We commonly use the words good and well synonymously, but there is a thin line of demarcation between the two. When someone says “How are you?” we either say ‘I am good’ or we say ‘I am well’, both are correct, but they do not mean the same thing.
While I am good implies you are happy in your life, and everything is okay, I am well has nothing to do with happiness, as it implies that you are healthy, fit or fine. Let’s take a read of these sentences to understand them correctly.
- Joe performed well in the competition; he will get a good rank.
- Sherin had a good time here; she is now feeling well.
In our first example, well is used to define how Joe performed in the competition and we used the word ‘good’ to say that he will get a satisfying rank. In the next case, we used good to talk about the wonderful time Sherin had, whereas well denotes she is feeling better.
Content: Good Vs Well
- Comparison Chart
- Definition
- Key Differences
- Examples
- How to remember the difference
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Good | Well |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The word ‘good’ is used to denote fair or something of a desired quality. | The word ‘well’ is used to say that an action is performed in a pleasing or acceptable way. |
| Part of Speech | Adjective | Adverb or sometimes Adjective |
| Describes | A person, place, animal or any object. | An action |
| Examples | She is a good dancer. | She dances well. |
| Read some good books, for improving English. | Sophia speaks English very well. | |
| These cookies taste really good. | This dress goes well on you. |
Definition of Good
Good is an adjective, which implies that something is pleasant, positive, appropriate, right or of acceptable quality/quantity. As an adjective, it is used to give more description of a noun or a pronoun, i.e. person, place, animals and things. Let’s have a look at the points below to understand where it can be used, in sentences:
- It is used to refer satisfactory, convenient, pleasant or enjoyable:
- Harry got some good news.
- That’s a good idea.
- Riya and Anjali are good friends, since childhood.
- To indicate high in level, standard or quality.
- Is there any good gynaecologist in the town?
- I am not so good at cooking food.
- To greet people:
- Have a good day.
- To be able to perform an activity successfully:
- Paul is a good sand artist.
- To refer to healthy:
- Ani has been taken to the doctor, because she is not feeling good, since last night.
Definition of Well
The word ‘well’ is an adverb which describes the way in which something is performed. It indicates that the action has taken place ‘in a satisfactory or desired manner’. It can also be used as an adjective to mean all right, fit and fine. There are specific ways in which we can use well, take a look:
- To express that something has taken place in a right or desired way:
- Your presentation was really well.
- Albert is the only student who did well in the exams.
- To indicate to a great extent:
- It is a well-known fact that Mumbai is a crowded city.
- How well you know him?
- To reflect in addition to:
- This week I am planning to go to Mathura and Vrindavan as well.
- John promised me that he will take care of my belongings as well as other important stuff until I come back.
- As an adjective well usually follows a linking verb like looks, seems, to imply that ‘someone is in good health‘:
- She looks well today.
- It can also be used to suggest or recommend something or criticize it:
- Well, I think you should give him a second chance to prove himself.
The points given below are noteworthy, so far as the difference between good and well is concerned:
- When we regard something as ‘good’ we mean that thing is fair enough or possess the required standard or quality. In the other case, when we regard some activity as ‘well’, we mean that the action is performed in a satisfactory or acceptable manner.
- While good is an adjective, well is an adverb, but it can be used as an adjective also when we talk about someone’s health.
- As an adjective, the word ‘good’ is used to describe a noun or a pronoun, i.e. a person, place, animal or object. On the other hand, as an adverb, well modifies a verb (action), an adjective or another adverb.
Examples
Good
- Alan looks good in traditional outfits.
- Peter is good at making art and craft items.
- Carin has to study hard, to score good marks in the exams.
- One can try yoga, for good health.
Well
- Mr Whisley drives the car very well.
- Well done! My child.
- I can speak French very well.
- Jimmy is a well-focused person.
How to remember the difference
The crucial difference between good and well is that while ‘good’ is an adjective, whose adverb counterpart is ‘well’. While framing a sentence, just identify, what are you describing, if it is a ‘verb’ then use ‘well’ if it is a ‘noun or pronoun’ then use ‘good.’
Video Transcript
Section 1
Well hey there I’m Emma from mmmEnglish! These little but very common words can cause English learners quite a few headaches. They’re very similar in meaning but they’re not used in the same way. It’s easy to confuse them! So this lesson is going to be short and sweet but we are going to get to the bottom of this.
Confusing the words ‘good’ and ‘well’ is a really common English error. Now there are some clear rules that can help you to use them correctly but there are also some exceptions to the rules which probably leave you feeling a little bit confused. The most helpful thing to keep in mind is that ‘good’ is an adjective and ‘well’ is an adverb. They’re two different parts of speech. A quick reminder. Adjectives can modify nouns or tell us more information about a noun. So ‘good’ modifies a noun.
Something can be good.
A good kid.
A good afternoon.
A good night’s sleep.
All of these things.
Now as an adverb, ‘well’ modifies a verb. An action can be done well, right?
She swims well for her age.
We have eaten well.
In both these examples, ‘well’ is modifying the verb. Now, nine times out of ten, most of the time, the question you need to ask yourself is: Am I modifying a noun or an action?
And this will help you to make the correct choice between ‘good’ and ‘well’. Sweet!
But now I have to mention a significant exception to this rule that ‘good’ is the adjective and ‘well’ is the adverb because when you’re talking about health, the quality of someone’s health, ‘well’ can be used as an adjective too.
So if someone is well, it means they’re healthy.
My brother is safe and well.
Is your mother well enough to travel?
All good? ‘Well’ can be an adjective when you’re talking about health.
Okay are you ready for another exception? We can actually use ‘good’ with some non-action verbs like:
(to) be
(to) look
(to) seem
(to) feel
These are stative verbs. So we do that when we’re connecting a subject to an adjective. We can say:
Don’t worry, everything’s good.
This book is good.
the children are good.
I feel good today!
The new office seems good!
The hotel you’re staying in looks so good!
Right? So here we can use ‘good’ with a non-action verb. The last little exception or rule to remember is that ‘good’ can be used with the verb ‘do’ when ‘good’ is a noun, when you’re talking about morally correct behaviour.
Some people volunteer to do good within their local community.
They help others. This is to do good.
Now word order is really important to get these words right in your sentence because they’re different types of words, they are treated differently in our sentence. It’s a really common mistake to say: Sarah plays well football.
The adverb doesn’t usually go between the verb and the object. It goes after the object. Right? It’s something to keep in mind.
Sarah plays football well.
All right, you know that I like to make my lessons practical for you so that you can practise what you’ve learned during the lesson. So are you ready to try it out? First sentence.
You speak English good.
Is it correct?
Correct: You speak English well.
Because we are modifying the verb ‘speak’ here in this sentence.
What about: Your English is well.
Is that right? This word is an adjective. We know because we can see the subject followed by the verb ‘be’ so I guess we could use ‘well’ as an adjective, right? But English is a thing not a person so it doesn’t make sense to say that English is in good health. We need to use ‘good’ here.
Your English is good.
Let’s try another. I want you to fill in the gaps.
I want you to fill in the gaps.
I’m having a _______ day.
Can you guess the correct word here? The adjective or the adverb? Good! We are modifying the noun ‘day’.
I’m having a good day.
But I want you to write a similar sentence with the adverb ‘well’, right? Write it in the comments now. You might need to change the verb in that sentence to help you.
My day is going well.
Now the adverb is modifying the verb, right? Good job!
Did he do _______ on his exam?
Did he do well on his exam?
We’re modifying the verb ‘do’ here.
