meetings or appointments. Keep in mind that you can use this phrase in both spoken and written communication. 

Example:

You: “Excuse me, how can I set up a bank account here?” Bank Clerk: “I can help you with that over here.” [After your account is set up…] You: “Thank you for your time.”

→ Here’s some Useful Vocabulary You Need at the Bank! 

“I enjoyed our talk.”

This is something someone would say after talking with a client, patient, or anyone else in a more formal environment. 

Example:

A therapist is finishing a session with a patient. Therapist: “I enjoyed our talk. See you again this time next week.” Patient: “Thank you. See you then.”

“It was a pleasure speaking with you.”

This is something a client may tell a customer, especially in more formal or regulated environments, such as a bank or other financial institution. 

Example:

A financial adviser has just finished talking with a client. Financial Adviser: “It was a pleasure speaking with you.” Client: “Thank you, you too. See you next month.”

“I look forward to our next meeting.”

People often use this phrase when they plan on seeing the other person (or people) again in a formal environment. 

Example:

A man has just had a consultation with an interior decorator to do some work on his house. Man: “I like your qualifications. Can you start next week?” Decorator: “Of course, thank you. I look forward to our next meeting.”

“Thank you for scheduling your appointment. We’ll see you then.”

This is a common way of saying goodbye in formal situations, especially when a customer or client is leaving.

Example:

You have just scheduled a dentist appointment. Desk Clerk: “Thank you for scheduling your appointment. We’ll see you then.” You: “Thank you. See you then.”

B- Making Arrangements for Another Meeting

We’ve covered how to say goodbye in formal situations, but what about when things are more laid-back? Here are some English goodbye phrases you can use to plan another meeting with a friend.

“See you later.”

This is a very common phrase to use when you’re about to part ways with a friend (or group of friends). It means that you plan on seeing them again, but you’re not sure exactly when. 

Example:

You and a group of friends just got done watching a movie at the theater. You’re about to leave for home. You: “I need to go home now. See you later.” A Friend: “Bye. See you later.”

“Catch you later.”

This phrase has the exact same meaning as “see you later,” but is significantly more casual. 

Example:

You see one of your friends at the grocery store, and start talking to them. After a few minutes, you need to end the conversation. You: “Thanks for the talk. Catch you later.” Friend: “You too.”

“See you around.”

This one is very similar to the two phrases above. 

Example:

You’re about to go home after chatting with someone at your book club.  You: “Well, see you around.” Other Person: “Thanks, you too.”

“See you tomorrow.”

When you say “See you tomorrow,” it means that you actually plan on seeing them tomorrow, usually because you set a date with that person. 

Example:

You see a friend at the library, and start talking with them. You decide to make plans together. You: “Are you free tomorrow?” Friend: “Sure. Do you want to get coffee?” You: “That sounds good.” Friend: “Great. See you tomorrow.”

“See you at eight.”

In this phrase, you can replace “eight” with any other time. This is used in situations similar to the one above.

Example:

You want to confirm what time you and your friend will get coffee tomorrow. You: “What time should we meet for coffee?” Friend: “How about ten?” You: “Sure. See you at ten.”

“See you in a couple weeks.”

This is something you would say to someone if you plan on meeting with them in a couple of weeks. You can replace “a couple weeks” with any other extended time period.

Example:

Your mother just called to let you know she’ll be coming for a visit next month.  Your Mother: “I’ll be coming down there next month to see you.” You: “No Mom, please don’t.” “I look forward to it. See you next month!”

Additional Note

Most of the phrases in this section can also be used as a question. For example, if you want to confirm when you’ll be seeing someone next, you can say the relevant phrase as a question.

Example:

You’re making plans to see an old friend. You: “Maybe we can go see the hockey game together.” Friend: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” You: “Great! See you next weekend?“ Friend: “Yep, at nine o’clock sharp.”

→ Want more useful phrases? Check out our list of the Top 10 Conversational Phrases! 

C. Seeing Someone Off

It can be painful to say goodbye to someone you care about, especially when you know they’ll be gone a long time, or are going somewhere far away. Here are some special goodbye phrases you can use for situations like this.

“Take care.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to take care of themselves while they’re gone.

Example:

Your best friend is about to leave on a plane for another country during her vacation.  You: “Have fun and take care.” Friend: “Thank you, I will.”

“Drive safe.”

Use this phrase to let someone know you want them to drive safely, especially if you know they’ll be driving a long distance or in dangerous driving conditions.

Example:

Your boyfriend or girlfriend is going to drive several hours in bad weather for an important meeting.  You: “It’s supposed to snow a lot today. Drive safe.” BF/GF: “I promise I’ll drive safely. I love you.”

“Safe travels.”

This one is a more generic goodbye phrase for when someone will be traveling. It means you want them to be safe during their travels.

Example:

Your aunt tells you that she’ll be traveling outside the country for a few weeks.  You: “That sounds like fun. Safe travels.” Aunt: “Thank you.”

“Have a safe trip home.”

You can say this to someone when they’re about to leave for home.

Example:

Your friend is about to head home after spending the day together with you. You: “Have a safe trip home.” Friend: “Thank you, I will.”

“I’ll miss you.”

You can say this to someone you really care about before they leave. 

Example:

Your grandparents are about to leave after a visit. You: “I enjoyed seeing you. I’ll miss you.” Grandparent: “We’ll miss you too.”

“Don’t be gone too long.”

If you’re really going to miss someone after they leave, you can say this to them. It shows the other person that you’ll miss them and look forward to the next time you can see them again.

Example:

Your spouse is going away on a long business trip. You: “I’ll miss you. Don’t be gone too long.” Spouse: “I’ll miss you too. See you next week.”

“Call me when you get there.”

Say this to someone to let them know you care about their safety while traveling. It means that you expect a phone call (or text message) from them when they arrive, so you know they’re safe. This is especially common for a parent or grandparent to tell their child or grandchild.

Example:

You’re about to drive several hours back home after visiting your father.  You: “Thank you for our visit. I should leave soon.” Father: “Thank you. Call me when you get there.”

“I love you.”

Many times, saying goodbye to someone we care about involves saying “I love you,” especially if it will be a while before you see them again.

Example:

You and your mother are about to part ways after a long visit. You: “I enjoyed our visit. I love you.” Mother: “I love you too. Bye.”

“Farewell.”

This goodbye phrase may be a little bit outdated, but some people still say this. It’s basically a way of letting the other person know you want them to be safe while they’re away.

Example:

A large family reunion is coming to an end, and your relatives are beginning to leave. You: “Safe travels. Farewell.” A Relative: “Thank you. Goodbye.”

D. Leaving a Group or Party in a Hurry

It can be very awkward to leave a group of people without saying anything. If you need to quickly say goodbye in English conversations involving a lot of people, there are a few phrases you can use to let people know you’ll be leaving soon.

“I gotta run / fly / jet.”

This is a very informal way of letting people know you’re about to leave, and is fine for any kind of casual gathering. The words “run,” “fly,” and “jet” are pretty much interchangeable, as they all mean that you need to leave quickly. 

Example:

You’re at a potluck lunch with some friends, and suddenly realize you need to leave. You: “I gotta run!” Friend: “Oh, okay. See you later.”

“I’ll need to get going soon.”

This is a slightly more formal and polite way of saying that you need to leave. It’s not really saying “goodbye,” but it’s a way of letting others know you’ll have to go. 

Example:

You’re at a friend’s birthday party, but you aren’t able to stay for very long. You: “I’m so sorry, but I’ll need to get going soon.” Friend: “No, it’s okay. Thanks for coming.”

“I can’t stay much longer.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. 

Example:

You’re spending time with a couple of friends, but you have something else you need to do soon. You: “Sorry, but I can’t stay much longer.” Friend: “Ah, that’s okay. See you around.”

“There’s someplace I need to be.”

You can use this phrase to let others know you need to leave in order to be somewhere else, especially if it’s another responsibility you have. ‘

Example:

You’re at a dinner party with some friends, but you get a phone call about an emergency back at home. You: “Sorry, but there’s someplace I need to be.” Friend: “It’s okay. Good luck.”

“Sorry to leave so soon, but I have to ___.”

With this goodbye phrase, you can actually let others know the reason you need to leave. In some cases, this can make your leaving seem less rude or abrupt. 

Example:

You’re out socializing with some of your coworkers, but you have to leave early to pick up your kids from school. You: “Sorry to leave so soon, but I have to pick up my kids from school.” Coworker: “No worries. See you tomorrow.”

“I’m off.”

This is another slightly informal way of letting others know you need to leave. It’s almost the same as “I gotta run.” 

Example:

You’re about to leave for a get-together with friends, so you let your spouse know when you leave. You: “I’m off.” Spouse: “Okay. Have fun.”

E. Wishing Someone Well

When you’re about to part ways with someone, it’s considered very polite to wish them well, especially if you know the person. Here are some common ways people in the United States do this.

“Have a nice day.”

This is probably the most common way to wish someone well before saying goodbye. It’s just a simple wish for the other person to have a good day from that point on.

Example:

You’re leaving the doctor’s office after a checkup. Receptionist: “Thank you for coming in. Have a nice day.” You: “Thank you, you too.”

“Have a great rest of your ___.”

This phrase is almost the same as the one above. Here, you can fill in the blank with any amount of time.

Example:

You see your boss at the grocery store, and you start talking with him/her. After a few minutes, you need to leave. You: “I gotta run. Have a great rest of your afternoon.” Boss: “Thank you. You too.”

“Take it easy.”

This one might sound strange, but it’s just a way to wish the other person a good day. More specifically, it means that you want them to enjoy themself and stay safe.

Example:

You see one of your friends while you’re on a walk around the neighborhood, talk with them, and then end the conversation. You: “Bye. Take it easy.” Friend: “Thanks, you too.”

“Have a good one.”

In this phrase, “one” refers to a day. It’s exactly the same as telling someone to “Have a good day,” but it’s a little bit more casual.

Example:

You’re telling a friend goodbye after a short conversation. You: “Bye. Have a good one.” Friend: “Thanks, you too.”

“Well…”

The word “well” is very versatile in English, and in this case, it acts as a transition word. People use it often as a way of leading into a goodbye. Sometimes, the other person will understand the hint and say goodbye themselves.

Example:

You ran into one of your former teachers at the park, and are ending a conversation with him/her. You: “Well…” Teacher: “I should probably be going. Nice talking with you.”

“Well, I’d best get to it.”

This is a good way of politely ending a conversation, especially if you have something you need to do and the other person won’t stop talking.

Example:

You and your neighbor have been talking for almost an hour, and you really need to finish the yard work before it gets dark. You: “Well, I’d best get to it.”

“I won’t keep you any longer.”

If you’re lucky, this is what your neighbor will say to you afterward. It’s basically a roundabout way of saying goodbye.

Example:

You: “Well, I’d best get to it.” Neighbor: “Okay, I won’t keep you any longer. Bye.”

F. Asking Someone to Keep in Touch

When you ask someone to “keep in touch,” you’re letting them know that you want to hear from, or spend time with, them again. Here are a few common parting phrases you can use to do this.

“Keep in touch.”

This is the most straightforward way to let someone know you want to talk again. 

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a new friend after spending the day together.  You: “Thanks for hanging out today. Keep in touch.” Friend: “Of course. Bye.”

“Call me later.” 

You can say this to someone if you want them to call you later.

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a friend, but want to talk with them more later that day. You: “I had fun today. Call me later!” Friend: “Okay, will do. Bye.”

“I’ll call you later.”

This is what you can say when the roles are reversed, or just if you want to call the person later.

Example:

You’re about to part ways with a friend, but want to talk with them more later that day. Friend: “I had fun today. Call me later!” You: “Okay, I’ll call you later. Bye.”

“When can I call you?”

Either you or your friend can ask this, depending on the situation.

Example:

Friend: “I had fun today. Call me later!” You: “Okay, when can I call you?” Friend: “Hmm…anytime after seven.”

“When can I expect your call?”

Again, you can use this one when the roles are reversed.

Example:

You: “I had fun today. Call me later!” Friend: “Okay, will do.” You: “When can I expect your call?” Friend: “Probably sometime after seven.”

“Talk to you later.”

This is very similar to “See you later,” but it actually has more to do with talking to the person.

Example:

You see your neighbor while you’re jogging, and stop to talk with them. After a couple minutes, you end the conversation. You: “Well, I’ll talk to you later.” Neighbor: “Okay. Goodbye.”

“Don’t be a stranger.”

When you tell someone “Don’t be a stranger,” it’s a way of letting them know you want to see and talk with them often.

Example:

You see your cousin for the first time in a couple of years, but need to end the conversation early. You: “Nice talking with you. Don’t be a stranger!” Cousin: “See you around.”

G. Letting Someone Know You Enjoyed Seeing Them

Imagine you’ve just spent the day with your best friend, whom you hadn’t seen in years. You’ll want to tell him or her how much you enjoyed seeing them and spending time together.

