Action verbs are words that describe what a person, animal, or thing does. This lesson focuses on common action verbs in English for beginner to intermediate learners, helping you recognize, remember, and use them correctly in everyday situations.
Action Verbs in English

The action verbs below are grouped by type of action. Each verb includes its past form (V2) and a clear example sentence.
Movement & Physical Actions
| Verb | V2 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Walk | Walked | Don’t try to run before you can walk. |
| Run | Ran | I saw a few prisoners run away. |
| Jump | Jumped | Can you jump over the river? |
| Leap | Leapt / Leaped | Look before you leap. |
| Skip | Skipped | She likes to skip with her rope. |
| Crawl | Crawled | A child learns to crawl before walking. |
| Climb | Climbed | He tried to climb the tree. |
| Dive | Dived / Dove | Many dolphins can dive very deep. |
| Kick | Kicked | The kids love to kick a ball. |
| Slip | Slipped | Be careful not to slip on the wet floor. |
| Bend | Bent | The branch bent under his weight. |
Body Positions & Postures
| Verb | V2 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stand | Stood | We had to stand in the snow. |
| Sit | Sat | The students sit in a circle. |
| Squat | Squatted | Can you squat here? |
| Kneel | Kneeled / Knelt | She asked her son to kneel down. |
| Crouch | Crouched | The man crouched behind the wall. |
| Tiptoe | Tiptoed | I tiptoed into the room. |
| Do a handstand | Did a handstand | He did a handstand in the gym. |
Physical Contact Actions
| Verb | V2 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | Hit | She hit him with a rolled-up magazine. |
| Punch | Punched | He punched the punching bag. |
| Throw | Threw | Throw your clothes in the washing machine. |
| Catch | Caught | I had to run to catch the bus. |
| Push | Pushed | You push and I’ll pull. |
| Pull | Pulled | You can pull a rope. |
| Hold | Held | Hold the ladder for me. |
Mental & Daily Activities
| Verb | V2 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Study | Studied | I like to study new subjects. |
| Read | Read | She read the letter carefully. |
| Sing | Sang | When I sang, he laughed. |
| Dig | Dug | I dug through my old boxes. |
Last Updated on January 26, 2026




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