Action Verbs Bingo

Elementary (A1-A2) 25 minutes
ESL action verb game preview, elementary A1-A2, bingo, matching, sentence forming, group work

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Bingo, Matching, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work

In this enjoyable action verbs game, students play bingo by listening to definitions and matching them to common action verbs. To begin, the bingo caller reads a definition at random from the caller's sheet...

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Bingo, Matching, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work In this enjoyable action verbs game, students play bingo by listening to definitions and matching them to common action verbs. To begin, the bingo caller reads a definition at random from the caller's sheet without saying the verb in brackets, e.g. 'Something you do when you are angry and speak very loudly.' The caller then puts a tick beside the definition to show it has been read out. The players listen and look at the action verbs on their bingo cards to see if they have an action verb that matches the definition, e.g. shout. If they do, they cross it off. The game continues until a player has crossed off four action verbs in a row. When this happens, the player shouts 'Bingo!' and then makes a sentence with each crossed-off verb to verify their win. If the player makes a mistake in any of the four sentences, they are allowed one chance to fix it. If they correct it, the win counts. If not, the bingo is void, and the game continues. If the sentences are correct and the action verbs match the definitions that were ticked on the caller's sheet, the player wins the round. Players then continue to see who can cross off all 16 verbs first without making sentences. Groups play several rounds, with students taking turns being the bingo caller and players using a different bingo card each time.
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Action Verb Races

Elementary (A1-A2) 30 minutes
ESL action verb games preview, elementary A1-A2, matching, gap-fill, sentence forming, group work

ESL Action Verb Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Matching, Gap-fill, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work

Here are two free action verb games to help students practice everyday actions. First, students play a gap-fill and matching game. In groups, students take turns picking up a sentence card, reading it...

ESL Action Verb Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Matching, Gap-fill, Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work Here are two free action verb games to help students practice everyday actions. First, students play a gap-fill and matching game. In groups, students take turns picking up a sentence card, reading it aloud and placing it face-up on the table. All the students then race to find the correct action verb card to complete the sentence. When a student finds the right action verb card, they pick it up and read the complete sentence aloud. If the other students agree the action verb matches the sentence, the student wins and keeps the cards. If not, the student puts down the verb card, is out of the round and other students can answer. The student with the most pairs of cards at the end of the game wins. After that, students play a game where they form sentences using the action verbs. Students take turns turning over an action verb card so it's visible to everyone. The other students then race to put up their hands and say a sentence using the action verb. The first student to make a suitable sentence wins and keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
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Everyday Actions

Elementary (A1-A2) 25 minutes
ESL actions worksheet preview, elementary A1-A2, writing sentences, matching verbs, asking and answering questions

ESL Action Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Writing Sentences - Speaking Activities: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Group Work

Here is a comprehensive actions worksheet to help students practice common verbs related to everyday actions. First, students match action verbs with words...

ESL Action Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Writing Sentences - Speaking Activities: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Group Work Here is a comprehensive actions worksheet to help students practice common verbs related to everyday actions. First, students match action verbs with words and phrases. Students then underline the correct action verb to complete each sentence. Next, students circle the odd verb out in each set and write why the action verb doesn't belong. After that, students complete sentences with action verbs from a box. Students then move on to use action verbs from the worksheet to write three true and three false sentences about themselves. Students then take turns reading the sentences to a partner, who guesses whether they are true or false. Finally, in pairs, students ask and answer conversation questions that use the action verbs.
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Physical Movement Mime

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL actions game preview, elementary A1-A2, miming, guessing, group work, physical verbs

ESL Actions Game - Vocabulary: Miming, Guessing - Group Work

In this fun actions game, students read sentences and then mime or guess the missing verbs of physical movement. In competing teams of two, students take turns picking up a card and reading the sentence using the word 'blank' for...

ESL Actions Game - Vocabulary: Miming, Guessing - Group Work In this fun actions game, students read sentences and then mime or guess the missing verbs of physical movement. In competing teams of two, students take turns picking up a card and reading the sentence using the word 'blank' for the missing action verb. The reader then mimes the missing action verb shown in brackets on the card to their partner, who tries to guess it. If the student successfully guesses the verb within 30 seconds, the team wins and keeps the card. If not, the other team has one chance to guess the verb and steal the card. The team with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Action Partners

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
Action Partners ESL action verbs game, pre-intermediate A2, miming and guessing in the present continuous

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary, Grammar and Speaking: Miming, Guessing, Present Continuous - Pair Work

In this entertaining action verbs game, students mime everyday actions and guess what their partner is doing using the present continuous. First, in pairs, one student picks up an action card, keeps it...