“It was nice seeing you / talking with you.”

This is a very common way to say goodbye in English, and you can use it in both formal and informal situations. 

Example:

You’re about to end a conversation with an old high school classmate you hadn’t seen in years. You: “It was nice talking with you.” Classmate: “Thanks, you too. Have a good day.”

“Always nice talking with you.”

This is almost the same as the phrase above, but this one is normally used with people you see from time to time.

Example:

You see your friend’s mom while doing errands, talk for a while, and then end the conversation. You: “Well, have a good day. Always nice talking with you.” Friend’s Mom: “Thank you. Be safe.”

“I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.”

This is something you might say to a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, especially if you were able to learn new details about each other’s lives while talking.

Example:

You and your friend have been talking about her new job, your new house, and more, but you need to end the conversation soon. You: “I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.” Friend: “Me too. See you again tomorrow?”

“We’ll have to do this more often.”

This is something you might say to a friend you really enjoy spending time with, but haven’t been seeing as much lately.

Example:

You and a friend just had lunch together, and are about to part ways. You: “Thanks for lunch. We’ll have to do this more often.” Friend: “I agree!”

“I hope we can do this again sometime soon.”

This one is very similar to the one above. 

Example:

You: “Thanks for lunch. I hope we can do this again sometime soon.” Friend: “Me too!”

H. Goodbye Phrases for Texting or Talking on the Phone

Today, so much of our communication is done over the phone. Here are a few ways you can say goodbye to someone via text or while talking on the phone.

Texting 

Phrase	Situation	Example
BRB (Be Right Back)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a little while, but plan on texting more in a few minutes.	You: “BRB. Dinner.” Friend: “Ok.”
G2g or Gtg (Got To Go)	Use this when you need to stop texting for a longer while, and probably won’t be able to talk anytime soon.	You: “G2g. Very busy.” Friend: “Ok.”
TTYL (Talk To You Later)	Use this when you need to stop texting, but want to text again sometime in the near future.	You: “G2g.” Friend: “TTYL.”
Bye	Use this when ending a text conversation.	You: “Bye.” Friend: “Ok, bye.”

→ For more words like these, check out our English Texting Slang vocabulary list!

Talking on the Phone

Phrase	Situation	Example
“Thanks again. Bye.”	You can use this to end a phone conversation where someone helped you or answered a question for you.	You: “Can you help me close my account?” Person on Phone: “Sure…” — You: “Thanks again. Bye.”
“Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.”	You can use this after talking with a friend or relative on the phone.	You: “Well, I should be going now. Nice talking to you.” Relative: “Thank you. Nice talking to you too.”
“I’ll see you/talk to you then. Bye.”	You can use this phrase after making an appointment with someone over the phone.	You: “Okay, eight o’clock. I’ll see you then. Bye.” Other Person: “Okay. Bye.”

→ See our vocabulary list Useful Phrases for a Phone Call for even more!

3. Goodbye in English Slang & Pop Culture

English has some creative ways of saying goodbye. Keep in mind that the phrases and words here are very informal, and should only be used with close friends or family. 

“Smell you later.”

This is a play on words associated with the phrase “See you later,” and it means the exact same thing. There’s a lot of debate about where the phrase actually came from, but this is the best source I could find. 

Example:

You’re saying goodbye to a close friend and plan on seeing them later. You: “Bye. Smell you later.” Friend: “Okay. Bye.”

“See you later, alligator.”

This phrase has nothing to do with an actual alligator. This fun English slang for goodbye is another play on words, because “gator” rhymes with “later.” In response, many people will reply with “In a while, crocodile.” 

This phrase is thought to have originated from a 1950s song titled See You Later Alligator.

Example:

You: “See you later, alligator.” Friend: “In a while, crocodile.”

“TTFN” (“Ta-ta for now.”)

TTFN stands for “ta-ta for now.” This one is less common, originally used in the UK during WWII. Anyone who knows Disney should get it, though, as the Winnie the Pooh character Tigger says goodbye to his friends this way. (“TTFN! Ta-ta for now!”)

Example:

You’re saying goodbye to your Disney-loving friend. You: “TTFN!” Friend: “Ta-ta for now!”

“Cheerio.”

“Cheerio” is a word that was first used in England to say goodbye. Sometimes, people in the U.S. like saying this as well.

Example:

You: “I should go now. Cheerio!” Friend: “See you later.”

“Adios.”

Adios is the Spanish word for “goodbye,” but it’s pretty common to use this in the United States when saying bye to friends. 

Example:

You: “I should go now. Adios.” Friend: “Okay, bye.”

“Ciao.”

Ciao is the French word for “goodbye,” but like adios and cheerio, it’s sometimes used in the United States when saying bye to friends.

Example:

You: “I should go now. Ciao.” Friend: “Okay, see you later.”

4. Final Thoughts

In this article, we showed you some English words to say goodbye, popular goodbye phrases for any situation, and more. We hope you feel more confident now to start excusing yourself from conversations or wishing your friend a good day. 

This is just the beginning of what EnglishClass101.com has to offer. To learn more words and phrases in English for day-to-day conversations, check out the following pages:

• English Travel Phrases
• Learn How to Confidently Introduce Yourself in English
• How to Make an Apology for Poor English, and More! 
• Top 15 Compliments You Always Want to Hear
• Top 10 English Phrases to Amaze Native Speakers

Remember: Keep practicing, and use English often. With enough practice and determination, you’re sure to get the hang of English conversations and eventually master the language! 

EnglishClass101 will be here with you every step of the way. Happy learning! 

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you say goodbye in your own language. We look forward to hearing from you.

English is currently the third most-spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. It’s also spoken in many countries around the world, making it super-useful to know, even if only at a conversational level. Learning English can also make it easier for you to learn other languages later, if you want to! 

But many people hesitate to begin learning English. This may be because English is often said to be one of the most difficult languages to learn. But is this true? 

In this article, we’ll answer the question “Is English hard to learn?” We’ll also show you why you might want to learn English anyway, and how to get started. (If you’re reading this article, we bet you’ve already gotten a great start!)

Table of Contents

1. Is it Hard to Learn English?
2. The Hardest (and Easiest) Parts of Learning English
3. Where Should You Start?
4. Advice for New English Learners
5. Why EnglishClass101.com is the Best Way to Learn English

1. Is it Hard to Learn English?

It depends on who you ask. English is a Germanic language, so people who speak another Germanic language will find English easier than those who don’t. 

When you begin learning English, you may find it helpful to try memorizing the most important spelling and grammar rules early on, as this will make the rest of the process somewhat simpler for you. To give you a head start, try reading these articles on EnglishClass101.com: 

• 100+ English Nouns
• 100+ English Verbs
• 100+ English Adjectives
• Adverbs in English
• Ultimate English Pronunciation Guide

Now, why is English so difficult to learn? Let’s take a look at the hardest and easiest aspects of learning English.

2. The Hardest (and Easiest) Parts of Learning English

Here are a few things that make English a hard language to learn for foreigners. 

Why English is Hard to Learn
Tons of rules and exceptions	Unfortunately, English has a lot of rules, and an exception for every one. Here are just two examples: The “’I’ before ‘E’” spelling rule only works sometimes. Irregular verbs don’t conjugate like other verbs (and we have a lot of irregular verbs).
Contradictions and inconsistencies	“Hamburger” does not come from pigs. “Pineapple” does not have pine or apple in it. The word “hike” can refer to a long walk, an increase in something, and is a term used in football. There are plenty of homophones (words that sound the same but have different meanings). For example: “would” vs. “wood” and “meat” vs. “meet.”
Word order and sentence structure	English has a relatively flexible word order and sentence structure, but trying to explain how it works is super-difficult.  Word Order: English word order refers to what order you place words in a phrase. For example, if you have two adjectives describing one noun, which adjective comes first? To native English-speakers, saying “scary big spider” sounds very off. Instead, we say “big scary spider,” just because it sounds “better.”  Another factor that sometimes dictates the order of adjectives in a sentence is what type of adjectives you’re using. Typically, when multiple adjectives are used to describe something, they go in this order:  What you think about the object -> Size or Scale -> Age -> Shape -> Color -> Location -> Material.  For example:  Harry enjoyed the nice (what he thinks about it), hot (scale), cup of Brazilian (location) coffee. Sentence Structure: Sentence structure determines the order of the major components of an entire sentence. English is an SVO language, meaning that in a sentence, the subject comes first, followed by the verb, followed by an object.  For example: Sarah (S) kissed (V) Tom (O).
Word emphasis	While English is not a tonal language, there are many times when the emphasis we place on a word (or in a sentence) makes a huge difference in meaning. Can you tell the difference between these sentences based on which word is bolded? I want to talk to her.  I want to talk to her. I want to talk to her. I want to talk to her. In the first sentence, “I” is emphasized. This means that the speaker wants to speak with her. It also implies that the speaker doesn’t want anyone else to speak with her. There may be a jealous or commanding tone here. In the second sentence, “want” is emphasized. This may indicate that the speaker was told not to speak with her, and is expressing that they want to. There may be a begging or whiny tone here. In the third sentence, “talk” is emphasized. This is how the speaker shows that they only want to talk, especially if others think the speaker has bad intentions. In the fourth sentence, “her” is emphasized. This indicates that the speaker only wants to talk to her. Imagine there are several people in the room the speaker could talk to, but they’re only interested in talking with her—no one else.
Many varieties of English	The United States, the UK, Australia, and other countries with a large proportion of English-speakers have their own differences in vocabulary, phrases, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation!
Idioms	Like many languages, English has lots of idioms. Learning what they mean and how to use them can be difficult for new learners. “Off the beaten path.” “The road less traveled.” “All of a sudden.” “It’s raining cats and dogs.” “Making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Why English is Easy to Learn
Small alphabet	The English language only has twenty-six letters in its alphabet (uppercase and lowercase), compared to thousands of characters in other languages (like Chinese).
Greek and Latin roots	Many English words have Greek or Latin roots, which makes it easier for speakers of similar languages to learn it. (E.g. German, Dutch, French.) In addition, due to increased globalization, English has come to include some words from many other languages as well.
Flexible	Earlier, we mentioned a few ways that English’s flexibility is confusing. However, these flexibilities can be helpful for learners in some cases. (No one will blame you for saying “scary big spider,” because it’s technically okay to say it this way.)
Many learning resources available	Because so many people are trying to learn English, there are plenty of learning resources out there. Better yet, some of these resources are easily accessible wherever you are, such as EnglishClass101’s online lessons and podcasts.
Very accessible	English is a prominent language in many countries, and a large bulk of media today is in English. So there are tons of TV shows, movies, songs, podcasts, and more, that you can listen to in English.

3. Where Should You Start?

We’ve already covered what makes English so hard to learn (and which things about it aren’t so bad). But did you know that regardless of how difficult it is, you can learn it a lot easier by beginning your studies the right way? Here are some tips:

1. Figure out your goals. Why do you want to learn English? What goals will you achieve along the way to really master the language? I recommend making some SMART goals to help you figure this out. It will make your language-learning process a lot more straightforward.

2. Learn as much as you can about the English language. You may find it helpful to begin by studying about English. Where is it spoken? What are its origins? What languages are similar to English? Doing some background research can make English seem less daunting and give you a huge head start! 

3. Start using media in your language-learning early on. If you start with thick textbooks right away and don’t supplement them with something lighter, you’re probably going to quit. Make your learning fun from time to time using media (TV, music, etc.), and you’ll actually retain more information.

4. Explore EnglishClass101.com. More on this later. 😉

4. Advice for New English Learners 

How can you be successful when you first begin learning English? Here are some tips!

• Be patient. It’s important to be patient, both with yourself and with the language-learning process. It takes time, mistakes will be made, and there’s no way around this. But it’s worth the struggle!

• Start with the basics. Don’t overwhelm yourself when first starting out. Focus on the key vocabulary, phrases, and grammar points to begin with, and don’t worry too much about the harder stuff. 

• Focus on specific areas. Once you start learning the basics, you’ll notice areas you’re weaker in. Maybe you’re great at English spelling, but struggle with pronunciation. Or maybe you can read English, but can’t understand it when it’s spoken to you. Find where you struggle, and focus on improving those areas.

• Find a community. You’re not alone in your English-learning journey. Once you begin learning, you’ll become part of a huge number of people doing the same thing. People who are making the same mistakes, achieving the same victories, and getting equally as frustrated as you are. Find a group of English-learners to join, and experience for yourself how much it can help. Our Facebook and YouTube pages are a great place to start!

• Spend time with native English speakers. By spending time with native speakers, you’ll be able to familiarize yourself with the language in a natural, real-world context. 

• Speak more often. Many of our Facebook followers say that they regret not speaking more English from the start. It’s important to remember that mistakes are okay, and that speaking the language sooner rather than later will help you learn faster.

