Action Verbs — Answer Key
Part A: Sort the Words
Sort each word or number into the correct category box.
1. Sort each word: action verb or describing word.
Action Verb
climbthrowpaint Describing Word
tallsoftloud Climb, throw, and paint all name things a person can physically do. Tall, soft, and loud only describe what something is like—they do not show any action.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. In He climbs the rope, the action verb is climbs.
Climbs is the action verb because it tells what he is doing to the rope. He is the subject and the rope is the thing being climbed.
2. The word throw is an action verb because it tells what someone does.
Throwing is something a person physically does with their arm, so the word does fits here. Every action verb answers the question, What is the subject doing?
3. In She paints a picture, the verb is paints.
Paints tells what she is doing with the brush and paint. She is the subject, picture is the thing she is making, and paints is the action connecting them.
4. An action verb shows action.
The word action is right inside the name action verb. These verbs show movement or doing, like jump, eat, and write.
5. In The boys dig a hole, the action verb is dig.
Dig is the action verb because it names what the boys are doing with their hands or shovels. A hole is the thing they are making, not an action.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. The word climb is an action verb.
True False
Climbing is something you do by moving your arms and legs up something tall, so climb names an action.
2. The word soft is an action verb.
True False
Soft is an adjective because it describes how something feels, like a pillow. You cannot soft anything—it names no action.
3. Action verbs tell what someone does.
True False
That is the main job of an action verb—to show what a person or animal is doing. Words like run, bake, and jump are all examples.
4. The word loud is an action verb.
True False
Loud describes a sound, so it is an adjective, not an action verb. Shouting or banging would be the actions—loud just tells how they sound.