Verbs

What is a verb?
A verb is one of the main parts of a sentence or question in English.
In fact, you cant have a sentence or a question without a verb! Thats how important these
action parts of speech are.

The verb signals an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Whether mental, physical, or
mechanical, verbs always express activity.

Physical Verbs Definition and Examples

Physical verbs are action verbs. They describe specific physical actions. If you can create a
motion with your body or use a tool to complete an action, the word you use to describe it is most
likely a physical verb.

Physical Verb Examples

The physical verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

Lets run to the corner and back.

I hear the train coming.

Call me when youre finished with class.

Mental Verbs Definition and Examples

Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding,
thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.

Mental Verb Examples

The mental verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

I know the answer.

She recognized me from across the room.

Do you believe everything people tell you?

States of Being Verbs Definition and Examples

 Also known as linking verbs, state of being verbs describe conditions or situations that exist.
State of being verbs are inactive since no action is being performed. These verbs are usually
complemented by adjectives.

States of Being Verb Examples

The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.

I am a student.

We are circus performers.

Please is quiet.

Types of Verbs
How many types of verbs are there? In addition to the main categories of physical verbs, mental
verbs, and state of being verbs, there are several other types of verbs. In fact, there are more
than ten different types of verbs that are grouped by function.

List of all Verb Types

Action Verbs
Action verbs express specific actions, and are used any time you want to show action or discuss
someone doing something.

Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities. These verbs always have
direct objects, meaning someone or something receives the action of the verb.

Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities. No direct object follows
an intransitive verb.

Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also known as helping verbs, and are used together with a main verb to show
the verbs tense or to form a question or negative.

Stative Verbs
Stative verbs can be recognized because they express a state rather than an action. They
typically relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being, and measurements.

Modal Verbs
 Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express abilities, possibilities, permissions, and
obligations.

Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs arent single words; instead, they are combinations of words that are used together
to take on a different meaning to that of the original verb.

Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are those that dont take on the regular spelling patterns of past simple and past
participle verbs.

Action Verbs
Action Verbs are verbs that express action. Ex: run, walk, do, drive.
Ill do my homework when I get home.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Most action verbs are defined as transitive or intransitive. This means that some are used with a
direct object (the person or thing that receives the action of the subject) and others dont need a
direct object. Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their meaning.

1. Transitive Verb Joe will send the price quote as soon as he can.

2. Intransitive Verb Many of the students are not well. They coughed throughout the
lesson.

Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs always receive a direct object:

1. Richard annoys his boss so much that hell never get a promotion.
(His boss is the direct object of annoys and a promotion is the direct object of get)

2. Jenna brings Mrs. Smith lunch every day.

(Mrs. Smith is the direct object of brings. Jenna is the subject.
Heres a list of some common transitive verbs that must be followed by a direct object:

bring

send
 owe

contain

buy

show

take

tell

verify

check

get

wash

finalize

annoy

lay

lend

offer

edit

make

phone

Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs do not need a direct object in order to complete their meaning. Many are
followed by an adjective, adverb, preposition or verb complement (gerund or infinitive).

Here is a list of common intransitive verbs:

come
 explode

laugh

sit

rise

excel

respond

run

cough

swim

emigrate

smile

act

cry

immigrate

lie

arrive

continue

die

go

1. If Cathy continues to be late for work, the boss will fire her.
(Continues is followed by an infinitive (to be), with no direct object.)

2. The bomb exploded in the city center.

(Exploded is followed by a preposition of place with no direct object.)
Many verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their meanings.
 Examples
1. Jamie set the documents down on the CEOs desk.
(Transitive: The documents are the direct object to the verb: set.)

2. The sun set low over the Pacific Ocean.

(Intransitive: Low is an adverb. Set doesnt need a direct object.)

3. Ms. Tyson manages the accounting department.

(Transitive: The accounting department is the direct object to the verb: manage.)

4. John has had difficulty managing since his wifes death.

(Intransitive: Since is a preposition of time. Managing doesnt need a direct object)
Note: Transitive and intransitive verbs can appear in any tense.