• Define your purpose. Why are you thinking about learning English? What are your goals, both short-term and long-term? Knowing the answers to these questions is going to be an important part of your language-learning journey, and will help you keep going when things get hard.

• Don’t take long breaks from learning. To effectively learn a language, it’s important to be consistent. If you stop learning for several months or years at a time, you’re going to lose a lot of the things you learned.

• Start sooner. The longer you wait to begin learning English, the further behind you’ll be, and the more difficult it will be for you to start. If you start (or continue) learning today, imagine where you’ll be in a few years!

• Confidence is important. Some of our followers on Facebook say that they struggle (or have struggled) with self-confidence in their language-learning. They wish they had been more confident from the start, and rightfully so. While learning a new language can be scary, it’s important to be confident in your abilities to improve and succeed. 

5. Why EnglishClass101.com is the Best Way to Learn English

If you’re ready to start learning English, EnglishClass101.com is the best way to start—and finish—your language-learning journey. Why?

To start, all of our lessons and other learning material are practical and culturally relevant. You’ll learn vocabulary, phrases, and cultural information that you can actually put to use in the real world, starting from day one. 

We provide a variety of lessons for learners at every level. So whether this is your first time getting serious about learning English, or you’ve already been learning for a while, we have something for you. 

With EnglishClass101, you aren’t going to get dull textbooks or confusing lectures. Instead, we provide our students with lessons in many different formats. Videos, audio recordings, fun quizzes, vocabulary lists, and blog posts like this one! 

We always aim to make your learning experience both fun and informative! 

You can find a sense of community on our social media pages, commenting on our lessons and blog, or upgrading to our Premium PLUS plan to use MyTeacher. And we’re always ready to help when you need it. Whether you need encouragement, are experiencing technical issues, or just really don’t understand a lesson, there’s always someone you can reach out to! 

If you’re convinced, and ready to improve your English skills, sign up today and create your free lifetime account. We’ll be glad to have you join our family. 

What are the most common mistakes in English? How can you avoid them or improve your overall English language skills?

In this article, you’ll learn what mistakes you, as an English learner, need to watch out for. Whether you’re getting ready to take an important English exam, or you just had an embarrassing “oops” moment when chatting with your friends, knowing and understanding the most common types of mistakes in English is a must if you want to improve your skills. 

While this won’t necessarily ensure that you avoid these mistakes, it will help you be more effective at monitoring your own progress—both successes and failures. 

Do you make these mistakes in English? Keep reading to find out!

Table of Contents

1. Pronunciation: Common Mistakes in Spoken English
2. Common English Vocabulary Mistakes
3. Word Order Mistakes
4. Most Common English Grammar Mistakes
5. Other Mistakes
6. The Biggest Mistake
7. Final Thoughts

1. Pronunciation: Common Mistakes in Spoken English

First up on our list of English mistakes: pronunciation. Many new English-learners struggle to master this aspect of the language, so I thought I would go over this one first.

1 – Always pronouncing words as they’re spelled

Many learners become confused with English spelling vs. English pronunciation. There are numerous words in English that are spelled very differently from how they’re actually pronounced, which can be very frustrating.

The most common error here usually has to do with “silent” letters. These are letters that appear in a word when written, but aren’t pronounced when spoken. Here are two examples:

	Mistake	Explanation
Knife	Pronouncing the k, as in “k-nife.”	The letter “k” in this word is silent, meaning it’s not pronounced. The word “knife” really sounds like “nife” when spoken,  but needs to be spelled with the “k.”
Gnat	Pronouncing the g, as in “g-nat.”	The letter “g” in this word is silent,  meaning it’s not pronounced. The word “gnat” really sounds like “nat” when spoken, but needs to be spelled with the “g.”

To avoid making this common English mistake, you’ll need to memorize how to spell these words! There’s really no shortcut here.

Other commonly made mistakes in spoken English include incorrect pronunciation of certain paired letters. Here’s a great example: 

	Mistake	Explanation
Elephant	Pronouncing the “p” and “h” separately, by their traditional sounds.	While it makes perfect sense to do this, no one is going to understand you.  In English, whenever the letters “p” and “h” are put together like this, it’s pronounced as one sound, which is the “f” sound.  So “elephant” really sounds like “elefant” when spoken.

When it comes to mistakes like this, the best way to avoid them is to study up on these compound sounds and memorize how they work. It’s difficult even for native English speakers, but once you have it, you have it! 

2 – Not including the last syllable in words

When speaking, it can be difficult to pronounce certain words in their entirety, and many new English learners tend to drop the final syllable of words. But it’s very important to include this final syllable! In English, the final syllable often holds essential information about the word (or even the entire sentence), especially when you’re talking about something that happened in the past or present, or when mentioning a plural noun.

For example, we use the ending -s or -es to indicate that a noun is plural—if you drop this sound, people may end up missing some important information about what you’re saying. 

Important Final Syllable	Mistake	Explanation
-s or -es	Saying “biscuit” instead of “biscuits“	The -s or -es at the end of a noun indicates that it’s plural. If you’re ordering biscuits and don’t make the “-s” sound at the end, the waitress may think you only want one biscuit!
-d or -ed	Saying “help” instead of “helped“	The -d or -ed at the end of a verb indicates that it happened in the past. If you say that you “help” someone, the person you’re speaking with may think you’re currently doing so, even if it really happened in the past.
-ing	Saying “garden” instead of “gardening“	The -ing at the end of a verb indicates the gerund form of that verb. Including or omitting this ending can totally change the meaning of a sentence!

This isn’t a lesson about word endings, but hopefully you can see why it’s important for you to always pronounce the entire word. 

3 – Mispronouncing the “th” sound

Many English learners struggle with the “th” sound in words. This is because there are two ways you can pronounce this sound: harsh or soft.

For example, in the words “that” and “there,” the “-th” sound is harsh. On the other hand, in the word “through,” it sounds softer. 

The best way to avoid this mistake is to memorize which “th” words have which pronunciation. It will also be helpful for you to do a lot of listening! Watch English TV shows, listen to English music with lyrics, and pay close attention to pronunciation when speaking with English-speaking friends. You’ll get the hang of it in no time! 

→ Do you struggle with pronunciation? If so, check out EnglishClass101’s Ultimate Pronunciation Guide! 

2. Common English Vocabulary Mistakes

Some of the most common mistakes made in English have to do with vocabulary. 

English is one of those languages with a huge vocabulary and many words that sound and look very similar to each other. This is often a struggle for native English speakers, and sometimes a nightmare for those learning it as a second language.

In this section, I’ll outline a few of the most commonly confused words with their meanings. Like most things in the English language, you’ll just have to memorize these.

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Its	Possessive personal pronoun.	“That’s a cute dog. What is its name?”
It’s	Contraction of “it is.”	“It’s very gloomy today.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Here	Referring to a place close to the speaker.	“What are you doing here?”
Hear	To sense a sound; to listen.	“Wait! I hear something.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Very	To a great extent.	“Thank you. You’re very kind.”
Vary	To be different from another thing.	“The results may vary.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Affect	To unintentionally produce a change in something.	“The breakup didn’t really affect me.”
Effect	As a verb: To intentionally produce a change in something. As a noun:  1. A change or quality that results from a certain action (or another cause). 2. Special lighting, sounds, or other attributes, such as in a movie.	VERB: “You will effect these changes on Monday” NOUN:  1. “What are the effects of eating too much sugar?” 2. “The effects in The Great Magician were incredible.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Who	Referring to a person performing an action (subject).	“Who are you, and what do you want?”
Whom	Referring to a person that an action was performed upon (object).	“To whom are you engaged?”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Bored	As an adjective: to not be entertained. As a verb: to cause someone to become bored.	ADJ: “I’ve never been so bored in my life!” VERB: “The teacher bored me with that lecture.”
Boring	As an adjective: not fun or entertaining. As a verb: in the process of causing someone to become bored.	ADJ: “This is a boring game.” VERB: “You’re boring me with your technical talk.”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
Fun	Amusing or entertaining.	“You’re a fun person to be around.”
Funny	Having a sense of humor.	“Roger is really funny, isn’t he?”

	Definition	Example in a Sentence
There	Referring to a place far from the speaker.	“Is that your notebook over there?”
Their	Personal possessive pronoun, used to refer to something belonging to more than one person.	“I don’t know what their problem is.”
They’re	Contraction of “they are.”	“They’re out getting breakfast together.”

3. Word Order Mistakes

One of the most common English mistakes for non-native speakers is using incorrect word order. 

English is an SVO (Subject + Verb + Object) language, so English learners whose native language has a different sentence structure tend to make mistakes here. 

Here’s a list of the most common mistakes in English that relate to word order, and how to fix them.

1 – Putting the Subject Before the Verb in Questions

This is an easy mistake to make, and confuses many English learners! After all, English is an SVO language, so shouldn’t the subject always come before the verb? 

Well, this is true in most cases. But in questions, the verb usually comes before the subject. Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Where I can get food?”	“Where can I get food?”
“What I should do?”	“What should I do?”

2 – Putting Adjectives Before Nouns 

This is a very common error for English-learners whose native language puts the adjective after the noun. In English, though, it’s very important to put the adjective before the noun. Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Is the dog brown yours?”	“Is the brown dog yours?”
“She watched the sunset beautiful.”	“She watched the beautiful sunset.”

3 – Incorrect Placement of Other Modifiers

English gets a little more tricky when it comes to the placement of modifiers in sentences. While English is pretty flexible for the most part, there are some situations where modifiers need to be placed a certain way to make sense. Here are just a couple of examples:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
“I eat always oatmeal for breakfast.”	“I always eat oatmeal for breakfast.”	In these two examples, because the modifiers describe the extent of something, they need to come before the verb.
“Josie likes kind of tofu.”	“Josie kind of likes tofu.”
“Do you tomorrow have a meeting?”	“Do you have a meeting tomorrow?”	Here, an adverb of time is used. Usually, adverbs of time come after the verb or phrase being talked about.

→ Don’t worry if this is very confusing to you! It’s even confusing for native English speakers. If you feel like you need more help on this topic, you can read my articles on English Word Order and English Sentence Patterns, or ask us a question in the comments. 

4. Most Common English Grammar Mistakes

The only thing less fun than word order? English grammar! 

There are a few common mistakes in English grammar that can really slow learners down, so I’ll cover some of them here for you. Note that most English grammar mistakes involve verbs, so you may want to pay special attention to this part of speech while studying.  

1 – Using Incorrect Verb Tenses

This may be the most common English grammar mistake that learners make, and even native speakers don’t always get verb tenses right. I’m not going to go into very much detail here, but will briefly cover the basics with a few examples:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
“I sleep well last night.”	“I slept well last night.”	“Last night” implies that the past tense must be used. “Sleep” is present tense, while “slept” is past tense, and therefore correct.
“She went to the mall tomorrow.”	“She will go to the mall tomorrow.”	“Tomorrow” implies that the future tense must be used. “Went” is the past tense of “to go,” while “will go” is the future tense, and therefore correct.
“He cooked dinner right now.”	“He’s cooking dinner right now.”	“Right now” implies that the present tense must be used. “Cooked” is the past tense of “cook,” while “cooking” is the present tense, and therefore correct.

2 – Using the Infinitive Form of Verbs Incorrectly

Closely linked to the mistake above, many English learners struggle with knowing how and when to use the infinitive form of verbs (“to [verb]”). Here are some examples:

Incorrect	Correct
“Would you like drink a glass of wine?”	“Would you like to drink a glass of wine?”
“Please to go to the store with me.”	“Please go to the store with me.”
“Do you want play chess after dinner?”	“Do you want to play chess after dinner?”
“What would you to like for dessert?”	“What would you like for dessert?”

3 – Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

In English, like in many other languages, it’s important for verbs to agree with the subject. However, unlike in other languages, the only things that need to agree are the number and tense, because English has no grammatical gender. 

It’s very easy to make mistakes in terms of subject-verb agreement, but once you start seeing how it works, you’ll get the hang of it quickly! 

Number

Incorrect	Correct	Additional Notes
“The cat run away.”	“The cat runs away.”	“The cat” and “Willow” are both singular nouns, so the verb needs to reflect that.  Verbs in the singular form take the letter “-s” at the end.
“Willow love anime.”	“Willow loves anime.”
“They enjoys kayaking.”	“They enjoy kayaking.”	“They” is a plural noun, so the verb needs to reflect that.  Verbs in the plural form do not take an “-s” at the end.
“I hopes for a bright future.”	“I hope for a bright future.”	“I” is a singular noun, but it breaks the above-mentioned rules a little.  When “I” is used as the subject, the verb does not take an “-s” at the end.

