Understanding Action Verbs

In English grammar, verbs describe actions, events, and states. Action verbs are one of the most common types of verbs because they show what a person, animal, or thing does. They help make sentences clear by describing physical or mental activities.

What Are Action Verbs?

Action verbs are words that describe an action performed by the subject of a sentence. The action can be something physical, such as running or writing, or a mental activity, such as thinking or understanding.

Examples:

She runs every morning.
They play football.
I understand the lesson.
He writes emails at work.

Types of Action Verbs

Type	Description	Examples
Physical Action Verbs	Describe actions that can be seen or performed.	walk, jump, cook, drive, swim
Mental Action Verbs	Describe actions that happen in the mind.	think, know, remember, believe, understand

Physical Action Verbs

Physical action verbs describe movements or activities that can be observed.

The boy kicks the ball.
She opens the door.
They build a house.
We cook dinner together.

Mental Action Verbs

Mental action verbs describe activities related to thinking, learning, feeling, or understanding.

I remember your name.
She believes the story.
They know the answer.
He hopes for success.

Action Verbs in Different Tenses

Tense	Example
Present Simple	She plays tennis.
Past Simple	She played tennis.
Present Continuous	She is playing tennis.
Future	She will play tennis.

Action Verbs vs Linking Verbs

Action verbs show an activity, while linking verbs connect the subject to information about it.

Action Verb	Linking Verb
She runs fast.	She is happy.
He writes a letter.	He is a teacher.
They build houses.	They seem tired.

Common Mistakes With Action Verbs

Incorrect	Correct
He go to work.	He goes to work.
She is play football.	She is playing football.
I am understand the lesson.	I understand the lesson.

Exercises and Practice

Identify the action verbs in the following sentences:

The students read their books.
She dances every weekend.
They are watching a movie.
He remembers the answer.

Action verbs are essential for building strong English sentences because they show what people and things do in different situations.