100+ Common Verbs that Start with A: List, Definitions, Examples & Exercises • 7ESL

This article gives you a clear, learner-friendly guide to verbs that start with A. You’ll explore common everyday verbs, action verbs, positive verbs, important phrasal verbs, and a practical list of “A” verbs with simple meanings and examples. Use it as a quick reference or as a vocabulary builder for speaking, writing, and exams like IELTS or TOEFL.

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Top Common Verbs that Start with A

verbs that start with A printable vocabulary poster for ESL learners — Verbs that Start with A Printable – Created by 7ESL

Essential “A” Verbs for Beginners

Here are some of the most common “A” verbs you will meet in everyday English. Each verb comes with a simple definition and an example sentence.

Accept

Definition: to agree to take something or to say “yes” to an offer or invitation.
Example: She happily accepted the job offer.

Achieve

Definition: to succeed in doing something after working hard.
Example: He finally achieved his dream of running a marathon.

Act

Definition: to do something; to behave in a particular way.
Example: We must act quickly to solve this problem.

Add

Definition: to put something with something else; to increase the amount.
Example: Please add your name to the list.

Adapt

Definition: to change in order to fit a new situation.
Example: The company quickly adapted to the new market conditions.

Agree

Definition: to have the same opinion as someone; to say “yes” to a plan.
Example: They finally agreed on a date for the meeting.

Allow

Definition: to give permission for something.
Example: The teacher allows students to use dictionaries in the test.

Answer

Definition: to reply to a question or phone call.
Example: She answered the phone on the first ring.

Apply

Definition: to make a formal request; to use something in a practical way.
Example: He wants to apply for a scholarship abroad.

Arrive

Definition: to reach a place at the end of a journey.
Example: The train arrived ten minutes late.

Ask

Definition: to say or write something in order to get an answer or information.
Example: Don’t be afraid to ask questions in class.

Assist

Definition: to help someone.
Example: The nurse assisted the doctor during the operation.

Attend

Definition: to be present at an event, lesson, or meeting.
Example: They attend English classes twice a week.

Avoid

Definition: to stay away from something.
Example: He avoids eating junk food to stay healthy.

Award

Definition: to officially give someone a prize or a title.
Example: The committee awarded her a prize for best research.

Academic & Formal Verbs Starting with A

These verbs often appear in essays, reports, and exams such as IELTS, TOEFL, and academic writing.

Analyze

Definition: To examine something carefully in order to understand it; to study something in detail, especially for academic purposes.
Example: The researcher analyzed the results of the survey.

Assess

Definition: To judge or evaluate something.
Example: Teachers assess students’ progress at the end of the course.

Assume

Definition: To accept something as true without proof.
Example: We cannot assume that all students learn in the same way.

Advocate

Definition: To publicly support an idea or policy.
Example: Many experts advocate reducing class sizes.

Allocate

Definition: To give resources, time, or money to a particular purpose.
Example: The government allocated more funds to education.

Amend

Definition: To change a text, law, or document to improve it.
Example: The committee amended the proposal after feedback.

Anticipate

Definition: To expect something to happen and prepare for it.
Example: The company anticipated a rise in demand.

Approximate

Definition: To estimate something close to the exact amount.
Example: We approximated the cost at around $500.

Articulate

Definition: To express ideas or feelings clearly in words.
Example: The speaker articulated her arguments very clearly.

Authorize

Definition: To officially give permission for something.
Example: The director authorized the use of extra resources.

Argue

Definition: To give reasons to support or oppose an idea.
Example: The writer argues that technology can improve education.

Ascertain

Definition: To find out the true facts about something.
Example: The study aims to ascertain the main causes of stress.

Attribute (to)

Definition: To say that something is the result of a particular cause.
Example: The success was attributed to careful planning.

Address

Definition: To deal with a problem or issue.
Example: The report addresses several challenges in online learning.

Action Verbs that Start with A

Physical Action Verbs

Verb	Meaning	Sentence Example
Abandon	to leave something or someone behind	He abandoned his car and walked home.
Absorb	to take in liquid, heat, or information	The sponge absorbed all the water in the bowl.
Accelerate	to move or happen faster	The car accelerated rapidly down the road.
Act	to do something; to take action	The girl acted on stage in front of a crowd.
Adapt	to change in order to suit a new condition	The company adapted to the changing market.
Add	to put something together with something else	She added sugar to the recipe to make it sweeter.
Address	to speak to a group; to direct words to someone	The president addressed the nation on TV.
Adjust	to change slightly to make something better	She adjusted her glasses before reading the book.
Ascend	to go up or climb	He ascended the stairs to the top of the building.
Assemble	to put parts together to form something	They assembled the puzzle pieces into a complete picture.
Attack	to use force against someone or something	The enemy attacked the army’s fortifications.
Awaken	to wake up or make someone wake up	The loud alarm clock awakened her from her sleep.

