What is a verb? A simple guide for Key Stage One
In Key Stage One English, children learn about verbs. A verb is a word that tells us what someone or something is doing. In “The cat ran away”, the verb is “ran”. Verbs can also tell us what someone can do: in “I can dance”, the verb is “dance”. Children are often excited to discover them!
Past, present and future
Verbs change to show when something happens: present tense (“I dance”), past tense (“I danced”) or future (“I will dance”). Using verbs well helps young learners express their ideas in writing and speech.
Regular and irregular verbs
Regular verbs follow a pattern when making the past tense (“walk – walked – have walked”). Irregular verbs don’t follow the same rules (“run – ran – have run”). Knowing how each type works is key to using them confidently.
Make it playful
- Play “verb charades”: act out an action while others guess the verb.
- Go on a verb walk: what are the birds, trees and people doing?
- Tell a story together, then go back and spot the verbs.
Key Stage One is an exciting time for children learning English. For more playful literacy, try our Wilded Alphabet Cards and our Free Resources. Have fun with it – that’s what learning is all about!
