Action Verbs: List of Common Action Verbs, Definition and Examples

English Vocabulary; Action Verbs: List of Common Action Verbs, Definition and Examples

ACTION VERBS

Sentences established with verbs of action should include an action physically or mentally. The action verbs what is done in the sentence, what is the movement or the subject. Action verbs are also called dynamic verbs. There are many actions used in English, the action verbs, unlike the others, indicate the work done in the sentence, the reader gives information about the actions performed, specifies specifically what the subject in the sentence does.

Some of the Action Verbs:

• eat
• catch
• sleep
• write
• read,
• listen
• cook
• run
• fall
• laugh
• learn
• leave
• look
• lose
• meet
• run
• ride
• sit down
• stand up
• fight
• cry
• play
• think
• turn off
• turn on
• open
• close
• give
• climb
• win
• sing
• dance
• wash
• pull
• push
• throw away
• wait
• fly
• eat
• drink

(+250 Action Verbs List)

Example Sentences with Action Verbs

• Every morning I comb my daughter ‘s hair.
• I paid my debts with all the money I made this month.
• I feed six cats and three dogs in my garden.
• We grub up almost all over the field to find gold.
• I wash my car and wipe the windows every weekend.
• An elderly aunt was coming from the market and I carried her bags to help her.
• My friends go on vacation every summer, until the evening we swim in the sea.
• I’ve been waiting for hours at the bank for me to come.
• When spring comes, I ride bikes on the beach every morning.

(Here is Commonly Used Verbs List)

TYPES OF ACTION VERBS

Transitive Verbs: Transitive verbs take the object. To find the object, we can ask verb ‘what’, ‘whom’. In these verbs, the action is performed by an object. The verb action must be included in the sentence.

Examples:

• Today is my girlfriend’s birthday, so I bought her these red roses.
• Yesterday while walking around the market, I met an old friend.
• I have a graduation this summer. I have to buy myself a nice dress already.
• Can I get your book to study for the exam?
• I saw him last night at the mall.
• We forgot to take bread with us on our way to the picnic.
• Every day I regularly water the lawns in the garden.

Note: If there is no object in the sentence, there is still the possibility of receiving the object. If there is no object in the sentence, if there is a situation that can bring the object we want, this sentence is considered transitive. In short, every transitive sentences clause does not contain an object. The important thing here is that the action can take the object.

For example, ‘did you invite to your wedding?’ There is no object in sentence. But when asked ‘what’, ‘whom’, we can add an object as an answer. Therefore, such sentences are considered transitive.

Intransitive Verbs: Intransitive verbs do not take objects unlike transitive verbs. Since intransitive verbs do not take objects, it is not possible for the verb to take an action. In intransitive verb sentences, we cannot get an answer when asked questions like ‘what’, ‘whom’. In these sentences, the verb relates only to the subject.

Examples;

• We live in England for many years.
• The killer was on the run, so the police took action.
• Everyone in her establishment was very upset when she became this.
• My father fell asleep in front of the television.
• We didn’t leave the house today because we were so tired yesterday.
• He was standing in the store where he worked all day.
• Tomorrow we will gather the whole class and go to the museum.
• We’ve been going very slowly for a while since he just learned to drive.
• I’m very worried that he’s going away for business.