This rain is ______ for the garden.
This rain is good for the garden.
Her job isn’t _________ for her health.
Her job isn’t good for her health.
Careful! The word that goes in this space is ‘good’. Just because we’re talking about health in the sentence, doesn’t mean we need to use ‘well’.
You spoke ______ at the conference.
‘good’ or ‘well’?
You spoke well at the conference.
I saw Jeremy last night. He looked __________.
Well here we could actually use the adjective ‘good’ or the adjective ‘well’. Both are possible but the meaning is different, right? Think about the difference in the meaning. ‘Well’ means that he looked healthy. ‘Good’ means that he was pleasant to look at – handsome!
I saw Jeremy last night. He looked good/well.
What about if I said: How are you?
How would you answer that question? Would you say: I am good or I am well?
It depends! Again, you could say either. You could use either adjective but the meaning is slightly different.
I want to finish up today’s lesson with a fixed expression that seems to challenge these rules a little.
This one: (to) get (someone) good which means to trick someone or to fool them so anyone who tricked their friend on April Fool’s Day can say: I really got him good which means you tricked him.
I also want to mention before we finish, that in informal spoken English, you’ll hear native English speakers bending the rules a little. You’ll hear them use ‘good’ as an adverb.
How’s Tony?
He’s going good!
Now this is not actually grammatically correct but it’s reasonably common and I really recommend that for you guys, you stick to the rules. Play by the rules, especially if you are studying English to sit an exam. So in that sense, this is incorrect but you’ll hear it all the time.
So that’s it for today’s lesson, I told you it was going to be short and sweet. And I hope it was helpful as well. There are lots of pairs of words like this in English, words that have similar meanings but they’re used differently in sentences. Can you think of any others? If you want me to make a lesson about any more of these pairs of words, then make sure you tell me about it in the comments. Tell me what pairs of words you want me to make a lesson about.
Please do subscribe to the channel so that I can keep you up-to-date with all of my new lessons. And if you’ve got any special requests for future lessons then make sure you let me know in the comments below. And once you do that then come and find me in one of these two lessons here. I’ll see you in there!
mmmEnglish Video Lessons are a series of video lessons created to build confidence in English learners and focus on English in daily life. Download them and watch them anywhere! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be the first to get my new videos, and come and say hi on my Facebook page!!
Good is an adjective while well is an adverb answering the question how. Sometimes well also functions as an adjective pertaining to health.
Examples:
You did a good job.
Good describes job, which is a noun, so good is an adjective.
You did the job well.
Well is an adverb describing how the job was performed.
I feel well.
Well is an adjective describing I.
Good vs. Well Rules
Rule: With the four senses—look, smell, taste, feel—discern if these words are being used actively to decide whether to follow them with good or well. (Hear is always used actively.)
Examples:
You smell good today.
Good describes you, not how you sniff with your nose.You smell well for someone with a cold.
You are sniffing actively with your nose here so use the adverb.She looks good for a 75-year-old grandmother.
She is not looking actively with eyes so use the adjective.
Rule: When referring to health, always use well.
Examples:
I do not feel well today.
You do not look well.
Rule: When describing someone’s emotional state, use good.
Example: He doesn’t feel good about having cheated.
So, how should you answer the question, “How are you?” If you think someone is asking about your physical well-being, answer, “I feel well,” or “I don’t feel well.” If someone is asking about your emotional state, answer, “I feel good,” or “I don’t feel good.”
Please see our post How Are You—Good, Well, or Fine?, which provides more discussion and helpful examples.
Pop Quiz
1. She jogged very good/well for her age.
2. She had a good/well time yesterday.
3. With a high fever, it is unlikely he will feel good/well enough to play basketball tomorrow.
4. Those glasses look good/well on you.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. She jogged very well for her age.
2. She had a good time yesterday.
3. With a high fever, it is unlikely he will feel well enough to play basketball tomorrow.
4. Those glasses look good on you.
Are you ready for the quiz?
Good vs. Well Quiz
Advertisement
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the «Comment» box at the bottom of this page.
Many English words have a verb form and a noun form. This can be confusing. The verb form and the noun form are sometimes pronounced differently, which can be even more confusing!
I wrote this blog post to help ESL students use these words with confidence.
Table of Contents
- Verb or Noun Grammar
- Pronunciation
- 72 verb and noun pair examples with audio
- 150 One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
- 20 Nouns that you didn’t know had a verb form
- Free 14-page PDF Download
Verb or Noun? – Grammar
Let’s start by answering a basic question. What’s the difference between a noun and a verb?
A noun is a person, place, or thing.
A verb expresses an action or existence.
“A dog is running in the park.” – A DOG (thing) is running (action) in the PARK (place).
A basic English sentence will have this pattern. Subject – Verb – Object. The subject and object in a sentence will be nouns. DOG (Subject) is running (Verb) in the PARK (Object).
How can I tell a noun from a verb?
The sentence example above is very basic. Natural English sentences will use clauses and conjunctions to tell longer stories in a single sentence. Here is a simple way to tell if a word is a noun or a verb in a longer sentence.
Nouns often follow an article (a, an, the) or the possessive form of a noun or pronoun. (my, his/her, its, John’s, etc.)
Verbs will follow a subject and be conjugated (changed into past, present, future, continuous tense, etc.)
Noun – Happy birthday! I bought you a present.
The noun present follows the article a.
Verb – They will present their findings tomorrow at the meeting.
The verb present follows a subject – “They” – and is conjugated in the future tense. – “will present“
If you know the correct form, you can use the correct pronunciation.
Are all verb and noun pairs pronounced differently?
One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
Many noun and verb pairs have only one syllable so there is no change in word stress between the verb and the noun. They all sound the same with a few exceptions. (You can find the exceptions in the one-syllable verb and noun list at the bottom of this post.)
Example:
list
noun – a series of names, items, figures, etc., especially when they are written or printed
“I wrote a shopping list this morning.”
verb – to write a list of things in a particular order
“I listed everything I need for my trip.”
Two-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
When noun and verb pairs are two syllables we pronounce them correctly by focusing on the syllable stress. English 2-syllable nouns will put stress on the first syllable. CONduct.
2-syllable verbs will put stress on the second syllable. conDUCT.
Example:
conduct
noun – CONduct – a person’s behavior in a particular place or in a particular situation
“Our school has a strict code of conduct.”
verb – conDUCT – to organize and/or do a particular activity
“My university will conduct a survey on Friday.”
Three-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
There are a few cases where the verb and noun pair is three syllables and ends with the letters -ATE. For these examples, the sound of the last letters will change, not the stress. The stress will still be on the third syllable.
Example:
associate
noun – asso-she-IT ~ a person that you work with, do business with, or spend a lot of time with
“Peter is a business associate of my father.” (asso-she-IT)
verb – to spend time with someone, especially a person or people that someone else does not approve of
“I try not to associate with angry or negative people.” (asso-she-ATE)
Associate audio below ↓
In this post, I will also give you 36 noun/verb pair examples with over 70 natural example sentences. Each example sentence has audio to improve your English listening skills and pronunciation. You can quickly start using the correct word stress with noun/verb pairs.
Noun and Verb Pair Vocabulary LIST
Listen to the correct pronunciation with natural example sentences below. The word definitions used in this post are from Oxford learner’s dictionaries. Links to the definitions are beside each word. N for the NOUN definition and V for the VERB definition.