Mental & Communication Action Verbs

Verb	Meaning	Sentence Example
Analyze	to examine something carefully	The scientist analyzed the data for patterns.
Answer	to reply to a question or message	She answered the email immediately.
Anticipate	to expect something to happen	They anticipated a difficult road ahead.
Applaud	to clap hands to show approval	The audience applauded the performer’s efforts.
Apply	to use knowledge, idea, or method in practice	She applied her knowledge of math to solve the problem.
Approve	to officially agree to something	The city council approved the new construction project.
Argue	to give reasons for or against something	The lawyers argued their case in front of the jury.
Assume	to believe something is true without proof	She assumed that the meeting would start on time.
Advise	to give someone suggestions about what to do	The counselor advised her on career choices.
Announce	to make something known publicly	The company announced a new product line.
Apologize	to say sorry for something	He apologized for arriving late.
Assure	to tell someone that something is definitely true	The manager assured the team that their jobs were safe.

Positive Verbs that Start with A

Verbs for Success and Achievement

Verb	Meaning	Sentence Example
Accomplish	to successfully complete something	She accomplished her dream of becoming a doctor.
Achieve	to reach a goal or result	He achieved his goal of running a marathon.
Acquire	to gain a skill or possession	She acquired new skills after attending the training.
Advance	to move forward or make progress	The technology has advanced significantly over the years.
Alleviate	to make pain or problems less severe	The medication helped alleviate his symptoms.
Amaze	to surprise someone very much	The performance amazed the audience.
Amplify	to increase strength, sound, or effect	The speakers amplified the music in the room.
Arise	to begin or appear	A new opportunity arose for her to study abroad.
Aspire	to strongly hope to achieve something	She aspires to become a successful entrepreneur.
Attain	to succeed in getting something you want	He attained a high level of fluency in English.
Attract	to draw attention or interest	The new design attracted many customers.
Award	to officially give a prize	The academy awarded her the prize for best actress.

Verbs for Feelings and Relationships

Verb	Meaning	Sentence Example
Admire	to respect and think well of someone	He admired her dedication to her work.
Adore	to love deeply and strongly	She adores her newborn baby.
Appreciate	to be thankful for something; to value something	She appreciated the support of her family.
Assure	to comfort someone by telling them something is true	He assured his friend that everything would be fine.
Apologize	to say you are sorry and ask for forgiveness	She apologized for the misunderstanding.
Accompany	to go somewhere with someone	He accompanied his parents to the ceremony.
Assist	to help and support someone	The volunteer assisted the elderly woman with her groceries.
Align	to agree with or support the same idea	The team aligned their goals for the project.
Acknowledge	to recognize or admit something	The teacher acknowledged the students’ hard work.

Important Phrasal Verbs Starting with A

Common Phrasal Verbs with “Act”, “Ask”, “Add”

These phrasal verbs are very common in spoken and informal English.

Act on

Meaning: to do something because you have received information or advice.
Example: The company acted on the results of the survey.

Act up

Meaning: to behave badly or not work properly.
Example: The children started to act up during the long trip.

Act out

Meaning: to perform or express something through actions.
Example: The students acted out a short dialogue in class.

Ask for

Meaning: to request something.
Example: Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Ask out

Meaning: to invite someone on a date.
Example: He finally asked her out for coffee.

Ask around

Meaning: to ask several people a question.
Example: I’ll ask around and see if anyone has seen your book.

Add up

Meaning: to calculate the total; to make sense.
Example: She added up all the expenses.

Add up to

Meaning: to equal a total amount.
Example: The bills add up to more than we expected.

Add on

Meaning: to include something extra.
Example: You can add on a speaking class to your course.

Comprehensive List of Verbs that Start with A

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List of Verbs that Start with A – Created by 7ESL

Below is a clean and useful list of common “A” verbs. Use it as a quick reference.

