Verbs are often described as doing words. A verb usually tells us what action is being performed. For example:
He ate the cake.
She read the book.
Verbs can express a physical actions, mental actions, or states of being. For example:
Verbs Expressing Physical Actions
Verbs that express physical actions are the ones that spring to mind when most people think about verbs. Such verbs are easy to spot because the action can be easily envisaged. Here are some examples of verbs expressing physical actions:
to swim
to write
to climb
Verbs Expressing Mental Actions
Not all actions are physical. Some are mental. Here are some examples of verbs expressing mental actions:
to think
to wonder
to guess
Verbs Expressing a State of Being
The very act of being (i.e., just existing) is also an action. Below are some examples of verbs that express a state of being. The most common one (in fact, the most common verb of all) is the verb to be.
to be
to exist
to appear
A Quick Test
This test has questions.
You will score at least 5 points for a correct answer.
You will score bonus points for answering the questions quickly.
