400 Conjugation Words with Example Sentences

Mastering conjugation is essential to fluent English, and this post is packed with 400 verbs to help you get there.

Each word includes a sample sentence to make learning straightforward. From regular verbs to tricky irregulars, this list of conjugation words will strengthen your understanding of verb forms. Let’s get started.

What Is Conjugation?

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English teacher in a classroom -- Conjugation Words — *I made this image with AI — Conjugation Words*

Before we get into the lists, let’s answer this question quickly: Conjugation is just a fancy word for changing a verb’s form to reflect different tenses, moods, voices, and aspects. In English, that usually means switching up endings, helping verbs, or forms for past, present, and future situations.

Alright, let’s get to the good stuff!

Regular Verbs (Present Simple)

These verbs follow a predictable pattern: add an “s” in the third person singular. Simple and consistent.

I like that.

Talk – He talks every morning.
Jump – She jumps high.
Walk – They walk to school daily.
Cook – I cook dinner every night.
Dance – She dances beautifully.
Laugh – He laughs at every joke.
Write – They write stories.
Listen – He listens to music.
Call – I call my mom every day.
Help – They help each other.
Study – He studies hard.
Sing – She sings in the choir.
Play – They play soccer.
Love – I love pizza.
Need – She needs a new pen.
Draw – She draws on her notebook.
Buy – They buy groceries weekly.
Watch – He watches TV.
Clean – I clean my room.
Try – She tries hard.
Push – He pushes the door.
Save – They save money.
Open – I open the window.
Look – He looks tired.
Wear – She wears a hat.
Bake – They bake cookies.
Plan – I plan my schedule.
Jump – She jumps over the puddle.
Draw – He draws sketches.
Stay – They stay late.

Irregular Verbs (Present Simple)

These verbs don’t follow standard conjugation rules, making them tricky but essential to know.

Go – He goes to work early.
Do – She does her homework.
Have – I have a dog.
See – They see the stars.
Make – He makes pancakes.
Take – She takes notes in class.
Know – I know the answer.
Think – They think it’s funny.
Say – He says goodbye.
Come – She comes every Friday.
Find – I find it interesting.
Give – They give gifts.
Feel – He feels happy.
Leave – She leaves at noon.
Tell – I tell stories.
Bring – They bring snacks.
Become – He becomes a leader.
Begin – She begins to laugh.
Keep – I keep my promises.
Hold – They hold hands.
Write – He writes letters.
Stand – She stands tall.
Meet – I meet my friends.
Set – They set the table.
Run – He runs daily.
Lead – She leads the team.
Read – I read every night.
Grow – They grow tomatoes.
Pay – He pays for lunch.
Build – She builds sandcastles.

Past Tense (Regular Verbs)

Regular verbs in the past tense often end with “-ed.” Straightforward but key for everyday conversation.

Walked – He walked to work.
Talked – They talked for hours.
Cooked – She cooked dinner.
Played – I played guitar.
Danced – They danced all night.
Helped – He helped his friend.
Liked – She liked the movie.
Looked – I looked everywhere.
Laughed – They laughed together.
Watched – He watched TV.
Worked – She worked overtime.
Opened – I opened the door.
Needed – They needed help.
Stayed – He stayed late.
Called – She called me.
Cleaned – I cleaned my room.
Tried – They tried hard.
Saved – He saved money.
Cried – She cried with joy.
Planned – I planned a trip.
Finished – They finished early.
Closed – He closed the window.
Jumped – She jumped up.
Started – I started a book.
Fixed – They fixed the car.
Painted – He painted a picture.
Waited – She waited patiently.
Wished – I wished for rain.
Asked – They asked questions.
Created – He created a website.

Past Tense (Irregular Verbs)

Irregular verbs in the past tense don’t follow set rules and have unique forms that must be memorized.

