Action verbs tell about something a person, animal, Iorce oI nature or thing can do or be.

Can
you cry, march, rinse, or turn? Can the wind blow or a cup Iall? Yes, those are all actions. Use
this list to think oI other action verbs.
add
allow
bake
bang
call
chase
damage
drop
end
escape
Iasten
Iix
gather
grab
hang
hug
imagine
itch
jog
jump
kick
knit
land
lock
march
mix
name
notice
obey
open
pass
promise
question
reach
rinse
scatter
stay
talk
turn
untie
use
vanish
visit
walk
work
yawn
yell
zip
zoom

Verbs also use special rules Ior telling when something happened - in the past, the present, or the
Iuture. Here is a list oI examples Ior each verb tense using the verb break. Try putting other verbs
in the place oI break.
Present tense I/you/we/they break, he/she/it breaks
Past Tense I/you/he/she/it/we/they broke
Future Tense - I/you/he/she/it/we/they will break
Present PerIect Tense I/you/he/she/it/we/they have broken
Past PerIect Tense I/you/he/she/it/we/they had broken
Future PerIect Tense I/you/he/she/it/we/they will have broken
Being Verbs tell about something in a state oI being. A noun or pronoun does not always take
action. Sometime, it just is. For that purpose, you use a being verb. Here are the being verbs in
all the past, present, and Iuture tenses.
Present tense - I am, you are, he/she/it is, we are, they are
Past Tense - I was, you were, he/she/it, was, we were, they were
Future Tense - I will be, you will be, he/she/it will be, we will be, they will be
Present PerIect Tense - I have been, you have been, he/she/it has been, we have been, they have
been
Past PerIect Tense -I had been, you had been, he/she/it had been, we had been, they had been
Future PerIect Tense - I will have been, you will have been, he/she/it will have been, we will
have been, they will have been
Helping verbs do not stand alone or express action. They are part oI verb phrases that "help" the
main verb. Helping verbs deIine the tense (past, present, Iuture) or change the meaning oI the
main verb. Consider these examples:
o you need a tissue?
We are helping the third-grade class.
Hank might have been driving the wrong way.
This list has commonly-used helping verbs:
may
might
must
be
being
been
am
are
is
was
were
do
does
did
should
could
would
have
had
has
will
can
shall

Linking verbs do not show action. Instead, they connect nouns and pronouns to other
inIormation in the sentence. Here are some examples:
My sister is smart.
The picture appeared blurry.
Your supper smells delicious.
The most common linking verbs are listed here:
am
are
are
being
appear
be
become
Ieel
get
grow
have/has been
is
lie
look
might be
might have been
prove
remain
seem
sit
smell
sound
stay
taste
turn
were

Irregular Verbs are verbs that don't Iollow the rules Ior changing tense. The best way to
understand irregular verbs is to practice and memorize them.
Here are some common examples shown in the present/past/past participle:
The dog wants to bite me.
The dog bit me.
The dog has bitten me.
My arm hurts.
I hurt my arm yesterday.
I have hurt my arm beIore.
bite/bit/bitten
choose/chose/chosen
eat/ate/eaten
Iall/Iell/Iallen
hurt/hurt/hurt
go/went/gone
lay/laid/laid
ring/rang/rung
send/sent/sent
teach/taught/taught
write/wrote/written

Verbs do a lot oI work in the English language. Some are busy action verbs; others are modest
helping or linking verbs. No matter what kind they are, verbs keep the English language movin'
and shakin'.
A

abide
accelerate
accept
accomplish
achieve
acquire
acted
activate
adapt
add
address
administer
admire
admit
adopt
advise
afford
agree
alert
alight
allow
altered
amuse
analyze
announce
annoy
answer
anticipate
B

back
bake
balance
ban
bang
bare
bat
bathe
battle
be
beam
bear
beat
become
beg
begin
behave
behold
belong
bend
beset
bet
bid
bind
bite
bleach
bleed
bless
C

calculate
call
camp
care
carry
carve
cast
catalog
catch
cause
challenge
change
charge
chart
chase
cheat
check
cheer
chew
choke
choose
chop
claim
clap
clarify
classify
clean
clear
D

