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Action words for kids: "I can run, jump and swim"

Tap a sentence to hear it. Eight action words: run, jump, swim, fly, eat, sleep, sit and clap.

Tap to hear

Good to know

  • After "can" the action word stays the same: The dog can run (not "can runs").
  • "And" joins two actions: I can run and jump.
  • Act it out: children remember action words best when they do the action.

Practise at home

  • Play "Simon says": "Jump! Clap! Sit!"
  • Ask "Can a fish fly?" and enjoy the giggles: "No! A fish can swim."
  • Take turns saying what you can do: "I can clap." "I can jump."

Practise with I Can Read

I Can Read practises these sentences on Action Island, which opens with full access. The free first island, Look Island, starts with "I see aโ€ฆ" and "This is aโ€ฆ".

Free printable

A one-page A4 chart for "Action words for kids: "I can run, jump and swim"". Print it for the fridge, the classroom wall or pointing practice. Free to share.

Download the chart (PDF)

Questions

Why not "The dog can runs"?

After can, will and must the verb never takes -s. Hearing many examples is enough at this age.

Which action words are in the game?

Run, jump, swim, fly, eat, sleep, sit and clap.