Verbs

What is a verb?

Verbs are the action words in a sentence that describe what the subject is doing. Along with nouns,
verbs are the main part of a sentence or phrase, telling a story about what is taking place. In fact,
without a verb, full thoughts can’t be properly conveyed, and even the simplest sentences, such
as Maria sings, have one. Actually, a verb can be a sentence by itself, with the subject, in most case
you, implied, such as, Sing! and Drive!

When learning the rules of grammar, schoolchildren are often taught that verbs are ‘doing’ words,
meaning they signify the part of the sentence which explains the action taking place: He ran away,
she eats chocolate cake on Sundays, the horses gallop across the fields. Ran, eats and gallop are
the ‘action’ parts of those sentences, thus they are the verbs. However, it can be confusing because not
all verbs are easily identifiable as action: I know your name, Jack thought about it,
we considered several applications. These are non-action verbs, i.e. those that describe a state of
being, emotion, possession, sense or opinion. Other non-action verbs include include love, agree,
feel, am, and have.
How to Recognize a Verb
As you can see from the examples above, one clue to help you recognize a verb is its location
compared to the subject. Verbs almost always come after a noun or pronoun. These nouns and
pronouns are referred to as the subject. The verb thought comes after the noun Jack, so the action
Jack (subject) was taking was thinking (verb).

1. Mark eats his dinner quickly.

2. We went to the market.
3. You write neatly in your notebook.
4. They thought about all the prizes in the competition.

Here are some other ways to recognize verbs in a sentence:

1. If you’re not sure if a word is a verb, ask yourself, “Can I do ______?”

Can I think, wonder, walk, yawn? Yes, so these are verbs.

2. You can also ask, ”What is happening?”

In the sentence Mark eats his dinner quickly, what is happening? Eating is happening, so eating is
the verb.
In the sentence They thought about all the prizes what is happening? Thought (thinking) is
happening, so thought is the verb.
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. For example, Joe sat in his chair, the dog breathes quickly after she chases her
ball, and should we vote in the election? Even when the action isn’t very active, if the action is done
by the body or a tool, consider it a physical verb.

Physical Verb Examples

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

 Let’s run to the corner and back.

 I hear the train coming.
 Call me when you’re finished with class.

Mental Verb – 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, forms of to be, such as am,
is, are, 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.
 You are students.
 We are circus performers.
 Please is quiet.
 Types of Verbs

There are many types of verbs. 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 together by function.

List of all Verb Types

1. Action Verbs
Action verbs express specific actions and are used any time you want to show action or discuss
someone doing something. It’s important to remember that the action does not have to be physical.
Action verb examples:

1. Run
2. Dance
3. Slide
4. Jump
5. Think
6. Do
7. Go
8. Stand
9. Smile
10. Listen.

The action verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I run faster than David.
He does it well.
She thinks about poetry all day long
 1.1 Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities that relate or
affect someone or something else. These other things are generally direct objects, nouns
or pronouns that are affected by the verb, though some verbs can also take an indirect
object, such as show, take, and make. In a sentence with a transitive verb, someone or
something receives the action of the verb.
Transitive verb examples:

1. Love

2. Respect

3. Tolerate

4. Believe

5. Maintain.

The transitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Gary ate the cookies.
The transitive verb is ate, Gary is the subject, because it is Gary who is doing the eating,
and the cookies are the direct object, because it is the cookies that are being eaten. Other examples:
He kicked John.
John punches him.
They sold the tickets.
Examples of verbs used with both direct and indirect objects:
They sell him the tickets.
In this sentence, the tickets are the direct object while him is the indirect object.
Mary baked her mother a pie.
In this sentence, a pie is the direct object while her mother is the indirect object.
Some examples of transitive verbs in a sentence:
1. Alex sent (transitive verb) a postcard (direct object) from Argentina.
2. She left (transitive verb) the keys (direct object) on the table.
3. My father took (transitive verb) me (direct object) to the movies for my birthday.
4. Please buy (transitive verb) me a dog (direct object)!

In each of the examples above the subject performs an action and there is an object that receives the action. Followed
by the verb, the direct object answers the question What? or Whom?
 Alex sent what? A postcard.
 She left what? The keys.
 My father took whom? Me.
 Buy what? A dog
Exercises:
1. Which one of the following sentences contains a transitive verb?
a. Naomi ate slowly.
b. Naomi ate pizza for lunch.
c. Naomi is very hungry.
d. Naomi sneezed.

2. Which one of the following sentences contains a transitive verb?

a. Johann jogged to work today
b. Johann rode his bike to work yesterday.
c. Johann was late for work on Tuesday.
d. Johann will write a report this afternoon.
 1.2 Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities. They are different from
transitive verbs because there is no direct object following an intransitive verb.
Intransitive verb examples:

1. Walk

2. Laugh

3. Cough

4. Play

5. Run

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

We travelled to London.
The intransitive verb is travelled, the subject is we, because we are doing the travelling, but London is
not a direct object because London is not receiving the action of the verb. Other examples:
I sneeze in the morning.
He arrived with moments to spare.
Kathryn sat away from the others.
John eats before leaving for school.
The last example shows that the verb eats can be both transitive and intransitive depending on
whether there is a direct object or not. If the sentence read: John eats the cookies before leaving for
school, eats would be transitive as there is a direct object – the cookies.
By the way, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. These verbs include: start, leave,
change, live, stop.
Let’s see if you can identify the verbs in the following examples. Draw a line under the verb and in the
blank space, write transitive or intransitive.