*Some of the words on this list have multiple definitions, you can find other meanings at the links provided. (N V)
Verb and noun pairs examples with AUDIO
associate N V
Noun – Peter is a business associate of my father. [asso・SHE・IT] Peter works with my dad.
Verb – ①I try not to associate with angry or negative people. [asso・SHE・ATE] I don’t like to spend time with negative people.
Verb – ② I like to associate new grammar with my own real experiences, it makes the grammar easier to remember. [asso・SHE・ATE] I connect new grammar to a real experience in my mind.
compound N V
Noun – They are building a large prison compound in my hometown. [COMpound] They are building a complex that will be surrounded by a wall.
Verb – Cutting the budget will not solve anything. Budget cuts will only compound our problems. [comPOUND] Reducing the budget will make things worse.
conduct N V
Noun – Our school has a strict code of conduct. [CONduct] We are told how to behave when we are at school.
Verb – My university will conduct a survey on Friday. [conDUCT] My university will organize a survey and ask the students some questions.
conflict N V
Noun – Sadly there are many conflicts in the world right now. [CONflict] Many places are having strong disagreements.
Verb – My experiences in Japan conflict with some of the stories I was told before I came. [conFLICT] The stories I was told are the opposite of my experience.
(I was told is the passive voice – learn this grammar HERE)
contest N V
Noun – I entered a break dancing contest when I was 12. [CONtest] I entered a break dancing competition when I was 12.
Verb – After Donald passed away his youngest son contested his will. [conTEST] Donald’s youngest son opposed the will because he felt it was wrong.
contract N V
Noun – I just signed a new 3-year contract with the high school where I teach English. [CONtract] I have an official 3-year agreement to work at the school.
Verb – The company was contracted to build a new 50,000-seat stadium. [conTRACT] The company has made an official agreement to build a stadium.
contrast N V
Noun – There is a big contrast between the customer service in Japan and the service I receive in Canada. [CONtrast] There is a big difference between the customer service at stores in these 2 countries.
Verb – I like to contrast American movies with Japanese movies. The style and pace are quite different. [conTRAST] I like to compare the 2 movie styles and show how they are different.
I make typos sometimes when I write my blog content. I often use voice typing which can also cause simple Grammar errors in my blog post document.
I use Grammarly to help me catch these mistakes. It saves me a lot of time! It can help your English writing too. Get Grammarly for free.
decrease N V
Noun – There was a decrease in school applications last year. [DEcrease] The number of applications was reduced.
Verb – The number of students at my school decreased last year. [deCREASE] The student population became smaller.
delegate N V
Noun – The meeting was attended by delegates from over 100 countries. [del・ah・GIT] People who were chosen to represent their countries attended the meeting.
Verb – I’m so busy at work. I think I will delegate some tasks to my assistant. [del・ah・GATE] I will give part of my work to my assistant.
desert N V
Noun – If you travel in the desert you should bring lots of water. [DEzert] If you travel in a dry area with little water, you should bring your own.
(Be careful of the noun dessert. It is spelled with two ‘S’s.)
– I think I’ll have cheesecake for dessert.
Dessert vs Desert – Pronounce these words CORRECTLY(Audio)
Verb – I was left in the mall by myself. My friends deserted me. [deZERT] My friends left me by myself in the mall.
detail N V
Noun – Édouard Manet’s paintings are beautiful, he pays attention to every detail. [DEtail] Manet pays attention to even the small points or features in his paintings.
Verb – This brochure details all the features of the car. [deTAIL] This brochure gives a list of facts and information about this car.
discount N V
Noun – If I buy one jacket I can get a 30% discount on a second jacket. [DIScount] If I buy 2 jackets there will be a 30% price reduction on the second one.
Verb – Stores usually discount their clothes at the end of the season. [disCOUNT] They take some money off the usual price.
escort N V
Noun – When leaders travel to other countries they often have police escorts. [EScort] World leaders have local police travel with them to protect them.
Verb – It’s getting dark, please let me escort you home. [esCORT] Let me take you home so you are not alone, to make sure you are safe.
export N V
Noun – Lumber is one of Canada’s main exports. [EXport] Lumber is one of the main goods that it sells to other countries.
Verb – Canada exports lots of lumber and oil to the United States. [exPORT] Canada sells some of its resources to America.
impact N V
Noun – Many people are climbing Mt. Everest and this has had a serious impact on the environment of Nepal. [IMpact] Many tourists come to climb the mountain. This has had a powerful effect on the environment.
Verb – The value of the Canadian dollar impacts businesses that export goods. [imPACT] The value of the Canadian dollar affects companies that sell goods to other countries.
import N V
Noun – This store sells lots of exotic furniture and other imports from overseas. [IMport] The store sells furniture and other things that came from other countries.
Verb – I was surprised to learn that America imports more than half of its oil from Canada! [imPORT] More than half of The United States’ oil is brought in from Canada.
increase N V
Noun – There has been an increase in blood donations at the clinic. People want to help after the hurricane. [INcrease] There was a rise in the number of people who donated blood after the hurricane.
Verb – I really want to find a girlfriend. If I get out more and try new things I will increase my chances of meeting a nice girl. [inCREASE] If I go out and meet more people the chance that I will meet a nice girl becomes greater.
insert N V
Noun – I bought some inserts for my shoes. They’re soft and make it easier to walk. [INsert] I bought a thin cushion to put inside my shoes.
Verb – I inserted $2.00 in the vending machine but it didn’t give me my drink! [inSERT] I put $2.00 into the money slot of the vending machine but I didn’t get a drink.
insult N V
Noun – Mike said my suit looks cheap. That’s an insult! [INsult] Mike made a remark that was trying to offend me.
Verb – Mike insulted my suit this morning. What a jerk. [inSULT] Mike’s comment about my suit offended me.
invite N V
Noun – I didn’t get an invite to Craig’s party. Maybe he is mad at me. [INvite] I didn’t get a spoken or written request to come to Craig’s party.
Verb – Craig invited many people to his party. But not me. [inVITE] Craig asked many people to come to his party, but he didn’t ask me.
misprint N V
Noun – The ad in the newspaper says the shoes are $1000.00, but I think it’s a misprint. [MISprint] There is a mistake in the (printed) advertisement.
Verb – The printing company misprinted the ad. [misPRINT] Th company printed the ad incorrectly.
object N V ~ there are 4 uses of the NOUN object. Click the N to see them all!
Noun – A basic English sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. [OBject] One use for the noun object is the thing in a sentence (also a noun) that is affected by the verb of the sentence.
Verb – I object to your question, it’s not relevant to the discussion. [obJECT] I disagree with your question, it is not related to what we are talking about.
permit N V
Noun – You can’t camp here without a permit from the park. [PERmit] You need an official document to be allowed to camp here.
Verb – The park rangers don’t permit fires here. [perMIT] Fires are not allowed in the forest.
present N V
Noun – Happy birthday! I bought you a present! [PREsent] I bought a gift for you.
Verb – They will present their findings tomorrow at the meeting. [preSENT] The company will show us what they found for us to consider.
produce N V
Noun – It’s better to buy local produce. Imported produce is not as fresh. [PROduce] It is better to buy fruits and vegetables grown on farms close to where you live.
Verb – Our goal is to produce more solar batteries than any other company in the area. [proDUCE] Our goal is to make more solar batteries than anyone else in the area.
project N V
Noun – I’m working on a project for school. It’s about renewable energy. [PROject] I am making a piece of work involving the careful study of renewable energy.
Verb – Unemployment is projected to fall next year. That’s good news. [proJECT] The number of unemployed people is expected to drop next year.
protest N V
Noun – There was a large protest in front of the government office. [PROtest] People gathered in a group to express their strong disagreement with the government.
