Common Verbs: English Vocabulary List

to ask for something politely or formally

"I request a refund please."

"The customer requested a refund after receiving a damaged product that was missing several important components."

to put someone or something important in a situation where they could be harmed, lost, or destroyed

"He risks his life to save others."

"You should not risk driving without insurance because the financial consequences could be disastrous if you have an accident."

to organize items by putting them into different groups based on their characteristics or other criteria

"Sort the laundry by color."

"The mailroom employee has to sort hundreds of letters and packages every day before delivering them to the correct departments."

to breathe through one's nose and mouth in a noisy way while asleep

"Some people snore loudly at night."

"His wife could not sleep because he snores so loudly that the sound echoes through the entire house every night."

to give a short and simplified version that covers the main points of something

"Summarize the article in three sentences."

"The student was asked to summarize the three hundred page novel in just two paragraphs for the class assignment."

to unexpectedly open one's mouth wide and deeply breathe in because of being bored or tired

"He will yawn now."

"During the long and monotonous presentation, several audience members couldn't help but yawn from sheer boredom."

to make someone or something hotter by increasing the temperature or providing heat

"The sun warms the earth during day."

"You can warm your hands by the fire because it is very cold outside tonight."

to tell someone in advance about a possible danger, problem, or unfavorable situation

"Signs warn drivers about dangerous curves ahead."

"The weather service warned residents about the approaching hurricane and advised them to evacuate immediately."

to briefly stop a particular thing such as process before carrying on

"He pauses the movie to answer phone."

"The speaker paused for a moment to drink some water before continuing his long presentation to the audience."

to need or demand something as necessary for a particular purpose or situation

"This job requires five years experience."

"This job requires at least five years of experience in a similar role as well as excellent communication skills."

to make changes to something, especially in response to new information, feedback, or a need for improvement

"Revise your essay before submitting it."

"You should revise your essay at least twice to catch any spelling or grammar mistakes before submitting it for grading."

to make something move by turning it over and over or from side to side repeatedly

"Roll the ball away."

"The children love to roll down the grassy hill on a sunny afternoon."

to move in a direction by turning over and over or from one side to another repeatedly

"Roll the dough into a ball."

"The ball rolled down the steep hill and disappeared into the bushes at the bottom of the slope."

to quickly read a document or other text without paying attention to details, only to find the information one needs

"Scan the document quickly."

"He decided to scan the article for keywords rather than reading it thoroughly."

to divide or disconnect something from a larger whole

"Separate the eggs."

"It is important to separate your recyclable materials from the general waste."

to put something or someone somewhere or in a certain position

"Set the book down."

"Please set the fragile vase on the highest shelf to prevent it from breaking."

to give someone a message, instruction, etc. by making a sound or movement

"Use your arm to signal a turn."

"The cyclist used his arm to signal that he was going to turn left at the next intersection."

to go under below the surface of a particular substance such as water, sand, tar, mud, etc.

"The ship sinks slowly into the ocean."

"The old ship began to sink slowly after hitting a large iceberg in the middle of the ocean."

to breathe in through the nose audibly to clear mucus or other substances from the nasal passages and prevent a runny nose

"He will sniff loudly."

"She had to sniff repeatedly because of the dust in the air causing irritation."

to fix an object to another, usually with glue or another similar substance

"Glue helps stick the paper pieces together."

"The label will not stick to the surface because it is too wet and greasy."

to keep something in a particular place for later use, typically in a systematic or organized manner

"Store the food in airtight containers."

"It is best to store potatoes in a cool dark place rather than in the refrigerator because cold temperatures change their taste."

to provide or make available the necessary items, resources, or equipment for a particular purpose or function

"They supply food for us."

"The local farm will supply fresh vegetables to the restaurant every morning during the summer season."

to remain alive after enduring a specific hazardous or critical event

"Animals survive in harsh environments successfully."

"The hikers managed to survive for three days without food by drinking water from a nearby stream."

to change from one thing, such as a task, major, conversation topic, job, etc. to a completely different one

"She switches topics quickly."

"He decided to switch careers after realizing his current job was not fulfilling."

to be likely to develop or occur in a certain way because that is the usual pattern

"She tends to arrive late daily."

"Young children tend to imitate the behavior of their parents and other adults around them."

to change words into another language

"Can you translate this document?"

"It can be difficult to translate poetry because the beauty of the original language is often lost in the process."

to make a person unhappy or emotionally disturbed

"The bad news upsets her greatly."

"The bad news about the accident upset her so much that she could not eat dinner."

to carefully look at something

"View the painting from a distance."

"You can view the beautiful sunset from the top of the hill if you arrive there at least thirty minutes before the sun goes down."

to use something without care or more than needed

"Do not waste your time and energy."

"Do not waste your time worrying about things that you cannot change because it will not help."

to raise one's hand and move it from side to side to greet someone or attract their attention

"The queen will wave to the crowd."

"The queen waved gracefully to the cheering crowd from the balcony of the royal palace."

to want to know about something particular

"She wonders about the future often."

"I often wonder what my life would be like if I had chosen a different career path."

to make the intensity, level, or amount of something increase

"Raise the volume now."

"The conductor asked the orchestra to raise the tempo for the dramatic finale of the symphony."

to send, give, or bring something back to someone or to a place

"I will return the item."

"You should return the library books before their due date to avoid any late fees."

to do something or provide a reply based on what others have done or said

"She will respond quickly."

"The government promised to respond promptly to the citizens' concerns about public safety."