1. The math professor explains the lesson.

2. I drive my car to work everyday.
3. Many students sleep late on the weekends.
4. Louise finally got her license.
5. Does your family live in Minnesota?
6. Mark and Mindy seem unhappy.
7. When did your friends come to the United States?
8. For e-mail, you need a computer.
9. My dad and I always disagree.
10. Did you find the address?
 2. Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also known as helping verbs and are used together with a main verb to show the
verb’s tense or to form a question or negative. Common examples of auxiliary verbs include have,
might, will. These auxiliary verbs give some context to the main verb, for example, letting the reader
know when the action took place.
Auxiliary verb examples:

1. Would

2. Should

3. Do

4. Can

5. Did

6. Could

7. May

The auxiliary verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I will go home after football practice.
The auxiliary verb will is telling us that the action of the main verb go is going to take place in the
future – after football practice has ended. If the auxiliary verb will was removed, we get the
sentence:
I go home after football practice.
In this case, there is no definite time frame for the action. The sentence suggests that going home after
football practice is just something the subject I generally does. Other examples:
I may dance with you later.
We did consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has spoken her final words.
In addition, we can sometimes use the auxiliary very before the pronoun to make a question:
Might you dance with me later?
Did we consider Bryan’s feelings?
Has Jenny spoken her final words?
Also, auxiliary verbs are used to help form negative statements, with the use of words
like not and never. These will usually split the auxiliary and main verbs:
I may never dance with you again.
We did not consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has not spoken her final words.
 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. The best way to think about stative verbs is that they are verbs that describe things
that are not actions. The stative verbs are all expressing a state: A state of doubting, a state of
believing, a state of wanting. These states of being are often temporary.
The stative verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
The doctor disagrees with your analysis.
Disagree is a stative verb here, as it describes the doctor’s state of being – disagreement.
John doubts the doctor’s opinion.
I believe the doctor is right.
She wanted another opinion.
3. Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express abilities, possibilities, permissions, and
obligations.
Modal verb examples:

1. Can

2. Must

3. May

4. Should

5. Would

The modal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
He can shoot a three-point shot easily.
The auxiliary verb can is expressing an ability, suggesting that shooting a three-point shot is a skill the
subject possesses.
Please note that in the case of should and must in the examples below, the modal verbs are expressing
obligations, whereas would and may are expressing possibilities.
I should go home.
You must not delay.
Sally would not recommend the sushi.
David may be late.
4. Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs aren’t single words; instead, they are combinations of words that are used together to
take on a different meaning to that of the original verb. There are many examples of phrasal verbs,
some of which have colloquial meanings, such as make up, hand in, bring up, point out, look forward
 to. Each time the verb takes the extra word(s) it takes on a new meaning. For example, make without
the up expresses that something is being created, whereas with make up, the suggestion is that there
are some lies or a fantastical element to the story and make out can mean either to grasp or see
something difficult, or to kiss passionately.
Phrasal verb examples:

1. Run out

2. Go all out

3. Make out

4. Hand out

5. Bring out

6. Face up

7. Think through

The phrasal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Mary looked forward to her high school reunion.
The verb looked has taken on forward to to become a phrasal verb meaning to be excited about or
eagerly await something.
He brought up the same points again and again.
Leroy handed in the wallet to the police.
I make up stories all the time.
She pointed out Donald’s mistake.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are those that don’t take on the regular spelling patterns of past simple and past
participle verbs. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of irregular verbs in the English language. But
don’t worry, while many are used often, the majority are not in common usage – or if they are, you
will use them so often you will learn them quickly. Some of the most common irregular verbs include:
say, make, go, take, come, know and see.
Irregular verb examples:

1. Eat

2. Think

3. Bring

4. Hold
5. Bear

6. Buy

7. Lay

8. Catch

9. Drive

10. Paid

11. Feel

12. Redo

The irregular verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I take my time when I go to the shops (present tense)
I took my time when I went to the shops (past tense)
Julie makes cake for the classroom (present tense)
Julie made a cake for the classroom (past tense)
She sees a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (present tense)
She saw a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (past tense)
We come to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (present tense)
We came to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (past tense).
You should also remember that auxiliary verbs ‘do’ and ‘have’ are also irregular verbs:
I do agree.
He does it often.
We have done our homework early.
They do their homework on Fridays.
I have a suspicion about Fran
Fran has a devious look.
We have no money left.
They have had a cough twice this winter.
https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/
Action Verbs

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

What is a Transitive Verb?

A transitive verb is one whose action must be used in relation to an object, and when using the verb, it
only makes sense if the verb is transferring action upon an object. That means the verb doesn’t sound
good or work on its own without an object.
Consider the verb to bring: The verb will not make sense if the action of the verb is not acting on
something, i.e. you have to bring something or someone. Simply saying I bring will not make sense on
its own, you must bring something, an object or a person or a feeling. That something or someone –
Joe, a book, your brother, a good mood – is the direct object of the sentence, i.e. the thing that the
verb is acting upon.

 I bring (doesn’t make sense without an object).

 I bring a book for Grandma (makes sense because of the direct object, book).
 I will bring my brother to the meeting.

Examples of Transitive Verbs

There are lots of examples of transitive verbs. They can be any verb that fulfils the criteria of needing
to confer action upon an object. Consider these examples and see how the verb exerts action on an
object.

 I love
 Please carry the books for me.
 Can we buy these ones?
 Johnny kicked the ball.
 She didn’t take anything from the table.
 I will send the note for the doctor.

