1. What are action words in English?

Action words, also called action verbs, are words that describe what a person, object, or animal is doing. For example, run, eat, dance, write, and sleep. They show physical or mental activity in a sentence.

2. What are 10 examples of action words?

Here are 10 common action words: run, eat, sleep, write, read, sing, dance, jump, play, and think.Example: “She writes her homework every evening.”

3. How do you use action words in sentences?

You use action words to show what the subject of a sentence is doing. For example:“He runs fast.”“They played cricket yesterday.”“I will read a novel tonight.”

4. Is every verb an action word?

No. While all action words are verbs, not all verbs are action words. Some verbs are state verbs (e.g., is, seem, belong), which show conditions or states instead of actions.

5. What is the difference between verbs and action words?

A verb is a broad category that includes action, state, and linking verbs. Action words specifically describe what the subject is doing (e.g., run, eat, swim).

6. What are 20 examples of action words with sentences?

Examples include: run, eat, jump, play, write, sing, dance, cook, read, climb, draw, clean, swim, walk, think, sleep, speak, build, paint, and teach.Sentence: “He climbs the mountain every summer.”

7. Why are action words important in English?

Action words make communication clear and precise. They are essential for building sentences, improving vocabulary, and expressing activities in spoken and written English.

8. What are some action words for resumes?

Powerful action words for resumes include implemented, managed, trained, supervised, secured, upgraded, volunteered, and evaluated. These show achievements and skills effectively.

9. How many action words should I learn as a beginner?

Beginners should start with at least 50–100 action words, since these cover most daily conversations. With practice, you can expand your vocabulary to include 300+ action verbs.

10. Can action words be used in different tenses?

Yes. Action words change according to tense.Present: “I run every day.”Past: “I ran yesterday.”Future: “I will run tomorrow.”

11. What are strong action words?

Strong action words are verbs that show impact and clarity, often used in resumes. Examples include achieved, led, developed, created, designed, analyzed, and improved.

12. Do action words only describe physical actions?

No. Action words can describe both physical actions (e.g., jump, run, eat) and mental actions (e.g., think, decide, imagine, remember).

13. How do action words improve writing?

Action words make writing more engaging and dynamic. Instead of weak sentences like “The homework was done,” action words give clarity: “She completed her homework.”

14. What are irregular action words?

Irregular action words don’t follow the usual rule of adding -ed for past tense. Examples:Go → went → goneEat → ate → eatenWrite → wrote → written

15. How can students practice action words daily?

Students can practice by:Writing daily sentences using 5–10 new verbs.Reading books/articles and underlining action verbs.Speaking with friends using more verbs in conversations.

100+ Action Words in English with Examples & Sentences

Learning action words in English is one of the easiest ways to strengthen your grammar and vocabulary. These words, often called verbs, describe what a person, object, or animal is doing. From writing resumes to speaking in everyday conversations, action verbs are used everywhere.

This guide will walk you through the meaning of action words, their usage in sentences, 100+ examples, and even a section on how to use them effectively in resumes and cover letters.

What Are Action Words?

Action words (or action verbs) describe what a subject is doing or what has already been done. They express activities like running, eating, writing or thinking.

Example:

She runs every morning.
He wrote a letter yesterday.
They play football after school.

Because of their versatility, action words are commonly used in spoken English, formal writing and professional documents like resumes.

How to Use Action Words in Sentences?

Using action words correctly requires you to pay attention to tense and context. Here are examples:

Suchita gave a good speech. (Past Simple)
Dimple walks every day after dinner. (Present Simple)
The snake was crawling on the grass. (Past Continuous)
Esha is speaking confidently in class. (Present Continuous)
I will work with the best team of my life. (Future Simple)

As you can see, the same action verb can appear in different forms depending on tense.

Popular Action Words in English with Sentences

Here are some of the most common action verbs used in daily life:

Word	Sentence Example
Run	I run in the park every morning.
Eat	We eat dinner together at 8 p.m.
Sleep	They sleep in their rooms after lunch.
Write	She will write her assignment tonight.
Speak	I can speak three languages.
Play	The children play outside every evening.
Work	We all work hard to achieve our goals.
Think	I often think about my future plans.
Dance	They dance beautifully on stage.
Read	Can I read this book before you?

100+ Action Words in English (A–Z List)

Here’s a comprehensive list of action verbs you can add to your vocabulary:

A–C
Aid, Anchor, Apply, Aspire, Act, Allocate, Borrow, Break, Blend, Blackmail, Brush, Build, Carry, Collect, Cook, Connect, Craft, Climb, Create

D–F
Dig, Drive, Donate, Depend, Dream, Distract, Design, Explain, Explore, Ensure, Enforce, Execute, Facilitate, Film, Forge, Frame, Flinch, Fly

G–I
Gain, Gift, Game, Gaze, Grow, Gather, Harvest, Host, Hoard, Help, Imagine, Ignite, Inspire, Innovate, Imitate, Invest, Introduce

