Verbs are a part of speech that tell us what the subject does or is. In short, they’re action words, but they can also represent actions in your mind, like thinking, or states of being, as in “to be.”

Every single sentence we write MUST have both a subject and a verb. Without them, you don’t have a sentence!

Let’s explore these different ways a verb can express actions with some examples:

PHYSICAL ACTION

Actions that use your body are physical actions.

Examples include:
• The kids ran to the slide.
• We only slept for four hours.
• Mom baked a cake for our party.

MENTAL ACTION

Actions that take place within your mind would be called a “mental action.”

Examples include:
• I thought about going to the movies.
• She guessed that we would need four pounds of flour.
• My parents wondered when I would be home.

STATE OF BEING

A special set of verbs that most often stem from the infinitive “to be” express the state of being of the subject. Other verbs that express a state of being include seem, exist, become, and appear.

Examples include:
• She is so funny!
• The dog was super energetic, but now he is tired.
• We will be ready to go in 15 minutes.
• She appears to be sick.

To learn more about verbs, be sure to check out the other Verb lessons to learn about types and tenses.