Went – He went home.
Did – She did her work.
Had – I had breakfast.
Saw – They saw a bird.
Made – He made a cake.
Took – She took photos.
Knew – I knew the answer.
Thought – They thought hard.
Said – He said hello.
Came – She came early.
Found – I found my keys.
Gave – They gave gifts.
Felt – He felt nervous.
Left – She left quickly.
Told – I told a story.
Brought – They brought flowers.
Became – He became famous.
Began – She began to sing.
Kept – I kept my promise.
Held – They held hands.
Wrote – He wrote a letter.
Stood – She stood tall.
Met – I met her friend.
Set – They set a record.
Ran – He ran fast.
Led – She led the way.
Read – I read a book.
Grew – They grew flowers.
Paid – He paid the bill.
Built – She built a model.

Future Tense (Will + Verb)

To form the future tense, simply add “will” before the base verb. It’s easy and helps indicate actions that haven’t happened yet.

Will talk – I will talk to him.
Will walk – They will walk home.
Will cook – She will cook tonight.
Will dance – He will dance tomorrow.
Will help – They will help out.
Will laugh – She will laugh at that.
Will play – I will play the piano.
Will study – He will study later.
Will try – They will try again.
Will save – She will save money.
Will clean – He will clean up.
Will open – They will open the door.
Will buy – I will buy groceries.
Will watch – She will watch a movie.
Will call – He will call you.
Will write – They will write letters.
Will read – I will read later.
Will plan – She will plan the trip.
Will fix – He will fix the car.
Will wait – They will wait.
Will wish – I will wish for it.
Will start – She will start soon.
Will finish – He will finish later.
Will build – They will build a house.
Will work – I will work harder.
Will ask – She will ask questions.
Will explain – He will explain more.
Will decide – They will decide soon.
Will continue – I will continue tomorrow.
Will answer – She will answer soon.

Present Continuous Tense

This tense shows ongoing actions, formed by combining “am,” “is,” or “are” with a verb ending in “-ing.”

Talking – I am talking to him now.
Walking – She is walking home.
Running – They are running outside.
Reading – I am reading a novel.
Cooking – He is cooking dinner.
Dancing – She is dancing right now.
Writing – They are writing reports.
Drawing – He is drawing a sketch.
Helping – She is helping a friend.
Singing – They are singing together.
Playing – He is playing the guitar.
Laughing – I am laughing at the joke.
Waiting – They are waiting for a taxi.
Thinking – She is thinking deeply.
Studying – He is studying for exams.
Calling – I am calling my mom.
Fixing – She is fixing her bike.
Cleaning – They are cleaning the room.
Listening – He is listening to music.
Trying – I am trying my best.
Saving – She is saving money.
Opening – They are opening the door.
Looking – He is looking for his keys.
Explaining – She is explaining the rules.
Changing – They are changing their plans.
Deciding – I am deciding what to wear.
Planning – She is planning her vacation.
Closing – He is closing the window.
Practicing – They are practicing for the show.
Enjoying – I am enjoying the meal.

Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous indicates actions that were ongoing at a certain time in the past.

It’s created by combining “was” or “were” with the “-ing” form.

Was talking – He was talking on the phone.
Was walking – I was walking home.
Were running – They were running late.
Was cooking – She was cooking dinner.
Was dancing – He was dancing all night.
Were laughing – They were laughing together.
Was reading – I was reading a magazine.
Was writing – She was writing a letter.
Were waiting – They were waiting outside.
Was studying – He was studying in the library.
Were playing – They were playing basketball.
Was singing – She was singing beautifully.
Was helping – He was helping his friend.
Were calling – They were calling for help.
Was listening – I was listening to music.
Were crying – They were crying with joy.
Was laughing – He was laughing loudly.
Were cleaning – They were cleaning the room.
Was fixing – She was fixing her car.
Were saving – They were saving for a trip.
Was opening – He was opening a gift.
Were closing – They were closing the store.
Was thinking – I was thinking about it.
Were practicing – They were practicing their lines.
Was drawing – She was drawing a picture.
Were explaining – They were explaining the situation.
Was deciding – He was deciding what to do.
Was planning – She was planning a party.
Were arranging – They were arranging the furniture.
Was enjoying – I was enjoying the moment.

Present Perfect Tense

Present perfect connects past actions to the present, often using “have” or “has” with the past participle form.

