Verb list for beginners - present and past

Want
Like
Look
Watch
Work
Call
Talk 
Walk

Eat / Ate
Drink / Drank
Read / Read [red]
Drive / Drove
Take / Took
Give / Gave
See / Saw
Speak / Spoke
Go / Went
Come / Came
Find / Found
Know / Knew
Think / Thought

Top 100 verbs - Top 100 des verbes

According to the COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English), these are the 100 most commonly used verbs in American English. But one thing that I find strange is that it lists helping verbs. A helping verb must be used with another verb to make sense. To test if a verb is a true verb, add "TO" before it to see if it is a true infinitive. The only exception to this "rule" that I know of is CAN. You CAN use CAN as a verb but you CAN'T say TO CAN. (Unless maybe you mean to CANCAN! Now, that's French!)

OK, let's be serious. 
These are the helping verbs*:

am, are, is, was, were, be, being, been 
have, has, had 
shall, will 
do, does, did 
may, must, might 
can, could, would, should 

Combien en utilisez-vous?

100 Common English Verbs

1.      be
2.      have
3.      do
4.      say
5.      go
6.      can (to be able to)
7.      get
8.      would *
9.      make
10.    know
11.    will *
12.    think
13.    take
14.    see
15.    come
16.    could *
17.    want
18.    look
19.    use
20.    find
21.    give
22.    tell
23.    work
24.    may *
25.    should *
26.    call
27.    try
28.    ask
29.    need
30.    feel
31.    become
32.    leave
33.    put
34.    mean
35.    keep
36.    let
37.    begin
38.    seem
39.    help
40.    talk
41.    turn
42.    start
43.    might *
44.    show
45.    hear
46.    play
47.    run
48.    move
49.    like
50.    live
51.    believe
52.    hold
53.    bring
54.    happen
55.    must *
56.    write
57.    provide
58.    sit
59.    stand
60.    lose
61.    pay
62.    meet
63.    include
64.    continue
65.    set
66.    learn
67.    change
68.    lead
69.    understand
70.    watch
71.    follow
72.    stop
73.    create
74.    speak
75.    read
76.    allow
77.    add
78.    spend
79.    grow
80.    open
81.    walk
82.    win
83.    offer
84.    remember
85.    love
86.    consider
87.    appear
88.    buy
89.    wait
90.    serve
91.    die
92.    send
93.    expect
94.    build
95.    stay
96.    fall
97.    cut
98.    reach
99.    kill
100.  remain

Food videos for advanced learners

I have an advanced student who is interested in cooking. I hope he enjoys these recipes with famous English-speaking chefs.

Harissa Chicken

Gordon Ramsey's Top 5 Chicken Recipes

Super Food Chicken Curry

Jamie Oliver's Five-Ingredient Recipes

More videos about high protein ingredients:

How to cook quinoa

Quinoa toasted first

Quinoa with turmeric also toasted first

Quinoa with chicken

Quinoa with chicken and spices

High protein vegan - British accent and speaks very fast

French Guy Cooking (in English!) 

French Guy Sharpens a Knife

And also a page about:

leftover quinoa for breakfast

egg allergies/intolerance 

Do you...?

Do you
take this woman 
to be 
your lawfully-wedded wife?
And... 
Do you take this man to be your lawfully-wedded husband? 


Answer to both questions is:
I do!

I do = Oui! 

Do you...?
Cela indique qu'une question suivra. N'essayez pas de le traduire.


Voici quelques phrases clés:

Do you have a minute? = Avez-vous une minute?

Sure. What's up?

Do you have the time? [What time is it?] = Quelle heure est-il?
Yes. It's 9:30.

Do you know him? = Est-ce-que tu le connais?

Yes, I do. 

I know him. 

Do you know the answer? = Savez-vous la réponse?

Yes, I do.

I know the answer. 

Do you work here? = Est-ce que tu travailles ici?

Yes, I do.

I work here. 

Do you like spicy food? = Aimes-tu la nourriture épicée?

Yes, I do. 

I like spicy food.

Do you need help? = As-tu besoin d'aide?

Yes, I do.

I need help.

Do you know where the bank is? = Savez-vous où se trouve la banque?

Yes.
It's just down the street on the right.

Do you have a license to drive? = Avez-vous une permis pour conduire?

Do you drink coffee? = Bois-tu du café?

Yes, I do.

I drink coffee.

Do you take your coffee black or with cream and sugar? = Prenez-vous votre café noir ou avec de la crème et du sucre?

I take my coffee black. 

Do you want something to drink? = Voulez-vous quelque chose à boire?

