Action Verbs

verb to make a gesture with the hand, arm, or head to encourage someone to come nearer or follow

• The hostess would beckon guests to their tables with a polite gesture.
• I saw my friend beckon me over to join them at the party.
• He beckoned me to come hang out with him later.
• The call of the ocean beckons sailors to adventure.

noun a sudden outbreak or eruption

verb to enter suddenly and forcefully, typically interrupting something

• The manager burst in on the meeting to deliver important news.
• She burst in on the conversation without knocking.
• I can't believe he burst in on their date like that.
• The sun burst in through the clouds, illuminating the room with a warm glow.

noun a person who has been initiated into an organization or activity

verb to cause something to begin or start

• The company will initiate a new project next month.
• Let's initiate the plan and get started.
• I'm going to initiate a chat with that cute guy over there.
• Sometimes you have to initiate change in order to see progress.

noun a quick and forceful release or discharge of something

verb to release or discharge something quickly and forcefully

• The archer drew back his bow and let fly an arrow towards the target.
• I saw a bug on my arm and let fly a quick slap to get rid of it.
• When the pitcher saw the batter taunting him, he let fly a fastball right down the middle.
• After years of holding back his emotions, he finally let fly and told his boss exactly how he felt.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, indicating the manner in which something is done

• The researchers worked like mad to meet the deadline for their study.
• I've been cleaning my room like mad all morning.
• She was running like mad to catch the bus.
• The rumors spread through the small town like mad wildfire.

noun a verb phrase that means to hurry or move quickly

• Please make haste in completing the report before the deadline.
• Hey, make haste or we'll be late for the movie.
• Come on, make haste or we'll miss out on all the fun.
• Time is running out, make haste and seize the opportunity before it's too late.

verb to run faster or farther than someone or something else

• The athlete was able to outrun his competitors and win the race.
• I bet I can outrun you in a foot race!
• I can totally outrun that slowpoke!
• No matter how hard I try, I can never seem to outrun my past mistakes.

verb to move with great speed or urgency

adjective done quickly or in a hurry

• The doctor rushed to the emergency room to attend to the critical patient.
• I rushed to finish my homework before the deadline.
• We rushed to catch the last train home.
• The thoughts rushed through his mind like a speeding train.

verb to begin or start doing something

adverb used to describe how something is done or the manner in which something is started

• The team set about analyzing the data to identify any patterns.
• We set about cleaning the house before our guests arrived.
• Let's set about getting this party started!
• After receiving the news, she set about rebuilding her life from scratch.

verb to cut or strike with a sharp blade or object

• The company slashed its workforce in an effort to cut costs.
• They slashed the prices for the end of season sale.
• I can't believe they slashed my hours at work without notice.
• Her words slashed through his heart, leaving him feeling wounded.

noun a season of the year, typically occurring between winter and summer, when the weather becomes warmer and plants start to grow

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The prosecutor will spring upon the witness with tough questions during cross-examination.
• I didn't expect him to spring upon me with that surprise party!
• The salesperson tried to spring upon me with an upsell, but I wasn't interested.
• The news of the promotion really sprung upon her like a pleasant surprise.

adverb Swiftly is an adverb that describes how an action is done quickly or with speed.

• The courier swiftly delivered the package to its destination.
• She swiftly ran to catch the bus before it left.
• He swiftly bounced out of there before things got messy.
• Time swiftly passed as they enjoyed each other's company.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this)

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

conjunction a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause

article a particular item or object, typically one of a specified type

• It is imperative that we allocate the necessary resources to get it done on time.
• Let's roll up our sleeves and get it done before the deadline.
• We need to hustle and get it done ASAP.
• No matter the obstacles, we must find a way to get it done.

noun A word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen.

• In English grammar, a verb is a word that expresses an action or a state of being.
• I need to verb this sentence before submitting it for approval.
• Let's verb this project and get it done quickly.
• Her smile can verb even the toughest of hearts.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this context, 'act' is a noun as it refers to a deed or action.

verb A word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. In this context, 'act' is a verb as it denotes the action being taken.

adverb A word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In this context, 'on' and 'upon' can also function as adverbs to provide more information about how the action is being carried out.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence. In this context, 'on' and 'upon' are prepositions that indicate where the action is directed.

• It is important for the government to act upon the recommendations of the expert panel.
• I told him to act on his instincts and make a decision.
• Just act on it and stop overthinking!
• She knew she had to act upon her feelings before it was too late.