Have talked – I have talked to him.
Has walked – She has walked for miles.
Have written – They have written letters.
Has cooked – He has cooked dinner.
Have studied – I have studied hard.
Has played – She has played well.
Have laughed – They have laughed together.
Has read – He has read the book.
Have called – They have called twice.
Has helped – She has helped a lot.
Have waited – I have waited long.
Has cleaned – He has cleaned the room.
Have listened – They have listened closely.
Has opened – She has opened the door.
Have needed – I have needed help.
Has drawn – He has drawn a map.
Have saved – They have saved money.
Has tried – She has tried everything.
Have watched – I have watched the series.
Has planned – He has planned the event.
Have visited – They have visited before.
Has fixed – She has fixed the issue.
Have built – We have built a fence.
Has decided – He has decided to go.
Have called – I have called three times.
Has finished – She has finished the work.
Have walked – We have walked a long way.
Has talked – He has talked to everyone.
Have created – They have created something unique.
Has improved – She has improved greatly.

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect shows an action completed before another action in the past. Formed by using “had” with the past participle.

Had talked – I had talked to her before.
Had walked – He had walked that path already.
Had cooked – She had cooked by the time we arrived.
Had played – They had played the game before.
Had studied – I had studied for hours.
Had helped – He had helped them move.
Had called – She had called twice.
Had laughed – They had laughed all evening.
Had written – He had written the letter already.
Had danced – She had danced all night.
Had opened – They had opened the store.
Had waited – I had waited for her.
Had drawn – He had drawn the map.
Had saved – She had saved enough.
Had tried – They had tried everything.
Had fixed – I had fixed the car before the trip.
Had planned – He had planned the event.
Had bought – She had bought groceries.
Had listened – They had listened to instructions.
Had painted – He had painted the walls.
Had created – I had created a backup.
Had thought – She had thought about it.
Had read – They had read the book before.
Had learned – I had learned the basics.
Had changed – He had changed his mind.
Had decided – They had decided to leave.
Had begun – She had begun the project.
Had searched – He had searched everywhere.
Had missed – I had missed the bus.
Had enjoyed – They had enjoyed the show.

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect expresses actions that will be completed by a certain future time, using “will have” plus the past participle.

Will have talked – I will have talked to her by then.
Will have walked – He will have walked three miles by sunset.
Will have cooked – She will have cooked dinner by eight.
Will have played – They will have played two games by evening.
Will have studied – I will have studied everything by tomorrow.
Will have helped – He will have helped by then.
Will have called – She will have called twice by now.
Will have laughed – They will have laughed about it already.
Will have written – He will have written it down.
Will have danced – She will have danced by then.
Will have opened – They will have opened the door.
Will have waited – I will have waited long enough.
Will have drawn – He will have drawn the sketch.
Will have saved – She will have saved enough.
Will have tried – They will have tried everything.
Will have fixed – I will have fixed it by tomorrow.
Will have planned – He will have planned it all.
Will have bought – She will have bought the supplies.
Will have listened – They will have listened closely.
Will have painted – He will have painted the room.
Will have created – I will have created a solution.
Will have thought – She will have thought it through.
Will have read – They will have read it already.
Will have learned – I will have learned it by then.
Will have changed – He will have changed his mind.
Will have decided – They will have decided on it.
Will have begun – She will have begun the project.
Will have searched – He will have searched everywhere.
Will have missed – I will have missed the chance.
Will have enjoyed – They will have enjoyed it.

Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Used for actions that began in the past and continue in the present, formed by “have been” or “has been” + “-ing.”

Have been talking – I have been talking for hours.
Has been walking – She has been walking all morning.
Have been running – They have been running daily.
Have been reading – I have been reading all night.
Has been cooking – He has been cooking since dawn.
Have been studying – They have been studying hard.
Has been playing – She has been playing piano.
Have been laughing – We have been laughing at jokes.
Has been working – He has been working non-stop.
Have been helping – They have been helping for days.
Have been watching – I have been watching the news.
Has been learning – She has been learning French.
Have been waiting – They have been waiting long.
Has been planning – He has been planning the trip.
Have been saving – I have been saving money.
Has been listening – She has been listening intently.
Have been calling – They have been calling every day.
Has been trying – He has been trying his best.
Have been thinking – We have been thinking about it.
Has been painting – She has been painting walls.
Have been improving – I have been improving my skills.
Has been cleaning – He has been cleaning since morning.
Have been building – They have been building a shed.
Has been repairing – She has been repairing it.
Have been organizing – I have been organizing things.
Has been searching – He has been searching for hours.
Have been creating – They have been creating plans.
Has been decorating – She has been decorating.
Have been practicing – We have been practicing daily.
Has been enjoying – He has been enjoying his time.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense expresses actions that were ongoing before a certain past point, using “had been” with the verb ending in “-ing.”

