Verbs
- 1st grade
- CCSS L.K.1b
- CCSS L.1.1e
A verb tells what someone or something does or is. Action verbs show doing: run, jump, eat. Being verbs tell what something is: is, am, are.
What is a verb?
Every complete sentence needs a verb. The noun tells who, and the verb tells what they do: "The dog barks." "Mia reads."
Most verbs are action verbs, which kids can act out: run, hop, sing, clap. A few are being verbs, which tell what something is or is like: "I am seven." "The sky is blue."
A verb tells what someone does or is.
Every sentence needs one.
Kindergartners already use verbs (L.K.1b), and in 1st grade they learn that verbs change to show time (L.1.1e): walk, walked, will walk. That's the next lesson, past, present and future.
Action verbs and being verbs
Act out the left column. You can't act out the right column, but every sentence with one still makes sense.
| Action verbs (you can act them out) | Being verbs (tell what something is) |
|---|---|
| run | am |
| jump | is |
| eat | are |
| write | was |
| swim | were |
| laugh | be |
Kids sometimes say "is isn't a verb because you can't do it." Explain that verbs can show doing or being. Every sentence still needs one.
Verb examples in sentences
The highlighted words are verbs. Ask your child to act out the action verbs.
- The frog jumps into the pond.
- I eat cereal for breakfast.
- The baby cries at night.
- We sing in the car.
- Dad cooks dinner.
- The sky is blue.
- I am six years old.
- The kids play soccer.
- My cat sleeps on my bed.
- The flowers are pretty.
Sentences 6, 7 and 10 use being verbs. You can't act out is, but the sentence would fall apart without it: "The sky blue."
How to find the verb
- Ask "What does it do?" In "The dog barks," what does the dog do? It barks. That's the verb.
- Try "I can ___." If "I can jump" works, jump is an action verb. "I can table" doesn't work.
- Change the time. Put "yesterday" in front. The word that changes is the verb: "Today I walk" becomes "Yesterday I walked."
How to teach verbs
Five short steps, about 10 minutes each.
- Play charades. Write action verbs on slips: hop, clap, swim, sleep. Your child acts one out and you guess. Then swap.
- Simon says. "Simon says jump!" After each round, ask "What was the verb?"
- Find who and do. In simple sentences, your child points to who (the noun) and do (the verb): "The cat sleeps."
- Add being verbs. Finish sentences together: "I ___ happy." "The dogs ___ big." (am, are)
- Write an action list. Your child writes five things they did today, each starting with I: "I ran. I read. I ate."
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Why it happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Marks dog as the verb in "The dog barks." | Picking the first important word. | Ask "What does the dog do?" The answer, barks, is the verb. |
| Skips is in "The sky is blue." | Being verbs don't look like actions. | Teach the being verbs as a short list: am, is, are, was, were. |
| Marks fast in "She runs fast." | Words next to the verb feel like part of the action. | Fast tells how she runs. The action word is runs. |
| The sky blue. | Leaving out the being verb when writing. | Every sentence needs a verb: The sky is blue. |
Practice: verbs quiz
10 questions. Your child can tap the speaker to hear a question read aloud. The first try on each question counts toward the score.
-
1.Tap the verb.
.
Show answer
jumps.
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2.Which word is a verb?
Show answer
swim. You can do it.
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3.Tap the verb.
.
Show answer
reads.
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4.Which word is not a verb?
Show answer
chair. It's a thing, so it's a noun.
-
5.Tap the verb.
.
Show answer
is. It's a being verb.
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6.Finish with a verb: The baby ___.
Show answer
sleeps.
-
7.Which is a being verb?
Show answer
am.
-
8.Tap the verb.
.
Show answer
sing.
-
9.Which sentence has a verb?
Show answer
The ball rolls away. The verb is rolls.
-
10.I ___ seven years old.
Show answer
am. I am, he is, they are.
Verbs worksheet (free PDF)
Verbs Worksheet, 1st grade
Circle verbs, sort verbs from nouns, finish sentences with a verb and write about your day. Prints on US Letter paper, with an answer key.
Download the PDFTry it at home
- At the park: call out what everyone is doing: running, swinging, sliding.
- Play charades: act out verbs after dinner.
- During chores: "What are you doing?" "I am folding." Name the verb.
- With a book: pick a page and find all the action words.
- At bedtime: your child names three verbs from their day.
What comes next
Next, kids learn how verbs show time in past, present and future, then the verbs that break the -ed rule in irregular past tense verbs. See all 1st grade skills on the 1st grade page, or browse all grammar lessons.
Last reviewed: November 11, 2026
Questions parents ask
What is a verb for kids?
A verb is a word that tells what someone or something does or is, like run, eat, sing, is or are. Every sentence needs one.
Is "is" a verb?
Yes. Is, am, are, was and were are being verbs. They tell what something is instead of what it does.
What grade learns verbs?
Kindergartners start using nouns and verbs. In 1st grade, kids learn to find verbs and change them for past, present and future.
How can my child tell a verb from a noun?
Try "I can ___." If it makes sense, like I can jump, it's a verb. I can table doesn't make sense, so table is a noun.
What's the difference between a verb and an action word?
Action words are one kind of verb. Being verbs like is and am are verbs too, even though you can't act them out.