Here is a list of several verbs that can be both transitive and intransitive depending on their
meanings:

set

leave

give

study

sit

grow

smell

dance

sing

write

teach

burn

eat
 paint

drive

manage

stop

climb

run

check

cost

go

pay

improve

Auxiliary (or Helping) Verbs

Auxiliary (or Helping) verbs are used together with a main verb to show the verbs tense or to
form a negative or question. The most common auxiliary verbs are have, be, and do.

1. Does Sam write all his own reports?

2. The secretaries havent written all the letters yet.

3. Terry is writing an e-mail to a client at the moment.

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, add functional or grammatical meaning to the
clauses in which they appear. They perform their functions in several different ways:

By expressing tense ( providing a time reference, i.e. past, present, or future)

Grammatical aspect (expresses how verb relates to the flow of time)

Modality (quantifies verbs)

Voice (describes the relationship between the action expressed by the verb and the
participants identified by the verbs subject, object, etc.)
 Adds emphasis to a sentence
Auxiliary verbs almost always appear together with a main verb, and though there are only a few
of them, they are among the most frequently occurring verbs in the English language.

How to Identify an Auxiliary Verb

You probably know that every sentence has at least one verb in it. There are two main types of
verbs. Action verbs are used to depict activities that are doable, and linking verbs are used to
describe conditions. Both action verbs and linking verbs can accompany auxiliary verbs including
the three main ones: do, be, and have.

Sometimes actions or conditions occur only one time and then theyre over. Its at times like
these that some of the same verbs that are used as auxiliary verbs are instead used as action or
linking verbs. In this example, we see the word is. This is one of the most common auxiliary
verbs, but because it stands alone here, it is not functioning as an auxiliary verb.

Jerry slammed the car door on his thumb. He is in horrible pain.

Is is a linking verb in this sentence. Because it stands alone, it is not an auxiliary verb.

At other times, an action or condition is ongoing, happening predictably, or occurring in

relationship to another event or set of events. In these cases, single-word verbs like is are not
accurately capable of describing what happened, so phrases that include auxiliary verbs are
used instead. These can be made up of anywhere from two to four words.

A main verb, also known as a base verb, indicates the kind of action or condition taking place. An
auxiliary or helping verb accompanies the main verb and conveys other nuances that help the
reader gain specific insight into the event that is taking place.

Read the following sentences and explanations to gain greater insight into how auxiliary verbs
work.

1. Jerry caught his thumb in the car door as coffee spilled from his cup onto his favorite
shirt.

2. Jerry is always spilling things.

3. Since Jerry is also accident prone, he should have been drinking coffee from a mug
with a lid, which would not have spilled on his favorite shirt.
In sentence one, caught and spilled, single-word verbs, describe quick, one-time actions of both
Jerry and his messy coffee. This sentence does not contain an auxiliary verb.
 Since Jerry often has unfortunate accidents, is spilling communicates the frequency of his
clumsy actions in sentence two. In sentence three, the auxiliary verbs that make up should have
been drinking and would have stained express time relationships as well as an evaluation of
Jerrys actions.

Three Common Auxiliary Verbs

There are just three common auxiliary verbs:

Have

Do

Be
In this section, well take a closer look at how these common verbs work, plus youll see some
examples.

Have

Have is a very important verb that can stand alone in all its tenses, including has, have,
having, had, and hadnt or had not. It is usually used to denote ownership, and it can also be
used to discuss ability or describe appearance. Have is also a very popular substitute for the
verbs eat and drink. For example: Lets have dinner.

When used as an auxiliary verb, have is always teamed up with another verb to create a
complete verb phrase, making it easy to differentiate between uses. You can see the difference
in the sentences below:

Jerry has a large coffee stain on his shirt. Has = action verb

Jerry has bought a new shirt to replace the one that was ruined earlier. Has =
auxiliary verb; bought is a past participle that competes the verb phrase.

Jerry should have been more careful! Have = auxiliary verb; phrase should have
been expresses time and evaluates Jerrys actions.

Do

Do can be used as an action verb that stands alone in all its tenses, including to
do, do, does,done, did and didnt, doesnt or did not .

When used as an auxiliary verb, do is always paired up with another verb to create a complete
verb phrase. In some cases, it is used to add emphasis: I did put the garbage out! Do is often
used to form questions and negated clauses. It is also used in elliptical sentences, where the
 main verb is understood and is omitted as a result. For example: He plays piano
well, doesnt he? or They all had dinner, but I didnt.