Consider how these verbs need to confer the action upon the object. This makes them transitive verbs:

 Love – you need to love something or someone for the verb to make sense.
 Carry – you need to carry something or someone for the verb to make sense.
 Buy – you need buy something for the verb to make sense.
 Kick – you need to kick something or someone for the verb to make sense.
 Take – you need to take something or someone for the verb to make sense.
 Send – you need to send something or someone for the verb to make sense.

What is a Intransitive Verb?

As you might guess, an intransitive verb is one that does not need to transfer action on an object in
order to make sense.
Consider the verb to run. You can run without transferring the action of running on a direct object.
How did you get here so quickly? I ran. (There is no need for a direct object).

Examples of Intransitive Verbs

As with transitive verbs, there are many examples of intransitive verbs. They can be any verb that
fulfills the criteria of not needing a direct object to confer action upon:

 It snowed.
 We laughed.
 He cried. He will probably cry again tonight.
 We didn’t know.
 They died.
 When did they arrive?

None of the actions described above require direct objects for the action of the verb to make sense.
However, you should be aware that intransitive verbs are often followed by prepositions or adverbs.

 It snowed
 We laughed
 He cried
 We didn’t know right away.
 They died on Sunday night.
 Did they arrive on time?

Recognizing Transitive Verbs When You See Them

Unfortunately, it can sometimes be tricky to know if a verb is transitive because some verbs aren’t
only transitive or intransitive. Consider the verb to eat, and look at these examples:

 I eat fried eggs for breakfast.

 I eat quickly at breakfast.

In the first example, the verb eat is a transitive verb because the action has a direct object – the fried
eggs. However, the second example shows eat as an intransitive verb. There is no action upon a direct
object; quickly is an adverb describing the action of eating.
Other examples of verbs that are both transitive and intransitive include walk, drive,
read, and understand.

 I walked.
 I walked the dogs.
 Daniel drives.
 Daniel drives a large truck.
 Barbara reads.
 Barbara reads 10 books a month.
 I understand.
 I understand you.
So, to recognize a transitive verb, you must understand and be able to identify that it acts on a direct
object.

Recognizing Intransitive Verbs When You See Them

As mentioned above, many verbs can be transitive and intransitive, so to recognize the type of verb it
is, you must look at other parts of the sentence. Consider the verb to sing, and look at these examples:

 The birds sang the mating call.

 The birds sang.
 The birds sang
 The birds sang on the trees.

In the first example, sang (the past tense of sing) is a transitive verb. The birds are conferring the
action of singing on a direct object – the mating call.
But sang is an intransitive verb in the other three examples. We know this because the first example
requires no direct object for the action, the second example is followed by an adverb and the final
example is followed by a preposition.
Therefore, we can recognize an intransitive verb if it makes sense on its own (without a direct object)
or is followed by an adverb or preposition.
https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/action-verbs/
 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/can’t + base form of the verb

1. Tom can write poetry very well.

2. I can help you with that next week.
3. Lisa can’t speak French.

am / is / are / will be + able to + base form of the verb

am not/ isn’t / aren’t/ won’t 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 won’t be able to visit you next summer.

Past:
could / couldn’t + base form of the verb

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

 was / were + able to + base form of the verb
wasn’t / weren’t + able to + base form of the verb
hasn’t / haven’t + been able to + base form of the verb

1. I wasn’t able to visit her in the hospital.

2. He hasn’t 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 (I’ll) be able to help you this afternoon.

Possibility / Impossibility

can / can’t + base form of the verb

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

2. He can’t see you right now. He’s 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.

Exercises: Can, Could, Be able to

Fill in the correct form of can, could or be able to as in the examples.

1. Ben could not help his little brother with his homework yesterday.
2. Can I call you later tonight?

1. _______ Tony run long distances when he was a boy?

2. ______ you please call a tow truck for me? My car broke down. (polite)
3. The students _______ to buy their textbooks today. The bookstore is all out of them.
4. ______ you teach me how to fix my computer? You’re so good at it.
5. ______ you ______ reach the customer if you call him at 4:00 his time?

Answers:

1. Could
2. Could
3. aren’t able
4. Can
5. Will/be able to

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 for 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. It’s 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. There’s no work to be done anyway.

Polite Suggestion
might + base form of the verb

1. You might like to try the salmon fillet. It’s our special today.

Exercises: May / Might

Fill in the correct form of may or might as in the example.

1. May I sit here?

1. They ______ finish the project on time. The main engineer is ill.
2. You _____ want to stop by the museum gift shop on your way out.
3. _____ I have your autograph?
4. He _______ visit the Louvre. He’s in Paris anyway.
5. You ______ park your car here. It’s reserved for guests of the hotel only.

Answers:

1. might not
2. might
3. May
4. may as well
5. may not

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/shouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. The proposal should be finished on time.

2. I shouldn’t 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)

shouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. James shouldn’t teach him words like those.

Exercises: Should, Shouldn’t, Ought To

Fill in should, shouldn’t or ought in the following sentences as in the example.

1. He shouldn’t encourage such bad behavior.

1. You _____ get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.

2. The house ______ be ready to move into by next month. It’s almost finished.
3. Ron ________ to improve his attitude. If he doesn’t, he might get fired.
4. ________ I get your jacket? It’s cold in here.
5. You ________ put your feet on the table. It’s not polite.

Answers:

1. should
2. should
3. ought
4. shall
5. shouldn’t

Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t have to, Needn’t

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. It’s excellent.

