200 Action Verbs in English with Sentences

Action verbs are words that show what someone does or thinks in a sentence. They tell us about physical or mental actions, like running, thinking, or speaking. Learning 200 action verbs in English with sentences helps students see how verbs work in real life. This helps build stronger vocabulary, better grammar, and clear sentence writing. These words are also called doing words, main verbs, or dynamic verbs. Understanding them is important for learning English, building good sentence structure, and helping with ESL learning.

Action Verbs Video Lesson

What Are Action Verbs?

Action verbs are words that show what someone is doing. They tell us about movements or everyday activities. These verbs are used when we talk about what people, animals, or things do. For example, in the sentence “She runs fast,” the word “runs” is an action verb because it shows her action. We use action verbs to talk about simple things like eat, walk, play, or write in daily life.

List of 100 Common Action Verbs in English

Here is a list of 100 common action verbs you can use to make your English speaking and writing more fun and clear.

Lie
Listen
Paint
Plan
Play
Read
Replace
Run
Scream
Shop
Shout
Sing
Skip
Sleep
Sneeze
Solve
Study
Teach
Touch
Turn
Walk
Win
Write
Whistle
Yank
Zip
Jump
Eat
Drink
Cook
Wash
Wait
Climb
Talk
Crawl
Dream
Dig
Clap
Knit
Sew
Smell
Kiss
Hug
Snore
Bathe
Bow
Paint
Dive
Ski
Stack
Buy
Shake
Act
Answer
Approve
Arrange
Break
Build
Buy
Coach
Color
Cough
Create
Complete
Cry
Dance
Describe
Draw
Drink
Eat
Edit
Enter
Exit
Imitate
Invent
Jump
Laugh

Basic Action Verbs List for Kids Use

  1. Run
  2. Jump
  3. Eat
  4. Drink
  5. Sleep
  6. Read
  7. Write
  8. Sing
  9. Dance
  10. Play
  11. Sit
  12. Stand
  13. Walk
  14. Talk
  15. Laugh
  16. Cry
  17. Smile
  18. Clap
  19. Kick
  20. Throw
  21. Catch
  22. Climb
  23. Hop
  24. Draw
  25. Cook
  26. Wash
  27. Swim
  28. Ride
  29. Push
  30. Pull
  31. Shout
  32. Whisper
  33. Count
  34. Paint
  35. Dig
  36. Chase
  37. Build
  38. Cut
  39. Open
  40. Close
  41. Bend
  42. Shake
  43. Swing
  44. Slide
  45. Blow
  46. Skip
  47. Crawl
  48. Help
  49. Hug
  50. Clean
Action Verbs List for Kids Use
Action Verbs List for Kids Use

Action Verbs List for Students with Pictures

  1. Analyze
  2. Answer
  3. Ask
  4. Attend
  5. Build
  6. Calculate
  7. Classify
  8. Compare
  9. Complete
  10. Create
  11. Critique
  12. Define
  13. Describe
  14. Discuss
  15. Discover
  16. Draw
  17. Edit
  18. Evaluate
  19. Examine
  20. Explain
  21. Explore
  22. Express
  23. Fill
  24. Follow
  25. Guess
  26. Identify
  27. Illustrate
  28. Imagine
  29. Improve
  30. Interpret
  31. Label
  32. Learn
  33. Listen
  34. Match
  35. Measure
  36. Memorize
  37. Observe
  38. Organize
  39. Outline
  40. Participate
  41. Plan
  42. Practice
  43. Predict
  44. Prepare
  45. Present
  46. Read
  47. Record
  48. Reflect
  49. Remember
  50. Review
  51. Revise
  52. Solve
  53. Spell
  54. Study
  55. Summarize
  56. Take
  57. Think
  58. Try
  59. Understand
  60. Write