Because he spills things so often, Jerry does more laundry than most people. Does =
action verb

Jerry didnt put his coffee in a cup with a lid. Didnt = auxiliary verb

Jerry doesnt always spill things, but it happens a lot. Doesnt = auxiliary verb

Be

Be or to be is an important verb that has a multitude of uses in English. It can be used as an

action verb that stands alone in all its tenses including be, to be, been, am, are, is, was, were,
wasnt, was not arent, are not, werent and were not.

When used as an auxiliary verb, be is always paired with another verb to create a complete verb
phrase. It can be singular or plural, present or past. Negative sentences are formed by adding
the word not.

Jerry is messy. Is = action verb

Although he is always complaining about his accidents, Jerry fails to pay attention. is =
auxiliary verb

Jerry is going to be doing extra laundry for the rest of his life. to be = auxiliary verb

Modal Auxiliary Verbs

In addition to the three main auxiliary verbs, have, do, and be, there are additional auxiliary
verbs. These are called modal auxiliary verbs, and they never change form. A complete list of
modal auxiliary verbs follows:

Can

Could

May

Might

Must

Ought to
 Shall

Should

Will

Would

Auxiliary Verb Examples

Here are some examples of auxiliary verbs and verb phrases. In the examples below, the verb
phrase is italicized and the auxiliary verb is in bold.

1. Jessica is taking John to the airport.

2. If he doesnt arrive on time, hell have to take a later flight.

3. Unfortunately, our dinner has been eaten by the dog.

4. I have purchased a new pair of shoes to replace the ones that were lost in my luggage.

5. We hope you dont have an accident on your way to school.

6. She was baking a pie for dessert.

7. Dad has been working hard all day.

8. The bed was made as soon as I got up.

9. Sarah doesnt ski or roller skate.

10. Did Matthew bring coffee?

Stative Verbs
What are Stative Verbs?
Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate to
thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements. These verbs are
not usually used with ing in progressive (continuous) tenses even though they may take on time
expressions such as now and at the moment. We use the simple tenses for them.

1. Paul feels rotten today. He has a bad cold.

 2. Do you recognize him? He is a famous rock star.

3. Our client appreciated all the work we did for him.

Incorrect: Im smelling your wifes wonderful spaghetti sauce.

Correct: I smell your wifes wonderful spaghetti sauce.

However, there are some verbs that look like they should be stative, but may appear in the ing
form. These verbs differ in meaning to the stative verbs.

Stative Verb Examples:

see

1. I see Michael, but he cant see me. Im too far away. (I see him with my eyes.)

2. James is seeing Marsha. Theyve been together for a month. (Hes dating her.)

hear

1. I hear music coming from the Smiths apartment. Someone must be home now. (To
experience sound)

2. Im hearing voices. (Im imagining it)

have

1. Jeremy has a Mercedes. (He owns it.)

2. Sara is having lunch with her editor. (Shes eating lunch)

List of Stative Verbs

adore

agree

appear (seem)

appreciate

be (exist)

believe
 belong to

concern

consist of

contain

cost

deny

depend on

deserve

detest

disagree

dislike

doubt

equal

feel

hate

have (possession)

hear

imagine

include

involve

know

lack

like
 loathe

look (seem)

love

matter

mean

measure

mind

need

owe

own

possess

promise

realize

recognize

remember

resemble

satisfy

see

seem

smell

sound

suppose

surprise
 taste

think (opinion)

understand

want

weigh

wish

Modal Verbs
Modal and Modal Phrases (Semi-Modals)
A modal is a type of auxiliary (helping) verb that is used to express: ability, possibility,
permission or obligation. Modal phrases (or semi-modals) are used to express the same things
as modals, but are a combination of auxiliary verbs and the preposition to. The modals and semi-
modals in English are:

1. Can/could/be able to

2. May/might

3. Shall/should

4. Must/have to

5. Will/would

Can, Could, Be Able To

Can, could and be able to are used to express a variety of ideas in English:

Ability/Lack of Ability

Present and Future:

can/cant + base form of the verb

1. Tom can write poetry very well.

2. I can help you with that next week.

 3. Lisa cant speak French.
am / is / are / will be + able to + base form of the verb
am not/ isnt / arent/ wont be + able to + base form of the verb

1. Mike is able to solve complicated math equations

2. The support team will be able to help you in about ten minutes.

3. I wont be able to visit you next summer.

Past:

could / couldnt + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child I could climb trees.

was / were + able to + base form of the verb
wasnt / werent + able to + base form of the verb
hasnt / havent + been able to + base form of the verb

1. I wasnt able to visit her in the hospital.

2. He hasnt been able to get in touch with the client yet.

Note: Can and could do not take an infinitive (to verb) and do not take the future auxiliary will.