dam
damage
dance
dare
deal
decay
deceive
decide
decorate
define
delay
delegate
delight
deliver
demonstrate
depend
describe
desert
deserve
design
destroy
detail
detect
determine
develop
devise
diagnose
dig
apologize
appear
applaud
applied
appoint
appraise
appreciate
approve
arbitrate
argue
arise
arrange
arrest
arrive
ascertain
ask
assemble
assess
assist
assure
attach
attack
attain
attempt
attend
attract
audited
avoid
awake
blind
blink
blot
blow
blush
boast
boil
bolt
bomb
book
bore
borrow
bounce
bow
box
brake
branch
break
breathe
breed
brief
bring
broadcast
bruise
brush
bubble
budget
build
bump
burn
burst
bury
bust
buy
buzz
cling
clip
close
clothe
coach
coil
collect
color
comb
come
command
communicate
compare
compete
compile
complain
complete
compose
compute
conceive
concentrate
conceptualize
concern
conclude
conduct
confess
confront
confuse
connect
conserve
consider
consist
consolidate
construct
consult
contain
continue
contract
control
convert
coordinate
copy
correct
correlate
cost
direct
disagree
disappear
disapprove
disarm
discover
dislike
dispense
display
disprove
dissect
distribute
dive
divert
divide
do
double
doubt
draft
drag
drain
dramatize
draw
dream
dress
drink
drip
drive
drop
drown
drum
dry
dust
dwell


cough
counsel
count
cover
crack
crash
crawl
create
creep
critique
cross
crush
cry
cure
curl
curve
cut
cycle

E

earn
eat
edited
educate
eliminate
embarrass
employ
empty
enacted
encourage
end
endure
enforce
engineer
enhance
enjoy
enlist
ensure
enter
entertain
escape
establish

F

face
facilitate
fade
fail
fancy
fasten
fax
fear
feed
feel
fence
fetch
fight
file
fill
film
finalize
finance
find
fire
fit
fix

G

gather
gaze
generate
get
give
glow
glue
go
govern
grab
graduate
grate
grease
greet
grin
grind
grip
groan
grow
guarantee
guard
guess

H

hammer
hand
handle
handwrite
hang
happen
harass
harm
hate
haunt
head
heal
heap
hear
heat
help
hide
hit
hold
hook
hop
hope
estimate
evaluate
examine
exceed
excite
excuse
execute
exercise
exhibit
exist
expand
expect
expedite
experiment
explain
explode
express
extend
extract
flap
flash
flee
fling
float
flood
flow
flower
fly
fold
follow
fool
forbid
force
forecast
forego
foresee
foretell
forget
forgive
form
formulate
forsake
frame
freeze
frighten
fry
guide hover
hug
hum
hunt
hurry
hurt
hypothesize

I

identify
ignore
illustrate
imagine
implement
impress
improve
improvise
include
increase
induce
influence
inform
initiate

1

jail
jam
jog
join
joke
judge
juggle
jump
justify

K


keep
kept
kick
kill
kiss
kneel
knit
knock
knot
know

L

label
land
last
laugh
launch
lay
lead
lean
leap
learn
leave
lecture
led
lend
inject
injure
inlay
innovate
input
inspect
inspire
install
institute
instruct
insure
integrate
intend
intensify
interest
interfere
interlay
interpret
interrupt
interview
introduce
invent
inventory
investigate
invite
irritate
itch
let
level
license
lick
lie
lifted
light
lighten
like
list
listen
live
load
locate
lock
log
long
look
lose
love

M

maintain
make
man
manage
manipulate
manufacture
map
march
mark
market
marry
match
mate
matter

N

nail
name
navigate
need
negotiate
nest
nod
nominate
normalize
note
notice
number

O

obey
object
observe
obtain
occur
offend
offer
officiate
open
operate
order
organize
oriented
originate