Sure. I would like to have a beer.

Video tours of London

Some online guides to things to see in London:

London sight-seeing

This is London

All About London

Trailers and short video clips

For advanced adults who want to test their ability to understand English without the help of subtitles.

Trailer for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Trailer for The Shape of Water

Trailer for Darkest Hour

Trailer for Tomb Raider

Trailer for Suburbicon

Trailer for Venom

Trailer for Black Sheep

Trailer for Get Out

Very stupid but funny videos can really help you improve and remember new vocabulary!
Check out some famous clips from Saturday Night Live...

SNL's Bambi

SNL's Diaper Commercial

SNL's Almost Pizza

SNL's The Jar Glove

SNL's Oops I Crapped My Pants

The Cat Came Back (song)

The Cat Came Back

Lyrics

1 - 2, a zooba zooba zoo...

Oh old Mister Johnson had troubles of his own
He had a yellow cat that wouldn't leave its home;
He tried and he tried to give the cat away,
He gave it to a man goin' far, far away.

But the cat came back the very next day,
Oh, the cat came back, yeah, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away.
Away, away, ay

Can you make a cat sound? Meow! Meow! Meow!

So he gave it to a woman going up in a balloon,
He told her for to take it to the man up in the moon;
The balloon came down about ninety miles away,
And where the woman is now, well I cannot say!

But the cat came back the very next day,
Yeah, the cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away.
Away, away, yay

There's that cat sound: Meow! Meow! Meow!

So he gave it to a man going way out West,
He told him for to take it to the one he loved the best;
First the train hit the track, then it jumped the rail,
And nobody was left to tell the awful tale.

But the cat came back the very next day,
Oh, the cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away.
Away, away, ay

The cat came back the very next day,
Oh, the cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back; he just couldn't stay away.
Away, away, ay

Meow!

Songwriters: Harry Miller

The Cat Came Back lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Teddy Bear's Picnic (song)

Joanna - try to learn this song!

Teddy Bear's Picnic

Lyrics

If you go down in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise
If you go down in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise!

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain
Because today's the day the
Teddy Bears have their picnic

Picnic time for Teddy Bears
The little Teddy Bears are having
A lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout
They never have any cares
At six o'clock their Mommies and Daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears

Every Teddy Bear who's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
'Cause that's the way the
Teddy Bears have their picnic

Picnic time for Teddy Bears
The little Teddy Bears are having
A lovely time today
Watch them, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout
They never have any cares
At six o'clock their Mommies and Daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears
Because they're tired little Teddy Bears

Songwriters: John W Bratton / Jimmy Kennedy

Teddy Bear's Picnic lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

Verbs on a timeline revisited

For students who are intermediate or above, it is helpful to keep this timeline in mind.

Simple:

A specific moment. In the past the verb might be irregular. The 3ps in the present adds -s.

Something that happened, something that is true now, something that will happen.

verb-ed____________verb___________will verb
  ⇩_______________⇩_______________⇩

With the past: yesterday, last week, in 2017... Never, seldom, often...
With the present: always, sometimes, never, etc - see the post.


Continuous:

Over time. Past continuous uses was, were. Present uses am, are, is.

Something that was happening, something that is happening, something that will be happening.

was verb-ing______am verb-ing_____will be verb-ing
  ⇔________________⇔_______________⇔

With the past continuous: yesterday, last week, in 2017...
With the present continuous: today, at present, at the moment, right now, still...

Present perfect:

☊ have/has verb-ed
It is something that happened - or didn't happen - in the past that has an effect on the present or a connection to the present.

Something that happened before at an unstated time and that has an effect on the present.
May have just happened or happened a  long time ago.

Use with adverbs such as: ever, never, before, already, yet, just, for, since.

Have you ever seen a kangaroo?
I have never been to Korea.
I have eaten alligator before.
I have already talked to her about it.
She has not received her diploma yet.
They have just returned from their ski trip.
I have worked here for six months.
He has worked here since 1994.

The difficulty here for French speakers is What is the difference between the simple past and the present perfect? The answer is that for French speakers you used to use the passé composé for English Present Perfect and use passé simple for English Simple Past. However, now this is only true in literature, not in spoken French. Now French speakers use passé composé for both English Simple Past and English Present Perfect.

Wikipedia explains it well:

"Passé composé « Je suis arrivé. » ("I have arrived." I have come to town. I may have just arrived.)

and

Passé simple « J'arrivai. » ("I arrived." I came to town, but it is possible that I am not still here.)

The difference (regarding written language) is subtle. The passé simple is divorced from the present and has definitely been completed, while the passé composé is still connected to the present and may even still be happening."

