Action Verbs

Action Verb: Definition

In other words, the function of an action verb is to tell readers what the subject of the sentence is doing.

Action Verb: Examples

Action verbs show up everywhere in our speech and writing. Try listing out the first few verbs that pop into your head. Most of them are probably action verbs! Here is a list of some action verb examples in English:

Action Verbs vs. Linking Verbs

It's important to know the difference between the action verb and another common type of verb, the linking verb.

Linking verbs link the subject together with the rest of the sentence. They show what the subject is instead of what it does.

Here are some examples of linking verbs in use:

In the above sentence, the linking verb "is" doesn't express any kind of action. It just connects "she" with "a musician."

In the same way as in the previous example, the linking verb "seem" doesn't tell the reader what the subject is doing. It connects it with the adjective "sad."

Linking verbs are very common and useful in language, but in descriptive writing, it's encouraged to use action verbs when you can (more on that later!)

Fig. 1 - Replacing Linking Verbs with Action Verbs.

Types of Action Verbs

There are two main types of action verbs: transitive and intransitive.

Transitive Action Verbs

Transitive action verbs take an object. That means that something is doing the action, and something else is being acted upon. In linguistics, you would say this kind of verb takes two arguments: a subject and an object.

Here are some examples of transitive action verbs in use:

In the above sentence, "Henry" is the subject, the one doing the painting. "Paints" is the action verb, expressing the action of the sentence. "A picture" is the object, the thing being painted.

In this example, "the duchess" is the subject, the one declining. "Declined" is the action verb. "The invitation" is the object, the thing being declined.

Intransitive Action Verbs

Intransitive action verbs do not take an object. That means that something is doing the action, but nothing is being acted upon. These verbs take one argument.

Here are some examples of intransitive action verbs in use:

"Caroline" is the subject, the one doing the laughing. The action verb "laughed" can't easily take an object. "Caroline laughed the movie" doesn't make sense.

"The dog" is the subject, the one sleeping. Again, the action verb "sleeps" can't take an object. "The dog sleeps the bed" doesn't make sense.

Using Action Verbs for Effective Description

As already mentioned, it's a good idea to replace linking verbs with action verbs where you can in a descriptive essay. Using action verbs can make your writing clearer and more specific. Here are some tips for using action verbs effectively in your writing.

Look Out for the Links

Using more action verbs doesn't have to mean rewriting your entire paragraph. Making some little changes to the verbs can make a big difference. Picking out the linking verbs is a great start.

Fig. 2 - Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to something else (like a noun, adjective, or pronoun) that completes the meaning of the verb.

When you're done writing a sentence, try to find all of the linking verbs. Look for verbs like these examples:

• Forms of the verb to be, including be, been, being, am, is, are, was, and were.

• Verbs that express an impression of something, including seems, looks, appears, sounds, tastes, smells, and feels.

The three linking verbs in the above sentence ("looks," "was," and "being") express an impression instead of an action.

Replace Them with Actions

When you've found the linking verbs in your writing, try replacing them with more descriptive action verbs!

This is just like identifying action verbs in a sentence. Look at the phrase with the linking verb and ask, "what is the subject doing?" This can help you come up with a more descriptive vocabulary.

The following example demonstrates how one could identify the linking verbs in the previous example and replace them with action verbs:

• What was Shawna doing that made her look tired?Maybe she yawned or rubbed her eyes.

• What was she doing in the kitchen?Maybe she was washing the dishes or brewing a cup of tea.

• What was she doing in the garden?Maybe she was planting seeds or pulling weeds.

Consider how to swap from of these verbs for a better description: "Shawna yawned while brewing a cup of tea after planting seeds in the garden."

Thinking about doing instead of being will fill your essay with action verbs. The more you practice this in your writing, the clearer your description will become.