P

pack
paddle
paint
park
part
participate
pass
paste
pat
pause
pay
peck
pedal
peel
mean
measure
meddle
mediate
meet
melt
melt
memorize
mend
mentor
milk
mine
mislead
miss
misspell
mistake
misunderstand
mix
moan
model
modify
monitor
moor
motivate
mourn
move
mow
muddle
mug
multiply
murder
overcome
overdo
overdraw
overflow
overhear
overtake
overthrow
owe
own
peep
perceive
perfect
perform
permit
persuade
phone
photograph
pick
pilot
pinch
pine
pinpoint
pioneer
place
plan
plant
play
plead
please
plug
point
poke
polish
pop
possess
post
pour
practice
praised
pray
preach
precede
predict
prefer
prepare
prescribe
present
preserve
preset
preside
press
pretend
prevent
prick
print
process
procure
produce
profess
program
progress
project
promise
promote
proofread
propose
protect
prove
provide
publicize
pull
pump
punch
puncture
punish
purchase
push
put

Q

qualify
question
queue
quit

R

race
radiate
rain
raise
rank
rate
reach
read
realign
realize
reason
receive
recognize
recommend
reconcile
record
recruit

S

sack
sail
satisfy
save
saw
say
scare
scatter
schedule
scold
scorch
scrape
scratch
scream
screw
scribble
scrub

T

tabulate
take
talk
tame
tap
target
taste
teach
tear
tease
telephone
tell
tempt
terrify
test
thank
thaw
reduce
refer
reflect
refuse
regret
regulate
rehabilitate
reign
reinforce
reject
rejoice
relate
relax
release
rely
remain
remember
remind
remove
render
reorganize
repair
repeat
replace
reply
report
represent
reproduce
request
rescue
research
resolve
respond
restored
restructure
retire
retrieve
return
review
revise
rhyme
rid
ride
ring
rinse
seal
search
secure
see
seek
select
sell
send
sense
separate
serve
service
set
settle
sew
shade
shake
shape
share
shave
shear
shed
shelter
shine
shiver
shock
shoe
shoot
shop
show
shrink
shrug
shut
sigh
sign
signal
simplify
sin
sing
sink
sip
sit
sketch
ski
skip
think
thrive
throw
thrust
tick
tickle
tie
time
tip
tire
touch
tour
tow
trace
trade
train
transcribe
transfer
transform
translate
transport
trap
travel
tread
treat
tremble
trick
trip
trot
trouble
troubleshoot
trust
try
tug
tumble
turn
tutor
twist
type
rise
risk
rob
rock
roll
rot
rub
ruin
rule
run
rush
slap
slay
sleep
slide
sling
slink
slip
slit
slow
smash
smell
smile
smite
smoke
snatch
sneak
sneeze
sniff
snore
snow
soak
solve
soothe
soothsay
sort
sound
sow
spare
spark
sparkle
speak
specify
speed
spell
spend
spill
spin
spit
split
spoil
spot
spray
spread
spring
sprout
squash
squeak
squeal
squeeze
stain
stamp
stand
stare
start
stay
steal
steer
step
stick
stimulate
sting
stink
stir
stitch
stop
store
strap
streamline
strengthen
stretch
stride
strike
string
strip
strive
stroke
structure
study
stuff
sublet
subtract
succeed
suck
suffer
suggest
suit
summarize
supervise
supply
support
suppose
surprise
surround
suspect
suspend
swear
sweat
sweep
swell
swim
swing
switch
symbolize
synthesize
systemize


U

undergo
understand
undertake
undress
unfasten
unify
unite
unlock
unpack
untidy
update
upgrade
uphold
upset
use
utilize


V

vanish
verbalize
verify
vex
visit


W

wail
wait
wake
walk
wander
want
warm
warn
wash
waste
watch
water
wave
wear
weave
wed
weep
weigh
welcome
wend
wet
whine
whip
whirl


X - Y - Z

x-ray


yawn
yell


zip
zoom

whisper
whistle
win
wind
wink
wipe
wish
withdraw
withhold
withstand
wobble
wonder
work
worry
wrap
wreck
wrestle
wriggle
wring
write
For a complete list of pronouns, click here for the "big pronoun list".
Pronouns are the stunt doubles oI the English language. They keep communication going with
or without the nouns. Pronouns come in to keep nouns Irom getting repetitive or when nouns are
not clearly known. They do more work than you think, so read on to learn about them.
Subject and object pronouns are used in everyday language. However, it can be tricky to
remember which is which. The subject always takes action. The object is part oI the activity, but
it does not do any acting. Here is an example:
Shelby likes talking to Marvin.

