Action Verb - Academic Mode

Action Verb Definition
An action verb or "active verb" indicates an action, feeling or process. An action verb is also known as a "dynamic verb" and is in this respect opposed to a "static verb", mostly used with an active voice. An action verb expresses an action an animal, object, or person can take.

For example, consider the following sentence:

“Who hasn't seen you in your shop often? / Sometimes someone looking abroad can find ”(Ode to Herbst, by John Keats) .

Here the verbs“ seen ”and“ seeks ”are both action verbs. They demonstrate both actions that the subjects have performed and can perform.

Properties of an action verb
An action verb can be used to relate to a thought: “Dolly was thinking about a project. She wanted a good reward. ”
An action verb can be used in the present, past, or future:“ The tiger runs very quickly. "The tiger ran through our yard." “The tiger will run through the forest.”
An action verb can be used with auxiliary verbs: “Are you going to soccer practice with me?”
Common use of action verbs
“Jennifer speaks too much.”
“Conversations” refers to an action that Jennifer does often does.
"It started to rain, so Maria grabbed an umbrella."
"Reached" refers to an action that Maria carried out.
"Sara watches the bird hopping around on the fence."
" Observe ”refers to an action that Sara takes.
“ The gun has fired the bullet into the sky. "
" Fired "refers to the action performed by the gun.
" The water is boiling on the stove. "
" Boiling "refers to the work the water is doing.
Examples of action verb in literature
Example # 1: Supporting Children Learning (by Lyn Overall)
"I often sing, hum, and whistle, but I wouldn't do any of those things in the company of other people."

The sentence above shows three action verbs: "sing "," hum, "and" hiss. "

Example # 2: The Catcher in the Rye (by J.Salinger)
" They're advertised in over a thousand magazines, always showing a famous guy on a horse jumping over a fence. At Pencey I played polo all the time. Not once did I see a horse near the place. They fired me. I wasn't supposed to come back after Christmas break because I was failing four subjects and not applying to myself and everything. I was frequently warned to start applying, but I didn't. "

Here, various characters are doing several different things, as shown by using the underlined action verbs:" announce "," show "," jump " , "do", "kick", "come", "suspend", "give" and "did. "

Example # 3: Soul to Soul: Communications from the Heart (by Gark Zukav)
" Fighters using Kung Fu spun, kicked, leaped and struck with grace and skill through all life-threatening challenges, including dragons , sorcerers, assassins, and armies. "

In this sentence, the underlined words" spin, "" kick, "" jump, "and" hit "are actions that the subjects (combatants) are performing.

Example # 4: Ode to Nightingale (by John Keats)
“My heart aches, and a numb numbness aches
My sense aches, as if from hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied so I bored opiate to the drains
A minute ago, and Lethe's rooms they had sunk ...
They fade away, dissolve and are completely forgotten
Here, where men sit and hear each other groan ... ”

Verbs include:" pains "," pains "," drunk "," emptied "," sunk "," fade "," diso lver "," forget "," sit "and" listen ". These verbs can clearly convey pain and sadness.

Example # 5: The Rime of Ancient Mariner (by S. Coleridge)
"Like one who chased with screams and blows"

"And forward bows head,
The ship sails fast, noisy the explosion roared…

“Listen, stranger! Fog and snow,
And it was wonderful cold… ”

These lines are good examples of how action verbs can be used. All of these verbs convey information that extends beyond the literal meaning of their lines.

Function
The basic function of an action verb is to express the action that a subject performs. An action verb specifically establishes or demonstrates the action of the subject in a sentence. An action verb conveys information, emotion, and a sense of purpose that extends beyond the literal meaning of a sentence.