Tense

Incorrect	Correct	Additional Notes
“Henry take the book from her.”	“Henry took the book from her.”	In this case, the verb “take” needs to be conjugated into the past tense, as it’s implied from the sentence that the action happened in the past.
“I buy a notebook tomorrow.”	“I will buy a notebook tomorrow.”	Here, the verb “buy” needs to be conjugated in the future tense, as it’s implied from the sentence that the action is going to happen in the future.
“Oh no! The oven is explode!”	“Oh no! The oven is exploding!”	This sentence suggests that the action is taking place right now, so the verb needs to take the present form.

→ Learn more about English verb conjugation by reading our relevant article. 

4 – Although ___, but ___.

Another common grammar mistake English learners make is using the sentence structure “Although ___, but ___.” This is incorrect because the word “although” implies the same meaning as the word “but,” so using them together like this is redundant, similar to using a double negative sentence. 

Incorrect	Correct
“Although she was tired, but she went jogging.”	“Although she was tired, she went jogging.” OR “She was tired, but she went jogging.”
“Although the dog was dirty, but he still loved it.”	“Although the dog was dirty, he still loved it.” OR “The dog was dirty, but he still loved it.”
“Although the rain came, but they continued their journey.”	“Although the rain came, they continued their journey.” OR “The rain came, but they continued their journey.”

5. Other Mistakes

There are a few other mistakes that new English learners commonly make. These mistakes don’t fall neatly into specific categories, but they’re still worth mentioning! 

1- Formal vs. Casual

English tends to be pretty flexible when it comes to formal vs. casual speech and writing. Unlike some other languages, there aren’t many different words for varying levels of respect or formality—which might be why it’s so easy to use the wrong level of formality in different situations.

To help you out, here’s a quick breakdown of things to keep in mind:

	Example Settings	Words/Phrases
Formal	Business environments Meeting a friend’s parents or family members Writing school essays Writing business documents	In situations like these, you should do the following: ❖ Use Mr./Mrs./Miss when addressing someone ❖ Always use “please” and “thank you” ❖ Avoid using slang words or phrases ❖ Use complete sentences with proper grammar
Casual	Hanging out with friends Writing personal pieces, fiction, or business-related writing that’s meant to be more casual	In situations like these, it’s okay to: ❖ Talk to people on a first-name or nickname basis ❖ Omit “please” and “thank you” if they’re not really necessary ❖ Use slang words and phrases (as long as they’re appropriate for the people you’re with) ❖ Speak or write in fragments

Whenever you’re in doubt, though, it’s best to use more formal language. If the other party wants you to start speaking more casually with them, they’ll let you know! 

2- Apostrophes 

Apostrophes (‘) even confuse native English speakers! They have a wide variety of uses, and until you’ve been using the language for a while, the rules of usage can seem very ambiguous. 

Essentially, there are two situations when you should use apostrophes:

• To show possession (adding an ‘s)
• To create contractions

Becoming familiar with these rules can help you avoid common English writing mistakes! 

Possession

Example	Explanation
“Mickey’s hamster”	The hamster that belongs to Mickey
“The horse’s mane”	The mane that belongs to the horse
“Jesus’ disciples”	The disciples that belong to Jesus Note here that only an apostrophe is added to “Jesus” instead of an ‘s. This is because it’s a proper noun that ends with the letter “s.” There are some people who will add the entire ‘s to the word, but it’s more common to add only the apostrophe. For more information on this topic, you can visit this page.

Contractions

Example	Explanation
“I’ll go.”	Contraction of “I will”
“He’s a monster.”	Contraction of “he is”
“We’re already late!”	Contraction of “we are”
“Elizabeth shouldn’t’ve done that!”	Contraction of “should not have”

Note that when using contractions, the apostrophe usually takes the place of one of the letters. However, in the last example, you’ll notice two things:

1. There are two apostrophes

2. One of the apostrophes replaces two letters

The reason this contraction has two apostrophes is because it consists of three words combined instead of only two.

The second apostrophe replaces two letters simply because this is how contractions work with the word “have.” When used as part of a contraction, only the last two letters are used. This is another rule you’ll just have to memorize and practice.

3- I.E. or E.G.

Here’s another one that trips up even native English speakers—probably because it’s not actually English, it’s Latin. The abbreviation “i.e.” stands for the Latin phrase id est, which means “in other words.” On the other hand, “e.g.” stands for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, which means “for example.”

You use “i.e.” when you’re going to explain something another way, using different words. You use “e.g.” when you’re going to give an example of something you mentioned, usually to help the reader (or listener) better understand what you’re saying.

Here are some examples:

I.E.	E.G.
“I’m really stuck on the book I’m writing (i.e. I’m almost ready to give up).”	“Lewis is so irresponsible (e.g. he never washes the dishes or vacuums).”
“Penny hasn’t spoken to Joe in months (i.e. they’re relationship is over).”	“Cats have so many fascinating qualities (e.g. they’re very independent).”
“Quinten didn’t show up for the final (i.e. he won’t graduate this year).”	“Do you have any special skills? (E.g. drawing, writing, or singing)”

6. The Biggest Mistake

Whew! We covered a long list of potential English mistakes. But there’s still one more mistake we have to talk about: being afraid of making mistakes.

No one enjoys the embarrassment, frustration, or hopelessness that accompanies a mistake. But mistakes are part of being human, and they can actually be a good thing if you let them! If nothing else, the negative feelings that come with failure will inspire you and drive you to avoid those feelings in the future.

That said, it’s mistakes that help us learn. Someone who never makes mistakes (i.e. they never leave their comfort zone) never learns either, and that person can never grow beyond themselves. 

If you want to overcome mistakes, you have to face them. If you want to master English (or anything, really), you have to be willing to make a few mistakes along the way. When you acknowledge mistakes as the extremely effective learning tools they are, it no longer seems like the end of the world when you make one! 

7. Final Thoughts

Having read this article, you should have a much better idea of the most common mistakes made in English and how to avoid them. On your path to mastering English, it may feel like there’s countless rules and nuances holding you back, but don’t let hopelessness get the best of you! Keep studying, keep practicing, and keep believing in your ability to get better.

→ Read this quick article on the five most common problems English learners face for more information on how to overcome problems and achieve your goals!

EnglishClass101.com has tons of fun and effective lessons for learners at every level. Whether you want to focus on your speaking, listening, reading, or writing skills, we have your back. Sign up today for your free lifetime account, and learn English like never before. 

Before you go, let us know in the comments which of these mistakes you have the hardest time with. Did this article help you with them at all? We look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Happy English learning!

Asking questions is one of the most effective ways for getting to know someone on a personal level. People tend to be curious about things, and as social creatures, this often applies to the people around us. Knowing the top ten English questions and how to answer them will help you get to know the people around you, and help them know you better in exchange!

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the most essential English questions and answers for beginners and intermediate learners. For each question, there will be:

• A breakdown of the most popular form of the question.
• A list of alternative ways to ask the question (if any).
• A table of possible answers to common English questions, with examples and additional notes if needed.

Let’s dive in! 

→ If you’re not quite comfortable with your current introduction skills, EnglishClass101.com has an article all about introducing yourself that you can start with.

Table of Contents

1. Question Words in English
2. What’s your name?
3. Where are you from?
4. What do you do?
5. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
6. How long have you been studying English?
7. How are you?
8. What time is it?
9. What are you doing?
10. What’s wrong?
11. What’s the weather like?
12. Final Thoughts

1. Question Words in English

Before I discuss questions and answers in English conversations, I’ll briefly cover an important topic: question words in English. 

In English, there are six main words that we tend to use when asking questions. These are:

• What: Used when asking for information about something.
• Where: Used when asking about location.
• When: Used when asking about time.
• Who: Used when asking about a person or people.
• Why: Used when asking about motive or intention.
• How: Used when asking about the means by which something happened.

We almost always put these words at the very beginning of a question.

You’ll notice that all of these words begin with a “W” except for the last one. When children are learning English, these question words are often referred to as “Five W’s and an H” to help them remember. There are additional question words, but these six are used most often, especially in journalism.

As you read this article, you’ll also see that “what” is the most commonly used question word. This is because it’s extremely versatile, and can be used to ask a variety of question types. 

2. What’s your name?

When you first meet someone, usually the first question they ask is “What is your name?” Before we learn how to answer, let’s break down the question:

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Possessive Pronoun	What You’re Called
What	is	your	name?

As you can see, the question begins with a “question word.” This is the word a person uses to show that they want some kind of information, and they usually go at the beginning of a question. 

The question word is followed by a “to be” verb, in this case, the word “is.” This indicates that the person is inquiring about the status or definition of something.

Next is the word “your,” which is the possessive form of the second-person pronoun “you.” They’re asking about the name that belongs to you, and no one else.

Finally is the word “name,” which is the piece of information the person is after. When you put the question together, they’re basically asking what you are called, or what name belongs to you. 

Alternative Questions

Here are two other ways of asking the same question:

• “What’s your name?” 
• “What can I call you?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

There are four basic sentence patterns you can use to answer this question. In each one, simply fill in the blank with your name. 

Pattern	Answer	Additional Note
My name is ___.	My name is Tom. My name is Alisha.	More formal
You can call me ___.	You can call me Tom. You can call me Alisha.	More formal
I’m ___.	I’m Tom. I’m Alisha.	Less formal
___.	Tom. Alisha.	Less formal

3. Where are you from?

Learning where someone is from can be very exciting, and many people in the United States love to learn about other places. The next question you’re likely to hear is “Where are you from?”

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Pronoun	Preposition Referring to Origin
Where	are	you	from?

This question structure is very similar to the one above. It begins with a question word for location, followed by a “to be” verb and second-person pronoun. The last word, “from,” indicates that the speaker wants to know your original location, or where you lived before. 

Possible Patterns & Answers

The simplest way to answer this question is with the pattern “I’m from ___.” You just need to put the name of your home country in the blank. If you want, you can also include the name of the state, city, or town you’re from, like in the last example.

Pattern	Answer
I’m from ___.	I’m from Norway. I’m from the U.S.A. I’m from Germany. I’m from Lublin, Poland.

→ Not sure what your country is called in English? Check out EnglishClass101’s Vocabulary for Nationalities page! 

4. What do you do?

In the United States, people love talking about their jobs and hearing what other people do for a living. While you’re getting to know someone, you’re going to hear the question “What do you do?”

Question Word	Perform Action Of	Second-Person Pronoun	Perform Action Of
What	do	you	do?

This question begins with the question word “what,” followed by the word “do,” which means to perform an action. Next is the second-person pronoun “you,” also followed by the word “do.”

Alternative Questions

Here are two more ways of asking the same question:

• “What do you do for a living?”
• “Where do you work?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I am a(n) ___.	I am a teacher. I am a programmer. I am a writer. I am an accountant.	Fill in the blank with your job.
I work as a(n) ___.	I work as a teacher. I work as a programmer. I work as a writer.  I work as an accountant.	Fill in the blank with your job.
I work at ___.	I work at the elementary school. I work at Google. I work at home. I work at a large company.	Fill in the blank with your place of work.

→ Check out EnglishClass101’s vocabulary list on Jobs & Work to figure out what your job is called. Alternatively, if you’re looking for work in the United States, we’ve also curated an article on how to find and attain the best U.S. job for you! 

5. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Once a new acquaintance starts getting to know you better, they’ll probably want to know if you have any siblings. A common way to ask this question is: “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

Perform Action Of	Second-Person Pronoun	To Own	Indefinite Pronoun	Male Siblings	Word Referring To Another Possibility	Female Siblings
Do	you	have	any	brothers	or	sisters?

This question has a few more words than the other ones we’ve looked at, and doesn’t begin with a “real” question word. The word “do,” when used at the beginning of a question, is sometimes called a “dummy” question word—it’s a word that can indicate a question despite not technically serving that purpose in English grammar.

When you put the above question together, it shows that the other person is asking if you have siblings. The indefinite pronoun “any” leaves the question slightly open-ended, so you can answer more specifically about how many siblings you have, what gender they are, and even whether they’re older or younger than you.

There are three basic patterns you can use to answer.

Alternative Questions

Here are two other questions in English that basically ask the same thing:

• “Do you have any siblings?”
• “Are you an only child?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I have (a) ___.	I have a sister. I have a brother. I have a younger sister. I have an older brother. I have three sisters. I have one older sister.	You can also indicate whether your sibling (or siblings) is older or younger than you by using the appropriate adjective.
I have ___ and ___.	I have two brothers and one sister. I have three sisters and one brother.	Use if you have siblings of different genders.
No, I don’t. I’m an only child.	–	Use if you don’t have any siblings.

→ Do you need to learn some additional vocabulary to talk about your siblings and family? EnglishClass101 has a word list for you, and a blog post all about family in the United States!

6. How long have you been studying English?

Your conversation partner is very impressed so far with your English speaking and communication skills. They ask “How long have you been studying English?”

Question Word	An Amount Of Time		Second-Person Pronoun		Gerund Form Of The Word “Study”	The English Language
How	long	have	you	been	studying	English?

This is another long question, but it does a better job of following the usual question format. Before we move on to possible answers, please note the words “have” and “been.” Even though there’s a word separating them, it’s important to see how these two words work together. 