2. You have to visit us while you’re in town.

Prohibited or Forbidden

must not / mustn’t + base form of the verb

1. You must not drive over the speed limit.

2. You mustn’t leave medicines where children can get to them.

Lack of Necessity

don’t /doesn’t /didn’t + have to + base form of the verb

1. You don’t have to park the car. The hotel valet will do it for you.
2. Tim doesn’t have to go to school today. It’s a holiday.
3. You didn’t have to shout. Everyone could hear you.

needn’t + base form of the verb

1. You needn’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.

Exercises: Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t Have to, Needn’t

Fill in the blanks with one of these modals:

must, must not, have to, has to, don’t have to, doesn’t have to, needn’t as in the examples.
There may be more than one correct answer.

1. Shira doesn’t have to drive to the airport. She’s going by taxi.

2. You must speak politely to the customers.
1. You ______ tell Anna about the party tomorrow night. It’s a surprise! (must not, need to, doesn’t
have to)
2. Tina _______ register for her classes on Monday, otherwise she won’t get a place in them. (doesn’t
have to, mustn’t, has to)
3. You ________ send that fax. I’ve already sent it. (must, will have to, don’t have to)
4. A dog ______ get special training in order to be a guide dog. (must, need to, don’t have to)
5. Jeremy _______ get up early tomorrow. His class was cancelled. (mustn’t, doesn’t have to, don’t
need to)

Answers:

1. must not
2. has to
3. don’t have to
4. must
5. doesn’t have to

Modals: Will / Would

will / won’t + base form of the verb

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

2. Beth won’t 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. I’d (I would) like to sign up for your workshop.

Habitual Past Action

Would/Wouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child, I would spend hours playing with my train set.
2. Peter wouldn’t eat broccoli when he was a kid. He loves it now.

Exercises: will, would

Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: will, won’t, would, wouldn’t.

1. Will you please help me lift this box?

1. I ______ like to order the onion soup please.

2. The manager _______ be pleased to hear that a customer slipped on the wet floor.
3. _______ it be okay if I slept here tonight?
4. When Igor lived in Russia, he ________ call his mother as often as he does now.
5. I can assure you sir, the order ______ be shipped out tonight.

Answers:

1. would
2. won’t
3. would
4. wouldn’t
5. will

Exercises – All Modals

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following modals:
can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, should, must, have to, don’t have to, need to
– You may have to make the modals negative according to the context of the sentence.
– There may be more than one possibility.

1. He has to take his car to be serviced. The brakes are squeaking.

2. Would you please save me a seat at the dinner event.

1. If you are sick, you ________ go to work. You’ll infect everyone there.
2. Drivers _______ stop at red lights.
3. You _______ finish the proposal today. You can finish it tomorrow.
4. She ______ hear much better with her new hearing aids.
5. ______ I order us a bottle of wine?
6. Sam ______ pick his daughter up from school. She’s taking the bus home.
7. You _____________ smoke here. It’s a smoke-free building.
8. You ________ eat so many sweets. They are bad for you.
9. _________ you mind walking a little faster? We’re going to be late.
10. I’m sorry. I _______ help you. I don’t know how to do it.

Answers:

1. shouldn’t
2. must
3. don’t have to
4. can
5. shall
6. needn’t
7. mustn’t
8. shouldn’t
9. would
10. can’t

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 Auxiliary (or Helping) Verbs
Auxiliary (or Helping) verbs are used together with a main verb to show the verb’s 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 haven’t 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 verb’s 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 they’re over. It’s 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 Jerry’s
actions.

Three Common Auxiliary Verbs

There are just three common auxiliary verbs:

 Have
 Do
 Be

In this section, we’ll take a closer look at how these common verbs work, plus you’ll see some
examples.

Have

“Have” is a very important verb that can stand alone in all its tenses, including has, have, having,
had, and hadn’t 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: “Let’s 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 Jerry’s 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 didn’t, doesn’t 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, doesn’t he?” or “They all
had dinner, but I didn’t.”

 Because he spills things so often, Jerry does more laundry than most people.  Does = action
verb
 Jerry didn’t put his coffee in a cup with a lid.  Didn’t = auxiliary verb
 Jerry doesn’t always spill things, but it happens a lot.  Doesn’t = 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, wasn’t,
was not aren’t, are not, weren’t 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 doesn’t arrive on time, he’ll 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 don’t 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 doesn’t ski or roller skate.
10. Did Matthew bring coffee?

Auxiliary Verb Exercises

Fill in the blank with the correct auxiliary verb from the choices presented:

1. What ________________ the kids doing when you last saw them? (was, were, are, did, been)
2. Carla ________________ always wanted to try skydiving. (was, doesn’t, has, is, have)
3. Where __________________ you go on your summer vacation? (were, been, are, did, does)
4. Why do you think she __________ call you like she said she would? (didn’t, is, hasn’t, has been,
have)
5. Mary _____________ going to be upset when she hears what happened. (will, don’t, is, didn’t, has)
6. Jeremy _____________ want to go to the movies; he wants to stay home instead. (doesn’t, isn’t,
wasn’t, hasn’t, was not)
7. I _________________ appreciate his jokes. They weren’t funny. (did, have, been, didn’t, haven’t)
8. I really like fish but I _______________ care for meat. (weren’t, been, don’t, is, was)
9. Where _____________ you going when I saw you last night? (were, was, is, do, did)
10. Tara ________________ called yet; she’s late as usual. (are, were, has, hasn’t, wouldn’t)

Answers: 1 – were, 2 – has, 3 – did, 4 – didn’t, 5 – is, 6 – doesn’t, 7 – didn’t, 8 – don’t, 9

– were, 10 – hasn’t
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 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: I’m smelling your wife’s wonderful spaghetti sauce.