Shelby is the subject; she is liking and talking. Marvin is the object; all the liking and talking is
done to Marvin but not by Marvin.

Subject and object pronouns Iunction in the same way.
Subject pronouns include I, you, he, she, it, they, we.
Object pronouns include me, you, him, her, it, us, them. See the Iollowing examples:

Subject
I might see you later.
You have to come now.
She lives in Nebraska.
He makes me angry
It just might work.
They caught the last train.
We cant see the end.

Object
Sarah hit me on the arm.
I need to tell you something.
Larry took him aside.
The message wasnt Ior her.
Take it to the store.
Summer is Iun Ior us.
Margaret took them downstairs.

Possessive pronouns show who owns something described in a sentence. They include mine, his,
hers, its, ours, yours, their, and theirs. Possessive adjectives are similar to possessive pronouns.
However, the possessive adjective comes beIore the object oI the sentence; the possessive
pronoun is the object oI the sentence. See the diIIerence here:

That is my dog. (possessive adjective, beIore the object dog)
The dog is mine. (possessive pronoun, which is the object)

Intensive pronouns and reflexive pronouns look the same. However, they act diIIerently in a
sentence. Intensive pronouns put an emphasis on other pronouns or nouns. ReIlexive pronouns
rename the subject in a sentence. Look at the Iollowing examples:

Intensive pronoun She herselI will go to the bank. (herselI emphasizes the pronoun she)
Reflexive pronoun She cut herselI on the arm. (herselI renames the pronoun she)

Intensive and reflexive pronouns include:
myselI, yourselI, himselI, herselI, itselI, ourselves, yourselves, and themselves.
Demonstrative pronouns reIer to things in relation to distance.
This and these reIer to things that are close by. That and those reIer to things Iarther away.

This is your shirt.
That is my house on the corner.
These good Iriends are sitting next to me.
Those roads in the next town are bumpy.

Indefinite pronouns replace nouns that are not speciIied. They include the Iollowing: all,
another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, both, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything,
Iew, many, neither, nobody, none, no one, nothing, one, several, some, somebody, someone, and
something. Read the example sentences Ior a better understanding.

We gave everything to the homeless shelter
All were sad to see the children go.
Give a present to each as they come in.

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask a question. They include who, whom, what, which,
whose, whoever, whomever, whatever, and whichever. Consider the example sentences below:

Which oI these do you like best?
Who was just in this room?
Whatever happens next, I am prepared.

Relative pronouns connect (relate) noun or pronoun clauses with other parts oI a sentence. They
include who, whom, what, which, whose, whoever, whomever, whatever, whichever, and that.
See how these are used in the sentences below.

The paper that she just wrote is due tomorrow.
Learning is easier Ior people who have a good teacher.
Whoever leaves the room needs to turn oII the light.

Pronouns do a lot in the English language, don't they? They are the no-name workhorses,
jumping in Ior the superstar nouns when they get exhausted. Hey, someone's got to do
something about the work nobody wants to do!


A through H

A
all
another
any
anybody
anyone
anything


B
both


I through O

I
I
it
its
itselI


L
little



S through Y

S
several
she
some
somebody
someone
something


T
that
their


E
each
each other
either
everybody
everyone
everything


F
Iew


H
he
her
hers
herselI
him
himselI
his


M
many
me
mine
more
most
much
my
myselI

N
neither
no one
nobody
none
nothing


O
one
one another
other
others
our
ours
ourselves

theirs
them
themselves
these
they
this
those


U
us

W
we
what
whatever
which
whichever
who
whoever
whom
whomever
whose

Y
you
your
yours
yourselI
yourselves
List of Basic Prepositions
as
at
but
by
down
Ior
Irom
in
into
like
near
next
oI
oII
on
onto
out
over
past
plus
minus
since
than
to
up
with