Verb – My class protested loudly when the teacher gave us 6 pages of summer homework. [proTEST] My class told the teacher that they don’t like the summer homework that he gave us.
rebel N V
Noun – James Dean was a popular actor in the 1950s. He had the image of a rebel. [REbel] The characters he played didn’t like rules or authority.
Verb – Teenagers often rebel against their parents. [reBEL] Teenagers often fight against their parents’ rules.
refund N V
Noun – The rain shoes I bought leaked! I took them back to the store and demanded a refund. [REfund] I strongly asked for the money back that I paid for the rain shoes. I brought the leaky shoes back to the store.
Verb – The store apologized and refunded my money. [reFUND] The store returned the money I paid for the rain shoes.
reject N V
Noun – The rain shoes were rejects and shouldn’t have been at the store. [REject] The shoes couldn’t be used and should not have been sold.
Verb – My idea for the new school mascot was rejected by the students. [reJECT] My idea was not accepted.
subject N V
Noun – A basic English sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. [SUBject] In English grammar a subject is a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun representing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb, about which something is stated, or, in a passive sentence, that is affected by the action of the verb.
Verb – At karaoke last night I subjected everyone to my terrible singing. [subJECT] People were forced to listen to my terrible singing.
survey N V
Noun – My university will conduct a survey on Friday. They want to know how most students get to school. [SURvey] They did an investigation of how students get to school by asking questions.
Verb – The government surveyed the land so they could make a map of the area. [surVEY] The government looked at the land carefully to get an impression of it.
update N V
Noun – Will it rain tomorrow? I’ll check the weather app on my smartphone for an update. [UPdate] I will check my weather app for the most recent information about the weather.
Verb – I have to update the software on my smartphone. I hope it makes my phone faster. [upDATE] I have to make my software more modern by getting the newest version.
upgrade N V
Noun – On my flight to Canada I was given an upgrade to first-class. [UPgrade] I was given a seat of better quality.
Verb – The airline upgraded me to first-class, [upGRADE] The airline moved me to a better seat.
upset N V
Noun – No one thought we would win the game because the other team was too strong, but we beat them easily. It was a total upset! [UPset] We beat the team that was expected to beat us.
Verb – Brenda has been crying all morning. I think something upset her. [upSET] Something happened to Brenda to make her unhappy.
One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs – List
One-syllable words rarely change sounds between the verb and noun forms, but there are a few exceptions. Below is a list of 150 common one-syllable Verb and Noun pairs, 4 word pairs with different pronunciation, and 23 uncommon word pairs that you probably didn’t know.
- The noun and verb forms are often related in meaning. *For example ACHE and JUICE.
- There are some examples where the meaning is totally different. The only thing that is the same is the spelling. *For example BOWL and FLY.
This is not a complete list, there are many one-syllable verb and noun pairs. I tried to include the most common words in this list with a verb and a noun form.
- ache
- act
- age
- air
- back
- bat
- belt
- bet
- bite
- bowl
- call
- block
- book
- box
- brush
- buzz
- dance
- dare
- dip
- dot
- drive
- drum
- dye
- end
- face
- fall
- fan
- feast
- fence
- fight
- file
- fire
- fish
- flame
- flash
- flow
- fly
- fool
- frame
- front
- grid
- glaze
- glow
- grill
- grow
- growl
- grunt
- guard
- guess
- hail
- hand
- harm
- help
- hit
- hope
- hug
- itch
- jam
- judge
- juice
- jump
- kick
- kiss
- lace
- lap
- laugh
- lie
- limp
- link
- list
- look
- love
- mark
- match
- milk
- mop
- nail
- nap
- need
- nest
- nurse
- oil
- ooze
- pain
- paint
- park
- play
- pat
- pen
- pet
- pick
- pin
- pitch
- plan
- plug
- pose
- press
- price
- punch
- quack
- quilt
- quote
- race
- rain
- raise
- rat
- rise
- rock
- rope
- run
- rust
- rest
- sail
- saw
- scale
- set
- shave
- shop
- show
- ship
- sign
- ski
- sleep
- smoke
- snow
- spill
- spray
- spring
- stamp
- stand
- strike
- string
- sweat
- tack
- talk
- tax
- team
- test
- tie
- tip
- toast
- train
- trap
- trip
- view
- visit
- vote
- walk
- work
- wrap
- yawn
- zone
Thanks to https://www.linguasorb.com/ for help making this list.
Four one-syllable Verb and Noun pairs with different pronunciations
use N V
Noun – In Tokyo, I have no use for a car. The public transportation is awesome. [YOU•S] For me a car has no purpose in Tokyo. I don’t need one because public transportation is very convenient.
Verb – If I need a car I can use my friend Kentaro’s, he said I can borrow it anytime. [YUUZ] I can do something {in this case DRIVE my friend Kentaro’s car} anytime. (Learn how to use the verbs LEND and BORROW HERE)
house N V
Noun – I just bought a new house. [HAUS] I just bought a new building to live in.
Verb – People whose homes were flooded were temporarily housed in community centers. [HOWZ] People whose homes were affected by the flood were given a place to live.
lead N V
Noun – Exposure to lead can make you sick. [LED] Lead is a chemical element and a heavy grey metal.
Verb – We hired a tour guide to lead us around Singapore. [LEED] A tour guide showed us around Singapore.
wind N V
Noun – The wind was strong today. It was perfect for sailing. [WIN・D] The air was moving quickly today.
Verb – I have to wind my watch all the time. It’s a pain. [WINE・D] I have to turn the small gear on the side of my watch to make it work.
Noun and Verb pair 14-page PDF E-guide
Download your printable PDF E-guide below. (It’s FREE!)↓
Find more helpful blog posts below.