 Correct: I smell your wife’s 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 can’t see me. I’m too far away. (I see him with my eyes.)
2. James is seeing Marsha. They’ve been together for a month. (He’s dating her.)

hear

1. I hear music coming from the Smith’s apartment. Someone must be home now. (To experience
sound)
2. I’m hearing voices. (I’m imagining it)

have

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

2. Sara is having lunch with her editor. (She’s 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

Stative Verb Exercises

Complete each sentence using the stative verb from the parenthesis:

1. Do you _________ the answer? (depend on, know, include)

2. Jim _________ dessert every day. (has, eats, possesses)
3. I _________ good about the race’s outcome. (am, were, feel)
4. She _________ her mother. (imagines, resembles, walks with)
5. Do you _________ they will win? (think, involve, promise)
6. They really _________ everything you did for them. (include, appreciate, dislike)
7. I think the teacher was _________ with my speech. (involved, measured, satisfied)
8. Can you _________ the coffee brewing? (feel, smell, dislike)
9. I still _________ a lot of money on my student loans. (deserve, owe, involve)
10. You _________ more shoes than anyone else I know! (dislike, suppose, have)

Answers: 1 – know, 2 – has, 3 – feel, 4 – resembles, 5 – think, 6 – appreciate, 7 – satisfied, 8

– smell, 9 – owe, 10 – have
https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/stative-verbs/
 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/can’t + base form of the verb

1. Tom can write poetry very well.

2. I can help you with that next week.
3. Lisa can’t speak French.

am / is / are / will be + able to + base form of the verb

am not/ isn’t / aren’t/ won’t 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 won’t be able to visit you next summer.
 Past:
could / couldn’t + base form of the verb

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

was / were + able to + base form of the verb

wasn’t / weren’t + able to + base form of the verb
hasn’t / haven’t + been able to + base form of the verb

1. I wasn’t able to visit her in the hospital.

2. He hasn’t 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 (I’ll) be able to help you this afternoon.

Possibility / Impossibility
can / can’t + base form of the verb

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

2. He can’t see you right now. He’s 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.

Exercises: Can, Could, Be able to

Fill in the correct form of can, could or be able to as in the examples.

1. Ben could not help his little brother with his homework yesterday.
2. Can I call you later tonight?

1. _______ Tony run long distances when he was a boy?

2. ______ you please call a tow truck for me? My car broke down. (polite)
3. The students _______ to buy their textbooks today. The bookstore is all out of them.
4. ______ you teach me how to fix my computer? You’re so good at it.
5. ______ you ______ reach the customer if you call him at 4:00 his time?

Answers:

1. Could
2. Could
3. aren’t able
4. Can
5. Will/be able to

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 for 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. It’s 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. There’s no work to be done anyway.

Polite Suggestion
might + base form of the verb

1. You might like to try the salmon fillet. It’s our special today.

Exercises: May / Might

Fill in the correct form of may or might as in the example.
1. May I sit here?

1. They ______ finish the project on time. The main engineer is ill.
2. You _____ want to stop by the museum gift shop on your way out.
3. _____ I have your autograph?
4. He _______ visit the Louvre. He’s in Paris anyway.
5. You ______ park your car here. It’s reserved for guests of the hotel only.

Answers:

1. might not
2. might
3. May
4. may as well
5. may not

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/shouldn’t + base form of the verb
1. The proposal should be finished on time.
2. I shouldn’t 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)

shouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. James shouldn’t teach him words like those.

Exercises: Should, Shouldn’t, Ought To

Fill in should, shouldn’t or ought in the following sentences as in the example.

1. He shouldn’t encourage such bad behavior.

1. You _____ get your teeth cleaned at least once a year.

2. The house ______ be ready to move into by next month. It’s almost finished.
3. Ron ________ to improve his attitude. If he doesn’t, he might get fired.
4. ________ I get your jacket? It’s cold in here.
5. You ________ put your feet on the table. It’s not polite.

Answers:

1. should
2. should
3. ought
4. shall
5. shouldn’t
 Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t have to, Needn’t

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. It’s excellent.

2. You have to visit us while you’re in town.

Prohibited or Forbidden
must not / mustn’t + base form of the verb
1. You must not drive over the speed limit.
2. You mustn’t leave medicines where children can get to them.

Lack of Necessity
don’t /doesn’t /didn’t + have to + base form of the verb

1. You don’t have to park the car. The hotel valet will do it for you.
2. Tim doesn’t have to go to school today. It’s a holiday.
3. You didn’t have to shout. Everyone could hear you.

needn’t + base form of the verb

1. You needn’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.

Exercises: Must, Have to, Need to, Don’t Have to, Needn’t
Fill in the blanks with one of these modals:
must, must not, have to, has to, don’t have to, doesn’t have to, needn’t as in the
examples.
There may be more than one correct answer.

1. Shira doesn’t have to drive to the airport. She’s going by taxi.

2. You must speak politely to the customers.

1. You ______ tell Anna about the party tomorrow night. It’s a surprise! (must not, need to,
doesn’t have to)
2. Tina _______ register for her classes on Monday, otherwise she won’t get a place in
them. (doesn’t have to, mustn’t, has to)
3. You ________ send that fax. I’ve already sent it. (must, will have to, don’t have to)
4. A dog ______ get special training in order to be a guide dog. (must, need to, don’t have
to)
5. Jeremy _______ get up early tomorrow. His class was cancelled. (mustn’t, doesn’t have
to, don’t need to)

Answers:
1. must not
2. has to
3. don’t have to
4. must
5. doesn’t have to

Modals: Will / Would

will / won’t + base form of the verb

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

2. Beth won’t 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. I’d (I would) like to sign up for your workshop.

Habitual Past Action

Would/Wouldn’t + base form of the verb

1. When I was a child, I would spend hours playing with my train set.
2. Peter wouldn’t eat broccoli when he was a kid. He loves it now.

