4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

FAQ About us  Log in  Search

Proofreading & Editing  Plagiarism Checker Citation Tools  AI Writing  Knowledge Base

Home  Knowledge Base  Verbs  Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Search...  Action Verbs | Definition, List &

Examples
Verbs Published on September 18, 2023 by Kassiani Nikolopoulou.

Overview
An action verb (also called a dynamic verb) describes the action that the
Stative verbs
subject of the sentence performs (e.g., “I run”).
Action verbs

Subject-verb agreement Action verbs differ from stative verbs, which describe a state of being (e.g.,
“believe,” “want”).
+ Verb tenses

Regular verb
Examples: Action verbs
Irregular verb
We traveled to Spain last summer.
Transitive verb

Intransitive verb My grandfather walks with a stick.

Linking verb
The train arrived on time.
Auxiliary verb
I ate a sandwich for lunch.
Modal verb
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Subjunctive mood You can download our list of common action verbs in the format of your choice

Imperative mood below.

Conditional sentences
Download PDF list Download Google Docs list
+ Participle

+ Phrasal verbs

Active vs. passive voice  Table of contents

+ Past tense of irregular verbs
1. What is an action verb?
2. How to use action verbs
Interesting topics 3. Action verbs vs. stative verbs
4. Action verbs vs. linking verbs
AMA style
5. Worksheet: Action verbs
Working with sources 6. Other interesting language articles
IEEE 7. Frequently asked questions

Commonly confused words

Commas
What is an action verb?
Definitions

An action verb is a type of verb that describes the action that the subject of a
sentence is performing. Action verbs can refer to both physical and

Try our other services mental actions (i.e., internal processes and actions related to thinking,
perceiving, or feeling).

Proofreading & Editing

Examples: Physical and mental action verbs

AI Proofreader
We climbed to the highest peak.

Whitney analyzed the data to find patterns.

4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

He played football in high school.

Plagiarism Checker

Toddlers learn new things every day.

Citation Generator

Paraphraser
How to use action verbs
Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive. Transitive verbs require a direct
object, such as a noun or pronoun, that receives the action. Without a direct
object, sentences with a transitive verb are vague or incomplete.

Examples: Transitive action verbs

Jack pushed another kid at the schoolyard.

Can I borrow this book?

In contrast, intransitive verbs do not require a direct object that receives the
action of the verb. However, other information may come after the verb, such as
an adverb.

Examples: Intransitive action verbs

The dog ran.

They complain frequently.

Some action verbs can act as both transitive and intransitive verbs.
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Examples: Action verbs that can be either transitive or intransitive

My neighbor plays drums every morning.

The kids can play outside today.

He grows tomatoes on his balcony.

My niece is growing quickly.

Note

Because action verbs make your writing more vivid, they can be effectively
used for resume writing. Unlike generic phrases like “responsible for,” “tasked
with,” or “experienced in,” action verbs are attention-grabbing and help
emphasize our abilities and accomplishments.

 I was responsible for social media accounts across various platforms.

 I managed social media accounts across various platforms.

Action verbs vs. stative verbs

Action or dynamic verbs are often contrasted with stative verbs. While action
verbs communicate action, stative verbs describe a state of being or perception
(e.g., “it tasted,” “he is,” “she heard”). Due to this, they are typically used to
provide more information about the subject, rather than express an action that
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

the subject did. For example, the sentence “Tom loves spending time with
friends” uses a stative verb “love” to give us more information about Tom’s
personality.

However, some verbs can be used as either dynamic or stative verbs depending
on the meaning of the sentence. For example, the verb “think” can denote
someone’s opinion (stative verb) or the internal process of considering
something (action verb).

Examples: Action verbs vs. stative verbs

His manager thinks he is lazy.

They’re thinking about adopting a dog together.

One way to tell action verbs from stative verbs is to look at the verb tenses.
Because stative verbs usually describe a state of being that is unchanging, they
can’t be used in the continuous (or progressive) tenses. Action verbs, on the
other hand, can be used in continuous tenses.

Examples: How to use stative verbs

 I am wanting some food.

 I want some food.
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Another way is to look at the meaning of the sentence and ask yourself if the
verb shows what someone does or how someone feels or is. If the verb
describes what someone does, it is an action verb. Otherwise, it is probably a
stative verb.

Action verbs vs. linking verbs

Action verbs should not be confused with linking verbs, like “be,” “become,” and
“seem.” Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence with a subject
complement (i.e., a noun or adjective that describes it).

Unlike action verbs, linking verbs do not describe an action, but add more
details about the subject, such as how it looks or tastes.

For example, the sentence “The children seem happy” uses the linking verb
“seem” to link the subject (“the children”) with the adjective (“happy”).

Some verbs can be either linking verbs or action verbs. If you are unsure, try
replacing the linking verb with a conjugated form of the verb “be.” If the
sentence still makes sense, then it is a linking verb.

Examples: Action verbs vs. linking verbs

This pasta tastes delicious.

He tasted the soup and said it was too salty.

You look exhausted.

We all took turns looking through the microscope.
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Worksheet: Action verbs

To test your understanding of action verbs, try the worksheet below. Choose the
correct answer for each question.

Practice questions Answers and explanations

1. Which one of the following words is not an action verb?

run
understand
produce
2. Which one of the following is an action verb?
believe
kick
agree
3. Choose the correct form to complete the sentence:
Are you baking cookies? They_______[smell/are smelling] delicious!

Other interesting language articles

If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, common
mistakes, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out
some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

 Nouns &  Verbs  Other

pronouns
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Common nouns Verb tenses Articles

Proper nouns Phrasal verbs Interjections
Collective nouns Sentence Adjectives
Personal structure Determiners
pronouns Active vs passive Prepositions
Uncountable and voice
countable nouns Subject-verb
agreement

Frequently asked questions

What are the different types of verbs? 

How can I tell if a word is an action verb? 

What is the function of an action verb? 

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click
the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our
free Citation Generator.
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Nikolopoulou, K. (2023, September 18). Action Verbs | Definition,

Cite this
List & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved October 4, 2023, from
article
https://www.scribbr.com/verbs/action-verb/

Is this article helpful? 0 0

Kassiani Nikolopoulou
Kassiani has an academic background in Communication,
Bioeconomy and Circular Economy. As a former journalist she
enjoys turning complex scientific information into easily accessible
articles to help students. She specializes in writing about research
methods and research bias.

Other students also liked

4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

What Is a Transitive What Is an Intransitive What Is a Linking Verb? |

Verb? | Examples, Verb? | Examples, Definition & Examples
Definition & Quiz Definition & Quiz
A linking verb (e.g., “seems” in “he
A transitive verb is a verb that An intransitive verb is a verb that seems well”) connects the subject of
requires a direct object indicating the doesn’t require a direct object to a sentence with a subject
person or thing acted upon (e.g. function correctly (e.g., “stand”). complement that renames or
21 62 35
“raise”). describes it.

Scribbr Our services Contact

Our editors Plagiarism Checker [email protected]
Jobs Proofreading Services  +1 (510) 822-8066
Partners Citation Generator
FAQ AI Proofreader 
 
 


Free AI Detector
Paraphrasing Tool
Grammar Checker
Free Text Summarizer
Citation Checker
Knowledge Base

4.7
4/10/23, 12:03 Action Verbs | Definition, List & Examples

Terms of Use Privacy Policy Copyright Policy Happiness guarantee