- How to use Adjectives as Nouns (20 examples, PDF + video)January 30, 2023
- What Are Possessive Nouns? (43 Examples, Video, PDF Guide)January 4, 2023
- 3 Adverbs of Probability – Definitely, Probably, and MaybeNovember 4, 2022
- Past tense of READ and Past Participle of READ (Audio, Quiz, and PDF)October 21, 2022
- Third-Person Singular – Your best Guide (Free 24-page eBook)October 14, 2022
- Singular and Plural nouns – 50 examples (worksheet PDF)October 7, 2022
- Present Perfect Continuous Grammar Guide (w/ Audio and PDF)October 4, 2022
способность,
inability
неспособность;
disability
нетрудоспособность
способный, умелый
unable
неспособный
disabled
искалеченный; инвалид
дать возможность
disable
делать неспособным, калечить
умело, искусно
абсурдность
абсурдный
приемлемость
приемлемый
unacceptable
неприемлемый
принимать, соглашаться
доступ
accessibility
доступность
доступный
доступно
случай, случайность
случайный
нечаянно, случайно
действие
actor
актер
actress
актриса
activity
активность
activities
деятельность
acting
представление
активный
acting
действующий, работающей
действовать
активно
достижение
достигать
привычка, приверженность, увлеченность
addict
увлеченный человек, имеющий стойкую привычку
способный вызывать привычку
увлекаться, предаваться
восхищение
восхитительный
восхищаться
восхитительно
совет
рекомендуемый
советовать
притворство, искусственность
affection
привязанность, любовь
притворный
affectionate
любящий
affective
эмоциональный
воздействовать, влиять; притворяться
соглашение, согласие
disagreement
разногласие, несогласие
соответствующий, приятный
соглашаться
disagree
не соглашаться
соответственно
агрессия
aggressor
агрессору зачинщик
агрессивный
нападать
агрессивно
цель
бесцельный
целиться, намереваться
бесцельно
то, что может быть позволено
unaffordable
то, что невозможно себе позволить
позволять себе
развлечение
приятно изумленный
amusing
забавный
развлекать, забавлять
изумленно
внешность; появление
disappearance
исчезновение
появляться
disappear
исчезать
назначение; деловая встреча
disappointment
разочарование, досада
назначенный
disappointed
огорченный
disappointing
разочаровывающий
назначать
disappoint
разочаровывать
одобрение
одобренный
approving
одобрительный
одобрять
одобрительно
соглашение; расположение
приведенный в порядок
приводить в порядок, организовывать
аргумент, довод
argumentation
аргументация
доказуемый (в споре)
argumentative
спорный, конфликтный
утверждать, спорить, ссориться
доказательно
присвоение; ассигнование
подходящий, соответствующий
inappropriate
несоответствущий, неуместный
присваивать, предназначать
соответственно, подходяще
прибытие
прибывать, приезжать
притяжение, привлекательность
привлеченный
attractive
привлекательный
привлекать
привлекательно
избежание, отмена
то, чего можно избежать
unavoidable
неизбежный
избегать
неизбежно
красота; красавица
красивый
украшать
красиво
роды
сносный, допустимый
unbearable
невыносимый
носить; терпеть
невыносимо
вера
вероятный, правдоподобный
unbelievable
невероятный
верить
выгода
выгодный
получать выгоду
зануда
boredom
скука
испытывающий скуку
boring
скучный, надоедливый
надоедать
скучно
дыхание, дуновение
breathing
дыхание
breather
короткая передышка
дышащий
breathless
бездыханный
дышать
затаив дыхание
дело
businessman
деловой мужчина
businesswoman
деловая женщина
занятой
businesslike
деловой, практичный
занимать делом
деловито, по-деловому
забота, уход
заботливый
careless
небрежный
заботиться, любить
заботливо
carelessly
небрежно
празднование
celebrity
знаменитость
знаменитый, прославленный
праздновать, прославлять
определенность
uncertainty
неопределенность, неуверенность
определенный
uncertain
неопределенный
определенно, уверенно
изменение; мелочь, сдача
изменчивый
changed
изменившийся
changeless
неизменный
unchanged
не изменившийся
менять; обменивать(ся)
неизменно
характер
характерный, типичный
характеризовать
выбор
разборчивый
выбирать
ребенок
children
дети
детский; ребяческий
очистка; устранение препятствий
четкий, ясный
очищать, расчищать
четко, ясно
облако
облачный
cloudless
безоблачный
собрание; коллекция
collector
сборщик
коллективный, совокупный
собирать; коллекционировать
колония
колониальный
колонизировать
цвет
цветной
colourless
бесцветный
multi-coloured
разноцветный
раскрашивать
комфорт; утешение
discomfort
беспокойство; неудобство
удобный, комфортабельный
uncomfortable
неудобный
утешать, успокаивать
удобно
uncomfortably
неудобно
община, общество
общественный, коллективный
сообщение
communicator
коммуникатор, переговорщик
использующийся в общении; коммуникативный
сообщать; общаться
сравнение
сравниваемый
comparative
сравнительный
сравнивать
сравнительно, относительно
соревнование; конкуренция
competitor
конкурент, соперник
соревновательный
соревноваться, конкурировать
в форме соревнования, конкуренции
завершение, окончание
законченный
complete
полный, завершенный
incomplete
неполный, назавершенный
заканчивать, завершать
полностью
поздравление
поздравлять
соединение, объединение
связанный, соединенный
соединять
disconnect
разъединять
внимание; рассмотрение, обсуждение
значительный
considerate
внимательный, деликатный, тактичный
inconsiderate
неосмотрительный; невнимательный к другим
считать, полагать; рассматривать
значительно
совесть
совестливый, добросовестный
conscientiousless
бессовестный
добросовестно
сознание
осознающий
unconscious
без сознания
сознательно, осознанно
консультация
consultant
консультант
консультирующий
консультировать
вместилище, контейнер
содержащий
содержать, вмещать
непрерывность
продолжающийся, длящийся
продолжать
непрерывно
управление, руководство
поддающийся управлению
uncontrollable
неподдающийся управлению
controlled
управляемый
uncontrolled
неуправляемый
управлять, регулировать
бесконтрольно
убеждение
убедительный
convinced
убежденный
убеждать
убедительно
повар
cooker
плита, духовка
переваренный
under-cooked
недоваренный
готовить еду
исправление
corrector
корректор
правильный
incorrect
неправильный
исправлять
правильно
прилавок
discount
скидка
accountant
бухгалтер
исчисляемый
uncountable
неисчисляемый
считать
немеряно, без счета
храбрость
храбрый
encouraged
воодушевленный
encouraging
подбадривающий
discouraged
обескураженный
приободрять, поддерживать
discourage
отговаривать, обескураживать
смело, храбро
создание
creativity
творчество
creator
творец, создатель
creature
творение; живое существо
творческий
создавать, творить
творчески
вера, доверие
вероятный, заслуживающий доверия
incredible
невероятный
вероятно
incredibly
невероятно
критик
criticism
критика
критический; переломный; рискованный
критиковать
критично, критически
культивация, обработка
культивированный, обработанный
обрабатывать
культура
культурный, воспитанный
cultural
культурный (как часть культуры)
культурно
лекарство; лечение
излечимый
incurable
неизлечимый
вылечивать, исцелять
неизлечимо
опасность
опасный
угрожать
опасно
день
ежедневный
ежедневно
обман, заблуждение
обманчивый
deceitful
обманчивый, лживый
обманывать
обманчиво, предательски
решение
определенный, явный
undecided
нерешительный, неясный
decisive
решительный, убежденный, убедительный
решать, принимать решение
решительно, определенно
определение
четкий, определенный
indefinite
неопределенный
определять, давать определение
определенно, ясно
indefinitely
нечетко, неопределенно
восторг, наслаждение
восхитительный
delighted
польщенный
восхищаться
с восторгом
доставка, поставка
доставленный
доставлять
зависимость
independence
независимость
зависимый