Exercises: will, would

Fill in the blanks with one of the following words: will, won’t, would, wouldn’t.

1. Will you please help me lift this box?

1. I ______ like to order the onion soup please.
2. The manager _______ be pleased to hear that a customer slipped on the wet floor.
3. _______ it be okay if I slept here tonight?
4. When Igor lived in Russia, he ________ call his mother as often as he does now.
5. I can assure you sir, the order ______ be shipped out tonight.

Answers:

1. would
2. won’t
3. would
4. wouldn’t
5. will

Exercises – All Modals

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the following modals:
can, could, be able to, may, might, shall, should, must, have to, don’t have to, need to
– You may have to make the modals negative according to the context of the sentence.
– There may be more than one possibility.

1. He has to take his car to be serviced. The brakes are squeaking.

2. Would you please save me a seat at the dinner event.

1. If you are sick, you ________ go to work. You’ll infect everyone there.
2. Drivers _______ stop at red lights.
3. You _______ finish the proposal today. You can finish it tomorrow.
4. She ______ hear much better with her new hearing aids.
5. ______ I order us a bottle of wine?
6. Sam ______ pick his daughter up from school. She’s taking the bus home.
7. You _____________ smoke here. It’s a smoke-free building.
8. You ________ eat so many sweets. They are bad for you.
9. _________ you mind walking a little faster? We’re going to be late.
10. I’m sorry. I _______ help you. I don’t know how to do it.
 Answers:

1. shouldn’t
2. must
3. don’t have to
4. can
5. shall
6. needn’t
7. mustn’t
8. shouldn’t
9. would
10. can’t

https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/modal-verbs/
 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
it’s 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 customer’s 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. It’s time to get on the plane.
4. What will she think up next?
5. I’m having some trouble working out the solution to this equation.
6. We’re going to have to put off our vacation until next year.
7. Stand up when speaking in class, please.
8. We’ll 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.

Click here for an extensive list of phrasal verbs

Phrasal Verb Exercises

 Choose the correct phrasal verb from the parenthesis at the end of the sentence.

1. Someone broke into my car last night and stole the stereo. (broke down/broke into)
2. Will you be able to get by this month with the little you have?(get off / get by)

1. His father always taught him not to _____ those people with less. (look up to / look down
on)
2. Stop complaining and _____ your work! (get on with / get over)
3. The boss wants you to _____ your figures for this month to him. (hand out / hand in)
4. We’re going to have to _____ our trip to Spain until September. (put up/ put off)
5. I _____ Amir today at the supermarket. It was great to see him. (ran out of / ran into)
6. I’m so tired of Sophie _____ her engagement ring all the time. (showing off, showing up)
7. The police would not _____ to the kidnapper’s demands. (give up/ give in)
8. I thought I would _____ for a cup of coffee. Is that okay? (drop off/ drop in)
9. Have you ever _____ such an unusual piece of art? (come forward/come across)
10. It’s important to _____ on time. (show up / show off)
11. _____ your feet when walking; you don’t want to trip! (uplift / lift up)
12. The tree was _____ by the wind. (blown up / blown over)
13. He _____ his hat to show me his new haircut. (took off / took up)
14. I just can’t seem to _____ this book. (get off / get into )

Answers:

1. look down on
2. get on with
3. hand in
4. put off
5. ran into
6. showing off
7. give in
8. drop in
9. come across
10. show up
11. lift up
12. blown over
13. took off
14. get into

https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/phrasal-verbs/
An Extensive List of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

abide by To respect or obey a If you want to keep your job here, you
decision, a law or a rule must abide by our rules.

account for To explain, give a reason I hope you can account for the time you
were out!

add up To make sense, seem The facts in the case just don’t add up.
reasonable

advise against To recommend not doing I advise against walking alone in this
something neighborhood.

agree with To have the same opinion I agree with you. I think you should go
as someone else. as well.

allow for To take into consideration We need to allow for unexpected

charges along the way.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

1. To plead or make a 1. He appealed to the court to change

appeal to
request its decision.
2. To be attractive or 2. A vacation of sunbathing
interesting doesn’t appeal to me.

apply for To make a formal request He applied for a scholarship for next
for something (job, permit, semester.
loan etc.)

back away To move backwards, in fear When he saw the bear, he backed
or dislike away in fright.

back down To withdraw, concede Local authorities backed down on their

defeat threats to build on that part of the beach.

back up 1. To give support or 1. I’m going to be very strict with him. I

encouragement hope you’ll back me up on this?
2. To make a copy of (file, 2. You should back up all your
program, etc.) computer files in a secure location.

bank on To base your hopes on I’m banking on you to help with the
something / someone charity event.

black out To faint, lose consciousness Jenna fell in the parking lot and blacked
out.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

block off To separate using a barrier. The police blocked off the street after
the explosion.

blow up 1. To explode 1. Tommy blew up the red balloon.