Incorrect: I can to help you this afternoon.

Correct: I can help you this afternoon.

Correct: I will (Ill) be able to help you this afternoon.

Possibility / Impossibility

can / cant + base form of the verb

1. You can catch that train at 10:43.

2. He cant see you right now. Hes in surgery.

could + base form of the verb

1. I could fly via Amsterdam if I leave the day before.

Ask Permission / Give Permission

Can + Subject + base form of the verb (informal)

1. Can you lend me ten dollars?
Can + base form of the verb (informal)

1. You can borrow my car.

Could + subject + base form of the verb (polite)

1. Could I have your number?

2. Could I talk to your supervisor please?

Make a suggestion To make a suggestion use:

Could + base form of the verb (informal)

1. You could take the tour of the castle tomorrow.

May, Might
Formal Permission / Formal Prohibition

may / may not + base form of the verb

1. You may start your exam now.

2. You may not wear sandals to work.

Polite Request

May + subject + base form of the verb

1. May I help you?

Possibility / Negative Possibility

may/ might + base form of the verb

1. We may go out dinner tonight. Do you want to join us?

2. Our company might get the order if the client agrees to the price.
may not / might not + base form of the verb

1. Adam and Sue may not buy that house. Its very expensive.

2. They might not buy a house at all.

To Make a Suggestion (when there is no better alternative)

may as well / might as well + base form of the verb

1. You may as well come inside. John will be home soon.

2. We might as well take Friday off. Theres no work to be done anyway.

Polite Suggestion

might + base form of the verb

1. You might like to try the salmon fillet. Its our special today.

Shall, Should, Ought to

To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are quite sure of a positive answer)

Shall + subject + base form of the verb

1. Shall we go for a walk?

Note: Shall is only used with I or we. It is used instead of will only in formal English.

To Offer of Assistance or Polite Suggestion (When you are not sure of a positive answer)

Should + subject + base form of the verb

1. Should I call a doctor?

A Prediction or Expectation that Something Will Happen

should/shouldnt + base form of the verb

1. The proposal should be finished on time.

2. I shouldnt be late. The train usually arrives on time.

To Give Advice

should / ought to + base form of the verb

1. You should check that document before you send it out.

2. You ought to have your car serviced before the winter.

To Give Advice (about something you think wrong or unacceptable)

shouldnt + base form of the verb

1. James shouldnt teach him words like those.

Must, Have to, Need to, Dont have to,

Neednt
Necessity or Requirement

Present and Future:

must / have to / need to + base form of the verb

1. You must have a passport to cross the border.

2. Elisabeth has to apply for her visa by March 10th.

3. I need to drop by his room to pick up a book.

Past:

had to / needed to + base form of the verb

1. I had to work late last night.

2. I needed to drink a few cups of coffee in order to stay awake.

Note: have to and need to are often used in the same context, but many times, need to is used
to express something that is less urgent, something in which you have a choice.

Almost 100% Certain

must + base form of the verb

1. Thomas has lived in Paris for years. His French must be very good.

To Persuade

must / have to + base form of the verb

1. You must try this wine. Its excellent.

2. You have to visit us while youre in town.

Prohibited or Forbidden

must not / mustnt + base form of the verb

1. You must not drive over the speed limit.

2. You mustnt leave medicines where children can get to them.

Lack of Necessity

dont /doesnt /didnt + have to + base form of the verb

1. You dont have to park the car. The hotel valet will do it for you.

2. Tim doesnt have to go to school today. Its a holiday.

3. You didnt have to shout. Everyone could hear you.

neednt + base form of the verb

1. You neednt worry about me. Ill be fine.

Modals: Will / Would

will / wont + base form of the verb

1. John will pick you up at 7:00am.

2. Beth wont be happy with the results of the exam.

Polite Request or Statement

Will / Would + base form of the verb

1. Will you please take the trash out?

2. Would you mind if I sat here?

3. Id (I would) like to sign up for your workshop.

Habitual Past Action

Would/Wouldnt + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child, I would spend hours playing with my train set.