List of Action Verbs with Meaning

  • Run – To move quickly using your legs
  • Jump – To push yourself into the air with your feet
  • Write – To form letters or words on a surface
  • Read – To look at and understand written words
  • Speak – To say words using your voice
  • Listen – To pay attention to sound
  • Eat – To put food in your mouth and swallow it
  • Drink – To swallow liquid
  • Cook – To prepare food using heat
  • Drive – To control a car or vehicle
  • Sit – To rest your body on a chair or surface
  • Draw – To make a picture using a pen or pencil
  • Sing – To produce musical sounds with your voice
  • Dance – To move your body with music
  • Buy – To get something by paying money
  • Sell – To give something in exchange for money
  • Open – To make something not closed
  • Close – To make something shut or not open
  • Wash – To clean something with water
  • Clean – To remove dirt or mess
  • Build – To make something by putting parts together
  • Break – To damage something so it cannot work
  • Fix – To repair something broken
  • Teach – To help someone learn
  • Learn – To get knowledge or skills
  • Work – To do a job or task
  • Watch – To look at something carefully
  • Talk – To say words in conversation
  • Ask – To say something to get information
  • Answer – To reply to a question
  • Shout – To say something loudly
  • Whisper – To speak very softly
  • Pull – To use force to bring something closer
  • Push – To use force to move something away
  • Cut – To divide something using a sharp object
  • Open – To make something not shut
  • Close – To bring something to a shut position
  • Paint – To apply color to a surface
  • Drive – To operate a vehicle
  • Swim – To move in water using arms and legs
  • Climb – To go upward using feet and hands
  • Shake – To move quickly back and forth
  • Frown – To show sadness or anger with your face
  • Kick – To hit with your foot
  • Hit – To strike with force
  • Dig – To make a hole in the ground
  • Plant – To put seeds or plants in the ground
  • Chop – To cut into pieces with a heavy tool
  • Grow – To increase in size or age
  • Call – To use a phone or shout someone’s name
  • Text – To send written messages by phone
  • Plan – To think about what to do
  • Meet – To see and talk with someone
  • Invite – To ask someone to come somewhere
  • Celebrate – To do something fun for a special reason
  • Complain – To say you are not happy with something
  • Decide – To choose between options
  • Forget – To not remember
  • Remember – To keep something in your mind
  • Search – To look for something
  • Find – To discover something
  • Begin – To start something

100 Action Words in English with sentences

Here are 100 action words (verbs) in English along with example sentences to help you understand their usage. These verbs are commonly used and practical for everyday conversation and writing.

Basic Action Verbs with Sentences

  1. Run – She runs every morning to stay fit.
  2. Walk – We walk to school together.
  3. Jump – The child jumped over the puddle.
  4. Eat – I eat breakfast at 8 a.m.
  5. Drink – He drinks coffee every day.
  6. Sleep – They sleep early on weekdays.
  7. Sit – Please sit down and relax.
  8. Stand – He stood by the window for hours.
  9. Read – She reads a new book each week.
  10. Write – I write in my journal every night.
  11. Speak – He speaks three languages fluently.
  12. Listen – We listen to music in the car.
  13. Sing – She sings beautifully.
  14. Dance – They danced all night.
  15. Cook – My mother cooks delicious meals.
  16. Clean – I cleaned my room yesterday.
  17. Wash – He washed the dishes after dinner.
  18. Drive – She drives to work every day.
  19. Swim – They swim in the lake during summer.
  20. Climb – We climbed the mountain together.

Daily Routine Action Words

  1. Brush – I brush my teeth twice a day.
  2. Comb – She combed her hair carefully.
  3. Open – He opened the door slowly.
  4. Close – Please close the window.
  5. Wear – She wears a uniform to school.
  6. Buy – We bought new shoes yesterday.
  7. Sell – They sell fresh fruit at the market.
  8. Pay – He paid the bill in cash.
  9. Bring – Can you bring me a glass of water?
  10. Take – I took a photo of the sunset.
  11. Catch – She caught the ball with one hand.
  12. Throw – He threw the ball to his friend.
  13. Build – They built a sandcastle.
  14. Break – He broke the glass by accident.
  15. Fix – I fixed the broken chair.
  16. Draw – She draws cartoons in her notebook.
  17. Paint – We painted the wall blue.
  18. Cut – He cut the paper with scissors.
  19. Tie – She tied her shoelaces.
  20. Fold – He folded the clothes neatly.