2. To get angry 2. Don’t blow up at me. It’s not my
fault.

boil down to To be summarized as It all boils down to who has more

power.

boot up To start a computer by You need to boot up your computer

loading an operating system before you begin to work.
or program

break away To separate from a crowd One of the wolves broke away from his
pack.

break down 1. To go out of order, cease 1. The washing machine broke down so
to function we had to call in the repair technician.
2. To lose control of one’s 2. John broke down when he heard the
emotions news.

break into To enter by force Burglars broke into my car last night.

break out To start suddenly Rioting broke out after the government
raised the fuel prices again.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

break out of To escape from a place by Several prisoners broke out of jail.
force

break up To come to an end She broke up with Daniel after dating

(marriage, relationship) him for five years.

bring up To raise (a child) Sara is bringing up her children by

herself.

brush up on To improve, refresh one’s I must brush up on my French before

knowledge of something going to Paris next month.

bump into To meet by chance or I bumped into Adam at the bank. He

unexpectedly says “hello”.

burn out 1. stop (something) 1. The light bulb burnt out. Please
working change it.
2. become exhausted from 2. She needs to work fewer hours.
over-working Otherwise she will burn out.

call back To return a phone call Could please call back in ten minutes?

call off To cancel The game was called off because of bad
weather.

calm down To become more relaxed, It took Kylie several hours to calm
less angry or upset down after she saw the accident.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

carry on To continue The soldiers carried on walking in order

to get to their post before dark.

carry out 1. To do something as 1. His orders were carried out to the

specified (a plan, an letter.
order, a threat) 2. That company does not carry
2. To perform or conduct out tests on animals.
(test, experiment)

check in To register at a hotel or They said I must check in at least three

airport hours before my flight.

check out 1. To pay one’s bill and 1. Donna checked out of the hotel this
leave (a hotel) morning.
2. To investigate 2. I don’t know if this price is correct.
I’ll check it out online.

clam up To refuse to speak When the police started asking

questions, the suspect clammed up.

clamp down on To act strictly to prevent The local authorities have decided
something to clamp down on illegal parking in
handicapped parking places.

come across 1. To find by chance 1. I was cleaning up and came

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

2. To appear, seem, make across some old photos of you.

an impression 2. The politician came across as a
complete fool during the TV
interview.

come forward To present oneself Has the owner of the winning lotto
ticket come forward?

count on To rely or depend on (for You can count on me to keep your

help) secret.

cut down on To reduce in number or size I’ve decided to cut down on the amount
of sweets I eat.

cut out 1. To remove using scissors 1. She cut out a coupon from the
2. To stop doing something newspaper.
2. You need to cut out all red meat from
your diet.

deal with To handle, take care of Catherine is not good at dealing

(problem, situation) with stress.

die down To calm down, become less After the storm died down, we went
strong outside to see the damage it had caused.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

do without To manage without She didn’t get a salary this month, so

she’ll have to do without extra treats.

drag on To last longer than The suspect’s trial dragged on longer

expected than we had expected!

draw up To write (contract, They drew up a contract and had me

agreement, document) sign it.

dress up wear elegant clothes Their wedding gave us a chance to dress

up and get out of the house.

drop in To visit, usually on the way Why don’t you drop in to see us on
somewhere your way home?

drop off 1. To deliver someone or 1. I’ll drop off the papers later today.
something 2. I often drop off in front of the TV.
2. To fall asleep

drop out To leave school without Zack dropped out of college and joined
finishing the army.

ease off To reduce, become less Traffic usually eases off about 7pm
severe or slow down (pain,
traffic, work)

end in To finish in a certain way; Her marriage ended in divorce.

Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

result in

end up To finally reach a state, If you don’t improve your work habits,
place or action you’ll end up being fired.

fall through To fail; doesn’t happen His plans to trek through South
America fell through when he got sick.

figure out To understand, find the He’s trying to figure out how to earn
answer enough money to go on the trip to Spain.

fill out To complete (a form/an Please fill out the enclosed form and
application) return it as soon as possible.

find out To discover or obtain I’m going to to find out who’s

information responsible for the power cut.

focus on To concentrate on Tom had difficultty focusing on work

something the day before his holiday started.

get along To be on good terms; work It’s important to get along with your
(with) well with team supervisor.

get at To imply What are you getting at? Do you think

I’m to blame?

get away To escape I think we should get away for the

weekend.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

get by To manage to cope or to Students without jobs have a hard

survive time getting by.

get in To enter When did you get in last night?

get into To enter How did you get into your car without
(+noun) the keys?

get off 1. To leave (bus, train, 1. You should get off the train in Kings
plane) Heath.
2. To remove 2. I can’t get the ink stain off my shirt.

get on To board (bus, train, plane) I’m trying to get on the flight to
Brussels.

get on with To continue to do; make After they split up, she had a hard
(something) progress time getting on with her life.

get on (well) To have a good relationship He doesnt get on very well with the
with with other members of the committee.
(somebody)

get out To leave He had a hard time getting out of

Newark because of the snow?

get out of To avoid doing something Edna’s trying to get out of working the
night shift.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

get over To recover from (illness, Has she gotten over the flu?
disappointment)

get over To recover from (illness, Mary had the chickenpox last week but
disappointment) she got over it.

get rid of To eliminate Please get rid of that old t-shirt. It’s so
ragged.

get together To meet each other Let’s get together for your birthday on
Saturday.

get up To rise, leave bed Will you please get up? You’ve got a
class in 20 minutes.

give in 1. To cease opposition; 1. We will never give in to the

yield terrorists’ demands.
2. To hand in; submit 2. I’ll give in my paper tomorrow.