J–L
Judge, Jump, Joke, Justify, Jounce, Kick, Knock, Kiss, Keep, Learn, List, Lead, Lick, Levitate, Listen, Look, Laugh

M–O
Manage, Master, Monitor, Merge, Mind, Murmur, Move, Nominate, Navigate, Nap, Nourish, Name, Obey, Outline, Occupy, Organize, Overcome

P–R
Perform, Permit, Play, Push, Ponder, Pick, Prefer, Paint, Quote, Quit, Quiver, Recognize, Report, Recruit, Refer, Read, Run

S–U
Sing, Smile, Speak, Stretch, Save, Search, Secure, Solve, Support, Supervise, Teach, Train, Touch, Thrive, Think, Unite, Use

V–Z
Vote, Visit, Value, Visualize, Wait, Wake, Walk, Win, Work, Write, Worry, Watch, Yield, Zoom

Action Words for Resumes and Cover Letters

When writing a resume, start each bullet point with an action verb to showcase your achievements clearly. Here are strong action words you can use:

Action Verb	Example in Resume
Implemented	Implemented new digital marketing strategies that increased sales by 20%.
Managed	Managed a team of 5 people to deliver projects on time.
Analysed	Analysed customer data to improve service quality.
Secured	Secured funding for a research project worth $50,000.
Trained	Trained interns and new staff on company processes.
Supervised	Supervised day-to-day operations of the department.
Volunteered	Volunteered for community development programs.
Upgraded	Upgraded systems to improve efficiency.
Received	Received ‘Employee of the Month’ award for consistent performance.

These words highlight your skills, achievements, and impact, making your resume more professional.

Tips for Using Action Words Effectively

Match Tense to Context – Use past tense in resumes, present tense for ongoing work.
Be Specific – Choose action verbs that best fit your intention (e.g., led, coordinated, developed).
Practice in Sentences – Use action verbs in different tenses and contexts for fluency.
Avoid Repetition – Don’t start every sentence with the same verb; mix it up for variety.
Use in Everyday Speech – Try to use action words in your daily conversations to improve confidence.

Conclusion

Action words in English are a fundamental part of communication. They describe what the subject is doing and make your sentences powerful and precise. Whether you’re writing essays, improving spoken English or crafting a professional resume, action verbs give clarity and impact to your message.

Start practicing with the 100+ examples above, and soon you’ll notice how your English becomes more expressive and confident.

Read Also:

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are action words in English?
Action words, also called action verbs, are words that describe what a person, object, or animal is doing. For example, run, eat, dance, write, and sleep. They show physical or mental activity in a sentence.
2. What are 10 examples of action words?
Here are 10 common action words: run, eat, sleep, write, read, sing, dance, jump, play, and think.
Example: “She writes her homework every evening.”
3. How do you use action words in sentences?
You use action words to show what the subject of a sentence is doing. For example:
“He runs fast.”
“They played cricket yesterday.”
“I will read a novel tonight.”
4. Is every verb an action word?
No. While all action words are verbs, not all verbs are action words. Some verbs are state verbs (e.g., is, seem, belong), which show conditions or states instead of actions.
5. What is the difference between verbs and action words?
A verb is a broad category that includes action, state, and linking verbs. Action words specifically describe what the subject is doing (e.g., run, eat, swim).
6. What are 20 examples of action words with sentences?
Examples include: run, eat, jump, play, write, sing, dance, cook, read, climb, draw, clean, swim, walk, think, sleep, speak, build, paint, and teach.
Sentence: “He climbs the mountain every summer.”
7. Why are action words important in English?
Action words make communication clear and precise. They are essential for building sentences, improving vocabulary, and expressing activities in spoken and written English.
8. What are some action words for resumes?
Powerful action words for resumes include implemented, managed, trained, supervised, secured, upgraded, volunteered, and evaluated. These show achievements and skills effectively.
9. How many action words should I learn as a beginner?
Beginners should start with at least 50–100 action words, since these cover most daily conversations. With practice, you can expand your vocabulary to include 300+ action verbs.
10. Can action words be used in different tenses?
Yes. Action words change according to tense.
Present: “I run every day.”
Past: “I ran yesterday.”
Future: “I will run tomorrow.”
11. What are strong action words?
Strong action words are verbs that show impact and clarity, often used in resumes. Examples include achieved, led, developed, created, designed, analyzed, and improved.
12. Do action words only describe physical actions?
No. Action words can describe both physical actions (e.g., jump, run, eat) and mental actions (e.g., think, decide, imagine, remember).
13. How do action words improve writing?
Action words make writing more engaging and dynamic. Instead of weak sentences like “The homework was done,” action words give clarity: “She completed her homework.”
14. What are irregular action words?
Irregular action words don’t follow the usual rule of adding -ed for past tense. Examples:
Go → went → gone
Eat → ate → eaten
Write → wrote → written
15. How can students practice action words daily?
Students can practice by:
Writing daily sentences using 5–10 new verbs.
Reading books/articles and underlining action verbs.
Speaking with friends using more verbs in conversations.

List of 100+ Action Words in English with Sample Sentences