2. Peter wouldnt eat broccoli when he was a kid. He loves it now.

Phrasal Verbs
What are Phrasal Verbs?
A phrasal verb is a combination of words (a verb + a preposition or verb +adverb) that when used
together, usually take on a different meaning to that of the original verb.

Phrasal Verb Examples

1. break down, check in, tear up
When we use phrasal verbs, we use them like normal verbs in a sentence, regardless if its a
regular or irregular verb.

1. Ella tore up the letter after she read it.

2. Their car broke down two miles out of town.

3. Did the manager deal with that customers complaint.

More phrasal verb examples:

1. Be sure to put on a life jacket before getting into the boat.

2. We left out the trash for pickup.

3. Its time to get on the plane.

4. What will she think up next?

5. Im having some trouble working out the solution to this equation.

6. Were going to have to put off our vacation until next year.

7. Stand up when speaking in class, please.

8. Well have to wake up early if we want breakfast.

9. Take off your shoes before you walk on the carpet.

10. My dog likes to break out of his kennel to chase squirrels.

Verb Tenses
Present Simple

1. Positive: Most kids like milk.

2. Negative: I do not like milk unless its chocolate.

3. Yes/No Questions: Do you like milk?

4. Wh-Questions: When do we board the train for Paris?

5. Tag Questions: You like scuba diving, dont you?

Present Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:You are learning to use perfect English.

2. Negative:You are not sleeping now.

3. Yes/No Questions:Are you eating?

4. Wh-Questions:What are you watching?

5. Tag Questions:You arent eating liverwurst, are you?

Past Simple

1. Positive:I visited my grandmother yesterday.

2. Negative:We didnt watch the movie on Saturday.

3. Yes/No Questions:Did you have spaghetti for dinner last night?

4. Wh-Questions:Why didnt you wash the car yesterday?

5. Tag Questions:You went to Paris last year, didnt you?

Past Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:We were watching TV when the power went out.

2. Negative:You were not listening to the teachers instructions yesterday.

3. Yes/No Questions:Were you skateboarding when you broke your leg?

4. Wh-Questions:What were you doing when you heard the news?

Future
 Future Simple

1. Be Going To:We are going to the movies tonight.

2. Shall:You will help your grandmother later.

Future Progressive (Continuous)

1. Present Simple and Present Progressive with Future Meaning: Sam will be coming
home any minute.

Perfect Tenses
The perfect tenses describe actions that have already been completed or that began in the past
and are relevant to the present or that will have happened at a particular time in the future. They
are also referred to as the perfective aspect.

Present Perfect Simple

1. Positive:They have been to Paris.

2. Negative:You havent gone overseas.

3. Yes/No Questions:Have you been to London?

4. Wh-Questions:Why are we here?

5. Tag Questions:You havent been to Zurich, have you?

Present Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:They have been swimming for more than an hour.

2. Negative:You havent waited thirty minutes yet.

3. Yes/No Questions:Have you been waiting long?

4. Wh-Questions:What time did you begin waiting?

5. Tag Questions:You havent been waiting long, have you?

Past Perfect Simple

1. Positive:He had studied French before traveling to Paris.

2. Negative: She hadnt studied French before last semester.

 3. Yes/No Questions:Had you studied French before you traveled to Paris?

4. Wh-Questions:Why hadnt you studied French when you knew youd be traveling to
Paris soon?

5. Tag Questions:You hadnt visited the U.S. before your trip in 2010, had you?

Past Perfect Progressive (Continuous)

1. Positive:We had been waiting for more than three hours when the train finally arrived.

2. Negative:We had not been waiting for more than thirty minutes when her plane landed.

3. Yes/No Questions:Had you been waiting for longer than three hours?

4. Wh-Questions:Why had you been waiting for the last two hours?

Future Perfect Simple / Future Perfect Progressive

1. Future Perfect Simple:You will have perfected your French by the time you come back
from Paris.

2. Future Perfect Progressive:We will be waiting for him when his plan arrives tonight.

Irregular Verbs
What Are Irregular Verbs?
Irregular verbs are verbs that dont take on the regular d, -ed, or -ied spelling patterns of the
past simple (V2) or past participle (V3). Many of the irregular V2 and V3 forms are the same,
such as: cut cut, had had, let let, hurt hurt, fed- fed, sold-sold

Irregular Verb Examples

Irregular verbs are also known as strong verbs. Here are nine that are used more often than the
rest. These nine irregular verb examples also happen to be among the most commonly used
words in the English language. They are:

Go

Get

Say
 See

Think

Make

Take

Come

Know
The following list of examples show how irregular verbs are used in sentences. Some sentences
contain more than one example.