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary, Grammar and Speaking: Miming, Guessing, Present Continuous - Pair Work In this entertaining action verbs game, students mime everyday actions and guess what their partner is doing using the present continuous. First, in pairs, one student picks up an action card, keeps it hidden and silently mimes the action. Their partner watches the mime and guesses using the present continuous, e.g. 'You are washing your hands.' The student miming checks the answer and records one point for a correct guess. After a correct guess, students place the card to one side and swap roles. Students continue until they have used all 18 cards, giving each student nine turns at miming and guessing. Next, students play Speed Round. One student silently mimes the actions while their partner has three minutes to guess as many as possible using the present continuous. The student miming checks each answer and records one point for each correct guess. After three minutes, students note the score and swap roles for another three minutes. Finally, students add their points from both games. The student with the highest total score wins the game.
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Action Talk

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
Action Talk ESL action verbs activity, pre-intermediate A2, gap-fill and partner questions

ESL Action Verbs Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work

In this insightful action verbs activity, students use everyday action verbs to find out about a partner's habits and plans. Working in groups, students first complete...

ESL Action Verbs Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Gap-fill, Asking and Answering Questions, Controlled and Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work In this insightful action verbs activity, students use everyday action verbs to find out about a partner's habits and plans. Working in groups, students first complete conversation questions with the action verbs in a word box. Students then pair up with someone from the other group and take turns asking and answering their questions, giving reasons and asking simple follow-up questions. Finally, students share what they learned about their partner with the class, e.g. "My partner usually saves money for holidays."
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Can You Help?

Pre-intermediate (A2) 40 minutes
Can You Help? ESL action verbs worksheet, pre-intermediate A2, picture matching and making requests for help

ESL Action Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary: Matching, Gap-fill, Writing Requests - Speaking: Making and Responding to Requests - Pair Work

In this action verbs worksheet, students learn ten everyday actions and use them to ask for help in familiar situations. First, students match ten verbs to pictures...

ESL Action Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary: Matching, Gap-fill, Writing Requests - Speaking: Making and Responding to Requests - Pair Work In this action verbs worksheet, students learn ten everyday actions and use them to ask for help in familiar situations. First, students match ten verbs to pictures and write each verb beneath the correct picture. Students then complete ten sentences with the verbs. Next, in pairs, students choose two requests and practice asking and responding. After that, students complete six short conversations with the verbs in a box. In pairs, students then take turns making requests for six everyday situations. Their partner agrees or says no politely. Finally, students write four requests for help at home, at school or at work using the verbs, then take turns making their requests and responding with a partner.
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True or False Challenge

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
True or False Challenge ESL action verbs game, pre-intermediate A2, personal statements and follow-up questions

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, True or False - Group Work

In this fun action verbs game, students make true or false statements about themselves and ask questions to decide whether to believe their classmates. In groups,...

ESL Action Verbs Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Forming Sentences, Asking and Answering Questions, True or False - Group Work In this fun action verbs game, students make true or false statements about themselves and ask questions to decide whether to believe their classmates. In groups, students take turns picking up an action verb card and secretly choosing a true or false statement card. The student makes a personal statement using the verb, e.g. 'Yesterday, I washed my car.' The other students each ask a follow-up question to help them decide whether the statement is true or false. Each of the other students then gives their guess before the player shows the statement card and reveals the answer. Students who guessed correctly each score one point. Students continue until they have used all 28 verb cards. The student with the most points wins the game.
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Move It!

Intermediate (B1) 40 minutes
Move It ESL movement verbs worksheet, intermediate B1, matching, sentence completion and classroom planning

ESL Movement Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary: Matching, Gap-fill, Guided Writing - Speaking: Discussion, Planning, Explaining Decisions - Pair Work

In this practical movement verbs worksheet, students explore ways to move objects and work together to plan a new classroom layout. First, in pairs, students discuss...