independent
независимый
зависеть
независимо
депрессия, подавленность
депрессивный, вызывающий депрессию
depressed
подавленный
подавлять
описание
описательный, наглядный
описывать
проект, дизайн
designer
дизайнер, проектировщик
проектировать
желание, стремление
желательный, желаемый
undesirable
нежелательный
желать, стремиться
желательно
разрушение
разрушенный
разрушать, уничтожать
решительность; определение
решительный
решать, определять
развитие
developer
разработчик
развитой
developing
развивающийся
undeveloped
неразвитый
развивать(ся)
умирающий
умирать
разница, различие
indifference
безразличие
другой, отличающийся
indifferent
безразличный
отличаться
по-другому
indifferently
с безразличием
тревога, беспокойство; нарушение тишины, порядка
обеспокоенный
disturbing
беспокоящий
беспокоить, мешать
сомнение
сомнительный
doubtless
несомненный
undoubted
бесспорный
сомневаться
с сомнением
doubtlessly
не сомневаясь
undoubtedly
без сомнения
легкость, свобода
disease
болезнь
легкий
uneasy
неловкий, тревожный
облегчать, ослаблять
легко
uneasily
неловко
хозяйство
экономический
economical
экономный
экономить
экономически; экономно
воспитатель, педагог
education
образование
образованный
uneducated
необразованный
educative
образовательный
воспитывать, давать образование
следствие, результат
effectiveness
эффективность
эффективный, действующий
производить, выполнять
эффективно, действенно
электричество
electrician
электрик
электрический
электрифицировать
империя
empiror
император
имперский
empiric / empirical
исходящий из опыта, эмпирический
служба, работа
unemployment
безработица
employer
наниматель, работодатель
employee
работающий по найму
нанятый, занятый
unemployed
безработный
нанимать
конец, окончание
бесконечный
unending
нескончаемый
конец, окончание
бесконечно
окружающая среда
природный
развлечение
развлекательный
развлекать
энтузиазм, восторг
enthusiast
энтузиаст, восторженный человек
восторженный
с восторгом
оборудование
снаряженный, оборудованный
снаряжать
сущность
главный, основной
главным образом
экзамен; медосмотр
проэкзаменованный; осмотренный врачом
экзаменовать; осматривать
возбуждение, волнение
возбуждающий
excitable
возбудимый
excited
возбужденный, взволнованный
возбуждать, волновать
взволнованно, возбужденно
ожидание, предчувствие
ожидаемый
unexpected
неожиданный
ожидать, предчувствовать
расход(ы), затраты
дорогой
inexpensive
недорогой
тратить, расходовать
дорого
опыт, опытность
inexperience
неопытность
experiment
эксперимент
опытный
inexperienced
неопытный
experimental
эспериментальный
испытывать
взрыв
explosive
взрывчатое вещество
взрывчатый
взрываться
выражение
выразительный
выражать
выразительно
пространство, степень
длительный,обширный
extensive
обширный
простираться, тянуться
обширно, протяженно
крайняя степень, крайность
крайний, чрезвычайный
крайне
очарование, обаяние
чарующий
fascinated
очарованный
очаровывать
справедливость; порядочность
порядочный, справедливый
unfair
несправедливый
справедливо, честно; довольно-таки
финансы
финансовый
финансировать
финансово
твердость
твердый
утверждать
твердо
физическая форма, физическое состояние
находящийся в хорошей форме; подходящий
unfit
неподходящий
подгонять, подстраивать
следующий
следовать
глупыш, дурак
глупый
обманывать
глупо
забываемый
unforgettable
незабываемый
forgetful
забывчивый
forgotten
забытый
забывать
прощение
прощающий
forgivable
простительный
unforgivable
непростительный
прощать
с прощением
судьба, счастье; богатство, состояние
счастливый
unfortunate
несчастный
к счастью
unfortunately
к сожалению
свобода
свободный; бесплатный
свободно
частота
частый
часто посещать
часто
друг
friendship
дружба
friendliness
дружелюбие
дружеский, дружелюбный
unfriendly
недружеский
дружелюбно
страх, испуг
страшный
frightened
испуганный
frightening
пугающий
пугать, устрашать
страшно; испуганно
щедрость
щедрый
щедро
джентльмен
мягкий, нежный
мягко, нежно
привидение, призрак
похожий на привидение
трава
травяной
привычка, обычай
habitant
обитатель
habitat
естественная среда
habitation
жилище, обиталище
привычный
приучать
обычно
рука; рабочий
handful
горсть
удобный (для использования)
handmade
изготовленный вручную
вручать
счастье
unhappiness
несчастье
счастливый
unhappy
несчастный
счастливо
unhappily
несчастливо
вред
вредный
harmless
безвредный
повредить, навредить
вредно
здоровье
здоровый
unhealthy
нездоровый
дом, жилище
бездомный
честь
почетный
почитать, чтить
почетно
надежда
hopefulness
оптимизм, надежда
надеющийся
hopeless
безнадежный
надеяться
с надеждой
человечество
человеческий
humane
гуманный
inhuman
бесчеловечный
humanitarian
гуманитарный
юмор
юмористический
с юмором
спешка
торопливый, спешащий
hurried
торопливый
торопиться
торопливо
лед
ледяной
важность
важный
unimportant
незначительный
важно
впечатление
впечатленный
impressive
впечатляющий
unimpressed
безучастный
производить впечатление
впечатляюще
улучшение
улучшенный
улучшать
толчок, побуждение
импульсивный
импульсивно
несчастный случай; конфликт, инцидент
случайный
случайно
рост, увеличение
растущий
увеличивать(ся)
с ростом
промышленность
промышленный
industrious
трудолюбивый. усердный
индустриализовать
в промышленном отношении
сообщение, информация
informant
осведомитель
formality
формальность
осведомленный
well-informed
знающий, хорошо информированный
misinformed
неверно информированный
formal
формальный, официальный
informal
неофициальный
информировать
misinform
неверно сообщать; дезинформировать
информационно
интенсивность
интенсивный
интенсифицировать
интенсивно
интерес
заинтересованный
interesting
интересный
интересовать
изобретатель
invention
изобретение
изобретательный
изобретать
изобретательно
приглашение
приглашенный
приглашать
вдохновение
вдохновленный
inspiring
вдохновляющий
вдохновлять
знание
acknowledgement
признание; расписка
признанный
признавать, подтверждать
законность, легальность
юридический, законный
illegal
незаконный, подпольный
легализовать
законно
illegally
незаконно
сходство, подобие
приятный
unlike
непохожий
like
аналогичный
относиться хорошо
dislike
относиться отрицательно
вероятно
unlikely
невероятно
unlike
в отличие
жизнь
living
жизнь
оживленный, веселый
live
актуальный, реальный
жить
оживленно
литература
буквальный
literary
литературный
literate
грамотный
illiterate
неграмотный
буквально
место, поселение
местный
размещать
в определенном месте
одиночество
одинокий; один
удача
удачливый
unlucky
неудачливый, неудачный
к счастью
роскошь
шикарный
большинство
главный, основной
управляющий, руководитель
управленческий
управлять; справляться
женитьба
женатый / замужняя
unmarried
неженатый / незамужняя
жениться
встреча; собрание
встречать, знакомиться
память
memorial
мемориал
памятный
заучивать наизусть
нищета
нищенский, ничтожный
месяц
ежемесячный
ежемесячно
движение
неподвижный
показывать жестом
тайна, загадка
таинственный, загадочный
таинственно, загадочно
необходимость
необходимый
unnecessary
ненужный
необходимо
нерв
нервный
нервировать
нервно
число; количество
многочисленный
numerate
умеющий считать
innumerate
неумеющий считать
обозначать цифрами
объект, предмет
objective
цель; возражение
объективный
возражать
объективно
упрямый
упрямо
случай, происшествие
происходить
операция; оперирование, приведение в действие
управлять, действовать
возможность
opportunist
оппортунист
своевременный, подходящий
оппозиция, противостояние
opponent
оппонент, противник
напротив
opposed
противоположный
противопосталять
владелец, хозяин
собственный
владеть
боль
болезненный
painless
безболезненный