1. Go get your brother. Its time to eat dinner.

In this example, all three irregular verbs (go, get, and eat) are in base form.

2. I want to build a sand castle like the one we built last year.
In this example, the irregular verb build is in base form. The irregular verb built is the past
simple form of build. When you look at the complete list of examples, youll notice that built
is also the past participle of the irregular verb build.

3. He bet me that I couldnt run five miles without stopping. I proved him wrong; I ranseven
miles before I had to catch my breath.
In this example, bet is a past simple form. When you look at the complete list, you will see
that all three forms of bet are the same. Next, in the same sentence, the irregular verb run
is in base form. In the next sentence, ran is the past simple form of run and had is the past
simple form of have. Meanwhile, catch is base form.

4. I awoke to find that a spider had bitten me. Although the wound didnt bleed, it itched
terribly.
In this example, the irregular verb awoke is the past simple form of awake. Bitten is past
participle form of bite and bleed is base form.

5. Lets drink some of this lemonade. I drank some yesterday and found it delicious.
In this example, the irregular verb drink is in base form. Drank is the past simple form of
drink, and found is the past simple form of find.

Confusing Verbs
There are many verbs that sound similar and its easy to get confused between them. Here is a
list of some of the most common confusing verb pairs, their meanings and examples of how they
should be used in a sentence.

Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

borrow To take a loan Can I borrow $20 from you please?

lend To give a loan I will lend you $20.

1. To report someones words 1. Did she say anything about me?

say

2. To ask about how to use a 2. How do you say hello in

language Spanish?

1. To instruct 1. Tell him to stop the car.

tell
2. To narrate 2. Hes telling a good joke.

do To carry out activities or tasks He needs to do his homework.

1. To cause to happen
1. Dont make him angry.
make
2. To create or build
2. Dont forget to make a list.
something

1. I can contact the company if you

1. To show ability
can would like me to.

2. To request (informal)
2. Can I help you?

1. To express a possibility 1. I may see you later at the party.

may
2. To request (polite) 2. May I help you?
Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

1. To come into contact with

someone 1. He met her for the first time
yesterday.
meet
2. To be introduced to
someone 2. I will meet you in front of the
main building.
3. To arrange to see someone

1. To be familiar with
1. Ive known Sheila for a long
someone
know time.

2. To understand a fact or
2. He knows a lot about geography.
truth

1. Dont waste your time watching

To fail to use something too much TV.
waste
valuable in an effective way
2. Dont waste water! We dont
have enough of it.

1. I spent a lot of money at the

1. To pay out shop yesterday.
spend
2. To pass time 2. He spends much of his time at
the beach.

lie
1. To recline or to rest 1. The cat lies in the sun most of
the day.
2. To not tell the truth
2. The documents are lying on the
table now.

3. He lay on his bed in pain last

night.
Verb Meaning/ Use The Verb in Context

4. He lied to me about the money

hed spent.

1. He lays his keys on the counter

every day.
lay To put, place or set down
2. He laid the mail on the table
when he came in.

To carry towards someone or

bring He brings me flowers every week.
somewhere

To carry away from someone or He always takes his brother to

take
somewhere hockey games.

They adopted a child from Vietnam

adopt To take or claim as ones own
last year.

1. John adapted to the weather in

1. To get used to the East quite quickly.
adapt
2. To change 2. That company adapts and resells
the ideas of others.

1. To get up 1. He rises at 5:00 every morning

rise
2. To go up 2. Gas prices are steadily rising.

The government is raising the price

raise to make higher
of fuel.

Joshua emigrated from the UK in

emigrate To leave a country
2001.

immigrate To move to another country She immigrated to Canada in 2002.