Action Verbs — 1st Grade Lesson
Students will identify action verbs in sentences and use them to describe what someone or something does.
1st Grade · Verbs · ~15 min lesson
What is an action verb?
An action verb tells what someone or something does. It’s the action word in a sentence.
- The dog runs.
- Mia sings.
- We play.
Finding the action
Ask yourself: “What is the subject doing?”
“The children play in the park.” What are the children doing? → playing → play is the verb.
Action verbs you can see… and some you can’t
Most action verbs are things you can watch: run, jump, eat, write. But some are actions that happen in your head: think, know, hope, wonder. They’re still verbs!
| See it | Think it |
|---|---|
| jump | think |
| sing | know |
| write | wonder |
Verbs are everywhere
Every sentence has a verb. When you tell someone what you did today, you use action verbs all the time:
- I woke up.
- I ate breakfast.
- I walked to school.
How to practice at home
- Act it out: say a verb and have your child act it out (jump, wave, spin).
- Find the action: read a sentence and ask “what is the subject doing?”
- Verb hunt: find three action verbs in a storybook page.
Practice with the exercises above, then download these free printable worksheets:
Practice Exercises
Try these on your own, then reveal the answer to check.
The dog runs fast. What is the action word?
💡 What is the dog doing?
Mia sings a song. What word shows the action?
💡 What does Mia do?
Which word is an action: 'jump' or 'box'?
💡 Which one is something you DO?
The children play in the park. Name the action verb.
💡 What are the children doing?
Write an action word that fits: 'We ___ our bikes.'
💡 What can you do with a bike?
Can 'think' be an action verb even though you can't see it?
💡 Actions can happen in your mind too.
Printable Worksheets
Put this lesson into practice with free, printable worksheets — each with an answer key.
Before You Start
- Reading simple sentences
- Knowing that words make sentences
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Picking a noun as the action word (choosing 'dog' instead of 'run')
- Not recognizing that a verb can be an action you can't see (like 'think')
What to Learn Next
Browse more Verbs worksheets or explore all 1st Grade worksheets.
Related Worksheets
Verbs: Action Words Worksheet
A verb is an action word — it tells what someone or something does. Find the verb in each sentence.
Action Verbs Worksheet Set 2
An action verb tells what someone does. Set 2 adds longer sentences — find every action word.
Has and Have Worksheet
Has goes with one person or thing (he, she, it). Have goes with I, you, we, they, and more than one. Choose the right word.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an action verb?
A word that shows what someone or something does — run, jump, sing, think. In 'The dog runs,' runs is the action verb.
How can my child find the verb in a sentence?
Ask 'what is the subject doing?' In 'Mia sings a song,' ask what Mia does — she sings. That's the verb.
Original & reviewed. Every worksheet is created in-house from a grade-level skill brief, checked for a correct answer key, and reviewed for grade-appropriateness. Our editorial policy.