KS1 Verbs | Doing Words Used in Writing Sentences

English Quiz - Verbs (Questions)

Our quiz introduces children to verbs (doing words) as suggested in the National Curriculum. KS1 children in their English and Literacy classes should be able to identify a verb in writing and when reading.

A verb is usually a "doing" word. It is a word that describes action and tells us that something is happening. For example, the rabbit "jumps".

It can also be a "being" word to describe a feeling. My hand "itches".

Finally, verbs can be words which describe something that is happening but not being "done", for example, a caterpillar "becomes" a butterfly.

Every sentence must have a verb in it to make sense.

To see a larger image, click on the picture.

Which of these words is not a verb?

[ ]	kick
[ ]	run
[ ]	hit
[ ]	table

Which word is a verb?

[ ]	the
[ ]	sneeze
[ ]	cat
[ ]	girl

Which word is not a verb?

[ ]	laughing
[ ]	cuddling
[ ]	hat
[ ]	smiling

'I will not stand when I'm told to.' - which word is the verb?

[ ]	will
[ ]	not
[ ]	stand
[ ]	when

'Every Monday I watch football.' Which word is a verb?

[ ]	watch
[ ]	football
[ ]	Every
[ ]	Monday

Which sentence doesn't contain a verb?

[ ]	I enjoy eating in restaurants.
[ ]	During the meal, my chair was uncomfortable.
[ ]	I opened the menu.
[ ]	We talked about our favourite food.

Which sentence doesn't contain a verb?

[ ]	I wrestled him to the ground.
[ ]	We practised every day for two years.
[ ]	I fell on the mat and hurt my hand.
[ ]	The hall was very large.

'I can't breathe because my nose is blocked.' Which word is a verb?

[ ]	breathe
[ ]	nose
[ ]	can't
[ ]	because

'I enjoy tennis, football and playing snooker.' How many verbs are in that sentence?

[ ]	4
[ ]	3
[ ]	2
[ ]	1

10.

'He walked to the party then danced all night and slept all day.' How many verbs are in that sentence?

[ ]	1
[ ]	2
[ ]	3
[ ]	4

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is a verb?

English Quiz - Verbs (Answers)

Which of these words is not a verb?

[ ]	kick
[ ]	run
[ ]	hit
[x]	table

A good way to know if a word is a verb is by asking yourself if you can do it. So, could you kick something? run? hit? table?

Which word is a verb?

[ ]	the
[x]	sneeze
[ ]	cat
[ ]	girl

Sunlight causes many people to sneeze.

Which word is not a verb?

[ ]	laughing
[ ]	cuddling
[x]	hat
[ ]	smiling

Laughing is considered a universal form of communicating. That means every person in the world, despite what language they speak, will know what laughing is and means.

'I will not stand when I'm told to.' - which word is the verb?

[ ]	will
[ ]	not
[x]	stand
[ ]	when

The trick to finding out which word is a verb is to say each word to somebody and if you expect a reaction, then it's a verb. If I say 'when' to you, you don't need to do anything but if I say 'stand' then you are expected to move.

'Every Monday I watch football.' Which word is a verb?

[x]	watch
[ ]	football
[ ]	Every
[ ]	Monday

Many children think 'football' is a verb but it's not. If I say to you 'go football' you can't. You play football. Football is the game but the verb is 'to play'.

Which sentence doesn't contain a verb?

[ ]	I enjoy eating in restaurants.
[x]	During the meal, my chair was uncomfortable.
[ ]	I opened the menu.
[ ]	We talked about our favourite food.

The second answer is the only one without a verb or a word that involves action.

Which sentence doesn't contain a verb?

[ ]	I wrestled him to the ground.
[ ]	We practised every day for two years.
[ ]	I fell on the mat and hurt my hand.
[x]	The hall was very large.

Wrestling is one of the oldest forms of combat.

'I can't breathe because my nose is blocked.' Which word is a verb?

[x]	breathe
[ ]	nose
[ ]	can't
[ ]	because

Females tend to have more colds than males.

'I enjoy tennis, football and playing snooker.' How many verbs are in that sentence?

[ ]	4
[ ]	3
[x]	2
[ ]	1

The word 'enjoy' is also a verb. Snooker is played with twenty two balls.

10.

'He walked to the party then danced all night and slept all day.' How many verbs are in that sentence?

[ ]	1
[ ]	2
[x]	3
[ ]	4

Walked, danced and slept are the verbs. Did you know that honeybees dance as a way to communicate?