Verb	Pronunciation	Simple Definition
Abandon	/əˈbændən/	to leave something or someone behind
Abbreviate	/əˈbriːvieɪt/	to make a word or text shorter
Abolish	/əˈbɒlɪʃ/	to officially end a law or system
Abound	/əˈbaʊnd/	to exist in large numbers or amounts
Absorb	/əbˈzɔːrb/	to take in liquid, heat, or information
Accelerate	/ækˈseləreɪt/	to move or happen more quickly
Accept	/əkˈsept/	to agree to take something or say yes
Access	/ˈækses/	to be able to get or use something
Accompany	/əˈkʌmpəni/	to go somewhere with someone
Accomplish	/əˈkʌmplɪʃ/	to successfully complete something
Account	/əˈkaʊnt/	to consider or explain; to see as
Accuse	/əˈkjuːz/	to say that someone has done something wrong
Achieve	/əˈtʃiːv/	to reach a goal by effort
Acknowledge	/əkˈnɒlɪdʒ/	to accept or admit that something is true
Acquire	/əˈkwaɪər/	to get or gain something
Adapt	/əˈdæpt/	to change in order to fit new conditions
Add	/æd/	to put something together with something else
Address	/əˈdres/	to speak to; to deal with a problem
Adjust	/əˈdʒʌst/	to change slightly to improve something
Administer	/ədˈmɪnɪstər/	to manage or give something (e.g. medicine)
Admire	/ədˈmaɪər/	to respect and think well of someone
Admit	/ədˈmɪt/	to say something is true; to allow entry
Adopt	/əˈdɒpt/	to take something as your own (a child, idea)
Adore	/əˈdɔːr/	to love very much
Advise	/ədˈvaɪz/	to give an opinion or suggestion
Advocate	/ˈædvəkeɪt/	to support an idea or cause
Affect	/əˈfekt/	to influence something or someone
Affirm	/əˈfɜːrm/	to state that something is true
Agree	/əˈɡriː/	to have the same opinion; to accept a plan
Aim	/eɪm/	to point or direct something at a target; to intend
Allow	/əˈlaʊ/	to let something happen; to permit
Alter	/ˈɔːltər/	to change something slightly
Amend	/əˈmend/	to change a text or law to improve it
Amuse	/əˈmjuːz/	to make someone laugh or feel entertained
Analyze	/ˈænəlaɪz/	to examine something carefully
Announce	/əˈnaʊns/	to officially tell people about something
Answer	/ˈænsər/	to reply to a question or call
Apologize	/əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/	to say that you are sorry
Appear	/əˈpɪr/	to become visible or to seem
Apply	/əˈplaɪ/	to request something; to use something
Appreciate	/əˈpriːʃieɪt/	to be thankful for; to value something
Approach	/əˈproʊtʃ/	to come near; to speak to someone about something
Approve	/əˈpruːv/	to agree to or accept something officially
Argue	/ˈɑːrɡjuː/	to speak or write in support of or against something
Arrange	/əˈreɪndʒ/	to plan or organize something
Arise	/əˈraɪz/	to begin or appear
Arrive	/əˈraɪv/	to reach a place
Arrest	/əˈrest/	to take someone into police custody
Assist	/əˈsɪst/	to help someone
Assume	/əˈsuːm/	to believe something without proof; to take on a role
Assure	/əˈʃʊr/	to tell someone confidently that something is true
Attach	/əˈtætʃ/	to join or connect something to something else
Attempt	/əˈtempt/	to try to do something difficult
Attend	/əˈtend/	to go to an event, class, or meeting
Attract	/əˈtrækt/	to draw interest or attention
Avoid	/əˈvɔɪd/	to stay away from something
Awaken	/əˈweɪkən/	to wake up; to make someone aware
Award	/əˈwɔːrd/	to give a prize or benefit

Confusing A Verbs & Common Mistakes

Affect vs. Effect

Affect is usually a verb (to influence), while effect is usually a noun (a result).

Affect (verb): The weather can affect your mood.
Effect (noun): The new policy had a positive effect on students.

Tip: In most cases, use affect as the verb and effect as the noun.

Arise vs. Rise

Both verbs describe something “coming up” or “going up”, but they are used differently.

Arise: a situation or problem arises (appears).Example: If any questions arise, please ask your teacher.
Rise: people, prices, or objects rise (go up).Example: Prices rise every year.

Assure vs. Ensure vs. Insure

Assure: to tell someone confidently that something is true.Example: I can assure you that everything is under control.
Ensure: to make sure that something happens.Example: Please ensure that the door is locked.
Insure: to buy insurance for protection.Example: They insured the house against fire.

Exercises: Test Your Knowledge on “A” Verbs

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Choose the correct verb starting with A to complete each sentence.

The teacher will ________ your writing at the end of the course. (assess / arrest)
We need to ________ more time to revision before the exam. (allocate / amuse)
She ________ to study abroad next year. (aspires / amuses)
The children ________ loudly when the magician appeared. (applauded / abandoned)
Please ________ this form if you want to join the club. (apply / approve)
The manager ________ the new project after a short discussion. (approved / apologized)
This medicine will help ________ your pain. (alleviate / abandon)
He didn’t hear the phone because he was ________ in his work. (absorbed / arrested)

Exercise 2: Match the Definition

Match each verb with the correct definition.

Verb	Definition
A. adapt	1. to say you are sorry
B. apologize	2. to make something less severe
C. analyze	3. to change in order to suit a new situation
D. alleviate	4. to examine something carefully

Answer Key

Exercise 1: 1. assess, 2. allocate, 3. aspires, 4. applauded, 5. apply, 6. approved, 7. alleviate, 8. absorbed

Exercise 2: A–3, B–1, C–4, D–2

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Verbs Starting with A – Created by 7ESL

Conclusion

You have now seen many useful verbs that start with A, from everyday action verbs to more formal academic language and phrasal verbs. Keep revising the lists, try the exercises again, and use these verbs in your own sentences to remember them better.

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