болезненно
painlessly
безболезненно
терпение
impatience
нетерпение
patient
пациент
терпеливый
impatient
нетерпеливый
терпеливо
impatiently
нетерпеливо
участник
participation
участие
участвующий
принимать участие
подробности
особенный
особенно
совершенство
совершенный, идеальный
imperfect
несовершенный
совершенствовать, улучшать
отлично, безупречно
период, срок
периодический
периодически
представление; исполнение
performer
исполнитель
исполнять, выполнять, совершать
мир, спокойствие
мирный
мирно
разрешение
permissiveness
вседозволенность
permit
пропуск
позволяющий
позволять
с позволением
удовольствие
приятный
pleased
довольный
displeased
недовольный
доставлять удовольствие
приятно
точка; пункт
остроконечный, нацеленный
pointful
уместный, удачный
pointless
бесцельный
указывать, направлять
остро, по существу
вежливость
вежливый
impolite
невежливый
вежливо
популярность
популярный
unpopular
непопулярный
популяризировать
владение, собственность
possessor
обладатель, владелец
собственнический
владеть, обладать
вероятность, возможность
возможный
impossible
невозможный
возможно
сила, мощь
мощный
powerless
бессильный
уполномочивать
предпочтение
предпочтительный
preferential
пользующийся препочтением
предпочитать
предпочтительно
подготовка
подготовленный
unprepared
неподготовленный
подготовить
с готовностью
престиж
престижный
престижно
профессия
профессиональный
профессионально
выгода
выгодный
unprofitable
не приносящий выгоды
получать выгоду
выгодно
прогресс, продвижение
прогрессивный
продвигаться вперед
постепенно, продвигаясь вперед
предложение
предложенный
делать предложение
процветание
процветающий
процветать
процветающе
общественность
общественный
разглашать
открыто, публично
быстрота
быстрый
убыстрять
быстро
реальность
realization
реализация, осуществление
реальный, настоящий
unreal
нереальный
реализовать, осуществлять
действительно, в самом деле
признание, узнавание
признанный
узнавать; признавать
снижение, понижение
уменьшенный; сниженный
снижать; сбавлять
отдых, расслабление
расслабленный
relaxing
отдыхающий; расслабляющий
отдыхать, расслабляться
расслабленно
надежность
надежный
unreliable
ненадежный
доверять, полагаться
надежно
религия
религиозный
нежелание, неохота
неохотный
неохотно
регулярность
irregularity
нерегулярность
регулярный, правильный
irregular
неправильный; нестандартный
регулировать
регулярно
замечание
замечательный
замечать, отмечать
замечательно
представление
representative
представитель
представительный
представлять
упрек
безупречный
упрекать
с упреком
репутация
имеющий хорошую репутацию, почтенный
disreputable
имеющий плохую репутацию
давать репутацию
disrepute
компрометироватъ
сопротивление
ударопрочный;
irresistible
неотразимый
resistant
прочный
сопротивляться
неотразимо
уважение
уважительный
уважать
с уважением
отдых
беспокойный
отдыхать
беспокойно
награда
стоящий награды
unrewarded
невознагражденный
награждать
богатства
richness
богатство
богатый
обогащать
богато
риск
рискованный
рисковать
грусть
грустный
огорчать
грустно
сейф
safety
безопасность
безопасный
unsafe
опасный
спасать; экономить
безопасно
удовлетворение
dissatisfaction
неудовлетворенность; недовольство
довольный
dissatisfied
недовольный
satisfactory
удовлетворительный
unsatisfactory
неудовлетворительный
удовлетворять
dissatisfy
разочаровывать; огорчать
исследование
искать, осуществлять поиск
безопасность
безопасный
insecure
находящийся в опасности
охранять, гарантировать
безопасно
серьезность
серьезный
серьезно
наука
scientist
ученый
научный
научно
чувство
insensibility
отсутствие чувствительности
чувствительный
insensitive
несочувствующий
sensible
разумный
insensible
нечувствительный, неосознающий
ощущать
чувствительно
sensibly
разумно
услуга, обслуживание
servant
слуга
обслуженный; поданный на стол
служить, обслуживать, подавать на стол
значительный
insignificant
незначительный
иметь значение
значительно
сходство, похожесть
похожий, подобный
похоже, подобно
искренность
искренний
insincere
неискренний
искренне
шорты
короткий
укорачивать
кратко
сон
sleeper
спящий; спальный вагон
спящий
sleepless
бессонный
спать
без сна
решение; раствор
решенный; растворенный
решать; находить выход; растворять
специальность; фирменное блюдо
specialty
особенность
особенный; специальный
specific
специфический
точно определять
specialize
специализировать(ся)
специально
specifically
специфично
сила
сильный
укреплять
сильно
стресс
стрессовый
ударять, ставить ударение
в состоянии стресса
успех
успешный
unsuccessful
безуспешный
преуспевать
успешно
достаточность
insufñcience
недостаточность
достаточный
insufficient
недостаточный
быть достаточным
достаточно
подходящий
unsuitable
неподходящий
подходить, устраивать
предложение
предлагать
подозреваемый
подозрительный
подозревать
подозрительно
пловец
swimming
плавание
плавающий, плавательный
плавать
сочувствие, понимание
сочувствующий
сочувствовать
с пониманием; сочувственно
уверенность
уверенный
unsure
неуверенный
assured
обеспеченный; уверенный
self-assured
уверенный в себе
обеспечивать; гарантировать
assure
уверять, обеспечивать
конечно; уверенно
assuredly
с уверенностью
окружение
окруженный
окружать
беседа, разговор
разговорчивый
беседовать
вкус
distaste
отсуствие вкуса
сделанный со вкусом; обладающий вкусом
tasteless
безвкусный
пробовать
со вкусом
tastelessly
без вкуса
террор
terrorist
террорист
ужасный
terrific
потрясающий
terrifying
ужасающий
terrified
напуганный
ужасать
ужасно
terrifically
потрясающе
жажда
испытывать жажду
колготки
плотный, тесный
сжимать, натягивать
тесно, плотно
мысль
задумчивый
thoughtless
бездумный
думать, иметь мнение
задумчиво
трагедия
трагичный
tragical
трагический
трагично
путешествие
traveller
путешественник
путешествующий
путешествовать
правда
untruth
неправда
правильный; настоящий
untrue
неверный, не соответствующий действительности
truthful
правдивый
по-настоящему, искренне
truthfully
правдиво
ценность
ценимый
valuable
ценный
ценить, оценивать
разнообразие
variability
изменчивость, непостоянство
изменяемый
invariable
неизменный
менять, разнообразить
неизменно
год
ежегодный
ежегодно
понимание
misunderstanding
непонимание; недоразумение
понятный
понимать
польза
misuse
неправильное использование;
usage
использование
полезный
useless
бесполезный
used
использованный
unused
неиспользованный
использовать, пользоваться
полезно
uselessly
бесполезно
неделя
еженедельный
еженедельно
ширина
широкий
расширять
широко
воля, желание; завещание
жаждущий, желающий
unwilling
не желающий
проявлять волю, желать
охотно, с удовольствием
unwillingly
неохотно
ветер
ветренный
windless
безветренный
мудрость
мудрый
unwise
неблагоразумный
мудро
unwisely
неблагоразумно
стоимость, ценность
достойный
worthless
не имеющий ценности
Noun or verb?
Some words can be either nouns or verbs. Read each set of sentences and decide if the underlined words are nouns or verbs. Indicate with a N or V.
1.
___ Don’t cut your finger!
___ Put some medicine on the cut.
___ Cut this piece of rope, please.
2.
___ My cat scratches the furniture.
___ He has scratches on his face.
___ This medicine is for scratches.
3.
___ We made a camp in the woods.
___ We camp here every year.
___ Let’s camp near the creek.
4.
___ Why do you photograph birds?
___ This is a photograph of my aunt.
___ Where is your class photograph?
5.
___ They plan to go to the mountains.
___ That’s not a good plan.
___ I plan to visit her tomorrow.
6.
___ We heard a cheer from the crowd.
___ They always cheer for their team.
___ We all gave a loud cheer.
7.