Had been talking – I had been talking when they arrived.
Had been walking – She had been walking for hours.
Had been studying – They had been studying all night.
Had been cooking – He had been cooking for hours.
Had been running – We had been running for miles.
Had been working – She had been working hard.
Had been helping – He had been helping out.
Had been playing – They had been playing together.
Had been laughing – We had been laughing all day.
Had been reading – I had been reading until I slept.
Had been writing – She had been writing all morning.
Had been singing – They had been singing.
Had been listening – I had been listening closely.
Had been saving – He had been saving for years.
Had been waiting – She had been waiting for hours.
Had been dancing – They had been dancing.
Had been training – We had been training for the event.
Had been preparing – I had been preparing.
Had been observing – She had been observing.
Had been gathering – They had been gathering data.
Had been thinking – He had been thinking deeply.
Had been traveling – I had been traveling.
Had been practicing – They had been practicing.
Had been discussing – She had been discussing.
Had been developing – He had been developing plans.
Had been attempting – They had been attempting it.
Had been understanding – I had been understanding more.
Had been challenging – She had been challenging him.
Had been planning – We had been planning carefully.
Had been discovering – He had been discovering more.

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense suggests an action that will be ongoing until a specific future moment, formed with “will have been” + “-ing.”

Will have been talking – I will have been talking for hours by then.
Will have been walking – She will have been walking for miles.
Will have been studying – They will have been studying all night.
Will have been cooking – He will have been cooking for hours.
Will have been running – We will have been running since dawn.
Will have been working – She will have been working for a week.
Will have been helping – They will have been helping others.
Will have been playing – He will have been playing for hours.
Will have been laughing – We will have been laughing by then.
Will have been reading – I will have been reading the whole day.
Will have been writing – She will have been writing reports.
Will have been singing – They will have been singing by then.
Will have been listening – I will have been listening carefully.
Will have been saving – He will have been saving for years.
Will have been waiting – She will have been waiting for hours.
Will have been training – We will have been training all year.
Will have been improving – I will have been improving my skills.
Will have been organizing – She will have been organizing the files.
Will have been decorating – They will have been decorating.
Will have been traveling – We will have been traveling nonstop.
Will have been gathering – He will have been gathering data.
Will have been studying – They will have been studying hard.
Will have been planning – I will have been planning the event.
Will have been waiting – She will have been waiting patiently.
Will have been cleaning – They will have been cleaning all day.
Will have been preparing – I will have been preparing everything.
Will have been fixing – He will have been fixing the machine.
Will have been explaining – She will have been explaining things.
Will have been deciding – They will have been deciding carefully.
Will have been enjoying – I will have been enjoying the time.

Modal Verbs in Present Tense

Modal verbs add layers of meaning to actions (like ability, permission, or obligation). They’re essential for nuanced speech.

Can go – I can go now.
Should stay – He should stay here.
Could help – They could help if needed.
Might leave – She might leave soon.
Must try – *You must try
Must try – You must try harder.
Would agree – I would agree with that.
Can sing – He can sing well.
May begin – They may begin shortly.
Should talk – We should talk about it.
Could play – I could play piano.
Must finish – She must finish on time.
Might call – He might call later.
Would share – They would share their notes.
Can walk – She can walk long distances.
Should read – We should read it carefully.
Could ask – You could ask for help.
Might visit – They might visit soon.
Must decide – He must decide soon.
Would join – I would join the meeting.
Can study – They can study together.
Should wait – We should wait for her.
Could choose – You could choose another option.
Might explain – She might explain it later.
Must learn – They must learn this.
Would like – He would like a break.
Can listen – We can listen to music.
Should continue – I should continue working.
Could complete – They could complete it soon.
Might start – She might start early.
Must follow – You must follow the rules.

