What Are Action Verbs? | Definition, Examples & List
Stative verbs, on the other hand, describe the state, condition, or perception of the subject (e.g., “believe,” “know,” “feel”)..
I work at a restaurant.
My mother writes books.
A bird flew into my window.
He is jumping for joy.
What is an action verb?
An action verb can be transitive and followed by a direct object (the noun or pronoun receiving the action); be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase describing the action; or stand alone if the verb is intransitive (doesn’t need an object to receive the action).
I invited Raoul.
Melanie ran quickly.
The bird chirped.
Action verbs vs stative verbs
For example, stative verbs are used to describe the subject’s feelings, opinions, senses, physical qualities, composition, or what it possesses.
He thinks you’re amazing.
I love skiing.
They have three children.
The bread contains gluten.
One difference between active and stative verbs is that stative verbs aren’t usually used in continuous tenses, while active verbs can be.
✓ My shirt smells funny.
✗ My shirt is smelling funny.
✓ The dog smelled the flowers.
✓ The dog is smelling the flowers.
Although stative verbs aren’t usually used in continuous tenses in formal or written English, they are sometimes used in continuous tenses in casual, spoken English.
✓ I love this game.
✓ I am loving this game.
✓ It looks good.
✓ It's looking good.
Action verbs vs linking verbs
Like action verbs, stative verbs can be transitive (followed by an object), but linking verbs are always followed by a subject complement (e.g., a predicate nominative) that describes, identifies, or redefines the subject.
She threw the book.
She liked the book.
Her favorite book was Great Expectations. [linking and stative]
To determine whether a verb is a linking verb or an action verb, you can replace it with a conjugated form of “be” to see if it still makes sense. If so, even if the meaning is slightly different, it’s probably a linking verb.
✓ He appeared sad. → He was sad.
✗ He appeared suddenly. → He was suddenly.
Action verbs for resume
For example, it’s common to write “I was tasked with” or “I was responsible for” in resumes, but these constructions should be used sparingly.
“I was tasked with” is in the passive voice, describing something done to you rather than something you did, and “I was responsible for” describes your state rather than your actions. You don’t need to completely avoid these types of sentences, but try replacing them with action verbs in the active voice for a stronger and more evocative sentence where possible.
✗ I was tasked with a client mailing project.
✓ I oversaw a client mailing project.
✗ I was responsible for finding a new management system.
✓ When the company needed a new management system, I researched appropriate options, identified the best solutions for our needs, and successfully integrated it into the business.
Action verb list
Describing something you created
✗ I made a new filing system.
✓ I devised and introduced a new filing system.
✗ I wrote a popular blog and email newsletter about Thai food.
✓ I independently authored and published a blog on Thai food and distributed weekly email newsletters to my 5,000 subscribers.
Describing something you managed
✗ I led a study group.
✓ I coordinated and directed a study group.
✗ Managed task distribution.
✓ Delegated tasks according to team members’ availability and strengths.
Describing how you worked with others
✗ I helped new employees understand their roles.
✓ I supported and coached new employees to help them understand their roles.
✗ Experienced in customer service.
✓ I fielded customer enquiries and advised them on the best products for their needs.
Describing how you handled information
✗ Developed research skills.
✓ Examined and evaluated data to compile accurate reports.
✗ I did the invoicing.
✓ I monitored and inspected the invoices to ensure accurate budgeting.
Describing technical tasks
✗ I was tasked with checking builds.
✓ I tested builds, inspecting them thoroughly and logging any issues or bugs.
✗ Responsible for the Jira databases.
✓ Maintained the Jira database and tracked project progress.
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Frequently asked questions about action verbs
What are some action verb examples?
Action verbs (aka dynamic verbs) describe an action performed by something as opposed to the state or condition of something.
Some verbs can be action verbs or another type of verb (e.g., a linking verb and/or a stative verb) depending on the context. For example, “look” is an action verb in “she looked at me” but is a stative and linking verb in “she looked happy.”
Here are some examples of common action verbs in the simple present tense:
- Cough
- Cry
- Drink
- Eat
- Laugh
- Play
- Read
- Run
- Shout
- Sigh
- Sleep
- Wash
Is have an action verb?
When used as the main verb, “have” can either be an action verb or a stative verb depending on the context.
Usually, “have” is a stative verb, as it describes the state of the subject—what it possesses, includes, or contains (e.g., “the car has a scratch on the door,” “I have a degree”).
However, there are some cases where “have” describes an action. For example, “I’m having dinner,” “I’ll have a ten-minute break,” or “he had fun at the party.”
“Have” can also be an auxiliary verb modifying the main verb (e.g., “I have finished”).
Is are an action verb?
“Are,” like other forms of the verb “be” (e.g., am, is, was, were), is almost always a stative verb when used as the main verb. This means it describes the subject’s state or condition rather than an action.
It can be used in the continuous tense along with “being” to mean “behaving.” This expresses a temporary action rather than a permanent state or quality.
For example, “they are annoying” means they are always annoying: that is their permanent state. “They are being annoying” means they are not always annoying, but they are behaving in an annoying way at the moment.
“Are” (and other forms of “be”) can also be an auxiliary verb modifying the main verb, which is usually an action verb (e.g., “they are running a marathon”).
What is a transitive action verb?
Action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive. A transitive action verb needs a direct object to receive the action. Without an object, the sentence won’t be complete or make sense.
One example of a transitive action verb is “caught.” “He caught” is incomplete and doesn’t give us enough information. It needs to be followed by an object to tell us what he caught (e.g., “he caught a cold”).
An intransitive action verb doesn’t need a direct object. It can follow the subject on its own or be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase to describe the action; for example, “she laughed,” “she laughed loudly,” or “she laughed at the clown.”
Some action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive depending on the context. For example, “run” in “I run a weekly book club” is transitive, but it is intransitive in “I run every morning.”