ESL Movement Verbs Worksheet - Vocabulary: Matching, Gap-fill, Guided Writing - Speaking: Discussion, Planning, Explaining Decisions - Pair Work In this practical movement verbs worksheet, students explore ways to move objects and work together to plan a new classroom layout. First, in pairs, students discuss what they carry, their experiences of moving things and what they would like to move in their classroom. Students then match movement verbs to their meanings. Next, students complete sentences with suitable movement verbs in the correct form. After that, students read everyday situations and write two short sentences describing what they would do. Students then look at a classroom picture in pairs and agree how to make space in the centre for a class game, discussing what to move, where to put it and how to move it. Finally, pairs explain their plan to another pair, saying what they are going to move, where they are going to put it and why, e.g. 'We are going to move the desks to the sides to make space for a game.'
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Using Action Vocabulary

Action vocabulary names what people do, from physical movements like 'jump' and 'carry' to everyday actions like 'cook' and 'write.' When students choose the wrong action word, instructions, routines, and stories become unclear or sound unnatural.

This page covers actions from Elementary (A1-A2) to Intermediate (B1), with nine resources including games, worksheets, speaking activities, bingo, miming, and one free download.

This quick reference table maps common action vocabulary by situation, speaker, and example sentence.

SituationSpeakerExample Sentence
Describing a daily routine Any speaker 'I cook dinner at seven.'
Giving an instruction Teacher or group leader 'Open your book and write your name.'
Describing movement Any speaker 'She carried the bag upstairs.'
Talking about hobbies Any speaker 'I paint pictures on weekends.'
Reporting a past action Any speaker 'He cleaned the kitchen yesterday.'
Describing something happening now Any speaker 'They are running in the park.'
Asking about habits Any speaker 'Do you play soccer after school?'
Explaining a mistake Any speaker 'I dropped my phone on the floor.'

When to Use Action Vocabulary

Describe What People Do: Use actions when learners need to say what someone does in a routine, habit, or event, as in 'My brother fixes bikes after school.'

Explain Steps: Use actions when learners need to describe a process in order so another person can follow it, as in 'First, cut the paper and fold it in half.'

Retell Events: Use actions when learners need to make a story clear by naming what people did, as in 'The boy climbed the tree and rescued the cat.'

3-Step Framework for Teaching Action Vocabulary

1. Anchor Verbs in Meaning: Start with clear definitions so students connect each action verb to a real idea, not just a translation. A clue such as 'Something you do when you are angry and speak very loudly' naturally points learners toward shout.

2. Add Movement and Pressure: Bring action words off the page by having students mime missing verbs. Reading a sentence with 'blank' for the missing action verb and guessing within 30 seconds keeps the focus tight and memorable.

3. Describe Actions in Progress: Move from single verbs into sentences. One student silently mimes an action while a partner guesses using the present continuous, then students swap roles. This gives learners practice using the action vocabulary in complete sentences.

Common Mistakes with Action Vocabulary

Look, Watch, and See Confusion: Students often use look when they mean watch, especially for TV, videos, or games. Wrong: 'I looked TV last night.' Correct: 'I watched TV last night.'

Make and Do Confusion: Students often use make for everyday actions that English usually expresses with do. Wrong: 'I made my homework after dinner.' Correct: 'I did my homework after dinner.'

Common Questions About Teaching Action Vocabulary

What is a fun game for practicing action verbs?

In the game True or False Challenge, players pick up an action verb card and make a true or false statement with it, such as 'Yesterday, I washed my car.' The other students each ask a follow-up question, then vote on whether the statement is true or false. The speaking pressure and the guessing element make every turn unpredictable.

What is a good worksheet for practicing action verbs?

The worksheet Everyday Actions covers matching, sentence completion, and odd-one-out exercises before moving into speaking. Students write three true and three false sentences about themselves using action verbs, then read them to a partner who guesses which are true. The mix of written and spoken tasks means students use the same verbs in several different ways in a single lesson.

What is an engaging speaking activity for practicing action verbs?

The activity Action Talk starts with a gap-fill: students complete conversation questions by choosing a suitable action verb from a box. They then move to a different partner and take turns asking and answering the questions, giving reasons and asking follow-up questions. Completing the questions first means students arrive at the conversation stage already familiar with the verbs they need.

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