A noun names who or what. A verb tells what they do. In “The dog digs,” dog is the noun and digs is the verb.
Key idea
A verb tells what someone or something does.
Why it works
A sentence needs something to happen. The verb is the word that makes it happen. Take it away and the sentence stops: “The dog ___ in the yard.”
Worked example: Find the verb
“Grandma bakes a cake.”
- Who is it about? Grandma.
- What does she do? She bakes.
- So bakes is the verb.
Answer: bakes
Worked example: A quiet verb
“The baby sleeps in her crib.”
- Who is it about? The baby.
- What does she do? She sleeps.
- Sleeping is not a big movement, but it is still something the baby does.
Answer: sleeps
Common mistake
Picking the person or thing instead of the action, or missing quiet verbs. Sleep, wish, know, think and listen are verbs too. Ask: what does this person or thing do?
For the grown-up. Act it out: one of you does an action and the other names the verb. Then try quiet ones together, like think, wait and listen.