Courseversity

Action words

Primary EducationGrade 1English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G01-ELA-U07-L0345–60 min

You will learn

  • Find the verb in a sentence.
  • Use a verb in a sentence.
  • Match a verb to its subject.
  • Say whether an action is happening now or has happened.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. A verb tells what someone does.
  2. Every sentence has a verb.
  3. Verbs can show now or before.
  4. We add -s or -ed to some verbs.

Words to know

verb
a word that tells what someone does
subject
who or what the sentence is about
now
at this moment
before
in the past

1. Discover: Dog runs

Ayo writes: The dog runs. The teacher asks, “What does the dog do?” “It runs,” says Ayo. “That is the verb,” says the teacher. “Now, yesterday, the dog ran.”

Think: Which word tells what the dog does?

2. Understand: Verbs in sentences

Idea 1: Find the verb

The verb tells what happens. Ask: what does the dog do? The dog runs.

Idea 2: Match the subject

One person: Ama reads. More than one: The children read. The verb changes a little.

Idea 3: Now and before

Now: The dog runs. Before: The dog ran. Many verbs add -ed for before: jump, jumped.

Remember: A verb tells what someone or something does. It can show now or before.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Find the verb

Ama reads a book.

  1. Ask: what does Ama do?
  2. Find the doing word.

Answer: reads

Example 2 (We do it together): Match

The boy ___. (jumps/jump)

  1. One boy.
  2. Use the -s form.

Answer: jumps

Example 3 (You try): Before

Yesterday I ___. (walk/walked)

Show the steps and answer
  1. Yesterday means before.
  2. Use the -ed form.

Answer: walked

Did you know?

Some verbs change completely in the past, such as run and ran, or go and went.

Why this matters

Using the right verb makes your sentences clear and correct.

4. Explore: Now and before

Play with verb forms.

  1. Say a sentence about now.
  2. Say it about yesterday.
  3. Notice the verb change.
  4. Write both.
Think about it: what did you notice?

Verbs change to show when something happens.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • The verb is ___.
  • Now: ___. Before: ___.
  • The ___ ___.
  • Yesterday ___.

Guided practice

Question 1. Verb in: Ama reads a book?

reads

Question 2. The boy ___. (jumps/jump)

jumps

Question 3. Yesterday I ___. (walk/walked)

walked

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. Verb in: The dog runs.
  2. Verb in: The bird flies.
  3. Verb in: Kofi eats rice.
  4. Yesterday I ___. (jump/jumped)
  5. A verb tells what someone ___.

Level 2: Grow

  1. The girl ___. (sings/sing)
  2. The children ___. (play/plays)
  3. Yesterday the cat ___. (ran/run)

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Write a sentence with a verb about now and one about before.
  2. Why do verbs change?
  3. Ayo writes: Yesterday I walk. What should it be?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Tell a family member what you did yesterday.

Show a sample answer

I went to school and played.

Another one. Write three things you do and three things you did.

Show a sample answer

I eat. I ate. I run. I ran.

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Using the wrong form.
Fix: Check if it is now or before.
Another mistake: Leaving out the verb.
Fix: Every sentence needs one.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can find the verb.
  • I can use a verb in a sentence.
  • I can match the verb to the subject.
  • I can show now and before.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. A verb tells what someone ___.

2. The dog runs. The verb is ___.

3. Ama reads a book. The verb is ___.

4. The bird flies. The verb is ___.

5. Kofi eats rice. The verb is ___.

6. The boy ___. (jump/jumps)

7. The children ___. (plays/play)

8. Yesterday I ___. (walk/walked)

9. Yesterday the cat ___. (run/ran)

10. Now: jump. Before: ___.

11. Every sentence needs a ___.

12. Ayo writes: Yesterday I walk. What is wrong?

Challenge 1. Which sentence is about before?

Challenge 2. Which sentence has the verb that matches?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • A verb tells what someone does.
  • Every sentence needs a verb.
  • Verbs match their subject.
  • Verbs show now and before.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Pronouns. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. What is a verb? [1 mark]
  2. Find the verb: Kofi eats rice. [1 mark]
  3. Complete: Yesterday I ___ (walk). [1 mark]
  4. Write a sentence with the verb jump. [2 marks]
  5. Explain why verbs change. [3 marks]

Total: 8 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. a word that tells what someone does [1]
  2. eats [1]
  3. walked [1]
  4. uses jump [1]; full sentence [1]
  5. they show when it happens [1]; now and before [1]; example [1]

Score guide: 7 to 8 = secure. 5 to 6 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 5 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. Verb in: The dog runs.
  2. Verb in: Ama reads a book.
  3. The boy ___ (jump/jumps).
  4. The children ___ (play/plays).
  5. Yesterday I ___ (walk/walked).
  6. Yesterday the cat ___ (run/ran).
  7. Now: jump. Before: ___.
  8. True or false: every sentence needs a verb.
  9. Write a sentence about now.
  10. Write a sentence about yesterday.

Homework

Write three sentences about now and three about yesterday.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. Verb in: The dog runs. runs 1
2. Verb in: Ama reads a book. reads 1
3. The boy ___ (jump/jumps). jumps 1
4. The children ___ (play/plays). play 1
5. Yesterday I ___ (walk/walked). walked 1
6. Yesterday the cat ___ (run/ran). ran 1
7. Now: jump. Before: ___. jumped 1
8. True or false: every sentence needs a verb. true 1
9. Write a sentence about now. a valid sentence 1
10. Write a sentence about yesterday. a valid sentence 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 runs; 2 flies; 3 eats; 4 jumped; 5 does. Level 2: 1 sings; 2 play; 3 ran. Level 3: 1 two valid sentences; 2 to show when it happens; 3 Yesterday I walked..

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Find the verb in a sentence Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Use a verb in a sentence Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Match a verb to its subject Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Say whether an action is happening now or has happened Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Using the wrong form. Check if it is now or before.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Use pictures and say the verb together.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child learns to use verbs correctly in sentences. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Talk about what you do now and what you did.
  • Point out verbs in books.
  • Praise correct forms.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: find the verb in a sentence; use a verb in a sentence; match a verb to its subject; say whether an action is happening now or has happened.

Prerequisite knowledge. Naming words.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Say The dog runs and ask what the dog does.

Explanation (10 min). Teach verbs, subject and now/before.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise now and before.

Independent activity (10 min). Learners share their sentences.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What does it do? Is it now or before?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use pictures and simple verbs. Extension. Use irregular verbs.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Using the wrong form. Check if it is now or before.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 8-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Use pictures and say the verb together. Enrichment. Find verbs that change completely in the past. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Language. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core L.1.1.e (use verbs to convey a sense of past, present, and future) and L.1.1.c; Education Endowment Foundation Improving Literacy in Key Stage 1 guidance (grammar and sentence writing); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (grammar). These sources informed the lesson.

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