Verbs can come in many forms. Click on an action button below to learn more about that type of verb!

Action verbs are words that tell us what the subject of a sentence is doing. Verbs are also the first word or words of the predicate.

John ran to the house.

John is the subject of the sentence. Ask yourself, “What did John do?” He ran. Ran is the first word of the predicate.

Verbs are words that we can “do.” For example, I can swim. If you are not sure if a word is a verb or not try putting it in the “I can” sentence.

Click on the verb below that fits in the “I can” sentence.

I can ___________.

eat fork kitchen sink

Is that an action word?

Will it fit in the “I can” sentence?

Try Again!

Click on the action verb.

1. shoe run jacket sock

2. ball goal kick point

3. music play piano note

4. read book pages cover

Now let’s click on the word in the sentence that is the action verb.

1. The boy was climbing the tree.

2. The dogs bark at the cats.

3. The students wrote in their journals.

4. Did you wash the dishes?

5. Can we play basketball at recess?

You’ve made it to the end of the action verbs lesson. If you are ready for a challenge keep going to learn about another kind of verb!

A helping verb can work with the action verb to tell about an action. A helping verb always comes beforebefore the main verb. Have, has, and had are common helping verbs. Here are some other ones you may see.

Here are some examples of how to use helping verbs in front of the main action verb.

The airplane was flying through the clouds.

The truck had driven through the snow.

The children were running down the hill.

Click on the helping verb in each sentence.

The cookies were baking in the oven.

She has taught us how to add already.

We can sing a lot of different songs.

He was talking on the phone to his neighbor.

Click on the helping verb that makes sense to complete the sentence.

I __________ reading a great book.

were shall could am

We ___________ swim today!

could would am are

She __________ studying for the big test on Friday.

are can will is

You’ve made it to the end of the helping verbs lesson. If you are ready for a challenge keep going to learn about another kind of verb!

A past tense verb shows that the action has happened in the past. Add -ed or -d to most verbs to make them past tense.

walk becomes walkedbake becomes baked

Click on the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence.

The Missouri River (swelled/swell) with rain.

People (fear/feared) that the river would flood.

After weeks of rain, the Mississippi River (spilled/spill) over its banks.

The two mighty rivers (flowed/flow) together then.

Farmland (turned/turn) into lake bottoms.

Animals (rush/rushed) for higher ground.

The flood (lasted/last) for weeks.

When it was over, people (returned/return) to their homes.

Sometimes there are special spelling changes that must be made to a verb to make it past tense. For example,

try becomes tried

stop becomes stopped

Click here to learn the spelling rules!

If a verb ends in -y, change it to i and add -ed. Look at the ones below:

spy becomes spied

hurry becomes hurried

If a verb ends in a vowel consonant, double the consonant and add -ed.

knot becomes knotted

pop becomes popped

Click on the correct way to spell the past tense form of the red verb.

chop chopped choped

grab grabed grabbed

step steeped stepped

flip flipped flipied

Click on the correct way to spell the past tense form of the red verb.

copy coppied copied

study studyed studied

supply supplyied supplied

spy spied spyyed

Congratulations! You have just finished the lesson on past tense verbs. For another challenge, go back to the main screen and select present tense verbs.

A present tense verb tells about action that happens now. The correct form of the verb depends on the subject of the sentence. Add -s or -es to most present tense verbs when the subject is singular.

A seal sleeps near the edge of the ice.

Another seal splashes in the water near her.

If the subject of the sentence is plural the verb will not have an -s or -es ending.

Two scientists search the ice for seals.

The seals sleep in the warm sun.

Click on the correct present tense verb to complete the sentence.

Two scientists (search/searches) the ice for seals.

The man (use/uses) field glasses.

The woman (see/sees) two mother seals and their babies.

The man eagerly (takes/take) out his camera.

His movement (alarms/alarm) the seals.

Let’s do some more to make sure you’ve got it!

The scientists (arrives/arrive) to late.

The baby seals (dives/dive) into a hole in the ice.

The mother seals (follow/follows).

The two people (sit/sits) down to wait.

Congratulations! You have just finished the lesson on present tense verbs. For another challenge, go back to the main screen and select one of the verb types you have not completed yet. If you have completed all four verb types then click on the trophy below!