give up To stop doing something Morris gave up drinking 10 years ago.

go through To experience Andy went through a lot of pain after

his mother died.

grow up To spend one’s childhood; He’s like Peter Pan. He never

develop; become an adult really grew up at all.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

hand in To submit (report, Please hand in your papers before

homework) Friday.

hand out To distribute Susan volunteered at the shelter where

she handed out warm clothes.

hang out To spend time in a Which pub does the team hang out at
particular place or with a after the game?
group of friends

hang up To end a phone If you hang up now, I’ll never speak to

conversation you again.

hold on 1. To wait 1. Please hold on and a representative

2. To grip tightly will answer your call.
2. She was so scared on the rollercoaster
ride that she held on for dear life.

hurry up To be quick, act speedily Hurry up and finish your lunch or we’ll
miss the train.

iron out To resolve by discussion, The two countries met at the conference
eliminate differences to iron out their differences.

join in To participate Yes David, you can join in the

discussion any time you like.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

join up 1. To engage in, become a
member of
2. To meet and unite with
1. There was a war on, so some kids
were only sixteen when they joined
up.
2. Let’s separate now and join up later
at the restaurant.

keep on To continue doing If you keep on making that noise I will

something get annoyed.

keep up with To stay at the same level as I read the paper every day to keep up
someone or something with the news.

kick off To begin, start The rugby match kicked off at 3

o’clock.

leave out To omit, not mention Please check your form again and make
sure nothing is left out.

let down To disappoint I feel so let down because they

promised me a puppy but all I got was a
doll.

look after To take care of Andy can you look after your sister
until I get back?

look down on To consider as inferior She’s such a snob. She always looks
down on anyone who is poor.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

look on To be a spectator at an If you don’t want to take part in the

event game you can look on for now.

look for To try to find something Harry went to the shop to look for a new
computer.

look forward To await or anticipate with I’m looking forward to my birthday.

to pleasure It’s in two days time.

look up to To admire I always looked up to my father. He

was a great man.

make fun of To laugh at/ make jokes It’s not nice to make fun of people in
about wheelchairs.

make up To invent (excuse, story) That’s a good excuse. Did you make
up it up yourself?

mix up To mistake one thing or She had so many cats that she
person for another kept mixing up their names.

move in To arrive in a new home or Did you hear? Our new neighbors
office are moving in this afternoon.

move out To leave your home/office When are you moving out? We need
for another one. your office for the new guy.

nod off To fall asleep You were so tired after the game that
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

you nodded off on the couch.

own up To admit or confess Come on. Own up. We know you did it!
something

pass away To die Your grandfather passed

away peacefully in his sleep last night.

pass out To faint He didn’t drink enough water so

he passed out at the end of the race.

pay back To reimburse I’ll pay you back as soon as I get the
loan.

put off To postpone, arrange a later Don’t put off until tomorrow, what you
date can do today.

put on To turn on, switch on It’s very dark in here. Please put on the
light on.

put out To extinguish The fire fighters were able to put

out fire in ten minutes.

put up To accommodate, give I can put you up until the weekend but
somebody a bed then I’m going away.

pick up To collect somebody I’ll pick you up at around 7:00 to take

you to the airport.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

point out To indicate/direct attention As I already pointed out, there was a

to something mistake in your calculation.

rely on To count on, depend on, You can rely on me. I always arrive on
trust time.

rule out To eliminate Since he had a sound alibi, the

police ruled him out as a suspect.

run away To escape from a place or He ran away from home and joined the
suddenly leave circus.

run into To meet by accident or I’m so glad I ran into you. I need to ask
unexpectedly (also: bump you something.
into)

run out of To have no more of We’ve run out of milk. I’ll just pop next
something. door to borrow some.

set off To start a journey; Let’s set off early to miss the rush hour
traffic.

set up To start a business They set up their own company when

they were still in high school.

shop around To compare prices Don’t buy that. Let’s shop around and
see if we can find something cheaper.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

show off To brag or want to be He’s such a show off. He has to tell
admired everybody about his new computer.

show up To appear/arrive I don’t think she’ll show up tonight. Her

daughter is sick.

shut up To be silent, stop talking Shut up, you’re spoiling the movie!
(impolite)

sit down To take a seat I think you should sit down. It’s bad
news.

stand up To rise from a sitting The whole stadium stood up for the
position national anthem.

stick up for To defend My big brother always stuck up for me

when I got into a fight.

take after To resemble, in appearance Angie really takes after her

or character grandmother.

take care of To look after Please take care of my cat when I’m
away.

take off To leave the ground The plane will take off as soon as the
fog lifts.

take on To hire or engage staff I hear they’re taking on extra staff for
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

this event.

take out To remove; extract Please take out your mobile phones and
turn them off.

tell off To reprimand/criticize The coach told her off for not trying
severely hard enough.

think over To consider Take your time and think it over before
you decide.

try on To wear something to see if Go ahead, try it on and see if it fits?

it suits or fits

turn down To refuse I asked her out but

she turned me down flat.

use up To finish a product (so that Your parents used up all the coffee!
there’s none left)

watch out To be careful Watch out! There’s a dog in the road.

wear out 1. To become unusable 1. Julie wore out her shoes running the
2. To become very tired marathons.
2. Julie was worn out after all that
running.
Phrasal Verb Meaning Example

work out 1. To do physical exercise 1. You should work out twice a week at
2. To find a solution or the gym.
calculate something 2. Can you work this out? I’m no good
at math.

wipe off To clean (board, table). I’ll wash up if you wipe off the table.