Modal Verbs in Past Tense

Modal verbs in the past add nuances about past possibilities, obligations, and abilities.

Could have gone – I could have gone earlier.
Should have stayed – He should have stayed.
Might have left – They might have left.
Would have helped – She would have helped.
Could have studied – I could have studied harder.
Must have known – They must have known.
Might have waited – She might have waited.
Would have called – He would have called you.
Should have tried – They should have tried more.
Could have saved – We could have saved money.
Might have noticed – He might have noticed.
Would have arrived – I would have arrived on time.
Should have listened – She should have listened.
Could have chosen – They could have chosen wisely.
Must have heard – He must have heard.
Might have explained – She might have explained it.
Would have agreed – They would have agreed.
Should have walked – I should have walked.
Could have completed – He could have completed it.
Might have started – They might have started early.
Must have finished – She must have finished.
Would have gone – I would have gone with you.
Should have helped – They should have helped.
Could have played – We could have played more.
Might have eaten – He might have eaten already.
Would have joined – I would have joined the event.
Should have remembered – She should have remembered.
Could have left – They could have left sooner.
Might have seen – He might have seen it.
Must have planned – They must have planned ahead.

Imperative Mood

The imperative mood is used for commands or requests. These verbs take the base form to give directions or advice.

Talk – Talk to her directly.
Listen – Listen carefully.
Wait – Wait here.
Read – Read the instructions.
Stop – Stop right there.
Help – Help your friend.
Look – Look at this.
Come – Come here.
Start – Start the project.
Eat – Eat your food.
Write – Write it down.
Watch – Watch your step.
Save – Save your work.
Ask – Ask questions.
Bring – Bring the materials.
Use – Use this tool.
Clean – Clean up the mess.
Open – Open the window.
Plan – Plan your day.
Explain – Explain your answer.
Check – Check the report.
Call – Call me back.
Close – Close the door.
Play – Play outside.
Finish – Finish your work.
Draw – Draw a picture.
Think – Think about it.
Decide – Decide carefully.
Buy – Buy the tickets.
Join – Join the meeting.

Check out this quick video about conjugation words:

YouTube Video by Learn English Speaking — Conjugation Words

How to Use Conjugation Words

Understanding conjugation is the key to mastering any language’s structure and flow.

Conjugation words show how verbs change form based on tense, mood, or voice, giving your speech and writing the accuracy they need. Here’s how different people can make the most of learning conjugations.

For Students

Students can use conjugation words to improve both written and spoken language skills.

Memorizing common conjugations helps with accuracy and fluency in sentences.

Practice with Flashcards: Use flashcards to memorize irregular conjugations, which often don’t follow predictable patterns.
Write Short Paragraphs: Write about your day in different tenses (past, present, future). This helps practice conjugating verbs in context.
Peer Review: Practice with classmates by checking each other’s conjugation in sentences to reinforce understanding.

For Teachers

Teachers can use conjugation words as the backbone of lessons on sentence structure, tense, and expression.

Introduce One Tense at a Time: Teaching conjugations in isolation by tense (starting with the present) allows students to build a foundation.
Use Role Play: Having students act out scenarios using target verbs and tenses can help with contextual learning.
Correct with Context: Provide real-life sentence examples when correcting mistakes to show how conjugations affect meaning.

For General Language Learners

Language learners of all backgrounds and ages can incorporate conjugation practice into everyday activities to build familiarity.

Use Daily Journal Entries: Write a short diary entry, changing tenses each day to apply conjugations practically.
Watch Content with Subtitles: Subtitled videos (movies, shows, tutorials) provide natural examples of conjugated verbs.
Self-Correction Practice: Record yourself speaking, then play it back and identify any conjugation mistakes, making notes for improvement.

Final Thoughts: Congugation Words

By practicing these congugation words, you’ll gain confidence in using verbs across contexts, from everyday conversation to professional settings. Verb conjugation may seem overwhelming, but breaking it down like this simplifies the process.