When someone says the phrase “have been,” it indicates that something has been going on for a certain amount of time. So, in this question, they want to know the amount of time that you have been studying the English language.

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’ve been studying for ___.	I’ve been studying for one month. I’ve been studying for two years.	Most formal.
For ___.	For five years. For three weeks.	Less formal.
___.	Nine months. A few years.	Least formal.

→ To learn more about how to say dates in English, check out EnglishClass101’s article on this very topic. 

7. How are you?

Congratulations! You’ve officially made a new friend, and you’re getting coffee together a week later. The moment you see each other again, they ask “How are you?”

Question Word	“To Be” Verb	Second-Person Pronoun
How	are	you?

This is one of the most basic English questions that family, friends, and even colleagues ask each other all the time. As you can see above, it’s simply a question word followed by the “to be” verb “are,” and then the second-person pronoun “you.” Basically, they’re asking about your status—how you’re feeling or how your week has been. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “How are you doing?”
• “How have you been?” 

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m doing ___.	I’m doing fine. I’m doing pretty good.	While the word “doing” is used in this answer, it doesn’t refer to a specific action. It instead refers to how you’re feeling or how life is going for you.
I’m ___.	I’m okay. I’m great.	This is basically the same as the above pattern, but shorter.
I’ve been ___.	I’ve been well. I’ve been alright.	Using this pattern indicates that you’re answering about how you’ve been feeling over a longer period of time.  For example, if you haven’t seen someone in a few months, and they ask you this, you’ll tell them how you’ve been over the last few months.

→ Learn how to express what you’re feeling with our relevant vocabulary lists: Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions and Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions.

8. What time is it?

Another very frequent question you’re likely to hear is “What time is it?”

Question Word	The Current Time (Hours/Minutes)	“To Be” Verb	Pronoun Referring to the Word “Time”
What	time	is	it?

In this question, you can see that the question word “what” is placed at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the information being requested (“time”). Next is the “to be” verb “is” and the pronoun “it,” which in this case refers to the earlier-used word “time.” The person is simply asking you for the current time, usually in hours and minutes.

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “Do you have the time?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
It’s ___ o’clock.	It’s twelve o’clock. It’s three o’clock.	Most formal.
It’s ___.	It’s two-thirty. It’s nine-fifteen.	Less formal.
___.	Ten. Four forty-five.	Least formal.

→ For more information on how to tell time in English, be sure to read EnglishClass101’s relevant blog post on the topic. Or, you can simply take a look at our time-related vocabulary list. 

9. What are you doing?

Whether you’re having a casual conversation over text message or a coworker wants to know what task you’re performing, the question “What are you doing?“ is going to come up a lot. 

Question Word	“To Be“ Verb	Second-Person Pronoun	To Be Performing An Action
What	are	you	doing?

The question word “what” begins the question, followed by the to-be verb “are.” Next comes the second-person pronoun “you” and the word “doing,” which refers to an action being performed. The person wants to know what action you’re performing. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked this way:

• “What are you up to?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m ___.	I’m thinking. I’m writing. I’m watching TV. I’m working out.	Simply fill in the blank with the gerund form of the action you’re doing.
Nothing much.	–	Use this if you’re not really doing anything important, or if you don’t feel like sharing what you’re doing. This is a common answer between friends or in other casual conversations.

→ Find your favorite hobbies on our relevant vocabulary list! 

10. What’s wrong?

Have you made a close friend in the U.S.? If so, they may ask you the question “What’s wrong?” if you seem sad or hurt about something, or if something doesn’t seem right. 

Contraction of “What” and “Is”	Upsetting You / Not Right
What’s	wrong?

Because this question is most commonly used between close friends or family members, the contraction “what’s” is almost always used. This is the contraction of the question word “what” and the “to be” verb “is.” Next is the word “wrong,” which refers to something that’s not correct, or something that’s upsetting you. 

Alternative Questions

You may also hear the question asked like this:

• “Is something wrong?”
• “What’s the matter?”
• “Are you okay?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
I’m ___.	I’m tired. I’m sad. I’m sick. I’m stressed.	Simply fill in the blank with an adjective that describes how you feel.
Nothing.	–	You can use any of these three phrases if you don’t feel like talking about what’s wrong, or if there really is nothing wrong.
Nothing’s wrong.	–
I don’t want to talk about it.	–

→ Are you unsure of how to express your emotions in English? Study our vocabulary list on the 21 most common negative emotions. 

11. What’s the weather like?

You’ll most likely hear the question “What’s the weather like?” during a conversation with someone you don’t know very well, especially if you’re trying to get to know each other. 

Contraction of “What“ and “Is“	Definite Article	Referring to Weather Conditions or Climate	A Word Used for Comparison or Description
What’s	the	weather	like?

Like we saw in the previous question, this question begins with the contraction “what’s,” meaning “what is.” Next is the definite article “the,” followed by the word “weather,” which refers to things like temperature and climate. At the end of the sentence is the word “like,” which in this case is a word that’s used for making comparisons or adding a description to something. The person wants to know how you would describe the weather. 

Alternative Questions

Here are two other ways you may hear this question asked:

• “How’s the weather?”
• “What’s the weather like in ___ [the place you’re from]?”

Possible Patterns & Answers

Pattern	Answer	Additional Notes
It’s ___.	It’s sunny. It’s rainy. It’s cloudy.	Used for one adjective.
It’s ___ and ___.	It’s hot and humid. It’s cold and dry.	Used for two adjectives.
It’s ___ in ___.	It’s warm in Florida. It’s hot in Indonesia. It’s cold in Russia.	Use this pattern if someone asks you what the weather is like where you’re from.  The first blank is the weather adjective and the second blank is where you’re from.

→ Study EnglishClass101’s list of the 15 most common weather conditions to expand your weather vocabulary. For a more in-depth look at the weather in the United States, read our U.S. Weather article as well! 

12. Final Thoughts

In this article, we covered a mix of common English questions and answers. Some of them are important for new language-learners to master, and others are essential for anyone planning a vacation (or move) to the United States. 

But this is just the tip of the iceberg—there are many more question and answer patterns you should know as you continue learning the language. For detailed lessons on even more essential questions for English-learners, we recommend that you go through our 25 Questions Lesson Series. 

One of the best ways you can prepare to use these questions and answers is to start practicing today! Whether you want to write all of them down on a piece of paper to take with you places, or practice only one a week as much as you can, any amount of real-life usage is going to help you get the hang of it. 

Before you go, why not leave us a comment with answers to some of these questions? We always love hearing from you, and look forward to learning more about you. 

Happy English learning! 🙂

It’s difficult to begin communicating effectively in a new language. There are so many new words, grammar rules to remember, and little nuances that you learn only through years of practice and growth. And, especially for those of us who are painfully shy or afraid of failure, trying out these new words and phrases is asking for a panic attack! 

So where to start?

If you’re ready to start speaking English today and jumpstart your exposure to everyday language, you’re in the right place. 

EnglishClass101.com has prepared a list of eleven English sentence patterns for beginners to get started with. These basic phrases will enable you to express the most important and practical concepts with ease. And you can practice using them every day! 

The best part is that once you have these patterns memorized, you can create hundreds of original, detailed sentences to use with anyone! 

I recommend that you read my article on English Word Order and Sentence Structure before continuing. Some of the sentence pattern examples in this article are more complex, and having a good idea of how word order works first will help you to get the most value from this article! 

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

1. A is B.
2. A is [Adjective].
3. I am ___.
4. I want (to) ___.
5. I need (to) ___. / I have to ___.
6. I like (to) ___.
7. Please ___.
8. May I ___? / Can I ___?
9. What is ___?
10. When (is) ___? / What time (is) ___?
11. Where is ___?
12. Final Thoughts

1. A is B.

When you want to link two nouns, use the “A is B” sentence pattern. A is the first noun and B is the noun you’re linking it to. You’re basically saying that the first noun (A) is also the second noun (B).

Simple Examples

“She is my friend.”

“He is my teacher.”

“My grandma is a bookkeeper.”

More Complex Examples

“Peanut butter is my favorite food.”

“That scented candle is a gift from my best friend.”

2. A is [Adjective].

The “A is Adjective” sentence pattern is very similar to the one above. But instead of linking A to another noun, you’re linking it to an adjective that describes it. 

Here are some simple examples:

Simple Examples

“He is hardworking.”

“She is intelligent.”

“The apartment is small.”

More Complex Examples

“Sharon’s dog is really annoying.”

“The dinner I’m going to make next week will be delicious.”

Note the use of “will be” in the last example. “Will be” is the future tense of “is” and is used to imply that something will happen in the future.

→ Learn more about verb conjugation in our dedicated article! 

→ Need to brush up on your adjectives? EnglishClass101.com has a special vocab list to help you out! 

3. I am ___.

This is a versatile sentence pattern you can use to talk about yourself, and one of best sentences in English for a beginner. You can give your name this way, talk about your occupation, let someone know how you’re feeling, or inform someone about what you’re currently doing:

• “I am [name].“
• “I am (a/an) [occupation].“
• “I am [adjective].“
• “I am [gerund form of verb].“

Simple Examples

“I am [Lily].” – Name

“I am [a writer].” – Occupation

“I am [hungry].” – Adjective

More Complex Examples

I am [thinking about the future]. – Verb

I am [excited] for the upcoming holiday season. – Adjective

→ Check out EnglishClass101’s dedicated vocabulary lists for Jobs/Work, Top 20 Words for Positive Emotions, Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions, and the 50 Most Common Verbs! 

4. I want (to) ___.

Use the “I want (to) ___” sentence pattern to let someone know what you want:

Simple Examples

“I want this.”

“I want pie.”

“I want to sleep.”

Note that the word “to” is used after the word “want” when the desire expressed is an action. 

More Complex Examples

“I want to ask you a question.”

“Henry wants to visit his grandparents next month.”

5. I need (to) ___. / I have to ___.

These are some of the most commonly used English sentences used in daily life, and they can be used almost interchangeably. The only exception is “I need ___” if the word “to” is dropped. In this case, the phrase can’t be used to express an action- or verb-related need. (There are also small differences in their technical meanings, but most people won’t care which one you use in conversation.)

Use these sentence structures to let someone know what you need or have to do.

Simple Examples

“I need a vacation.”

“I need to eat.”

“I need to sleep.”

Just like in the previous sentence pattern, note that the word “to” is used after the word “need” or “have” when the need is an action.

More Complex Examples

“I have to use the bathroom.”

“I have to leave very soon.”

6. I like (to) ___.

Use these basic English sentences to describe what you enjoy doing. 

Simple Examples

“I like reading.”

“I like petting cats.”

“I like to drink coffee.”

More Complex Examples

“I like spending time with you every day.”

“I like going on long road trips with my loved ones.”

→ Here’s some more vocabulary to help you talk about what you like to do! 

7. Please ___.

The “Please ___” sentence pattern is the simplest and most effective way to ask someone to do something in a polite and respectful way. Simply say “Please” followed by your request. 

Simple Examples

“Please listen to me.”

“Please help me out.”

“Please follow directions.”

More Complex Examples

“Please pick up dinner on your way home from work.”

“Please show me where the nearest gas station is.”

8. May I ___? / Can I ___?

Use these simple sentences to ask for permission to do something. They can usually be used interchangeably, though there are technical differences. “May I ___?” is usually considered more proper and polite when requesting permission, while “Can I ___?” has more to do with one’s ability to do something.

Simple Example

“May I come in?”

“May I go now?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

More Complex Examples

“May I ask what you’re doing here so late?”

“Can I join you guys at the movie theater tomorrow?”

9. What is ___?

This is a great sentence pattern for getting more information about something or someone. Simply say “What is” followed by the thing you want more information about.

Simple Examples

“What is this?”

“What is your name?”

“What is tomorrow?”

More Complex Examples

“What is the name of that song we were listening to?”

“What is your favorite ___?”

In the last example, fill in the blank with the topic you’re curious about. 

→ If you’re asking about their favorite food, favorite animal, or favorite color, prepare for their answer by studying our relevant vocab lists!

10. When (is) ___? / What time (is) ___?

You can use the sentence pattern “When (is) ___?” when you’re asking about a specific time or date. You can use “What time (is) ___?” if you just need to know the time. 

Here are some examples of how to ask for the time or date.

Simple Examples

“What time is it?”

“When is your birthday?”

“When should I arrive?”

More Complex Examples

“When is the meeting at work next week?”

“What time is the baby shower at your house tomorrow?”

→ Learn how to talk about dates and use numbers with EnglishClass101! 

11. Where is ___?

Use the “Where is ___?” sentence pattern to ask someone where something is. This is an essential phrase to remember if you plan on traveling somewhere you’ve never been to before! 

Simple Examples

“Where is the restroom?”

“Where is the elevator?”

“Where is the store?”