Action Words for Speaking and Emotions

  1. Call – I called her last night.
  2. Text – He texted me the address.
  3. Ask – She asked a good question.
  4. Answer – He answered quickly.
  5. Tell – Please tell me the truth.
  6. Say – They said they were sorry.
  7. Shout – He shouted for help.
  8. Whisper – She whispered a secret.
  9. Laugh – We laughed at the joke.
  10. Cry – The baby cried loudly.
  11. Smile – He smiled at the camera.
  12. Frown – She frowned when she saw the mess.
  13. Complain – They complained about the noise.
  14. Apologize – He apologized for being late.
  15. Thank – I thanked her for the gift.
  16. Blame – Don’t blame others for your mistakes.
  17. Praise – The teacher praised his efforts.
  18. Argue – They argued about the decision.
  19. Promise – She promised to help.
  20. Warn – He warned me about the dog.

Thinking and Learning Action Verbs

  1. Think – I think it will rain today.
  2. Know – She knows the answer.
  3. Understand – He understands the lesson well.
  4. Learn – We are learning French.
  5. Teach – She teaches math.
  6. Remember – I remember his birthday.
  7. Forget – Don’t forget your keys.
  8. Decide – We decided to stay home.
  9. Guess – Can you guess the number?
  10. Plan – I plan to travel next year.
  11. Hope – We hope for the best.
  12. Believe – She believes in miracles.
  13. Imagine – Imagine a world without war.
  14. Dream – He dreams of becoming a doctor.
  15. Wish – I wish you good luck.
  16. Doubt – I doubt he will come.
  17. Realize – I realized my mistake.
  18. Memorize – He memorized the poem.
  19. Explore – They explored the forest.
  20. Discover – She discovered a hidden talent.

Work and Motion Action Words

  1. Work – He works in an office.
  2. Earn – She earns a good salary.
  3. Spend – We spent the weekend at the beach.
  4. Save – I’m saving money for a car.
  5. Send – He sent an email.
  6. Receive – I received your letter.
  7. Move – We moved to a new house.
  8. Travel – They travel a lot.
  9. Arrive – She arrived late.
  10. Leave – He left early.
  11. Enter – We entered the building quietly.
  12. Exit – Please exit through the back door.
  13. Push – He pushed the door open.
  14. Pull – She pulled the curtain.
  15. Throw – I threw the trash away.
  16. Pick – He picked a flower.
  17. Drop – She dropped her keys.
  18. Shake – They shook hands.
  19. Carry – He carried the box upstairs.
  20. Help – Can you help me, please?
Action verbs examples sentences
Action verbs examples sentences

FAQs

What is an action verb?

An action verb is a word that shows what someone or something is doing. It tells about an action.
Example: run, jump, eat.

What is the difference between an action verb and a linking verb?

An action verb shows action (like kick), while a linking verb connects the subject to more information (like is in “She is happy”).

Can action verbs be used in every sentence?

Almost! Most sentences need a verb, and action verbs are common in everyday sentences to show what’s happening.

Are action verbs always physical actions?

No, they can show mental actions too.
Example: think, guess, believe.

What are some examples of simple action verbs for kids?

Run, walk, play, jump, eat, read, write, draw, sing, and clap.

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About the author

Muhammad Qasim

Muhammad Qasim is an English language educator and ESL content creator with a degree from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and TEFL certification. He has over 5 years of experience teaching grammar, vocabulary, and spoken English. Muhammad manages several educational blogs designed to support ESL learners with practical lessons, visual resources, and topic-based content. He blends his teaching experience with digital tools to make learning accessible to a global audience. He’s also active on YouTube (1.6M Subscribers), Facebook (1.8M Followers), Instagram (100k Followers) and Pinterest( (170k Followers), where he shares bite-sized English tips to help learners improve step by step.