___ Dad went out to milk the cows.
___ I drink some milk every day.
___ Our cows give a lot of milk.
8.
___ Big planes can’t land here.
___ My family owns a lot of land.
___ Cars and trains go on land.
9.
___ Don’t spill that syrup!
___ The baby will spill his milk.
___ An oil spill was reported.
10.
___ A mailman delivers the mail.
___ Don’t mail those letters yet.
___ Is there any mail for me?
11.
___ They charge a lot in that shop.
___ He works in a flower shop.
___ I have to shop in the drugstore.
12.
___Are you going to the dance?
___ Are you going to dance with me?
___ Those boys dance very well.
13.
___ Give me a bite of your sandwich.
___ Did the dog bite the mailman?
___ He took a bite out of the apple.
14.
___ They joke about it a lot.
___ She played a joke on me.
___ That’s a pretty funny joke.
15.
___ He got a job as a cook.
___ Did you cook dinner tonight?
___ The cook burned the roast.
16.
___ I’ll race you to the corner.
___ Who is going to win the race?
___ She won first prize in the race.
17.
___ Many people fish in that lake.
___ Zoe caught four fish here.
___ I like to eat fish for dinner.
18.
___ That name means “goats”.
___ He’ll name his dog after Columbus.
___ That boy’s name is Carlos.
19.
___ The air was filled with smoke.
___ She knows how to smoke fish.
___ The smoke hurt his eyes.
20.
___ Put the leaves in a pile.
___ They’ll pile the stones here.
___ We made a big pile of dirt.
21.
___ The blast made a loud noise.
___ There was a blast of explosives.
___ We’ll blast here.
22.
___ Draw a circle around the word.
___ The design has a small circle in it.
___ Does the river circle the island?
23.
___ They heard a clap of thunder.
___ Did they clap for the trick?
___ They didn’t clap very loudly.
24.
___ I had a terrible dream last night!
___ Did you dream about a dragon?
___ She didn’t dream about money.
25.
___ Do you want a drink of water?
___ Why did you drink all the juice?
___ The cat likes to drink milk.
26.
___ The float was lied to the net.
___ Dried reeds will float.
___ A float won’t sink under water.
27.
___ Were the soldiers in a big fight?
___ Don’t fight with your brother!
___ Those children like to fight.
28.
___ She likes to play in the snow.
___ Is it going to snow tomorrow?
___ The snow looks soft and cold.
29.
___ Please help me fix this.
___ The boy gave me a lot of help.
___ She’ll help you tomorrow.
30.
___ When did the movie end?
___ Hold the end of the string.
___ I didn’t like the end of the book.
We use grammar to arrange words to make proper meaningful sentences. Verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, pronouns, etc., are included in word grammar.
Clauses, reported speech, phrases, etc., are in sentence grammar.
When we start understanding and learning grammar, we must learn the basic parts of speech. Nouns and verbs are the two most common and always-used parts of a speech.
To become a good writer or fluent speaker, knowing the difference between them is very important.
Key Takeaways
- Nouns represent people, places, things, ideas, or qualities, serving as the subjects or objects of sentences.
- Verbs are words that express actions, states, or occurrences, indicating what the subject of a sentence is doing or experiencing.
- Understanding the distinction between nouns and verbs is essential for forming grammatically correct sentences and conveying meaning in language.
Noun is a word or a part of speech that refers to the name of a person, place, animal, or thing, and it can be the subject or the object in a sentence. Verb is a part of speech that refers to an action, condition, or occurrence, and it is an action word. It is the main part of the predicate in a sentence.
Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!
Comparison Table
| Parameter | Nouns | Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A noun is part of a speech referring to the name of a person, place, or thing. | A verb is part of a speech referring to some action, occurrence, or condition. |
| Types | The various types of nouns are proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns, concrete nouns, collective nouns, countable nouns, and uncountable nouns. | The various types of verbs are transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, regular verbs, irregular verbs, linking verbs, and action verbs. |
| Part | They may be the subject or object of a sentence. | They are the main part of the predicate. |
| Role | A noun answers the question, ‘what?’ | A verb describes an action. |
| Examples | Italy, India, cow, girl, taste, teacher, water, children, milk, etc. | Walk, talk, sleep, study, read, type, sing, dance, etc. |
What is a Noun?
A noun is an important part of a speech referring to a person (Bill Gates), place (India), animal (cow), thing (table), idea (joy), or quality (gentleness). Nouns constitute the largest class of words in almost all languages.
They can be classified into various categories:
- Proper Nouns- A proper noun is a noun that refers to a particular person, place, or thing. They begin with a capital letter. Examples of proper nouns include London, Paris, Amitabh Bachan, Samsung, Nokia, World War 2, etc.
- Common nouns- A common noun refers to a person, place, or thing but not a particular person, place, or thing. Examples of common nouns include tiger, country, chair, etc.
- Abstract nouns- Abstract nouns are nouns that the five senses cannot feel; they cannot be seen, touched, smelt, or heard. Examples of abstract nouns include happiness, knowledge, taste, loyalty, etc.
- Concrete nouns- Concrete nouns are nouns that either of the five senses can identify. Examples of concrete nouns include boy, cat, book, cake, etc.
- Collective nouns- Collective nouns refer to a group. Examples include team, group, pack, staff, etc.
- Countable nouns- Countable nouns are nouns that can be counted in numbers. Examples of countable nouns include teeth, eggs, children, etc.
- Uncountable nouns- Uncountable nouns cannot be counted using numbers. Examples of uncountable nouns are sugar, research, knowledge, and liquid.
What is a verb?
A verb is part of a speech referring to some action, occurrence, experience, or condition. It is regarded as one of the essential parts of a sentence.
Verbs can be classified into various categories:
- Transitive verbs- Transitive verbs are verbs that require an object. The action is directed towards a place, person, or thing. Examples of transitive verbs include cut, give, kill, make, tell, etc.
- Intransitive verbs- Intransitive verbs do not require an object to complete the sentence. Examples of intransitive verbs include rain, bark, jog, hiding, etc.
- Action verbs- Action verbs are verbs that indicate some action. It shows some activity that a person, animal, or thing does. Examples of action verbs include singing, dancing, walking, talking, biting, etc.
- Linking verbs- A linking verb is a verb that connects the subject of the sentence with the predicate. They are also known as ‘State of being verbs’. Examples of such verbs include being, be, feel, etc.
- Irregular verbs- These verbs do not follow a regular conjugation pattern. Examples of irregular verbs include saying, drink, eat, swim, etc.
- Helping verbs- These verbs support the main verb. Examples include being, must, should, is, etc.
Main Differences Between Nouns and Verbs
- A noun is part of a speech that refers to a person, place, or thing. On the other hand, a verb is part of a speech referring to some action, experience, or condition.
- Nouns may be the subject or object in a sentence, whereas verbs form the central part of the predicate.
- The various types of nouns are proper nouns, common nouns, abstract nouns, concrete nouns, collective nouns, countable nouns, and uncountable nouns.
- The various types of verbs are transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, regular verbs, irregular verbs, linking verbs, and action verbs.
- A noun answers the question ‘what?’ whereas the verb is more of an action word.
- Examples of nouns include Paris, red, goat, chair, knowledge, friendship, boy, etc. Examples of verbs include laugh, smile, dance, enjoy, swim, say, etc.
References
- https://terpconnect.umd.edu/~israel/Langacker-NounsVerbs.pdf
- https://www.pnas.org/content/90/11/4957.short
Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.