This video does a good job of showing the difference.


Present Perfect Continuous:

☊ ⇔ have/has been verb-ing

With since and for.

I have been working since this morning.
My girlfriend has been studying there since 2015.
It has been raining since yesterday.
He has been preparing to take his driver's test for six months.
They have been waiting for 2 hours.

Simple Present - le présent simple en anglais

Tout ce qu'il y a à savoir sur le présent simple.

What does it look like? / Comment écrire?

Just the verb - but He/She/It = verb+s

I drink coffee every morning.
You drink "
He/She drinks "
We drink "
You drink "
They drink "

If a verb ending in consonant + y

I try hard at work.
You try
He/She tries
We try
You try
They try

If a verb ending in vowel + y

I play piano every day.
You play
He/she plays
We play
You play
They play

Negative

I don't try hard at work.
You don't try
He/she doesn't try
We don't try
You don't try
They don't try

Question

Do I try hard at work?

Do you try?

Does he/she try?

Do we try?

Do you try?

Do they try?

Use for / Utiliser pour:

faits généraux - things that are facts, true stuff

I eat a lot of spinach.

You watch a lot of TV.

He sings well.

She dances badly.

The sun rises in the east. 

We work at the supermarket.

You play guitar.

They go to church.

actions habituelles - habitual actions / actions répétées - actions that are repeated

I eat pizza every Friday night.

dire à quelle fréquence - to say how often something occurs 

• always
• usually, generally, habitually
• every day, twice a week, three times a day
• sometimes
• often, frequently
• seldom, occasionally, once in a while
• never

parler d'une séquence / to talk about a sequence

first... then

sentiments - to express feelings

I feel fine.

I am well.

I love this song.

Top 10 irregular verbs

Try to think of normal sample sentences. Then try to think of really stupid or funny sentences.

SAY, said, said

The children say their prayers before going to bed.

He said something to me but I couldn't hear him.

I have said many times that it would not work.

I say "Hooray!" every day. 
He said "Hooray" yesterday.
They have said "Hooray" once or twice before.

GO, went, gone

She goes for a walk every day.

She went for a walk yesterday.

She has gone for a walk every day this week.

The cow goes "moo" every morning when she wakes up.
The dog went "woof woof woof" all night long.
The cat has gone and won't come back. (It must be because of the dog's barking). 

COME, came, come

I usually come to work at 9am.

I came to work yesterday at 8:30.

I have come as early at 8am.

He comes to see me because he wants to learn English.
She came to have English lessons for a couple of months.
They have come for a few lessons but they quit because they are lazy.

KNOW, knew, known

I know the answer to that question.

He thought he knew the answer but he didn't.

I have known people who thought that was a great idea. 

He knows how to bake a cake.
She knew when the party was but she came late.
I have known people who didn't know how to skate.

GET, got, gotten

I get down from time to time.

I got a new bike for my birthday.

I have gotten sick every winter for the last few years.

He always gets a coffee on the way to work.
She got a box a donuts and gave some to him.
They have gotten sick before when they have eaten an entire box of donuts. 

GIVE, gave, given

I give blood twice a year.

I gave blood last October.

I have given blood for the last decade.

I give food to my cat every day.
My cat gave me a scratch yesterday.
He has given me so many scratches!

BECOME, became, become

I become angry when I hear about Donald Trump's tweets.

I became very angry yesterday when I read about that stupid tweet.

I have become furious just reading the news this year.

I become happy when the sun is shining.
I became sad when it rained yesterday.
I have become sleepy during that guy's lectures.

FIND, found, found

I find it easy to get up early in the morning.

I found my glasses on the floor.

I have found my glasses in some strange places.

I find cat hair everywhere.
I found cat hair in my bed this morning.
I have even found cat hair in my coffee!

THINK, thought, thought

I think that's a great idea.

I thought he was a nice person, but he's a psycho.

I had thought of getting a car but now I can't be bothered.

I think he is nasty.
I thought he was nasty. 
I have thought a lot about his nastiness.

SEE, saw, seen

I see him pass by every day.

I saw her walking in the park yesterday.

I have seen him shopping at Viveco.

I see the birds flying.
I saw the birds fly.
I have seen the birds on the wing.

Verbs on a timeline

For working on the verb tenses, it is helpful to think of a timeline.

Look at this page.

Study:

All 3 simple tenses.

All 3 continuous tenses.

The present perfect and present perfect continuous.
You can safely ignore the rest unless you are preparing to take an exam that will include these tenses.

These will cover 99% of things you want to say.