More Complex Examples

“Where is that really good restaurant located?”

“Where is the library you wanted me to visit?”

→ For more helpful words and phrases, check out our Position / Direction vocabulary list or our blog post about giving and asking for directions in English.

12. Final Thoughts

With these common English phrases and sentence patterns, you can communicate effectively about almost anything. It may take a little while to memorize each one and get used to how they work, but once you get there, it will be very much worth it! 

If you need to, feel free to bookmark this page to look at later, or print it out and put it somewhere you’ll see every day. And of course, practice using these sentence patterns in various situations as often as you can. Remember that mistakes are part of the learning process and can actually help you grow more as a language-learner than perfection (or lack of trying!) can.

Did you know any of these sentence patterns already? Which ones are new to you? If there’s anything you’re unsure about or need help with, leave us a comment below and we’ll do our best to help you out! 

If you’re serious about mastering English, be sure to create your free lifetime account today on EnglishClass101.com. We make it fun, effective, and as painless as possible! 

Happy English learning! 

Conjugation enables you to speak and write English properly, in a way that other English-speakers will easily understand. It’s an essential aspect of the language, and learning how to properly conjugate verbs will fine-tune your English skills. 

While you can technically use English without conjugation, it won’t sound very professional and will make communication more difficult. 

In this article, you’ll learn all the basics of English verb conjugation so that you can make the most of every conversation!

Table of Contents

1. What is Conjugation?
2. Conjugation Examples
3. Conjugating Irregular Verbs
4. English Verb Conjugation Quiz
5. Some Parting Words…

1. What is Conjugation?

Learning English conjugations can be difficult, but there’s a bit of good news for you: Verbs are the only part of speech that you conjugate!

Conjugation is how a verb changes to properly fit in a sentence. Each verb has an infinitive form, which is the most basic form of that verb (to think, to cry, to explain). But these infinitive verbs don’t work in all sentences, so they must be changed according to the following factors:

• Person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)
• Number (singular, plural)
• Tense (simple past, simple present, simple future)
• Aspect (simple, progressive, perfect)

In English, this is usually done by adding the most appropriate suffix: -ed (past participle) or -ing (present participle, also called a gerund). 

Further, there are various subcategories of verb conjugations based on their tense and aspect. These subcategories are:

• Indicative: Indicative conjugation is done to imply a statement of a true thing that happened, is happening, or will happen. 

• Subjunctive: Subjunctive conjugation is done to imply what one wishes had happened, or how a result might differ if that thing had happened.

• Conditional: Conditional conjugation is done to imply that something would happen or would have happened, in different circumstances.

• Imperative: Imperative conjugation is done to imply a command. Only the first person plural, second person singular, and second person plural forms use the imperative.

And because English verb conjugation is unnecessarily difficult and complex, these subcategories are further divided into the nominal form and the progressive/continuous form. The progressive/continuous form is easy to spot because the verb conjugations end in -ing.

Before you move on to the examples below, you may find it helpful to brush up on your English verb knowledge. Be sure to read the article I wrote on the topic, where I also explain the most basic conjugation.

2. Conjugation Examples

That was a lot to take in, so here I’ll include some examples using common English verbs. There’s a lot of information in the following English conjugation tables, so just take it easy and don’t expect to master these right away! 

1- To walk

• Infinitive: To walk
• Participle: Walked
• Gerund: Walking

A. Nominal Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Walk	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked
You [s]	Walk	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked
He / She	Walks	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked
We	Walk	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked
You [p]	Walk	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked
They	Walk	Walked	Will walk	Have walked	Had walked	Will have walked

	Subjunctive
	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Past perfect
I	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked
You [s]	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked
He / She	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked
We	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked
You [p]	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked
They	Walk	Have walked	Walked	Had walked

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would walk	Would have walked
You [s]	Would walk	Would have walked
He / She	Would walk	Would have walked
We	Would walk	Would have walked
You [p]	Would walk	Would have walked
They	Would walk	Would have walked

	Imperative – Present
I	–
You [s]	Walk
He / She	–
We	Let’s walk
You [p]	Walk
They	–

B. Progressive / Continuous Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Am walking	Was walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking
You [s]	Are walking	Were walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking
He / She	Are walking	Was walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking
We	Are walking	Were walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking
You [p]	Are walking	Were walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking
They	Are walking	Were walking	Will be walking	Have been walking	Had been walking	Will have been walking

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would be walking	Would have been walking
You [s]	Would be walking	Would have been walking
He / She	Would be walking	Would have been walking
We	Would be walking	Would have been walking
You [p]	Would be walking	Would have been walking
They	Would be walking	Would have been walking

2- To listen

• Infinitive: To listen
• Participle: Listened
• Gerund: Listening

A. Nominal Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened
You [s]	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened
He / She	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened
We	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened
You [p]	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened
They	Listen	Listened	Will listen	Have listened	Had listened	Will have listened

	Subjunctive
	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Past perfect
I	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened
You [s]	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened
He / She	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened
We	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened
You [p]	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened
They	Listen	Have listened	Listened	Had listened

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would listen	Would have listened
You [s]	Would listen	Would have listened
He / She	Would listen	Would have listened
We	Would listen	Would have listened
You [p]	Would listen	Would have listened
You [p]	Would listen	Would have listened

	Imperative – Present
I	–
You [s]	Listen
He / She	–
We	Let’s listen
You [p]	Listen
They	–

B. Progressive / Continuous Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Am listening	Was listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listening	Will have been listening
You [s]	Are listening	Were listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listeningHad been listening	Will have been listening
He / She	Is listening	Was listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listening	Will have been listening
We	Are listening	Were listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listening	Will have been listening
You [p]	Are listening	Were listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listening	Will have been listening
They	Are listening	Were listening	Will be listening	Have been listening	Had been listening	Will have been listening

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would be listening	Would have been listening
You [s]	Would be listening	Would have been listening
He / She	Would be listening	Would have been listening
We	Would be listening	Would have been listening
You [p]	Would be listening	Would have been listening
They	Would be listening	Would have been listening

3- To move

• Infinitive: To move
• Participle: Moved
• Gerund: Moving

A. Nominal Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Move	Moved	Will move	Have moved	Had moved	Will have moved
You [s]	Move	Moved	Will move	Have moved	Had moved	Will have moved
He / She	Moves	Moved	Will move	Has moved	Had moved	Will have moved
We	Move	Moved	Will move	Have moved	Had moved	Will have moved
You [p]	Move	Moved	Will move	Have moved	Had moved	Will have moved
They	Move	Moved	Will move	Have moved	Had moved	Will have moved

	Subjunctive
	Present	Perfect	Imperfect	Past perfect
I	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved
You [s]	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved
He / She	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved
We	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved
You [p]	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved
They	Move	Have moved	Moved	Had moved

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would move	Would have moved
You [s]	Would move	Would have moved
He / She	Would move	Would have moved
We	Would move	Would have moved
You [p]	Would move	Would have moved
They	Would move	Would have moved

	Imperative – Present
I	–
You [s]	Move
He / She	–
We	Let’s move
You [p]	Move
They	–

B. Progressive / Continuous Form

	Indicative
	Present	Simple past	Future	Perfect	Past perfect	Future perfect
I	Am moving	Was moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving
You [s]	Are moving	Were moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving
He / She	Is moving	Was moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving
We	Are moving	Were moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving
You [p]	Are moving	Were moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving
They	Are moving	Were moving	Will be moving	Have been moving	Had been moving	Will have been moving

	Conditional
	Present	Perfect
I	Would be moving	Would have been moving
You [s]	Would be moving	Would have been moving
He / She	Would be moving	Would have been moving
We	Would be moving	Would have been moving
You [p]	Would be moving	Would have been moving
They	Would be moving	Would have been moving

3. Conjugating Irregular Verbs

In English, irregular verbs have conjugations that don’t follow the rules. Here are a few of the most common examples of irregular verbs with their conjugations. For this section, we’re not going to worry too much about the more complex conjugations that you saw above. I’ll keep this section simple by only including the verb tenses/aspects that are irregular.  

Let’s start with the English conjugations of “to be.”

1- To Be

• Infinitive: To be
• Participle: Been
• Gerund: Being

	Indicative		Subjunctive
	Present	Past	Imperfect
I	Am	Was	Were
You [s]	Are	Were	Were
He / She	Is	Was	Were
We	Are	Were	Were
You [p]	Are	Were	Were
They	Are	Were	Were

2- To Have

• Infinitive: To have
• Participle: Had
• Gerund: Having

	Indicative		Subjunctive
	Present	Past	Imperfect
I	Have	Had	Had
You [s]	Have	Had	Had
He / She	Has	Had	Had
We	Have	Had	Had
You [p]	Have	Had	Had
They	Have	Had	Had

3- To Feel

• Infinitive: To feel
• Participle: Felt
• Gerund: Feeling

	Indicative	Subjunctive
	Past	Imperfect
I	Felt	Felt
You [s]	Felt	Felt
He / She	Felt	Felt
We	Felt	Felt
You [p]	Felt	Felt
They	Felt	Felt

4- To Eat

• Infinitive: To eat
• Participle: Eaten
• Gerund: Eating

	Indicative	Subjunctive
	Past	Imperfect
I	Ate	Ate
You [s]	Ate	Ate
He / She	Ate	Ate
We	Ate	Ate
You [p]	Ate	Ate
They	Ate	Ate

5- To Bite

• Infinitive: To bite
• Participle: Bitten
• Gerund: Biting

	Indicative	Subjunctive
	Past	Imperfect
I	Bit	Bit
You [s]	Bit	Bit
He / She	Bit	Bit
We	Bit	Bit
You [p]	Bit	Bit
They	Bit	Bit

6- To Sleep

• Infinitive: To sleep
• Participle: Slept
• Gerund: Sleeping

	Indicative	Subjunctive
	Past	Imperfect
I	Slept	Slept
You [s]	Slept	Slept
He / She	Slept	Slept
We	Slept	Slept
You [p]	Slept	Slept
They	Slept	Slept

7- To Tell

• Infinitive: To tell
• Participle: Told
• Gerund: Telling

	Indicative	Subjunctive
	Past	Imperfect
I	Told	Told
You [s]	Told	Told
He / She	Told	Told
We	Told	Told
You [p]	Told	Told
They	Told	Told

As you can see, the majority of these irregular verbs tend to repeat, making them easier to memorize. Further, most of them only conjugate irregularly in the past tense. 

The downside is that these are only the beginning of irregular verbs. There are many more that you’ll have to memorize as you come across them. But you can do it! 

4. English Verb Conjugation Quiz

Now, it’s time to test your knowledge. Don’t fret too much, though; this quiz will only focus on the simpler conjugations. 

1) Bob [talk] with Dana yesterday.

Choices:
A) Talk
B) Talks
C) Talking
D) Talked

2) Phil [to be] in love with Valerie.

Choices:
A) Are
B) Is
C) Am
D) Were

3) Lily is [finish] her assignment right now.

Choices:
A) Finished
B) Finish
C) Finishing
D) Finishes

4) Mary always [act] like she [know] everything.

Choices:
A) Acts/knows
B) Acted/knows
C) Acted/knew
D) Acting/knows

5) I [eat] oatmeal with peanut butter this morning.

Choices:
A) Eaten
B) Eat
C) Eats
D) Ate

The correct answers are: 

D – The word “yesterday” implies that the conversation happened the day before. Thus, the past tense conjugation is used.

B – Because Phil is a singular individual and currently in love, “is” is the most appropriate choice.

C – Lily is currently doing the action (indicated by the to be verb “is”), so the present form is used.

A – The word “always” implies that Mary currently does these things. Thus, the present form is used.

D – “Ate” is the past tense form of the word “eat,” and because the sentence doesn’t have a “to be” verb (to make it “I have eaten”), the correct conjugation must be “ate.”

5. Some Parting Words…

English verb conjugation is pretty terrible. But you’ve made it this far, and you’re going to make it even farther! 

If the English verb conjugation charts in this article seem daunting to you, don’t worry—they’re daunting for native English-speakers too. Before you try learning all of this information, you may find it easier to learn the infinitive, participle, and gerund forms of verbs first. These forms play into the more complex ones, and from there, it’s as easy as plugging-and-chugging your way through. 

For more information on this topic, be sure to check out more practical resources on EnglishClass101: 

• 50 Most Common Verbs in English
• 10 Verbs not to Travel Without
• About English Verbs
• Learn English Grammar

Better yet, if you want to make a game out of learning conjugation, visit Verbix.com. Here, you can simply type in the infinitive form of any English verb, hit Enter, and see all of its different conjugations! Sometimes just playing around with new information can help you retain it better. 🙂

Before you go, let us know in the comments if you learned something new today! Do you feel more confident using English language conjugations? We hope that English conjugation is clearer to you now, and that you have a strong basis for future learning. Feel free to reach out with any questions, and we’ll do our best to answer them.