As children develop their reading skills, they will learn the spelling and deIinitions oI more
complex words. They are introduced to prepositions and other parts oI speech between the
second and Iourth grade. The Iollowing list shows some more advanced prepositions:

List of Advanced Prepositions
aboard
about
above
across
aIter
against
along
around
beIore
behind
below
beneath
beside
between
beyond
during
except
Iollowing
inside
minus
onto
opposite
outside
round
since
through
toward
under
underneath
unlike
until
upon
without
Older elementary and middle school students are exposed to a variety oI prepositions. This
includes compound words and single words used in complex sentences.
according to
along with
alongside
among
apart Irom
as Ior
atop
because oI
by means oI
concerning
despite
except Ior
in addition to
in back oI
in case oI
in Iront oI
in place oI
in spite oI
instead oI
on top oI
out oI
regarding
throughout
till
up to
via
within
worth
OI course, the English language is Iull oI exceptions. Some prepositions seem to break the rules,
yet make sense in everyday language. These are called idioms. A Iew common examples include
the Iollowing:
List of Idioms
according to
capable oI
Iamiliar with
impatient with
rewarded Ior
superior to
Prepositions are not always easy to identiIy in spoken and written language. However, they play
a big part in making the English language colorIul and interesting. Use this list oI prepositions as
a quick guide to help your student learn about prepositions.

List of tbe Most Common Prepositions

A through D

aboard
about
above
absent
across
aIter
against
E through M

except
excepting
excluding

Iollowing
N through R

near
next

oI
oII
S through W

save
since

than
through
along
alongside
amid
amidst
among
anti
around
as
at
atop

beIore
behind
below
beneath
beside
besides
between
beyond
but
by

concerning
considering

despite
down
during

Ior
Irom

in
in Iront oI
inside
instead oI
into

like

mid
minus
on
on top oI
onto
opposite
out oI
outside
over

past
per
plus

regarding
round
till
times
to
toward
towards

under
underneath
unlike
until
up
upon

versus
via

with
within
without
List of Common Adverbs

A

abnormally
8

badly
C

calmly
D

dally
L

easlly
absenLmlndedly
accldenLally
acldly
acLually
advenLurously
afLerwards
almosL
always
angrlly
annually
anxlously
arroganLly
awkwardly
bashfully
beauLlfully
blLLerly
bleakly
bllndly
bllssfully
boasLfully
boldly
bravely
brlefly
brlghLly
brlskly
broadly
buslly
carefully
carelessly
cauLlously
cerLalnly
cheerfully
clearly
cleverly
closely
coaxlngly
colorfully
commonly
conLlnually
coolly
correcLly
courageously
crossly
cruelly
curlously


dalnLlly
dearly
decelvlngly
dellghLfully
deeply
deflanLly
dellberaLely
dellghLfully
dlllgenLly
dlmly
doubLfully
dreamlly


eleganLly
energeLlcally
enormously
enLhuslasLlcally
equally
especlally
even
evenly
evenLually
exacLly
exclLedly
exLremely


falrly
falLhfully
famously
far
fasL
faLally
feroclously
fervenLly
flercely
fondly
foollshly
forLunaLely
frankly
franLlcally
freely
G

generally
generously
genLly
gladly
gleefully
gracefully
graLefully
greaLly
greedlly
n

happlly
hasLlly
healLhlly
heavlly
helpfully
helplessly
hlghly
honesLly
hopelessly
hourly
hungrlly
I

lmmedlaLely
lnnocenLly
lnqulslLlvely
lnsLanLly
lnLensely
lnLenLly
lnLeresLlngly
lnwardly
lrrlLably
I

[aggedly
[ealously
[oshlngly
[oyfully
[oyously
[ovlally
[ubllanLly
[udgemenLally
[usLly
freneLlcally
frlghLfully
fully
furlously





keenly
klddlngly
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