Until next time, happy learning!

What is a verb, and why is it important to focus on learning them? 

As for the most basic verb definition, verbs are commonly referred to as “action words,” because they’re words that name an action (though they sometimes refer to a state of being). Without verbs, people wouldn’t be able to talk about anything worthwhile or exciting. We use verbs all the time: While talking about our day, explaining directions or instructions, telling friends a story…and they’re used in both speech and writing.

So, what are the most common English verbs?

In this article, I’ll be going over the 100+ most common verbs in the English language. These are verbs that you can start using and practicing today, and that you’ll find yourself coming back to more times than you can count! 

Before we get started on English language verbs, though, you may find the following articles useful:

• Top 100+ Nouns in English
• English Pronouns
• Top 100+ Adjectives in English

Without further ado, here’s our list of all the verbs you need to know! 🙂

Table of Contents

1. Verb Usage: How to Use English Verbs
2. Top 100+ Verbs List
3. How EnglishClass101 Can Help You Master the English Language

1. Verb Usage: How to Use English Verbs

There are three main components of verb usage to keep in mind before moving on to our list: 

• Conjugation
• Agreement
• Basic sentence patterns

I’ll go into the basics of each one below.

1- Conjugation

Verb conjugation is how a verb’s tense is changed. You conjugate a verb by adding one of the following suffixes to the root verb:

• -s (or -es)

Adding the suffix -s to a verb changes it to the third person singular present form. For verbs that end with a sibilant sound and don’t have a silent “e,” use -es instead.

Win -> Wins

Box -> Boxes

Hike -> Hikes

This form means that a singular third party (he, she, or it) is currently doing something:

He wins again.

She boxes like a professional.

The dog hikes with its owner.

• -ing

Adding the suffix -ing to a verb changes it to the present participle form, which is also known as a gerund. For most verbs, you can simply add the suffix without making other changes: Peek -> Peeking.

But there are a few exceptions: 

• If the verb ends in a silent “e,” you omit it before adding the -ing: 

Waste -> Wast -> Wasting.

• If the verb ends in an “ie,” you replace it with the letter “y” before adding the -ing: 

Tie -> Ty -> Tying.

• As for double consonants, rules vary: 1) If one vowel is followed by one consonant at the end of the word, that consonant is doubled. 2) If the verb ends in a “c”, you need to add a “k” after it, and then add the -ing:

1) War -> Warr -> Warring.

2) Mimic -> Mimick -> Mimicking.

• -ed 

Adding the suffix -ed to a verb changes it to the past tense form. This means that the action happened in the past and is no longer happening.

• Keep in mind that if the verb already ends with an “e,” you only need to put the -d after it: 

Wave -> Waved.

• If the verb instead ends with a consonant directly followed by a “y,” you need to change the “y” to an “ie” before adding the -d:

Apply -> Applie ->Applied.

• As for double consonants, rules vary, but these are fairly typical rules: 1) If one vowel is followed by one consonant at the end of the word, the consonant is doubled. 2) If the verb ends in a “c,” you need to add a “k” after it, and then the -ed. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to these rules, and the rules in U.S. English are different than those in British English.

1) Tap -> Tapp -> Tapped

2) Mimic -> Mimick -> Mimicked

There are also irregular ways to change the form of certain verbs. As English irregular verbs are a complicated topic with many variations, I won’t go into detail about them here. But whenever an irregular verb appears on our list of verb examples, I’ll make a note of it for you. 

2- Subject-Verb Agreement

Now that you have a general idea of how to change the tense of verbs, let’s look at how they need to work in a sentence. Namely, the concept of subject-verb agreement.

According to the rule of subject-verb agreement, the subject and verb must agree in terms of number. This means that if a singular subject is performing an action, then the verb must also be singular. And if a plural subject is performing an action, then the verb must also be plural. 

Here are some examples:

Verb	Singular Sentence	Plural Sentence
Sleep Sleeping Slept *Note that the Past Tense of this verb isn’t “sleeped,” but slept. This is an irregular verb conjugation.	The man sleeps. The man is sleeping. The man slept.	The men sleep. The men are sleeping. The men slept.
Play Playing Played	The child plays. The child is playing. The child played.	The children play. The children are playing. The children played.
Arrive Arriving Arrived	The woman arrives. The woman is arriving. The woman arrived.	The women arrive. The women are arriving. The women arrived.

As you can see from the verb examples above, there are different ways of changing the verb to match the subject in number.

• For the base verb: If the subject is singular, the verb is made singular by adding an -s. If the subject is plural, the verb doesn’t change as it already matches the number.

• For the Present Participle: The -ing verb itself remains the same for both singular and plural subjects, but a “be” verb is put directly in front of it. The appropriate “be” verb for the singular subject is is, and the appropriate “be” verb for the plural subject is are.

• For the Past Tense: Guess what? There’s no change at all here, as the -ed verb already matches both the singular and plural subject in number! 🙂

3- Basic Sentence Patterns + Examples

Every sentence in English requires a subject (S) and a verb (V). Most sentences follow the S + V pattern. Keep in mind that the verbs in this sentence pattern are intransitive, meaning that the actions don’t require an object to be a complete sentence.

I walk. 

He talked.

She listens.

For more complex sentences, there’s also the sentence structure S + V + O, where O is the object to which or at which the action is being done. The verbs in this sentence structure are typically (but not always) transitive, meaning that an object is required to make the sentence complete. 

I walked toward the bank.

He is talking to his teacher.

She looked at the ocean.

Further, a verb’s placement in a sentence can vary based on what type of sentence it is. 

For instance, in an imperative sentence (a sentence that gives a command), the verb will most likely be at the beginning of the sentence: Bring me that mug. 

There are also instances where the verb can be at the end of the sentence, though this isn’t very common: What to give?

2. Top 100+ Verbs List

We’ve compiled the best English verbs for beginners to learn, and divided them into easy-to-understand categories for you. These are English verbs used in daily life that you’ll hear over and over again. You really need to know these! 

1- English Action Verbs List

Action verbs are the most common type of verb. These are verbs that describe a specific action, and there are two categories: Physical and Mental/Abstract. 

Physical action verbs are things that you do outwardly with your body. Verbs that are mental/abstract typically refer to feelings, thoughts, or other types of doing or being that aren’t expressed through a specific bodily action. 

Physical Verbs List

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Irregular?
1 Tell  (Tells; Telling; Told)	To let someone know something, usually verbally.	I want to tell you something.	At some point, you may be asked the question “Can you tell?” People ask this when they aren’t sure about something, and are checking to see if you’re sure about it.  For example, a coworker asks your friend to do something. Your friend later turns to you and says “I didn’t hear what she said. Could you tell?” You should know what they mean based on the context.	✓ Note that the Past Tense form is “told,” NOT “telled.”
2 Ask (Asks; Asking; Asked)	To inquire about something.	I want to ask you a question.
3 Listen (Listens; Listening; Listened)	3 Listen (Listens; Listening; Listened)	To hear and understand what someone is saying. To hear any noise.
4 Yell (Yells; Yelling; Yelled)	To make a loud verbal noise, either with words or without.	Don’t yell in the house.
5 Greet (Greets; Greeting; Greeted)	To interact with someone upon meeting them.	Joe didn’t know how to greet strangers.
6 Wave (Waves; Waving; Waved)	To move your hand back and forth, either in greeting or to motion someone forward.	Why didn’t you wave at me in the store?	This isn’t to be confused with the noun “wave,” which refers to the ocean’s tides.
7 Move (Moves; Moving; Moved)	To make any type of motion. To relocate your place of residency.	Don’t move!  Jill will move to Oregon in October.
8 Go (Goes; Going; Gone; Went)	To leave your current place or position.	Why do you have to go to work?		✓ Note that there are two past tenses for this word: the irregular “gone,” and the modern past tense “went.”
9 Stay (Stays; Staying; Stayed)	To remain where you are.	I don’t want to stay in this apartment forever.
10 Wait (Waits; Waiting; Waited)	To anticipate something that will happen, and stay around for it. To serve someone.	I don’t think I can wait for my date any longer. I can’t wait on you your whole life!

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Irregular?
11 Give (Gives; Giving; Gave)	To offer or provide something to someone else.	Can you give me more time to finish the assignment?		✓ Can you give me more time to finish the assignment?
12 Take (Takes; Taking; Took)	To claim something as your own by reaching for it, or otherwise gaining it.	Don’t you dare take the last cookie! Take your time on the test.	In the second sentence, the word take is used a little bit differently.  The phrase “take your time,” means not to hurry or go too fast when doing something. It’s sort of like “claiming” that time to use at your own pace.	✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “took,” NOT “taked.”
13 Put (Puts; Putting; Put)	To place something in a certain spot.	Put down your pencils.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is simply “put,” NOT “putted.”
14 Bring (Brings; Bringing; Brought)	14 Bring (Brings; Bringing; Brought)	Will you bring me my book please? What can you bring to this project?	In the first sentence, Adam is asking someone to give him an item that is out of his reach. In the second sentence, the interviewer is asking what quality the job candidate can give to the project. Both words have the same meaning, but are used in different contexts.	✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is  “brought, ” NOT  “bringed.”
15 Get (Gets; Getting; Got)	To retrieve or attain something.	I hope you get the job. Did you get that?	There may be times when someone asks you the question “Do you get it?” This is usually a way of asking if you understand something, not if you actually attained an item.	✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “got,” NOT “getted,”
16 Make (Makes; Making; Made)	To create or prepare something.	Can you make dinner tonight?		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “made,” NOT maked.”
17 Look (Looks; Looking; Looked)	To see something, or turn to see something.	Look what I can do!
18 Watch (Watches; Watching; Watched)	To observe something visually.	What shows do you like to watch on TV?	This is not to be confused with the noun “watch,” which refers to the time-telling device worn on the wrist.
19 Sit (Sits; Sitting; Sat)	To take a seat with your back straight and feet on the ground.	Sit up straight in your chair.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “sat,” NOT “sitted.”
20 Stand (Stands; Standing; Stood)	To be on your feet, supporting yourself vertically.	I need to stand up and walk around for a few minutes.	This is not to be confused with the noun “stand,” which refers to a vertical object used for holding something.	✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “stood,” NOT “standed.”
21 Walk (Walks; Walking; Walked)	To travel by foot at a slow pace.	Will you walk with me?	This is not to be confused with the noun “walk,” which refers to a walkway or path.  You may also hear someone say that they’re “going on a walk,” which just means that they’re going to walk for exercise.
22 Run (Runs; Running; Ran)	To travel by foot at a fast pace.	I’m tired; I can’t run any longer.	You may hear someone say that they’re “going on a run,” which just means that they’re going to run for exercise.	✓ Note that the Past Tense for this verb is “ran,” NOT “runned.”
23 Lift (Lifts; Lifting; Lifted)	To pick up something (usually heavy), especially from the ground.	Can you help me lift this box?	This is not to be confused with the noun “lift,” which refers to something (usually a machine) that lifts.

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Additional Notes
24 Play (Plays; Playing;	To enjoy oneself through activities.	How about we play a game?	This is not to be confused with the noun “play,” which refers to a type of stage performance.
25 Stop (Stops; Stopping; Stopped)	To end or cease an action or activity.	Just stop bothering me already!
26 Rest (Rests; Resting; Rested)	To take some time to stop an activity in order to regain energy.	I’m so tired. I need to rest.	You may hear someone say “Give it a rest!” This means that whatever you’re doing or saying is making them upset, and you should stop.
27 Sleep (Sleeps; Sleeping; Slept)	To lose waking consciousness and slumber.	You need to sleep before it gets too late.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “slept,” NOT “sleeped.”
28 Try (Tries; Trying; Tried)	To attempt to do something.	You won’t succeed if you don’t try.
29 Work (Works; Working; Worked)	To do some type of labor or perform some task.	I appreciate that you work so hard.	This word is also used as a noun. For instance, someone may say “I’m going to work,” which means they’re going to their place of employment.
30 Study (Studies; Studying; Studied)	To make an effort toward learning, understanding, or memorizing something.	I really need to study for the test next week.	There are two other common uses of the word “study” as a noun.  1) When someone says that another person is a “quick study,” it means they learn quickly. 2) A study is also a type of room, usually containing books, writing utensils, and a desk.
31 Leave (Leaves; Leaving; Left)	To go away or depart.	I want to leave this town soon,.	There are a couple of common phrases in English that use this word as a noun: 1) “Go on leave” 2) “Take leave” Both refer to going on a vacation (or suspension) from a place of work or study.	✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “left,” NOT “leaved.”
32 Drive (Drives; Driving; Drove; Driven)	To operate a vehicle or to bring something about.	I don’t want to drive at all after the car crash. You’re going to drive me crazy if you don’t stop.	The first sentence refers to operating a vehicle. The second sentence uses the word “drive” in the sense that the person Bill’s talking to will bring about his craziness.	✓ Note that this verb has two past tense variations: the irregular “drove,” (he drove) and the past participle “driven,” (he has driven).
33 Travel (Travels; Traveling; Traveled)	To visit new places.	I want to travel the world someday.

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Irregular?
34 Arrive (Arrives; Arriving; Arrived)	To show up somewhere.	What time should he arrive for dinner?
35 Clean (Cleans; Cleaning; Cleaned)	To tidy up or sanitize.	I really don’t want to clean the house right now.
36 Eat (Eats; Eating; Ate)	To consume food.	I can’t wait to eat dinner tonight.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “ate,” NOT “eated.”
37 Drink (Drinks; Drinking; Drank; Drunk)	To consume liquid.	What would you like to drink?	“Drink” is also used as a noun to name something that a person can drink. For example, when used as a noun, the waitress could say: “What drink can I get you?”	✓ Note that this verb has two past tenses: the irregular “drank,” (he drank the water) and the past participle “drunk,” (he has drunk the water).
38 Turn (Turns; Turning; Turned)	To rotate or change direction; to change.	Turn right at the stop sign. How did my life turn into this?	In the first sentence,”turn” is used to indicate a change in direction. In the second sentence, it’s used to mean a change from one thing to another.
39 Buy (Buys; Buying; Bought)	To purchase something.	What do you think I should buy mom for Christmas?		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “bought,” NOT “buyed.”
40 Laugh (Laughs; Laughing; Laughed)	To make a joyful noise that indicates something funny happened.	I love to hear you laugh.
41 Cry (Cries; Crying; Cried)	To weep, usually associated with tears and sadness.	Please don’t cry.
42 Smile (Smiles; Smiling; Smiled)	To curve your mouth upwards, usually when you’re happy.	Smile for the picture.
43 Frown (Frowns; Frowning; Frowned)	To curve your mouth downward, usually when you’re sad.	I don’t like to see you frown like that.	P.S.: If someone tells you to “Turn your frown upside-down,” they want you to smile and be happy. 🙂
44 Hug (Hugs; Hugging; Hugged)	To embrace someone by wrapping your arms around each other.	I need a hug.
45 Kiss (Kisses; Kissing; Kissed)	To embrace someone (usually a significant other or family member) by pressing your lips against them.	Carla kissed her mother on the cheek before leaving.

2. Mental/Abstract Verbs List

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Irregular?
46 Think (Thinks; Thinking; Thought)	To use one’s brain to formulate ideas.	Let me think about this first.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “thought,” NOT “thinked.”
47 Know (Knows; Knowing; Knew)	To understand something as fact and have knowledge of it.	I want to know what you’re thinking.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “knew,” NOT “knowed.”
48 Understand (Understands; Understanding; Understood)	To grasp the concept of something.	I don’t understand what’s going on.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “understood,” NOT “understanded.”
49 Comprehend (Comprehends; Comprehending; Comprehended)	To understand on a deep level.	Why is this problem so difficult to comprehend?
50 Acknowledge (Acknowledges; Acknowledging; Acknowledged)	To accept something as true or as fact; to recognize.	I acknowledge the importance of this book. This is a problem we need to acknowledge.
51 Accept (Accepts; Accepting; Accepted)	To agree to/with,	The teacher doesn’t accept this kind of behavior in the classroom.
52 Believe (Believes; Believing; Believed)	To have faith or trust in a fact or concept.	I don’t believe what you’re telling me.
53 Like (Likes; Liking; Liked)	To have a fondness for or toward something.	I like living in Washington.
54 Love (Loves; Loving; Loved)	To care about someone or something; to have romantic or otherwise positive feelings toward someone or something.	I love my family.	Nowadays, people often use the words “like” and “love” interchangeably. But traditionally, “love” has a much stronger, more sincere connotation.
55 Admire (Admires; Admiring; Admired)	To have positive feelings of respect or love for someone; to watch or look at someone/something with such feelings.	I admire Mara for her courage. Admire this painting with me.

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes
56 Care (Cares; Caring; Cared)	To sincerely take interest in the well-being of someone or something.	She really cares about Lionel.
57 Hate (Hates; Hating; Hated)	To greatly dislike something or someone, sometimes to the point of anger or disgust.	Tom hates Linda.
58 Learn (Learns; Learning; Learned)	To gain knowledge.	I want to learn how to speak another language.
59 Respect (Respects; Respecting; Respected)	To place due value upon another person (or thing).	Can’t you respect your grandparents a little more?	“Respect” is also used as a noun to embody the meaning of the verb.
60 Honor (Honors; Honoring; Honored)	To respect; to uphold a certain moral standard or expectation.	You need to honor your parents’ wishes. Can I trust you to honor this rule?	You need to honor your parents’ wishes. Can I trust you to honor this rule?
61 Calculate (Calculates; Calculating; Calculated)	To think something through in order to come to a conclusion or solution.	The accountant called back after calculating the numbers.
62 Wonder (Wonders; Wondering; Wondered)	To think about something, especially by asking yourself about it or going through possibilities.	I wonder if they’ll give me a discount on this dress.	“Wonder” is also used as a noun in two ways: 1) To embody the meaning of the verb. 2) To refer to something that is very good or fascinating.
63 Expect (Expects; Expecting; Expected)	To believe that something will happen.	I expect that you’ll arrive on time.
64 Anticipate (Anticipates; Anticipating; Anticipated)	To foresee something.	I anticipate that the store will shut down soon.
65 Remember (Remembers; Remembering; Remembered)	To have memory of something; to recall something.	I wish I could remember our first date together.

Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes
66 Confuse (Confuses; Confusing; Confused)	To make someone unsure of something; to make a situation more difficult to understand.	To make someone unsure of something; to make a situation more difficult to understand.
67 Want (Wants; Wanting; Wanted)	To desire or long for something.	I want to eat a donut for breakfast.
68 Allow (Allows; Allowing; Allowed)	To give permission for something to happen; to have something happen under your watch.	I’ll allow you to eat a donut this one time.
69 Relax (Relaxes; Relaxing; Relaxed)	To rest without worry or stress.	I want you to relax.
70 Regret (Regrets; Regretting; Regretted)	To wish you had or had not done or said something.	I regret not joining the golf team in high school.

2- Linking Verbs

Linking verbs are used specifically to link the subject (S) to a noun or adjective that renames the subject. For example, in the sentence “I feel tired,” the verb feel renames the subject “I” as “tired.” In other words, “I” = “tired.”

Linking Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes	Irregular?
71 Look (Looks; Looking; Looked)	To appear to be a certain way.	Do I look okay in this outfit?
72 Appear (Appears; Appearing; Appeared)	To become evident.	I appear to be losing some weight.
73 Seem (Seems; Seeming; Seemed)	To look or appear to be a certain way.	Does Harold seem tense to you?	This isn’t to be confused with the noun “seam,” which has the same pronunciation. The meanings are entirely different.
74 Feel (Feels; Feeling; Felt)	Used to describe the experience of emotion, sensation, or a hunch.	I feel hopeful today. The table feels scratchy. I feel like the essay is too long.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “felt,” NOT “feeled.”
75 Smell (Smells; Smelling; Smelled)	Used to describe the experience of an aroma.	Used to describe the experience of an aroma.
76 Taste (Tastes; Tasting; Tasted)	Used to describe the experiencing of a taste.	I hope it tastes good, too.
77 Sound (Sounds; Sounding; Sounded)	Used to describe the experience of noise; used to describe someone’s thoughts on what they heard.	It sounds like a carnival in here. It sounds like Anya plans on leaving the company soon.
78 Act (Acts; Acting; Acted)	Used to describe the state in which a person appears to be in.	He acts like he owns the place.
79 Resemble (Resembles; Resembling; Resembled)	To appear to be like another thing in some way.	To appear to be like another thing in some way.
80 Remain (Remains; Remaining; Remained)	To continue to be a certain way or in a certain state.	Can things remain the way they are?	This isn’t to be confused with the noun “remains,” which refers to something that’s left over.
81 Become (Becomes; Becoming; Became)	To change state.	A caterpillar becomes a butterfly.		✓ Note that the Past Tense of this verb is “became,” NOT “becomed.”

3- Helping Verbs

Helping verbs in English can be a bit complicated, but luckily, there aren’t very many of them. There are two types of helping verbs:

• Modal: Modal verbs imply that something is possible, impossible, certain, or probable. Oftentimes, modal verbs imply ability, permission, a request, or an offer of some sort.

• Auxiliary: Auxiliary verbs add additional information to a sentence.

English Modal Verbs Table

Modal Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes
82 Can	This implies the ability of someone/something to do an action.	I can walk on my hands for thirty minutes.
83 May	This implies permission to do something, or the possibility of something happening.	May I go to the store with you? I may buy ice cream later.
84 Must	This implies that something needs to happen, usually so that something else can happen.	You must get at least a 70 to pass the test.
85 Will	This implies that something is going to happen, or that someone is going to do something.	I will call you back later.
86 Could	This implies the ability of something to perform an action (or be used for that action).	Could that hairpin be used as a key?
87 Would	This implies that an action would be performed if the possibility existed.	I would help you if I could.
88 Should	This implies whether an action or event is necessary or a good idea.	Should we really eat chocolate chips after dinner?
89 Shall	This means the same thing as “will.”	I shall own this kingdom one day.	Note that the word “shall” tends to sound a little bit pretentious in modern speech. In general, it’s better to use the word “will,” especially in casual conversation.
90 Might	This implies that there’s a possibility that something will happen.	I might have to leave a few minutes early.

English Auxiliary Verbs Table

Auxiliary Verb	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes
91 Be (Is; Being; Was)	To exist or have a certain quality.	There’s no need to be rude about it.
92 Do (Does; Doing; Did)	To perform an action.	What is he doing?
93 Have (Has; Having; Had)	For something to be necessary or inevitable; to possess something; to experience something.	He has to make his mind up sometime. I have a PS3. I had a hard time last week.

4- Bonus: Verb Phrases

In English, there are many verb phrases that we use to specify a more specific action. A verb phrase is usually two words that describe a single action. Here are some of the most common ones that you’re likely to hear in daily life:

Verb Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence	Additional Notes
94 Wake up	To stop sleeping.	It’s time to wake up.
95 Give up	To lose hope and stop trying.	You’ve come so far; don’t give up yet.
96 Pick up	To take something in your hands; to retrieve something; to gain knowledge of something.	Can you pick up your toys off the floor? I forgot to pick up rice at the store last weekend. I was able to pick up some job-searching advice on the retreat.	This may be the most complicated verb phrase in English, as it has three potential meanings. The more you practice English, the easier it will be to know which meaning is relevant based on the context.
97 Brighten up	To become happier or more joyful; to be the reason for someone else becoming happier.	Kierra brightened up when she saw Ian. Ian really knows how to brighten up a room.
98 Shy away	To neglect to do something because of fear or embarrassment.	I didn’t mean to shy away from that job opportunity.
99 Take away	To take something from another person; to gain information or value from something.	Do I have to take away your phone? I took away some good information from the lecture.
100 Give away	To give something you own to someone else; to reveal a secret.	I want to give away some of my old clothes soon. I won’t give away the ending of the book.
101 Throw away	To put something in the trash; to figuratively do so to something good in one’s life.	Don’t throw away the leftovers! Why did you throw away that good relationship you had?
102 Waste away	To diminish over time.	I hate to see that old house just waste away.
103 Sleep in	To sleep until late in the morning (or later than one usually wakes up).	I really can’t wait to sleep in on Saturday.
104 Head out	To leave, usually for a specific place.	I’m going to head out now.
105 Drop off	To leave something (or someone) at a certain place or with a certain person.	The school bus dropped off the girl at her bus stop.

3. How EnglishClass101 Can Help You Master the English Language

Okay, breathe out now. Unclench your fists. Leave the room to cry for a few minutes, if you need to. It’s over now. That’s all the detail I’ll be going into in this English verbs guide.

If you made it this far, I’m impressed. Verbs may just be the most difficult, spirit-crushing part of the English sentence, and you just read all about them. 

Don’t expect to be a master overnight; students in the United States start learning this stuff early on, up until the end of high school—and they still get some of this conjugation/tense stuff wrong. Really, irregular verbs are a nightmare. 

I recommend visiting this page often, or even printing it out to have a handy verb reference with you to study. And, as with anything you want to be truly good at, you need to practice using these verbs often! Some verbs may come easier than others, but with enough time and practice, you’ll be able to use everything in this verbs list like it’s nothing! 

Know that EnglishClass101.com wants to help you out on each step of your language-learning journey. We offer constant support, effective learning tools, and a fun approach to English-learning that we think you’ll love! (Well, as much as you can love learning an often-frustrating language.)

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you feel about English verbs. Do you feel like you have a better idea of how they work, or is there something you’re still not understanding? Are there any important verbs we missed? We look forward to hearing from you!